It’s time once again for the biggest annual North American show — WrestleMania 32! Here’s Don’s WrestleMania 32 preview.
Okay, okay… now it’s just called WrestleMania for some odd reason. We may be up to 32 now, but the way the show has been built up the past 2-3 years, will they even make it to WM 40 or 50?
The card for tomorrow’s show does not look like a WrestleMania card. But you can’t fully blame the WWE, as they’ve been hit hard with injuries over the past year. John Cena, Randy Orton, Sting, and Seth Rollins all made huge impacts at last year’s Mania show, and none are wrestling on the card. Crowd favourite Daniel Bryan retired to save his life, and big names like Steve Austin and The Rock could not be coaxed back to wrestle.
What the WWE was able to pull together was a fair-looking show, with some head-scratching matches to get people on the card. You know, like Shane McMahon and Chris Jericho in high profile matches.
Also, champion Triple H in the main event (maybe) against Roman Reigns in a match that’s causing that head scratching to turn into head gouging. They want Roman to be the man whom the crowd can get behind, but he just isn’t. Although it’ll be a good match with Hunter turning back the clock to working better than he’s had in years, the crowd has thrown their support behind him. What can the WWE do about this?
Let’s go through them one by one, and see how close I get to predicting the order.
Kalisto (US Champion) vs. Ryback — Singles match for the US Championship
Yes, Kalisto held the US Championship match into Mania, and the match for a historic title will be an afterthought. The WWE wants Kalisto to be the next Rey Misterio Jr. but he’s not there yet. He’s still learning how to put together a championship match (based on his earlier with work Alberto Del Rio whom he defeated to win the title) and needs to be in the ring with someone who can make him look good. That’s not Ryback, who wants to squash Kalisto like an El Torito (remember him?).
Who should win?
Kalisto — C’mon now… he’s the little lucha who’s going to get thrown around in this match. And at Mania, the David should overcome all the odds to defeat Goliath.
Who will win?
Ryback needs this win. He’s got no direction in the WWE, whether as a heel or face. If he doesn’t win this match, then what? He goes back into the tag team ranks?
The Total Divas (Brie Bella, Paige, Natalya, Alicia Fox and Eva Marie) vs. B.A.D. & Blonde (Lana, Summer Rae, Naomi, Emma and Tamina)
Oh wow. There isn’t much I can say about this match except the word “Divas” and “Total” is going to be said about 25-50 times to promote the show. One thing of note is Eva Marie being on the face team. She is detested by the crowd for the way she’s been shoved down their collective throats, and is only on the show to get a paycheque… which seems to cheapen the whole WrestleMania experience. It’s not about getting everybody on the show, it’s about getting the best matches with the best buildup on the show.
Who should win?
Let’s say…. Emma!
Who will win?
The good guys. And of course, the fans. There are some good workers in this match, and hopefully they’ll get a chance to shine.
The Usos (Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso) vs. The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray Dudley and D-Von Dudley)
So… is this an anti-tables match? I think the Dudleyz have said they won’t be using the tables anymore because the crowd likes it and they’re bad guys and they feel that tables just don’t get a fair shake in the world today where people just want other people to be thrown through tables… excuse me whilst I catch my breath.
Who should win?
I don’t know… neither team is really over these days, with the Usos being especially stale. I’m really hoping this match leads to Bubba Ray turning into something like his TNA character Bully Ray. He’s great on the mic, and can rejuvenate his career. But let’s just say the Usos win by putting one of the Dudleyz through a table.
Who will win?
The Dudleyz will go back on their word and get sadistic to put one of the Usos through a table, but it’ll backfire. Usos win.
3rd Annual André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
Featuring: Heath Slater, Curtis Axel, Adam Rose, Bo Dallas, Big Show, Kane, Tyler Breeze, Mark Henry, Jack Swagger, Fandango, Damien Sandow, Darren Young, Konnor, Viktor, Goldust, R-Truth, and four others (unnamed).
Okay, I love Battle Royals. I especially love the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. Why? Because, like the Royal Rumble, it gives opportunities for surprises, allows new angles to start, and it gives you an opportunity to see matchups you wouldn’t normally see. This year there are four slots available, and winner of the first ATGMBR Cesaro is seemingly all healed up. That gives you three more slots which could include someone from NXT, maybe a WWE legend, and maybe Mojo Rawley (whom I’m also a big fan of). Though we haven’t heard much about the Wyatt’s, so all three may be thrown into this match. There’s been a little buildup for this match, focused on the two biggest men in it — Big Show and Kane. Also, Mark Henry should be featured there somewhere. I like the idea of this being Big Show’s match to win, so wouldn’t it be interesting if everybody joined forces and threw him out?
