The road to WrestleMania is before us, as the landscape within WWE continues to take shape for the company’s biggest show of the year. Taking place in New Orleans on Sunday, April 8, the 34th iteration of WrestleMania looks to deliver a number of exciting match-ups that each have the potential to blow the roof off the Mercedes-Benz Superdome when all is said and done.
SmackDown Live! Dream Match for the Title
WWE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: A.J. Styles (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
It’s been over 2 years since A.J. Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura met for the first time in singles competition at Wrestle Kingdom 10 with the IWGP Intercontinental Championship on the line. The result of that bout was a five-star classic that cemented Styles as one of the best wrestlers on the planet and put Nakamura on the radar as a talent WWE needed to sign as soon as possible. Since then, the WWE Universe has been clamoring for a rematch between these two Superstars, and, after Nakamura outlasted 29 other competitors to win the Royal Rumble in January, he immediately turned the fans’ dreams into a reality by electing to challenge for the WWE Championship held by Styles on the biggest stage possible. Expectations are high for this to be a potential Match of the Year contender, much like that initial encounter.
Prediction: Styles is currently enjoying his second reign with the WWE Championship and SmackDown Live! has effectively been regarded as “The House That A.J. Styles Built”… BUT Nakamura did emerge victorious from their grueling affair at Wrestle Kingdom, and I have to think that he may have Styles’ number. After failing in previous challenges for the WWE Championship against Jinder Mahal last year, Nakamura seems to be hitting his stride at just the right time with this big opportunity in front of him. That leads me to believe that the 75,000+ in attendance will be serenading Nakamura with his theme song at WrestleMania, as he holds the WWE Championship triumphantly over his head.
Lesnar-Reigns II
UNIVERSAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Roman Reigns
This is a rematch that’s been three years in the making. Brock Lesnar versus Roman Reigns was the main event of WrestleMania 31, with “The Beast” then defending the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in Santa Clara. However, Seth Rollins cashing in his Money in the Bank briefcase and stealing the title from both combatants robbed us of a definitive winner in their one-on-one showdown. That won’t be the case this year with no MITB winner lurking in the shadows, as Reigns is set to headline his fourth straight WrestleMania. Lesnar has held the Universal Championship since defeating Goldberg at last year’s WrestleMania, which is an impressive feat on paper. The flip side of that coin is that he’s only had four title defenses on PPV in that span. Reigns has made it a point to call out Lesnar’s lack of appearances, making the claim that, as an ever-present force in WWE, he is better served to represent the company. However, championships aren’t awarded just for showing up, and it’s going to be on Reigns to prove that the ring is truly his yard at WrestleMania if he wants to walk away Universal Champion.
Prediction: There have been some rumblings that Brock Lesnar may be eyeing another return to the UFC with his WWE contract set to expire in the very near future. Does “The Beast” still have more to prove in the world of MMA after dipping his toe back into the Octagon at UFC 200? Even with the uncertainty about what’s on Lesnar’s horizon, this year’s Road to WrestleMania has felt like a march to Roman Reigns’ coronation as champion once again. Therefore, you shouldn’t be surprised when the Big Dog manages to survive Brock Lesnar’s F-5 finisher, deliver Superman punches and spears galore in retaliation and becomes the new Universal Champion.
Ronda Rousey Makes Her In-Ring Debut
MIXED TAG TEAM MATCH: Ronda Rousey & Kurt Angle vs. Stephanie McMahon & Triple H
When one of the biggest stars in UFC history is now finally a part of your company, the best place to set her in-ring debut is on the grandest stage of them all. “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey is officially a WWE Superstar and, after a few less-than-ideal interactions with the new management, her opponents for WrestleMania have been set. Rousey will be teaming up with WWE Hall of Famer, current Monday Night Raw General Manager and (of course) Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle in a mixed tag match against the dreaded Authority – Raw Commissioner Stephanie McMahon and WWE COO Triple H. Angle inserted himself into this match after being sucker-punched by Triple H, giving him a primary opportunity to settle his score, and this allows Rousey a potential continuation of her embarrassment of Stephanie McMahon when the former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion nearly locked the Billion Dollar Princess in a devastating armbar. However, one should never count “The Game” out when it comes to these sorts of matches. He usually has a trick or two… or three… up his sleeve in order to snag a victory, and he’s bound to pull out all the stops to secure his wife a victory over WWE’s recent major signee.
