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So it’s possible, even likely, that I’m going to get all of these wrong.
Follow @Colohue for updates.
1. Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal (Pre-Show)
While a lot of people have already been announced for this battle royal, the only active storylines are built around three people: Braun Strowman, Colin Jost and Michael Che. As such, I can’t imagine anything happening that does not involve those three competitors.
Choosing a winner then, comes down to choosing the one of those three who might actually use it. As far above the battle royal as Braun Strowman should be based on his record, he needs something to do and, with a recent drop in his momentum, this could be a very useful win.
Winner: Braun Strowman
What If?: We get a real surprise winner about to start a big feud such as Elias?
2. Buddy Murphy vs. Tony Nese (Cruiserweight Championship Pre-Show)
There are not a lot of faces on 205 Live right now and of those that remain, none of them come anywhere close to Buddy Murphy. This is a problem. Is it something that can be solved by giving the belt to Tony Nese? No.
205 Live is in need of an injection of talent. With names such as Kushida being involved now, a lot of new blood could be moving to 205 Live in near future, opening the floor to new competitors. Until then, I can’t see Buddy Murphy losing his title.
Winner: Buddy Murphy
What If?: Buddy Murphy loses, allowing him to step up to the main roster and compete with the likes of Seth Rollins and A.J. Styles?
3. The Revival vs. Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins (Raw Tag Team Championships Pre-Show)
This came very late in the day and, despite a strong storyline for Curt Hawkins, I really can’t see the titles changing hands.
Winner: The Revival
What If?: Curt Hawkins finally does break the streak on the grandest stage of all?
4. Women’s Battle Royal (Pre-Show)
Last years Women’s battle royal was lackluster at best. Yes it introduced the Wrestlemania audience to a lot of new names and faces but it did not deliver anything close to what it should have done. The winner, Naomi, has been barely involved in anything since winning.
This year there are a lot of new names all over again, as well as a lot of people who are more recognisable but are lacking in something to do. As much of a favourite as Asuka is, I think this year’s winner will be Lacey Evans. She has been in an odd position since her call up but seems trusted in the battle royal environment and an ideal opponent for whoever ends up holding both womens championships.
Winner: Lacey Evans
What If?: Asuka does win, leading to a rematch with Lynch or Flair?
5. The Miz vs. Shane McMahon (Falls Count Anywhere)
The falls count anywhere stipulation is unquestionably there so that Shane McMahon can do the Shane McMahon thing and jump off of something ridiculously high. He’s like Mick Foley, if Mick Foley’s hip actually still worked. The Miz has been building some momentum, repeatedly destroying Sanity in a way that we simply haven’t seen from The Miz before.
The Miz needs to go over here. Shane McMahon should only ever win a match if it is leading to a much bigger loss in the future and Wrestlemania is the right time to pay it forward. Plus, this would offer a lot more momentum to The Miz for whatever comes next.
Winner: The Miz
What If?: This is the next step towards a renewed Daniel Bryan vs The Miz feud with the face and heel reversed?
6. The Usos vs Ricochet and Black vs. Rusev and Nakamura vs The Bar (Smackdown Tag Team Championships)
There are a lot of moving parts here. There are some exciting potential match ups for sure. Aleister Black in the same ring could be a lot of fun. The Usos and The Bar already have great chemistry and I’m excited to see how The Usos combine with Ricochet and Black. Unfortunately, this makes things extremely hard to predict.
Black and Ricochet have the momentum, despite successive losses for both the Raw and NXT tag team titles. The Bar have been an extremely reliable pairing to put the titles on. Rusev and Nakamura are in need of something to light up their careers again. The Usos, of course, are a team at the height of their powers that elevate any body or any title that they are involved with.
It may be playing it safe, but this one might just be the right move. I have The Usos.
Winner: The Usos
What If?: After a difficult week, Black and Ricochet begin their main roster careers in proper with a Smackdown tag title win?
7. Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre
I know how this goes on paper. The vast majority of people expect a Roman Reigns win, and an easy one at that. Roman Reigns is not just back from beating cancer but more importantly, he’s Roman Reigns. Roman Reigns wins. That’s literally what he does.
Well, what if he doesn’t?
Roman Reigns is not a full time wrestler just yet. He has returned but is not booked for the full time schedule that most WWE wrestlers have. Drew McIntyre is also on a particularly aggressive tear against The Shield. Roman Reigns is his last scalp.
A lot of this depends on what happens next but if we want to break the Shield vs Corbin, Lashley and McInytre cycle, you have to believe that there are going to be moves. Put simply, Drew McIntyre can do more with the win.
Winner: Drew McIntyre
What If?: Dean Ambrose gets his final revenge on McIntyre by rescuing Roman on the way out of the door?
8. Samoa Joe vs. Rey Mysterio (United States Championship)
This match may not even happen if we’re being fair. Rey Mysterio picked up an injury on Monday Night Raw (you know, the show he’s not actually on) and injury updates thus far have been inconclusive. It’s a shame but at the same time it really feels like there should have been a lot more elements to this match.