Who should win?
Somebody who’s going to benefit from winning. We all saw what happened (or didn’t happen) when Cesaro won the first time — and did you even remember he won before I mentioned it? — so I don’t believe it should be him. The man who SHOULD win this match is somebody new. Somebody who’ll be able to run with the win.
Who will win?
Kane. Sure, why not?
The New Day (Kofi Kingston, Big E and Xavier Woods) vs. The League of Nations (King Barrett, Sheamus, Alberto Del Rio and Rusev) — 3-on-4 Handicap match
But it’s not for the WWE tag team championship belts. Ergo, why should we care about it? Three members (sorry, Wade) of the League of Nations have been, or should be, in the WWE World Title picture. The New Day started jumping the shark a little while back, and will have fully jumped within another few months. There is no clear face vs heel in this match, as New Day still act like heels.
Who should win?
The League of Nations — C’mon, they have a 4-on-3 advantage.
Who will win?
The League of Nations — Yes, the crowd will be behind The New Day, and they’re going to do something big for Mania. Anything less than them flying in on unicorns will be a disappointment.
AJ Styles vs. Chris Jericho
We finally get AJ Styles in the WWE and it’s against Old Man Jon Bon Jericho. Yes, I’m still a fan of Chris Jericho for still being this damn good at 45. He knows how to work any kind of match, and knows how to make his opponents look good. AJ Styles was named the Wrestling Observer 2015’s Wrestler of the Year, but hasn’t really been given the opportunity to show why since coming to the WWE. He’s had three “good” matches with Chris Jericho, but if somebody didn’t know Styles they wouldn’t see him as exceptional, amazing, or phenomenal. He hasn’t been given the chance to shine, but hopefully this match with Jericho at WrestleMania will give him that opportunity. The setup for this match was really unnecessary, with the two going through a 6-month program in two months.
Who should win?
AJ Styles. He needs to cement himself as Phenomenal, and show he’s worth the money he’s making.
Who will win?
AJ Styles. Same reason as above. Wrestling Jericho will give this match a chance to be awesome, and possibly a show stealer.
Kevin Owens (Intercontinental Champion) vs. Sami Zayn vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Zack Ryder vs. Sin Cara vs. The Miz vs. Stardust — Ladder match for the Intercontinental Championship
For the second year in a row, the IC Title will be defended in a 6-man ladder match. This year, however, it cheapens the match. In a perfect world, this match would have been built up with the history between Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens. In another world, it would be a 3-way with Ziggler thrown into the mix. Why is anybody else in this match? They haven’t done anything to deserve to be in it. This is one of the few matches that actually infuriating. With this being a ladder match it means there’s going to be bodies flying all over the place and somebody getting hurt. That’s about it.
Who should win?
Dolph Ziggler. He’s almost at the point of Ryback where he’s going nowhere fast. He can do some crazy things in this match to get the crowd behind him, and get a nice pop to start off the show. It’s too early for Sami Zayn to win, but of course that didn’t stop Kevin Owens.
Who will win?
Kevin Owens. Following this match he can start a program with Sami Zayn to set up a huge rematch. Really, who else besides Zayn, Ziggler, and Owens can win this match?
Charlotte (Divas Champion) (with Ric Flair) vs. Becky Lynch vs. Sasha Banks — Triple Threat match for the Divas Championship
I was at the NXT show last year in San Jose before Wrestlemania. Charlotte was the NXT Women’s Champion at the time, and Sasha was the #1 contender. Right before this match, the announcer said “This next match is for the NXT Women’s Championship…” and the crowd exploded. In the 20-minute match between Sasha and Charlotte that followed, the crowd chanted “THIS IS WRESTLING!” and “WOMEN’S WRESTLING!” and “THIS IS AWESOME!” over and over again. It was the best women’s match I’ve ever seen, live or not. It would have been a dream to see these two women have a rematch at Wrestlemania… but then Becky Lynch was added to the match. Nothing against Becky, but the chemistry between Charlotte and Sasha when they’re allowed to have a good match is awesome. It’s great to see these three women get a shot like this, and hopefully they’ll get a chance to work a great match.
Who should win?
This is a tough one, but I can see Sasha Banks ripping the roof off the building (if the roof is closed) by winning with the Banks Statement.
Who will win?
Sasha Banks, for the same reasons above.
