Wrestling has gone Hollywood as this year’s Wrestlemania will take place in Sofi Stadium just outside of Los Angeles, California. The 39th edition of the WWE event has sold over 99,000 tickets, setting the record for most tickets sold at a Wrestlemania, though it’s because it’s now a two-night event. 49-50,000 tickets have sold for each night, respectively.
There have been rumors of a an appearance by the Rock, though that seems unlikely, but such an appearance is unnecessary as this Wrestlemania is highly anticipated without it.
So, here is a preview of each match, though in what order they happen no one yet knows.
Saturday night
Austin Theory vs John Cena for United States Championship
It seems unlikely that John Cena will win the title considering he is not a mainstay and rather a big name and former champion who is returning mostly for a match at Wrestlemania. If Cena loses, it would also help Theory become a more popular name. If they have Cena win for some reason, then it means that Cena will be sticking around for a couple months at least, likely dropping the title back to Theory.
Seth Rollins vs Logan Paul
The social media star, Logan Paul, will face WWE great Seth Rollins but recently, Rollins’ wife, fellow wrestler Becky Lynch, said during an interview that it doesn’t make her too happy that Logan Paul gets such big matches without putting in the hard work week after week. That could be used in the storyline for this match, but ultimately it would be a shocker if Rollins loses. Logan Paul should suffer a defeat here so that both Paul brothers can have the joy of coming off losses in the ring — albeit Jake Paul’s loss was in a boxing match.
Trish Stratus & Lita & Becky Lynch vs Damage CTRL
Damag CTRL is made up of Bayley, Dakota Kai, and Iyo Sky, and this is an opportunity for one of them to get a big boost — but it will likely just end up being the big names of Stratus, Lita, and Lynch prevailing anyway. Lita and Lynch are the Women’s Tag Team Champions, but the titles are disappointingly not on the line because the WWE has opted for a six-women tag match.
Fatal Four-Way Tag Team Match
As much as we would like to see the Street Profits win this match, it’s highly unlikely considering Strowman and Ricochet are rising in popularity as a tag team, and the Viking Raiders are rising in disdain. It should really be a match just between those two teams, which is not to say that Alpha Academy and the Profits don’t deserve a spot — it just would’ve been better to have the Street Profits vs Alpha Academy as a separate match, and thus give one of those teams a win also. Now, just one team out of the four will be able to declare a Wrestelmania victory; we believe it will be Braun Strowman and Ricochet.
Rey Mysterio vs Dominik Mysterio
On the weekend that Rey Mysterio gets inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, he will fight his real-life son in a match. Their storyline has been unique, to say the least. Dominik, who is significantly taller than his dad, is part of the Judgment Day — a devious wrestling faction in the WWE — and has complained weekly about his father not being in his life. Dominik continuously challenged his father to a match, but Rey has refused to face his son, saying he will never fight him. Well, that changed two weeks ago when Dominik insulted his own mother. Now, father and son will do battle.
Although Rey Mysterio is a legend, and normally, one wouldn’t imagine seeing him losing to such an inexperienced wrestler, this is different. It would almost be foolish not to have Dominik win, since Rey is towards the end of his career — and he likely sees this as a chance to help his son get a big boost in name, even though Dominik has been more than holding his own. Of course, such a victory will come with some kind of foul play or interference, likely from Damian Priest of Judgment Day, but what will happen immediately thereafter?
Will Dominik win then become regretful, and make peace with his father? That’s definitely a possibility, considering maintaining this rivalry might not be the best idea. It could mean that Dominik departs Judgment Day, or perhaps Rey joins them.
Smackdown Women’s Championship: Charlotte Flair vs Rhea Ripley
Speaking of Judgment Day, the lone woman of the mischievous group gets her shot at a WWE Womens’ title. Rhea Ripley, who won the Royal Rumble, is riding high as a villain, but will it be enough to topple the great Charlotte Flair? In our opinion, it should be. Flair has the name, quickly and easily won the title back in December when she returned from a break, and now heads into Wrestlemania as the champion yet again. However, it’s Rhea’s time. It could be the beginning of a great rivalry, with these two battling it out until Summerslam. Then, maybe Flair wins the title back. Don’t get us wrong, though; Flair is the expected winner, and it will surprise no one if she holds onto the title — but stopping Rhea Ripley’s momentum now could be a mistake, as we see it.
