Wrestlemania 33 Predictions
On Sunday, the biggest event of the professional wrestling calendar arrives. After months of build-up and anticipation, the Ultimate Thrill Ride is finally here (my god, that might be the worst tagline that I have ever heard). Wrestlemania has been home to some of the biggest moments in WWE history. Think of Shawn Michaels retiring Ric Flair, Edge hitting Jeff Hardy with a spear as he dangled in mid-air, Brock Lesnar breaking The Streak, Steve Austin passing out to Bret Hart's Sharpshooter while covered in blood, and "Macho Man" Randy Savage reuniting with Miss Elizabeth.
It's also been home to some of the greatest matches in WWE history: "Macho Man" Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat, Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker, The Rock vs. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Daniel Bryan vs. Triple H, and Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart. With that being said, there is potential that some of the matches from this year's 'Mania could find themselves on this list next year. We'll go through all of the matches on the card and pick who will win, who should win, and how good the match should be.
WWE Cruiserweight Championship: Neville (c) vs. Austin Aries
Who Will Win: Neville
Who Should Win: Neville
This has been one of the best build-ups to any 'Mania feud, and it seems a little wasted on the Kickoff show. The good news: the match might actually get a lot of time. These are two world-class wrestlers, and if they are given 15-20 minutes, they could put on a hidden gem. The potential for this match is very high, but it probably won't go longer than 10 minutes. Also, there is a real possibility that there even won't be very many fans watching the match, as they will still be filing in. Nonetheless, look for these two men to put on one of the best matches of the night. As hot as Aries has been recently, I think Neville will and should retain. Since the birth of the Cruiserweight Championship late last year, there have already been four different reigns. The belt needs a little stability. Also, I just find it hard to believe that Vince McMahon will give Aries (a man who made his name in ROH and TNA) a win at 'Mania (see Styles, AJ at 32).
The Undertaker vs. Roman Reigns
Who Will Win: Roman Reigns
Who Should Win: Roman Reigns
It's become abundantly clear that 'Taker is not as healthy as he once was. He has limited mobility and he just looks a lot more fragile. I know we say this every year, but this could legitimately be his last match. If it is, then Reigns is definitely winning. The Undertaker is an old-school wrestler, he believes in putting someone over on the way out. While I'm sure most fans would like to see him give that rub to someone else (maybe Kevin Owens or Braun Strowman?), Reigns is one of the biggest stars in the company right now. It would also be great if Reigns could win by cheating, thus making him the biggest heel in the company. He's already been heelish throughout the build, and it's been wonderful. I've said it before, but Reigns would make a phenomenal bad guy.
2017 Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
Who Will Win: Braun Strowman
Who Should Win: Braun Strowman
The current line-up for this match includes superstars such as The Usos, Curt Hawkins, Jinder Mahal, Curtis Axel, American Alpha, Dolph Ziggler, and Bo Dallas. We might see some more additions come Sunday, including Luke Harper, Kane, Samoa Joe, Mark Henry, and Gentleman Jack Gallagher (oh please, let some cruiserweights be in this match). Even if more people are added, it's hard to think that someone other than Strowman will win. He needs this win after losing to Reigns at Fastlane. There are other viable contenders, such as Big Show and Sami Zayn, but Strowman makes the most sense. Besides, out of the five men to ever finish in a top two spot in this match, four of them were big men (if you count Cesaro as a big guy). This could be a fun match though.
Smackdown Women's Championship: Alexa Bliss (c) vs. Becky Lynch vs. Micke James vs. Natalya vs. Carmella vs. Naomi
Who Will Win: Alexa Bliss
Who Should Win: Naomi
Now that Naomi has returned, we know that this will be a six pack challenge. If she had returned at 'Mania, then I think she would have won the title. But since she returned on Smackdown, my guess is that Bliss will retain and carry on her feud with Mickie James. Speaking of which, I could also see James winning. Naomi of course, is the deserving winner as she was forced to relinquish the title last month.
