Mark For War: Wrestlemania Prediction Edition

This Sunday marks the end of the wrestling season, and what a year it has been.

Obviously, it can’t be a Wrestlemania card without constant speculation heading in to the big show.

So with out further ado, here are my predictions for this years Wrestlemania card.

Paige and AJ vs. The Bella Twins

I think the WWE left a few things on the table with this match, which, unfortunately, will make this match lackluster.

The first is the lack of a special guest female referee. I wrote about the idea of having Ronda Rousey fill that position last week. But if she wasn’t obtainable, why didn’t they get someone like ESPN’s Michele Beadle, who is often mentioned on WWE TV? Or a WWE Diva from the past (Alundra Blaze)?

This match is based around the concept of two women hating each other, but putting their differences aside to take down two other women who they hate equally. Will said women ultimately turn against each other? Probably.

Bella Twins over Paige/AJ in a match that leaves a lot of possibilities on the table.

Ladder Match (Barret, R-Truth, Harper, Stardust, Ziggler, Bryan)

I’m sure this match will be strong from an action standpoint. They’ll drop this early on in the card, maybe even the opening match, and the crowd will go apeshit for a bunch of bullshit. Yes, we’ll get the “this is awesome” chant.

This is the first match that I feel could have massive implications for the future of WWE going in to 2016. I’ll address this later, but the best all around booking would be for Lesnar to retain, and only get “woken up for the important meetings” come 2016.

They could then begin pushing the IC Belt to be a mini Heavyweight Championship. If they do this, Bryan is my choice to win this match. Oddly enough, if there are no plans for an IC Belt push post-Mania, I actually see R-Truth winning this, and finally getting a legit midcard push.

Bryan or Truth, pending future plots.

Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal

The popular pick for this one is Curtis Axel. I’ve heard multiple people say to me that they envision “Axel Mania” winning and slamming the Andre the Giant trophy, reminiscent of Wrestlemania III.

I see Axel pulling it out, or at least making it ’til the end, and setting up a big year for him.

Cena vs. Rusev

I see this being a great match that will steal the show.

If Cena wins the US strap, you potentially now have Bryan and Cena as your IC and and US champs, respectively.

I’d then smell a US/IC unification match somewhere down the line, and there you have it, a super legit midcard title again, after all this time.

Cena Wins. We don’t riot.

Seth Rollins vs. Randy Orton

Why in God’s name the WWE dragged Jon Stewart into the plot of this match a few weeks before ‘Mania, only to have Stewart not actually be involved in this match, is beyond me.

The booking, in theory, should be Rollins vs. Orton, where if Rollins wins he gets five minutes with Jon Stewart. Rollins doesn’t win, and Jon Stewart celebrates with his savior, Orton. Then Orton RKOs him. You know, that whole “never trust a Snake” thing?

Also, if Rollins ends up cashing in his MIB briefcase, possibly even that night, and wins, it immediately propels Orton back in to the main event picture (which I think is on the WWE’s to do list).

Orton wins.

The Undertaker vs. Bray Wyatt

This match should not be happening.

It should be a confrontation, and confrontation alone, if anything.

Does anyone in their right mind think there’s a chance that Bray Wyatt wins this match? So if he has no chance of winning, why are they having the match?

The proper booking would have been to have Wyatt conjure up Taker’s “spirit,” with ultimately him arising at ‘Mania. Wyatt offers himself up as a sacrifice, and we begin the one-year build to Taker vs. Lesnar 2.

Instead, we will get a fifteen minute lackluster match, compared to past Taker match at ‘Mania, where we already know the outcome.

Taker beats Wyatt, for no reason.

Sting vs. HHH

On paper, this match probably is as useless as the Taker/Wyatt match. But look deeper…

The authority isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. So what if Sting is the long-term thorn in theauthority’s side? Sort of like a new GM, who just happens to be a badass?

I’m bummed that Ric Flair and Dusty Rhoads will be absent from this match/bill. There have been several references to Sting’s ties to WCW over the past several months, and how he was the “face” of the franchise. I would have liked Ric and Dusty to have been put on the spot by HHH during the build. It would have been nice if HHH fired Dusty for liking Sting, or made Ric be the special guest ref to watch him dismantle his friend. There could have been a run in between Stephanie and Flair. Regardless, this feud is not going away anytime soon, and I’m stoked on that.

HHH wins via some type of BS. The feud continues.

Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns

I’ve had several weeks to accept this match over Lesnar/Bryan as the ‘Mania main event this year, and I still can’t. I’m still excited to see this match, however. Lesnar is coming off of a huge year. With the recent rumor of him resigning from the WWE, I don’t see him losing to Reigns.

Every now and then, you need a legit title defense to close ‘Mania. It’s not the sexy pick, but if every ‘Mania closed with a title change, future main events would lose their cache.

The best booking is to have Brock beat Reigns in a long, knock down, drag out match. As the dust settles, Seth Rollins comes out and cashes in his money in the bank, only for Brock to put in another ten-fifteen minutes, and beat Rollins.

Reigns and Rollins are two of the top five wrestlers in the company right now. Lesnar is undoubtedly the number one wrestler in the company. Can you imagine where Lesnar would rank come Monday morning if he takes down two top five superstars back-to-back in a Wrestlemania setting? He’d cease to be ranked. He’d be the measuring stick. The WWE should exploit this.

Lesnar wins and heads into the biggest year of his career.

Let me know how you think this card will unfold, and start getting ready for the big show.

Match of the Week: Your Favorite Wrestlemania Match

Rewatch your go to ‘Mania match from yesteryear. I have a few, but this week I’m think I’m going with Savage vs. Warrior, Wrestlemania VII.