The US title scene is actually quite strong right now. Between R-Truth and Andrade at the very least, there are also prominent Smackdown figures not currently booked such as Kevin Owens and Mustafa Ali.
Samoa Joe is an intense, very physical performer with great commitment and range. Meanwhile, Rey Mysterio, the legend that is, is very creative and inventive and can work well with pretty much anybody. This shold be a good match either way.
Samoa Joe is a relatively new champion. I would not like to see him go without right now.
Winner: Samoa Joe
What If?: We do end up with a multi man ladder match after all?
9. Triple H vs. Batista (Retirement Match)
Once all the entrances are done, and the slow, plodding, sledgehammer centric match is over, we’ll all be an hour older and not much will have changed. Batista will be back to Hollywood and Triple H will be back in the head office with nobody really coming out as a real winner.
Yeah that’s genuinely everything I have to say about that.
Winner: Triple H
What If?: They used this time to put over someone who could actually use it?
10. Sasha Banks & Bayley vs Nia Jax & Tamina vs. The Iiconics vs Natalya & Beth Phoenix (Women’s Tag Team Championships)
Well this could sure go a lot of ways. Much like the Smackdown tag team titles, the women’s tag team titles could go in a lot of directions. I think we can rule out Natalya and Beth Phoenix, just because it seems unlikely that Phoenix will be sticking around long term. Jax and Tamina seem like if they were going to be champions they would be by now. Jax would be a great first feud on Raw for Becky Lynch of course.
That leaves Banks and Bayley or the Iiconics. Raw or Smackdown. For me, the titles will be staying on Raw.
Winner: Sasha Banks and Bayley
What If?: We do have a three or four month run as champions for Natalya and Beth Phoenix?
11. Daniel Bryan vs. Kofi Kingston (WWE Championship)
Ah, you’re not going to like my opinion on this one.
This match, believed to have been originally meant for Kevin Owens, is not Bryan vs Kingston. The storytelling en route has been very good, certainly. However, not all the good guys are going to win and, for me, Kofi Kingston is the fall guy. Why? Because I think that The New Day are a very popular option to move to Raw in the shakeup after Wrestlemania.
WWE write storylines well in advance. Changes can be made, but it’s not easy to change everything in a month and a half. I just don’t see it happening.
Winner: Daniel Bryan
What If?: Luke Harper helps defend Rowan from The New Day, allowing him to interfere?
12. Finn Balor vs Bobby Lashley (Intercontinental Championship)
Finn’s the demon king.
Winner: Finn Balor
What If?: No, really, it’s that simple.
13. Kurt Angle vs. Baron Corbin (Retirement Match)
Kurt Angle’s final opponent has underwhelmed. However, he’s had a moderately good year and gets great heel heat, so I have no real issue with it. You have to consider what comes next and Corbin is generally a safe, clinical, easy to hate personality who will actually be here after Wrestlemania to benefit from the rub.
I also suspect, very strongly, that Kurt Angle wants to go out on his back. That’s just the way it’s done in the wrestling business.
Winner: Baron Corbin
What If?: Corbin continues to attack Angle afterwards, causing the arrival of the Cena cavalry?
14. Brock Lesnar vs Seth Rollins (Universal Championship)
This is what, Brock’s fifth match this season? He better bloody lose.
Winner: Seth Rollins
What If?: The Shield reunites one last time to guarantee the end of Brock Lesnar’s Universal title reign.
15. A.J. Styles vs. Randy Orton
Ooh, this is a big one. I am very excited for this.
My pick here comes down to historical context. In a WWE vs non-WWE environment, Vince McMahon almost always picks the WWE option. There may well be more matches and thus a greater amount of back and forth to come in future, but on this night, in front of the most casual audience of the year, I think Vince will want to make sure that people know that WWE is the superior option.
Winner: Randy Orton
What If?: Gallows and Anderson join AJ Styles, ensuring victory and ushering in a new age for the champ that runs the camp?
16. Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair vs Becky Lynch (Raw and Smackdown Womens Championships)
Oh my.
Oooooh my.
I have waited so long for this one. At Summerslam, they pulled the trigger on Becky Lynch and the fans saw that it wa their time to make their voices heard. I was one of them. I never shut up about Becky Lynch. We were heard and now here we are.
Strip all the layers back of this convoluted storyline and you are left with one simple fact; these three women hate each other and these three women want the chance to really fight it out.
This is going to be a war. The fans are going to win. The WWE are going to win. Women are going to win. Everybody is going to win.
But I can’t just put everyone, so I’m going with my heart. Becky Lynch will walk away from Wrestlemania with two titles.
Winner: Becky Lynch
What If?: This is just the beginning?
I’ll see you for a live tweeting session of Wrestlemania 2019. Follow @Colohue for updates.
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