WWE Championship: Bray Wyatt (c) vs. Randy Orton
Who Will Win: Randy Orton
Who Should Win: Bray Wyatt
Vinnie Mac loves him some Randy Orton, so it's hard to believe that Wyatt retains here. Wyatt does deserve to retain though, as he's been great since winning the belt. We could also see some interference from Eric Rowan or Luke Harper here, but probably not. This seems like it will be a singles battles between the two. Their previous matches were nothing special, but hopefully, we get something big here.
WWE United States Championship: Chris Jericho (c) vs. Kevin Owens
Who Will Win: Kevin Owens
Who Should Win: Kevin Owens
This is by far one of the most anticipated matches on the card. This storyline has been building for about eight months and it has been flawless. It has match of the night contender written all over it and they should be given more than enough time to breathe. Y2J might not be the wrestler he once was, but he's stepped up for the big matches since becoming a part-timer (see his match against CM Punk at Payback in 2013 and his Night of Champions match against Randy Orton in 2014). Owens on the other hand, is one of the best wrestlers in the world. He needs a solid win after being squashed by Goldberg and having a thoroughly lame title reign. Also, Jericho is taking time off after 'Mania to go tour with Fozzy, so it makes sense for KO to win.
Non-Sanctioned Match: Seth Rollins vs. Triple H
Who Will Win: Seth Rollins
Who Should Win: Seth Rollins
Please, please, please do not let Triple H beat Rollins. The storyline has all been about how Triple H turned his back on Rollins and how Rollins needs this win for redemption. If Rollins wins, this win could catapult him into the upper echelons of this company. He may be a part-timer, but beating The Game in a PPV match still holds some prestige. Look at the few men who have done so since Trips went part-time in 2011: The Undertaker, Brock Lesnar, Daniel Bryan, and Roman Reigns. It's now time for Rollins to join that list. If Rollins really is 100%, this should be a good, but not great match. Triple H is fond of trying to create epic battles, and that usually backfires (see his matches with Lesnar and Reigns).
WWE Intercontinental Championship: Dean Ambrose (c) vs. Baron Corbin
Who Will Win: Baron Corbin
Who Should Win: Baron Corbin
This feud has been heating up ever since Ambrose eliminated Corbin from the Elimination Chamber match. I'm really surprised this wasn't given a stipulation, seeing as how violent their brawls have been. This should be a better match than last year's Ambrose/Lesnar debacle, but not by much. Corbin has improved tremendously over these last few months, but he's still pretty limited. As for the winner, it should definitely be Corbin. He's been on fire for months now and deserves to have his first title win. As for Ambrose, I'd like to see him turn heel. He was great as a villain when he was with The Shield and a turn could really push him back to the main event.
Shane McMahon vs. AJ Styles
Who Will Win: AJ Styles
Who Should Win: AJ Styles
There is absolutely no reason for McMahon to win. He is a 46-year old man who was never trained professional. AJ Styles has won World titles in three different promotions, is at the prime of his career, and is arguably the best wrestler in the world (I have him #2 behind Kenny Omega and ahead of Seth Rollins, Kazuchika Okada, and Shinsuke Nakamura). Styles is also coming off of a great 2016 and should be rewarded with his first 'Mania win.
Raw Women's Championship Fatal 4-Way Elimination Match: Bayley (c) vs. Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Nia Jax
Who Will Win: Bayley
Who Should Win: Bayley
This could have been a very promising feud. You could have had Charlotte, the reigning and evil champion who was undefeated at PPVs. Coming for her title were Sasha Banks, Charlotte's old rival who remained a huge crowd favorite; Nia Jax, an unstoppable and undefeated monster; and Bayley, a lovable underdog who is on the verge of winning the big one.