Undisputed Tag Team Championship: Usos vs Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn
Sami Zayn has been the most popular wrestler of the last several months, and many believe he should be fighting for the title on Sunday night, but fans will have to settle for this match, which is a major event on its own. “WrestleZaynia,” as the T-shirt says, and as many are calling it, will culminate on Saturday night, when Zayn faces his former Bloodline brothers. Teaming up with his best friend KO Kevin Owens, who technically headlined last year’s Wrestlemania Saturday with his cohort Stone Cold Steve Austin, only makes this match even more appealing.
The Usos, twin brothers Jey and Jimmy, might see their long title reign come to end Saturday. However, since the Bloodline are headed by the undisputed champion Roman Reigns, Zayn’s immediate future seems to be tied to Reigns’, which makes one assume that Zayn and Owens winning the tag titles would get in the way of that. So, based on what we believe is going to happen the rest of this year, we’re going against what most people think, to forecast Usos regaining the titles.
Sunday night
Intercontinental Championship: Gunther vs Sheamus vs Drew McIntyre
WWE’s main booker is Triple H, and he’s pretty high on Gunther — but does that mean that Gunther will lose the title so that he can then compete for the world title, or will he keep the intercontinental version while the storyline for Sami Zayn and the Bloodline continue? We suspect the latter, but it could mean that former friends Sheamus and Drew McIntyre could get back on the same page, and use this match to forge a dominant tag team moving forward.
Hell in a Cell: Edge vs Finn Bálor
Edge returns yet again to Wrestlemania, this time to face a member of the Judgment Day — the outfit that Edge initially helped to create. Bálor is often underused in today’s WWE, but this showdown with Edge could make up for it, if the script offers a Bálor a victory, which we believe it should. Surrounded by an enclosed steel cage, this one might have something pretty crazy happen, as the contestants may very well climb to the top and settle their differences there.
Raw Women’s Championship: Bianca Belair vs Asuka
Asuka’s new look at the Royal Rumble saw her gain a slight boost in her already-popular character, but Bianca Belair is riding a whirlwind of her own. Now seems like the worst time to have Belair drop the title, but this match could be highly entertaining as some suspect an Asuka victory. When it’s all over, we think Belair will retain the title.
Brock Lesnar vs Omos
This will be a sight to see, as 6’3” Brock Lesnar will look like a miniature version of himself, as he will have to look up at 7’3” Omos. Lesnar always seems to be returning for Wrestlemania, but he doesn’t stick around to be a part of any developing storylines. Thus, this should be a big win for Omos, as the massive Nigerian could soon find himself in title contention.
Women’s Fatal Four-way Tag Team Match
Ronda Rousey is the big name here as the former Women’s Champion sets her sights on a future shot at the tag titles with her long-time friend Shayna Baszler. Most assume that Rousey and Baszler will win, and it will be surprising if they don’t. However, Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez could find a way to victory by pinning one of the other teams (either Deville & Green, or Natalya & Shotzi). It would mean that Rousey would technically not lose, and maybe not winning here will be part of the deal to give Rousey and Baszler the titles in the future — but Rousey also recently criticized WWE for their lack of creativity regarding the Women’s’ division, especially in how her brief rivalry with Liv Morgan was handled. Maybe this is a chance to also revive that rivalry, and make up for what WWE fell short of last year.
MAIN EVENT: Universal Championship: Roman Reigns vs Cody Rhodes
Reigns has lived up to this name and reigned as champion for over 900 consecutive days, which is a longer time than anyone since the 1980s, when Hulk Hogan held the title (though it wasn’t called the Universal Championship back then).
Reigns is the tribal chief, leader of the Bloodline, and at some point WWE will have him drop the title. When that happens, it will be major occurrence. Wrestlemania seems the fitting place.
Rhodes has a bloodline of his own; his father, Dusty Rhodes, was a 3-time NWA World Champion in the 1980s, but never held the WWE title. His brother Dustin — better known as Goldust — was a major player during the WWE’s “Attitude” era. The Rhodes family, despite being a big name in the wrestling business, never held the main WWE title.
It didn’t help when Rhodes departed the company for AEW years ago. However, his return to the WWE last year was big news, and his match with Seth Rollins was legendary, as Rhodes performed with a pectoral muscle tear. It earned him even more fans and more respect than he had before.
Now, he is ready to win the title for his family. As his father was known as the American Dream, Cody is known as the American Nightmare, and it could be just that for the character of Roman Reigns.
But not all may be what it seems. Reigns is still more despised than Rhodes is loved, and that could mean that the WWE won’t have Reigns lose his titles. It just makes it more of an unpredictable event, one that might see an appearance from Sami Zayn, who could help Rhodes win. That would be the likely scenario, and it’s why we think Rhodes will be crowned the new king of the wrestling business.