Dean Ambrose vs. Brock Lesnar (with Paul Heyman) — No Holds Barred Street Fight
Can you imagine if Ambrose was part of the main event with Triple H and Roman Reigns? Anyways, this match will be messy. Ambrose versus the monster in a match where he wouldn’t have a chance if he didn’t have any weapons (insert eye roll). I like Lesnar, but he doesn’t have to do much. Suplex after suplex after suplex makes matches easy for him. Next move? How about a suplex? Want to try something else? No, suplex. Are you sure? SUPLEX! Ambrose could come out of this match as the next mega star, if cards are played right. He’ll get hit, and he’ll get back up. Over and over and over and over again. Even when there’s nothing else in his body, when he has no fight left… he’ll still get up. Lesnar will start the match laughing at him and his foolish mortal attempts, but then that laugh will turn into a smile… and it will wane more and more until it’s a grimace and he’s fighting to actually win. This could be my kind of match with the little guy doing his best but coming up JUST short… but we’ll have to see.
Who should win?
Dean Ambrose should lose. Not win. He should lose, but look like a kabillion bucks losing.
Who will win?
Brock, unless the Wyatt’s come out and help Ambrose win. Because remember that feud? Where are the Wyatt’s, anyway?
Shane McMahon vs. The Undertaker — Hell in a Cell match — If Shane wins, he gets control of WWE Raw, and Undertaker will be barred from competing at future Wrestlemanias
Yes, Shane McMahon. In one of the dumbest booked matches, we have Shane-O Mac vs. The Dead Man. At Wrestlemania. And it’s not 2001. Why? Because it’s all about the McMahons. The biggest Wrestlemania before this may have been Wrestlemania 2000 and it featured a McMahon in every corner in the main event… won by Triple H. A certified McMahon these days. It was tough to watch then, and it’ll be tough to watch now. Why was this dumbly booked? Because Shane had some kind of blackmail on Vince and wants Vince to give him WWE Raw. Because blackmail. Vince says no way, but if you beat the Undertaker at Wrestlemania you can have it. Shane then says “What blackmail?” All is forgotten. Criminy. Criminy, I say! Undertaker is fine with beating up the boss’ son… who wouldn’t be?… and just sees this as another payday.
Who should win?
The Undertaker. Really. It’s Hell in a freakin’ Cell. He’s a wrestler. He fought Brock Lesnar twice in the past year. He’s a monster and a machine.
Who will win?
Shane McMahon. With outside help, of course. Whether it be somebody new coming into the WWE that will shine once Shane takes over, or Vince himself… Shane will win.
Triple H (World Heavyweight Champion) vs. Roman Reigns — Singles match for the World Heavyweight Championship
Okay, I was torn on what match to list last. You’d hope that the Championship match would go on last, but… it might not matter if Shane wins. Triple H is in the Main Event of Wrestlemania, defending the World Title… in 2016. And the funny thing about that sentence? He still pulls it off! His last few matches against Dolph Ziggler and Dean Ambrose showed that Trips still has a lot in the tank. Enter Roman Reigns, who never got that big match against the man who pinned him last year at Mania, Seth Rollins. Reigns is the big guy who looks good and can have a good match. But the crowd isn’t into him. Why? Are they still upset that he pulled the spotlight away from Daniel Bryan? Are they mad that he’s being pushed down their throats? Is there somebody else (like Dean Ambrose) more deserving of the spot? It’s fun for fans to hate Roman Reigns, so something needs to be done about that. Let him actually deserve that hate by turning on somebody they love, say Dean Ambrose or even his cousin The Rock (who will make an appearance at Mania). Let Roman get comfortable with being a heel, as he can be a COOL heel. With that smug look and power, he can eventually turn the crowd.
Who should win?
Roman Reigns. But not in a way where he’s celebrating with the title with confetti raining down. Something needs to happen. Something needs to make this special. How about this? Shane wins against the Undertaker. So with that win he now has control, right? So just as Reigns wins the title, Shane brings out another Samoan to fight.
Who will win?
Roman Reigns, BUT! What if Shane wins, and then Triple H retains the title? Is Shane going to strip him of the title? The crowd would love it if Triple H wins, and we’d have… yet… another… authority vs. wrestler… feud. Let’s just hope something interesting happens. Because with this being the biggest stage of them all… ANYTHING can happen.
So there you have it. My thoughts on what’s going to happen at Wrestlemania. Have any thoughts of your own? Disagree with anything? Have other ideas? Let me know!