John Cena & Nikki Bella vs. The Miz & Maryse-
Who Will Win: John Cena & Nikki Bella
Who Should Win: The Miz & Maryse
This seems like a huge step down for Cena and Miz. Cena should be battling someone such as Samoa Joe or The Undertaker while The Miz should be defending the title he restored prestige to in 2016. Instead, we get this mixed tag match involving their partners. That being said, the build to this match has been great. Both Miz and Cena are two of the best mic workers in recent memory and the Total Bellas parodies were legitimately hilarious. If all goes well, we will see Miz and Cena feud until at least Summerslam. Both Cena and Bella are expected to be gone after 'Mania: Cena will be off for a month or so to shoot a movie and Bella is expected to retire following a nagging neck injury. Miz and Maryse deserve the win after the phenomenal 2016 they had, but there's no way Cena and his better half lose. It's also very likely we'll see Cena propose to her after the match.
Raw Tag Team Championship Triple Threat Ladder Match: Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows (c) vs. Enzo Amore & Big Cass vs. Cesaro & Sheamus
Who Will Win: Enzo Amore & Big Cass
Who Should Win: Cesaro & Sheamus
Anderson & Gallows have been completely ineffective as champions. They've only won via screwy finishes and did the job multiple times for Roman Reigns. They are certainly a step down from how they were booked in New Japan. It seems like WWE has forgotten how to convincingly build a good heel team. Enzo & Cass have also struggled with booking recently. The feud with Rusev & Jinder served to highlight what terrible babyfaces they are. What good guy tries to sleep with another man's wife? Cesaro & Sheamus have been treading water ever since they lost the tag titles. That being said, this has the potential to be a great match. The ladder stipulation really makes things interesting and could make for some great spots. As for the winner, any team could feasibly win, but Vinnie Mac clearly loves him some Enzo & Cass. Personally, I would like to see Cesaro & Sheamus reclaim the titles and have a strong reign. Otherwise, they're not really doing anything.
WWE Universal Championship: Goldberg (c) vs. Brock Lesnar
Who Will Win: Brock Lesnar
Who Should Win: Brock Lesnar
It's not clear if this will be the show's main event, but all signs point to it. Does that mean we'll get the shortest main event in WM history? This cannot be an epic war. The crowd will no doubt be tired after a five hour show, they'll probably be looking for something around 5 minutes long. Besides, we've beena accustomed to seeing Goldberg for a couple of minutes at a time. It would be weird to see him go longer than that. My guess is that Lesnar squashes Goldberg in roughly 6 minutes, with another 9 for entrances. Goldberg's future is probably outside of the ring while Lesnar is still a hot commodity.
Thanks for reading everyone! Enjoy the show
It's also been home to some of the greatest matches in WWE history: "Macho Man" Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat, Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker, The Rock vs. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Daniel Bryan vs. Triple H, and Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart. With that being said, there is potential that some of the matches from this year's 'Mania could find themselves on this list next year. We'll go through all of the matches on the card and pick who will win, who should win, and how good the match should be.
WWE Cruiserweight Championship: Neville (c) vs. Austin Aries
Who Will Win: Neville
Who Should Win: Neville
This has been one of the best build-ups to any 'Mania feud, and it seems a little wasted on the Kickoff show. The good news: the match might actually get a lot of time. These are two world-class wrestlers, and if they are given 15-20 minutes, they could put on a hidden gem. The potential for this match is very high, but it probably won't go longer than 10 minutes. Also, there is a real possibility that there even won't be very many fans watching the match, as they will still be filing in. Nonetheless, look for these two men to put on one of the best matches of the night. As hot as Aries has been recently, I think Neville will and should retain. Since the birth of the Cruiserweight Championship late last year, there have already been four different reigns. The belt needs a little stability. Also, I just find it hard to believe that Vince McMahon will give Aries (a man who made his name in ROH and TNA) a win at 'Mania (see Styles, AJ at 32).
The Undertaker vs. Roman Reigns
Who Will Win: Roman Reigns
Who Should Win: Roman Reigns
It's become abundantly clear that 'Taker is not as healthy as he once was. He has limited mobility and he just looks a lot more fragile. I know we say this every year, but this could legitimately be his last match. If it is, then Reigns is definitely winning. The Undertaker is an old-school wrestler, he believes in putting someone over on the way out. While I'm sure most fans would like to see him give that rub to someone else (maybe Kevin Owens or Braun Strowman?), Reigns is one of the biggest stars in the company right now. It would also be great if Reigns could win by cheating, thus making him the biggest heel in the company. He's already been heelish throughout the build, and it's been wonderful. I've said it before, but Reigns would make a phenomenal bad guy.