Prediction: You don’t bring Ronda Rousey into your company to have her lose… at least not right off the bat. The last two times we’ve seen Rousey in any sort of bout, she tasted defeat on both occasions. Therefore, WWE really needs to build up the aura that once surrounded her again, and this is the perfect place to start. After all, a satisfying win over Stephanie McMahon and Triple H will only place her in their crosshairs for quite some time post-WrestleMania, allowing Rousey to hit the ground running. Plus, it isn’t often that Stephanie McMahon gets any sort of comeuppance for her behavior or her actions. Rousey is just the right party to dish it out. It’ll be a nice bonus to see Angle in action again after he was thrust into the ring spur of the moment back in October, but the real focus here is on Rousey as she kicks off her run in WWE with a pretty sizable victory.
Daniel Bryan Returns To In-Ring Action
Daniel Bryan & Shane McMahon vs. Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn
After being forced to retire from in-ring competition two years ago, Daniel Bryan will be making his return to the ring at WrestleMania. Having received the green light from doctors to wrestle again, Bryan will be stepping out on the grandest stage of all to partner up with SmackDown Live! Commissioner Shane McMahon for a bitter fight against Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. Owens and Zayn have been a thorn in McMahon’s side on the blue brand for months, and it all came to a head a few weeks ago when they brutally assaulted McMahon, hospitalizing him with multiple serious injuries. Bryan, SmackDown’s GM, believed their conduct deserved dismissal from the SmackDown roster and chose to fire them as a consequence of their actions. Sadly, that didn’t stop Owens and Zayn from sticking Bryan on the receiving end of a beating, too. But with Bryan’s recent medical clearance, he can now respond physically to such provocation. He was willing to ante up in order to get his hands on Zayn and Owens for this match. In the event that the dastardly duo wins, they’ll be rehired as part of SmackDown… but lose, and they remain gone from the brand forever.
Prediction: This is sure to be an emotional night for Daniel Bryan, no matter how you slice it. Yes, he’ll be coming back from a retirement he never wanted to take in the first place. Yes, he’ll be involved in the very business for which he has so much love and passion for the first time in two years. Yes, it’ll be happening in New Orleans, home to WrestleMania XXX, where Daniel Bryan reached the pinnacle of his career, capturing the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in its main event. Yes, Daniel Bryan will be a winner at the Superdome one more time, as he and Shane McMahon get some payback on Zayn and Owens. Sami and Kevin have been great together since joining forces back at Hell in a Cell and sure it’d be wonderful to see their reign of smug violence resume with a reinstatement. But with rumors of another Superstar Shake-up or perhaps another draft occurring not too long after WrestleMania, the chances of them resurfacing – this time on Monday Night Raw – means they won’t be away for long, and we’ll still get that feel-good moment of Daniel Bryan tasting victory in his first match back after such a long and arduous journey to make his dreams come true.
The Queen Defends Against The Empress
SMACKDOWN WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Asuka
For weeks, it had been assumed that Asuka, winner of the first-ever Women’s Royal Rumble, would choose to challenge Alexa Bliss for her Raw Women’s Championship with the WrestleMania title shot she earned. Given her continued streak of dominance on the Raw brand since her call-up from NXT last year, why wouldn’t she finish what she’d started? But you know what they say about assumptions, right? Asuka showed up at WWE Fastlane, following Charlotte Flair’s successful SmackDown Women’s Championship defense, and immediately let the Queen know that it was the gold around her waist that was in her sights. A six-time champion in WWE, Charlotte Flair has been the standard bearer for the women’s division for quite some time now, forcing all challengers who have stepped before her to bow down to her greatness, but the big question she’ll be forced to answer at WrestleMania: is she ready for Asuka? Asuka holds the longest undefeated streak in WWE history with a run of victories that goes back to her start in NXT in 2015. Adding another win to her count at WrestleMania would mark her first championship in WWE, but you can bet Charlotte Flair wants no part of being the latest Asuka victim.
Prediction: This will be the first time Asuka and Charlotte have ever squared off against one another in a singles contest, and this is my sleeper contender to steal the show. This is a main event-caliber bout for the SmackDown Women’s Championship between two tremendous Superstars, and we are going to be in for something special once the bell rings. Charlotte Flair has already created her own championship legacy, following in the footsteps of her father, the 16-time World Champion Ric Flair, and very well may have walked away from WrestleMania still as champion if anyone else had been standing across from her in the ring. But this is Asuka. She is a one-of-a-kind generational talent that does not lose… EVER… and WrestleMania will not be the moment when that changes. Asuka will be your new SmackDown Women’s Champion, and, when Carmella inevitably sneaks in with her Money in the Bank briefcase and attempts to dethrone the newly crowned Empress, she’ll suffer the same fate as Charlotte – a tap-out to the Asuka Lock.
Will The Undertaker Answer John Cena’s Challenge?
