The biggest sports entertainment event of the year happens this Sunday! I’ll admit that the build up to WrestleMania has not excited me, but somehow the magic that comes along with the grandest stage of them all now has me looking forward to the show.
In looking ahead to the card, I’ve decided to put on my fantasy booker hat, but I’ll also be playing the role of realist. The name of the column this time around says it all. Below is what I’d like to think will transpire on April 3rd verses what Vince and company will probably give us. I’ll be going in the rumoured match order.
United States champion Kalisto vs. Ryback
What Should Happen: Kalisto pulls out an underdog upset win and continues his journey to being the heir apparent to Rey Mysterio. There is no way Kalisto should be losing to an opponent who is less talented in the ring than Alberto Del Rio. The League of Nations member has done alot to get one half of The Lucha Dragons over.
What Will Happen: Ryback will win the U.S. title in dominant fashion because rumour has it that The Big Guy is in line for a main event push later this year. Walking out of Mania as champion is a step in that direction.
Team Total Divas (Paige, Brie Bella, Natalya, Alicia Fox & Eva Marie) vs. Team “BAD & Blonde” (Emma, Lana, Naomi Tamina & Summer Rae)
What Should Happen: Brie Bella and company will win this filler match to give her a nice send off from the company as it’s be said that she will be joining her husband Daniel Bryan in retirement after this show.
What Will Happen: Total Divas is the mainstream show. They’ll get the win since the result of this match doesn’t really matter in the long run.
The Usos vs. The Dudley Boyz
What Should Happen: The Usos should pick up a meaningful win against a veteran team in front of a huge crowd.
What Will Happen: Bubba Ray and D-Von will win here so they can brag about it for a few weeks to give Jimmy & Jey a victory in a more featured contest at an upcoming network special.
Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
What Should Happen: Mark Henry gets a win at his last Mania in his home state. It gives the world’s strongest man one more chance to show why he earned that nickname in the first place.
What Will Happen: Braun Strowman is the last man in the ring. This will ready him for big name competition later on this year. I’m talking about the likes of Brock Lesnar.
Tag Team Champions The New Day vs. The League of Nations
What Should Happen: The New Day retain the gold to keep their newly minted babyface momentum going.
What Will Happen: Xavier, Kofi and Big E walk out as champions and their popularity grows.
Chris Jericho vs. AJ Styles
What Should Happen: This match will steal the show if given enough time. The Phenomenal One wins and this rushed feud gives AJ the rub he needs from the veteran Jericho.
What Will Happen: This will be one of the best in ring matches of the night and at this stage of the game Y2J doesn’t need a victory but Styles does, as his WWE career is just getting started.
Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match: Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn vs. Stardust vs. The Miz vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Zack Ryder vs. Sin Cara
What Should Happen: Sami Zayn puts himself on the main roster map in a big way by walking out of Wrestlemania with one of the most prestigious championships in WWE history. No one else would benefit from the win as much as Zayn would.
What Will Happen: If Zayn doesn’t pick up the victory then I could also see them leaving the gold on Owens. He seems to have more credibility with the title than without for some reason.
Divas Champion Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch vs. Sasha Banks.
What Should Happen: As much as Becky and Sasha are great workers who are over with the crowd. The right call here is to have Ric Flair’s daughter steal a heel victory so she and Natch can run their mouths about winning on the big stage.
What Will Happen: I think WWE will see the benefit of Sasha and Becky both having a good showing but ultimately losing out to the current champ. This story doesn’t seem ready to end at Mania.
Dean Ambrose vs. Brock Lesnar (with Paul Heyman) in a No Holds Barred Street Fight
What Should Happen: The Beast Incarnate will take Ambrose to Suplex City and will deliver a dominate beat down….but Dean will keep coming back for more. The use of weapons in this match will only serve to make Ambrose look like a serious threat to beating Brock, but at the same time it will make Lesnar all the more dangerous. There is no way Brock looses.
What Will Happen: The crowd is going to love this match, because it features arguably to two most over superstars in the company right now. Brock will look like the monster that he is in victory, but the heart and never say die attitude that Dean Ambrose shows will take his career to another level.
Shane McMahon vs. The Undertaker inside Hell in a Cell
What Will Happen: I put this category first because I honestly have no earthly idea what will happen. I think the mystery surrounding this match is making up for the fact that Undertaker’s opponent at Mania this year seems like a strange choice. I can’t tell you the last time a felt unsure of who to pick in a big match like this. There’s no way Shane came back wanting control, just to lose. There’s also no way Undertaker loses again at WrestleMania….like ever.
What Should Happen: We get a gutsy performance from two guys who are past their physical prime. Even though neither man can perform like they used to, they will rise to the occasion and possibly give us a WrestleMania moment or two. In the end Taker picks up the victory thanks to an unwanted assist from Vince. That way the dead man gets his win and Shane can hang around and force his underhanded dad into a brand split.
WWE World Heavyweight champion Triple H vs. Roman Reigns
What Will Happen: I put this category first again because I want to leave you with my idea for a WrestleMania ending that will have everyone talking. The match will be solid and the crowd will be on the “heel” champion’s side. I hate to say it, but the boos for Reigns have gotten worse. I wanted to believe that Roman had turned a corner with the fans and the end of last year, but if one of the greatest bad guys in the last 20 years is getting cheered in this scenario, then something is majorly wrong. However, this is the stubborn WWE. They’ll probably stick to the plan and have Reigns win the gold in babyface fashion….Even if he gets booed out of the building.
What Should Happen: Roman Reigns should win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship and end Wrestlemania….as a heel. Vince McMahon is the one who sees the most in Reigns, so he should screw over his own son in law and be in the new champion’s corner. Vince can come out on Raw the next night saying his daughter and her husband were getting too big for their britches and he still runs things. This way Hunter and Stephanie can take a LONG break from TV while Vince and Shane struggle for power. In Roman’s case it’s very simple to explain his turn. He’s sick of fighting the powers that be and he’s tired of the fans reaction to him. He tried to be a good guy and go against the corporate grain and it got him nowhere. If you’re going to boo him anyway, he may as well be champ and have the boss’s backing.
Thanks for reading. I have appreciated all the POSTIVE feedback I’ve received about this column through your emails. Feel free to send along your thoughts and even how you’d book Mania this year. Drop me a line at johnathanprice@live.ca