2017 Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
Who Will Win: Braun Strowman
Who Should Win: Braun Strowman
The current line-up for this match includes superstars such as The Usos, Curt Hawkins, Jinder Mahal, Curtis Axel, American Alpha, Dolph Ziggler, and Bo Dallas. We might see some more additions come Sunday, including Luke Harper, Kane, Samoa Joe, Mark Henry, and Gentleman Jack Gallagher (oh please, let some cruiserweights be in this match). Even if more people are added, it's hard to think that someone other than Strowman will win. He needs this win after losing to Reigns at Fastlane. There are other viable contenders, such as Big Show and Sami Zayn, but Strowman makes the most sense. Besides, out of the five men to ever finish in a top two spot in this match, four of them were big men (if you count Cesaro as a big guy). This could be a fun match though.
Smackdown Women's Championship: Alexa Bliss (c) vs. Becky Lynch vs. Micke James vs. Natalya vs. Carmella vs. Naomi
Who Will Win: Alexa Bliss
Who Should Win: Naomi
Now that Naomi has returned, we know that this will be a six pack challenge. If she had returned at 'Mania, then I think she would have won the title. But since she returned on Smackdown, my guess is that Bliss will retain and carry on her feud with Mickie James. Speaking of which, I could also see James winning. Naomi of course, is the deserving winner as she was forced to relinquish the title last month.
WWE Championship: Bray Wyatt (c) vs. Randy Orton
Who Will Win: Randy Orton
Who Should Win: Bray Wyatt
Vinnie Mac loves him some Randy Orton, so it's hard to believe that Wyatt retains here. Wyatt does deserve to retain though, as he's been great since winning the belt. We could also see some interference from Eric Rowan or Luke Harper here, but probably not. This seems like it will be a singles battles between the two. Their previous matches were nothing special, but hopefully, we get something big here.
WWE United States Championship: Chris Jericho (c) vs. Kevin Owens
Who Will Win: Kevin Owens
Who Should Win: Kevin Owens
This is by far one of the most anticipated matches on the card. This storyline has been building for about eight months and it has been flawless. It has match of the night contender written all over it and they should be given more than enough time to breathe. Y2J might not be the wrestler he once was, but he's stepped up for the big matches since becoming a part-timer (see his match against CM Punk at Payback in 2013 and his Night of Champions match against Randy Orton in 2014). Owens on the other hand, is one of the best wrestlers in the world. He needs a solid win after being squashed by Goldberg and having a thoroughly lame title reign. Also, Jericho is taking time off after 'Mania to go tour with Fozzy, so it makes sense for KO to win.
Non-Sanctioned Match: Seth Rollins vs. Triple H
Who Will Win: Seth Rollins
Who Should Win: Seth Rollins
Please, please, please do not let Triple H beat Rollins. The storyline has all been about how Triple H turned his back on Rollins and how Rollins needs this win for redemption. If Rollins wins, this win could catapult him into the upper echelons of this company. He may be a part-timer, but beating The Game in a PPV match still holds some prestige. Look at the few men who have done so since Trips went part-time in 2011: The Undertaker, Brock Lesnar, Daniel Bryan, and Roman Reigns. It's now time for Rollins to join that list. If Rollins really is 100%, this should be a good, but not great match. Triple H is fond of trying to create epic battles, and that usually backfires (see his matches with Lesnar and Reigns).
WWE Intercontinental Championship: Dean Ambrose (c) vs. Baron Corbin
Who Will Win: Baron Corbin
Who Should Win: Baron Corbin
This feud has been heating up ever since Ambrose eliminated Corbin from the Elimination Chamber match. I'm really surprised this wasn't given a stipulation, seeing as how violent their brawls have been. This should be a better match than last year's Ambrose/Lesnar debacle, but not by much. Corbin has improved tremendously over these last few months, but he's still pretty limited. As for the winner, it should definitely be Corbin. He's been on fire for months now and deserves to have his first title win. As for Ambrose, I'd like to see him turn heel. He was great as a villain when he was with The Shield and a turn could really push him back to the main event.