John Cena vs. The Undertaker (?)
John Cena has been trying to find a meaningful path to WrestleMania for months. He hoped to win the Royal Rumble. He didn’t. He aimed to win the Elimination Chamber. He came up short there, too. He then attempted to capture the WWE Championship at WWE Fastlane and go into WrestleMania as a titleholder, but that didn’t happen either. Still desperate to make something happen for himself, John Cena yelled into the abyss and laid down a challenge for the Undertaker to re-emerge and face him at the Showcase of the Immortals. For weeks though, much to Cena’s chagrin, he’s been met by silence. Neither a “yes” nor a “no” has answered his request for a match, no matter what tactics Cena has employed to provoke the Undertaker’s response. Is the Undertaker waiting until WrestleMania to step forward and give John Cena what he wants? Or will we just never hear from the Undertaker again? We’ll find out soon enough.
Prediction: Many of us thought the Undertaker was done. After witnessing him laying down his hat, coat and gloves following his loss to Roman Reigns at last year’s WrestleMania, the widespread belief was that the Undertaker was walking away from the squared circle into retirement. I kinda wish things stayed that way, as a more perfect ending to the Undertaker’s long and storied career couldn’t have been drawn up (“The Streak” remaining intact notwithstanding). But I get the feeling that this match is going to happen for all the time that’s been spent by John Cena begging for it. If that’s the case, I’d like the Undertaker to make quick work of the 16-time World Champion, so he can go back to potentially retiring in peace while, at the same time, going out with one final victory in his cap.
Everybody Wants the Intercontinental Championship
TRIPLE THREAT MATCH FOR INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP: The Miz (c) vs. Seth Rollins vs. Finn Bálor
History is in The Miz’s sights as, just past WrestleMania, he seeks to become the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion cumulatively in WWE history, bypassing Pedro Morales. In order to achieve that milestone during his eighth run as the titleholder, he’ll have to defeat not one but two men on the card: former Universal Champion Finn Bálor and former World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins. Rollins has been on fire as of late, lasting 65 minutes and pinning both Roman Reigns and John Cena in a gauntlet match in February, making some history of his own as the longest performance in a match by a WWE Superstar in Raw history. Meanwhile, Finn Bálor has been looking to regain the momentum that has eluded him the past couple of years when he was crowned the inaugural Universal Champion at SummerSlam in 2016 but subsequently had to vacate the title due to injury less than 24 hours later. Two solid challengers stand in the way of The Miz continuing his awesome reign as Intercontinental Champion with either being a solid choice for the fans to rally around in the hopes of dethroning the champ.
Prediction: The smart money in this match is in picking either Rollins or Bálor. Rollins is an absolute workhorse who represents what the Intercontinental Championship used to mean when one of the best wrestlers in the company would carry that title over their shoulder. Bálor is on a similar level and certainly would benefit from the prestige of the championship, as it would cement him once more as a Superstar with a winning pedigree and do wonders for Bálor Club being a group of note. That is why I am picking The Miz to successfully defend and retain his Intercontinental Championship. Just the idea of him keeping the title around his waist should infuriate you, which is why it’s the right call. The Miz has been one of the best heels in the company in recent history and defeating two challengers with such rabid fan bases will only prompt you to hate him even further than you already do. A signature win of this magnitude would add to The Miz’s legacy as one of the greatest Intercontinental Champions of all-time and bring down a shower of boos moving forward that is surely music to his awesome ears.
The Monster Among Men Attempts to Clear the Bar
RAW TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: Sheamus & Cesaro (c) vs. Braun Strowman & ?????
As Raw Tag Team Champions, Sheamus and Cesaro have been begging for stiff competition to step up against them for weeks. They’ve seemingly run through all potential challengers on the brand already – Titus Worldwide, The Revival, Gallows & Anderson, etc. – and were desperately hoping for some type of legitimate challenge at WrestleMania. This is why you should be careful what you wish for, because they’ve now ended up with Braun Strowman as their opponent. With Kurt Angle setting up a tag team battle royal on Monday Night Raw to find the #1 Contender for the titles, Braun Strowman inserted himself into the match, determined to carve his own path to WrestleMania single-handedly. “The Monster Among Men” decimated those who tried to stand in his way and has now positioned himself as a threat to The Bar. But Braun Strowman isn’t even a tag team, you might say. How can one Superstar possibly contend for the Tag Team Championship? Well, are you going to be the one who tells Braun Strowman what he can or, for that matter, can’t do at WrestleMania? I didn’t think so.