Shane McMahon vs. AJ Styles
Who Will Win: AJ Styles
Who Should Win: AJ Styles
There is absolutely no reason for McMahon to win. He is a 46-year old man who was never trained professional. AJ Styles has won World titles in three different promotions, is at the prime of his career, and is arguably the best wrestler in the world (I have him #2 behind Kenny Omega and ahead of Seth Rollins, Kazuchika Okada, and Shinsuke Nakamura). Styles is also coming off of a great 2016 and should be rewarded with his first 'Mania win.
Raw Women's Championship Fatal 4-Way Elimination Match: Bayley (c) vs. Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Nia Jax
Who Will Win: Bayley
Who Should Win: Bayley
This could have been a very promising feud. You could have had Charlotte, the reigning and evil champion who was undefeated at PPVs. Coming for her title were Sasha Banks, Charlotte's old rival who remained a huge crowd favorite; Nia Jax, an unstoppable and undefeated monster; and Bayley, a lovable underdog who is on the verge of winning the big one.
John Cena & Nikki Bella vs. The Miz & Maryse-
Who Will Win: John Cena & Nikki Bella
Who Should Win: The Miz & Maryse
This seems like a huge step down for Cena and Miz. Cena should be battling someone such as Samoa Joe or The Undertaker while The Miz should be defending the title he restored prestige to in 2016. Instead, we get this mixed tag match involving their partners. That being said, the build to this match has been great. Both Miz and Cena are two of the best mic workers in recent memory and the Total Bellas parodies were legitimately hilarious. If all goes well, we will see Miz and Cena feud until at least Summerslam. Both Cena and Bella are expected to be gone after 'Mania: Cena will be off for a month or so to shoot a movie and Bella is expected to retire following a nagging neck injury. Miz and Maryse deserve the win after the phenomenal 2016 they had, but there's no way Cena and his better half lose. It's also very likely we'll see Cena propose to her after the match.
Raw Tag Team Championship Triple Threat Ladder Match: Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows (c) vs. Enzo Amore & Big Cass vs. Cesaro & Sheamus
Who Will Win: Enzo Amore & Big Cass
Who Should Win: Cesaro & Sheamus
Anderson & Gallows have been completely ineffective as champions. They've only won via screwy finishes and did the job multiple times for Roman Reigns. They are certainly a step down from how they were booked in New Japan. It seems like WWE has forgotten how to convincingly build a good heel team. Enzo & Cass have also struggled with booking recently. The feud with Rusev & Jinder served to highlight what terrible babyfaces they are. What good guy tries to sleep with another man's wife? Cesaro & Sheamus have been treading water ever since they lost the tag titles. That being said, this has the potential to be a great match. The ladder stipulation really makes things interesting and could make for some great spots. As for the winner, any team could feasibly win, but Vinnie Mac clearly loves him some Enzo & Cass. Personally, I would like to see Cesaro & Sheamus reclaim the titles and have a strong reign. Otherwise, they're not really doing anything.
WWE Universal Championship: Goldberg (c) vs. Brock Lesnar
Who Will Win: Brock Lesnar
Who Should Win: Brock Lesnar
It's not clear if this will be the show's main event, but all signs point to it. Does that mean we'll get the shortest main event in WM history? This cannot be an epic war. The crowd will no doubt be tired after a five hour show, they'll probably be looking for something around 5 minutes long. Besides, we've beena accustomed to seeing Goldberg for a couple of minutes at a time. It would be weird to see him go longer than that. My guess is that Lesnar squashes Goldberg in roughly 6 minutes, with another 9 for entrances. Goldberg's future is probably outside of the ring while Lesnar is still a hot commodity.
Thanks for reading everyone! Enjoy the show
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