Prediction: This match certainly adds a fresh dynamic to the tag team title picture, as a handicap match for the championship is not something we’ve seen before. And with all three parties involved, this should be a hard-hitting affair. My heart is telling me to pick Braun Strowman to capture the titles all by himself at WrestleMania. The guy has just been unstoppable as of late, and being a one-man tag team will only further establish him as the wrecking crew we all know him to be. But my head is telling me that Strowman’s unfinished business with Elias will factor into the equation here, and some outside interference will allow The Bar to retain.
Harper & Rowan Try To Bludgeon Their Way To Tag Team Gold
TRIPLE THREAT MATCH FOR SMACKDOWN TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP: The Usos (c) vs. The New Day vs. The Bludgeon Brothers
The Usos and The New Day have been going at one another for months, as their fierce rivalry has brought out some of the best tag team wrestling the WWE Universe has seen in years. With each match aiming to top the ones which came before, it’s no surprise that fans have been eager to see each team remain in the other’s orbit in order to deliver more outstanding matches. Leave it to the Bludgeon Brothers to interrupt what was a very good thing for everyone else. After delivering vicious beatings to both teams at WWE Fastlane, Harper and Rowan have managed to hammer their way into the title picture, both literally and figuratively. With neither the Usos nor the New Day at 100% due to recently-suffered injuries at the hands of the Bludgeon Brothers, the window of opportunity is wide open for Harper and Rowan to claim the SmackDown Tag Team Championship for themselves. However, if there is one thing we’ve learned from the amazing feud shared by the Usos and the New Day, it’s that neither team will be going down without one hell of a fight.
Prediction: There has been a lot of effort to get the Bludgeon Brothers over as a menacing force with no regard for their opponents, so they must be given serious consideration to elevate themselves even further with a win here. But here’s a quick history lesson for you… This is the first time the Usos will be a part of Wrestlemania in their nine-year run in WWE, and I have a hard time believing they will be ringing in this major career achievement with a loss. As good as the Usos have been for such a long time, they’ve arguably been the best they’ve ever been over the past year. That type of excellence should be commended. It should be rewarded, and it should remain as champions.
The United States Championship Is On the Line in a Fatal 4-Way
FATAL 4-WAY MATCH FOR UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP: Randy Orton (c) vs. Bobby Roode vs. Jinder Mahal vs. Rusev
At WWE Fastlane, Randy Orton defeated Bobby Roode for the U.S. Title, putting himself in the history books as the 10th Grand Slam Champion of the modern era (having won every active championship at least once). However, it also put a larger target on his back heading into WrestleMania with the “Glorious” former champion Roode calling upon his rematch clause to get another crack at the title. Add in Jinder Mahal physically interjecting himself into the title picture by assaulting Orton just moments after he won the United States Championship. Plus, Rusev is part of the equation now as well after pinning the U.S. Champion to win a tag match on SmackDown Live! The odds are most certainly stacked against “The Viper” as the rules of a Fatal 4-Way match for the title are never in the champion’s favor, so we’ll have to see if Orton is able to hold off three incredibly hungry challengers.
Prediction: Orton’s title win at WWE Fastlane came as a surprise to many, given its close proximity to WrestleMania, and I have to wonder if Orton still has the heart at this stage of his career to be the standard-bearer for any championship moving forward. Roode’s reign to that point felt rather unexciting, and I’m left to wonder if a return to the attitude that catapulted him to the NXT Championship last year may be in order. I originally thought Jinder Mahal could be a surprise choice to win the United States Championship. Mahal has seemingly been in limbo since dropping the WWE Championship to A.J. Styles, and this would be the perfect chance for him to prove that was not a fluke run with a title. Given that this entire feud began with Mahal feeling overlooked by not being ranked at all in the first-ever SmackDown SuperStar Top 10, this could have been the moment that the “Modern Day Maharaja” shows the rest of the SmackDown roster that he counts, too. But how can I possibly ignore the fact that WrestleMania will be falling on Rusev Day at a time when Rusev is more popular than ever? It feels like forever ago when the once-unbeaten brute seemed to have a bright future, only for a lot of the shine to come off his star since. However, he’s rebuilt himself as a serious challenger at the perfect moment, and my gut tells me this is when he finally pushes through to that next level.
Former Friends Become Bitter Enemies
RAW WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: Alexa Bliss (c) vs. Nia Jax
It was only a matter of time before Alexa Bliss’ mouth got her into some serious trouble, and she’ll have the tall task of overcoming a furious Nia Jax who seeks to dethrone her as Raw Women’s Champion. Once the best of friends, their relationship turned sour in recent weeks when a hot microphone backstage caught Bliss confessing to her cohort Mickie James that she had been using Nia Jax in the past. Having received tough verbal love from Bliss in the weeks leading up to that, Bliss’ true feelings were a bridge too far for Jax who is now dead set on focusing all her newfound rage on “The Goddess” and delivering a night’s worth of pain to the champ. Bliss hopes to escape unscathed and hold onto the title, but, given Jax’s power and overall size advantage, it’s going to take a savvy game plan for Bliss to emerge victorious over her former friend.
Prediction: This may be the end of Alexa Bliss’ time as Raw Women’s Champion. While Bliss has been a great heel on the mic, really coming into her own on the main roster, her reign as champion has been lackluster in the ring. Prior to her most recent pay-per-view title defense at Elimination Chamber, she hadn’t put her title on the line in a meaningful match since TLC in October. Bliss is a tremendous personality for any roster to have, but there has been a concerted effort to turn Nia Jax into more of a babyface recently. It’s my belief that in order for that transformation to truly take hold and mean something to the WWE Universe, Jax has to be the source of Alexa Bliss’ comeuppance. Between standing up to a mean girl who is bullying others and ultimately taking away from her the thing that matters most, a win by Nia Jax would go a long way towards achieving that goal. Jax will find her satisfaction with a win at WrestleMania.
New Cruiserweight Champion Crowned
WWE CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT FINALS: Cedric Alexander vs. Mustafa Ali
For a while, 205 Live was a cruiserweight-driven piece of WWE programming that appeared dead in the water. Then new GM Drake Maverick arrived on the scene and rejuvenated the Cruiserweight Division, with a commitment to thrilling in-ring action and the spirit of true competition taking priority over characters and storylines. A 16-man Cruiserweight Championship Tournament commenced to find a worthy waist around which to place the vacant title, and, after weeks of taxing match-ups, Cedric Alexander and Mustafa Ali cleared the rest of the field for the opportunity to become the new champion. Both men have proven themselves to be among the very best the division has to offer, and for those of you who don’t regularly watch 205 Live, this should be a match that should garner your interest in what that show has to offer.
Prediction: This tournament finale should be an absolute barnburner, and it couldn’t happen at a better place than “The Showcase of the Immortals.” Too often the cruiserweights are written off as afterthoughts, but Alexander and Mustafa are going to tear the house down and get people as excited about this division as they were after the Cruiserweight Classic. Alexander has been one of, if not, the most consistent cruiserweight to me in delivering outstanding matches in recent history, and it feels like this is his time to shine. I expect all of his efforts to finally be rewarded here with the big prize, with Ali walking away far more recognized for his skills than he was heading into this match.
The Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal Returns
5th ANNUAL ANDRE THE GIANT MEMORIAL BATTLE ROYAL
Announced Participants: Baron Corbin, Mojo Rawley, Tye Dillinger, Scott Dawson, Dash Wilder, Dolph Ziggler, Tyler Breeze, Fandango, “Woken” Matt Hardy, Goldust, Heath Slater, Rhyno, Zack Ryder, Primo Colon, Shelton Benjamin, Chad Gable, Aiden English, Curt Hawkins
Prediction: Barring any surprise entrants into the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal, the Woken Warriors should be pleased when Matt Hardy, my pick to win the whole thing, deletes all of his competition and claims the victory. I gather the WWE Universe’s response to the Ultimate Deletion surprised a lot of people in WWE and has forced them to give “Woken” Matt Hardy a second look. This is a proverbial brass ring opportunity for him, and I don’t think he’s going to let it pass him by… especially not when the trophy he’ll be awarded features Humongous Wonder #8.
The WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal Debuts
1st-Ever WRESTLEMANIA WOMEN’S BATTLE ROYAL
Announced Participants: Sasha Banks, Natalya, Lana, Ruby Riott, Sarah Logan, Liv Morgan, Becky Lynch, Naomi, Bayley, Mickie James, Mandy Rose, Sonya Deville, Carmella
Prediction: Everything in this match seems to be building towards an explosion between Sasha Banks and Bayley. It was at the Royal Rumble where Banks turned on her friend and eliminated her as she chased victory. Then, at the Elimination Chamber, after working together as allies, the “Legit Boss” followed suit and did nearly the same thing to Bayley. I’ve got a feeling what’s good for the goose may be good for the gander in the WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royale, and my belief is that this time Bayley will be a bit quicker in pulling the trigger first before she can be stabbed in the back again. I like Bayley to come up with the win here, tossing Sasha Banks in a major way, leading to an escalation of their feud post-WrestleMania.
Catch WrestleMania 34 on Sunday, April 8, streaming live at the special start time of 7E/4P only on WWE Network. For new subscribers only, WrestleMania is free. Sign up at wwenetwork.com.
