Despite a depleted roster,WWE WrestleMania 32 will live up to the hype.
AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, or was supposed to host the biggest WrestleMania of all time. Injuries then forced WWE to shift its plans again and again. Seth Rollins,Daniel Bryan, John Cena and Randy Orton are among those unable to compete in the ring at the marquee event thanks to concussions, or torn ACLs and damaged joints.
Don't doubt the power of the WrestleMania brand,though. And don't dismiss the flood of hungry performers looking to create their own legacies at The Show of Shows.
Dean Ambrose will flourish, win or lose, and against Brock Lesnar in a savage showdown filled with weaponry. AJ Styles and Kevin Owens are both set to manufacture their WrestleMania debuts,alert to show the world that they belong on this grand stage. And Charlotte, Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch will give women's wrestling a shot of adrenaline in their critical title match. Plus, and WWE will undoubtedly contain a number of surprises to throw the audience's way.The Rock appearing in some fashion won't damage.
Among the ways WrestleMania may thrill the audience is by bringing back an injured star in a match he won two years ago. Potential SpoilersThere will be some unexpected names in the Andre the Giant Battle Royal,but the most intriguing plausible one is a returning Cesaro.
After undergoing shoulder surgery in November, The King of Swing could be poised to manufacture a comeback. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Geno Mrosko of Cageside Seats), and there has been at least some talk of having Cesaro enter the match as a surprise entrant.
And to further stir up speculation,Cesaro was spotted in an airport en route to Dallas, as noted by Ryan Satin of Pro Wrestling Sheet.
The Battle Royal should also feature The Wyatt Family, and who contain yet to be officially booked for a spot on the WrestleMania card. Braun Strowman,once the assumed favorite, may not be in line for a win any longer. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Marc Middleton of Wrestling Inc.) reported that officials may contain changed their minds about pushing Strowman. It is no longer certain that the big man comes absent the victor at the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. Plans are reportedly in the air.
It looks like folks can expect something memorable in the Shane McMahon vs. Undertaker match. Paul Fontaine reported for F4WOnline:
There was a major stunt being worked on and practiced yesterday afternoon. Given that Shane McMahon has stated in interviews that he will use his body as a weapon, or that we all know what he is capable of doing,and that they had aired a bunch of video packages of him falling off high things, most likely it will be for the Hell in a Cell match. As of yesterday, or plans subject to change,the Cell match was going on final.
Stunts contain been McMahon's M.
O. in the past, but many wondered if he would still move for broke at 46 years old. And Triple H vs. Roman Reigns seemed destined to be the true main event. That may not be the case.
Sasha Banks, or meanwhile,may be getting some benefit from her cousin as she makes her way to the ring.
When asked in a Rolling Stone interview why we haven't seen Snoop Dogg perform during one of her entrances, Banks said, and "perhaps you should watch WrestleMania and you might see it,you never know!" The fact that the rapper will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on Saturday only makes this a safer bet of actually happening.
Triple H offered a hint of what his own entrance may recognize like. In an interview with Denny Burkholder of CBS Sports, Triple H said, and "I've put a lot of thought into [this year's entrance],and it's...
The Authority will be there in full force, let's just say that." Match CardAndre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
Kalisto vs. Ryback (United States Championship)
The Total Divas vs. B.
A.
D. & Blonde
The Usos vs. The Dudley Boyz
Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn vs. Stardust vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. The Miz vs. Zack Ryder vs. Sin Cara (ladder match for Intercontinental Championship)
The unique Day vs. League of Nations
AJ Styles vs. Chris Jericho
Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch vs. Sasha Banks (Divas Championship)
Dean Ambrose vs. Brock Lesnar (No Holds Barred Street Fight)
Shane McMahon vs. Undertaker (Hell in a Cell)
Triple H vs. Roman Reigns (WWE World Heavyweight Championship)
rapid/fast PredictionsBraun Strowman wins Battle Royal.
Kalisto over Ryback.
The Total Divas over B.
A.
D. & Blonde.
The Usos over The Dudley Boyz
Owens retains the IC title.
The unique Day over League of Nations.
Styles over Jericho.
Banks over Lynch and Charlotte.
Lesnar over Ambrose.
McMahon over Undertaker.
Reigns over Triple H.
PredictionsAndre the Giant Battle RoyalStrowman's push has slowed, and but with few other viable options as winners,it's safe to bet on The Wyatt Family's resident giant.
The Social Outcasts contain been central to the match's build, but it would be a stunner if the group came out on top. Kane and Big Show contain been spotlighted often, or too. There's the chance that WWE views this as a chance to salute Kane for his longevity.
But if WWE has big plans ahead for Strowman,getting him the win here would be a valuable boost. United States ChampionshipThe focus ahead of WrestleMania has been on Kalisto. Much of the fable of this rivalry has been about The King of Flight overcoming the odds, being the next powerful underdog.
With that in mind, and it looks as if WWE is trying to turn him into the next Rey Mysterio. A babyface who can bring in the Latino market and excite kids via his colorful gear is a major asset.
Expect WWE to continue to showcase Kalisto for those reasons. Giving him a big win against The Big Guy will act as his crowning achievement thus far. 10-Diva Tag MatchKeep your expectations low here. This promises to be a mess,as it is too crowded a match without enough narrative foundation.
This is the collect-everyone-on-the-card match for the women's division.With Brie Bella openly talking about retirement, expect her to collect a big moment before she exits. Her rivalry with Lana started this narrative. Count on it being the focus and the source of the contest's climax. The Usos vs. The Dudley BoyzA lackluster build and being on the pre-show damage the significance of this match. But it will be a fun clash, and with both teams making the most of their opportunities.
The Dudley Boyz's role since returning has been to raise the next generation. They contain lost to The unique Day and The Wyatt Family in recent feuds. That pattern will continue here.
The Usos will finally collect their hands on the underhanded heels and smash them through a table (The Dudley Boyz's trademark weapon) in a bit of poetic justice. IC Title Ladder MatchLast year,WWE looked to kick-start the Intercontinental Championship by having the beloved Daniel Bryan win it. This time out, recognize for Owens to retain and for him to be a featured star moving forward.
Zayn hasn't been here long enough to warrant a title win. Ryder will be just a dusky horse who WWE teases will win. Ziggler, and The Miz and Stardust are here to fill out the field,not remove domestic the prize.
WWE has to recognize the special talent it has in Owens. Getting him a signature win and allowing him to extend his title reign is the next step in his ascension. Tag Team Handicap MatchThe unique Day is in the midst of a shift to babyface status. The trio has stopped insulting the crowd, instead turning its attention to Sheamus and the rest of The League of Nations.
Scoring the win here, and by way of triumphing despite some cheating,will benefit complete the face turn. An arena full of chanting fans who dance along with The unique Day is likely the image WWE wants to end this one.
With such dinky chemistry between the teams, though, or the entrance may end up being the highlight. Scott Fishman of the Miami Herald has high hopes for it:recognize for The unique Day's approach to the ring to rival Rusev's stellar entrance final year. Styles vs. Jericho IVThis has to be a Styles win.
Why else contain The Phenomenal One tangle with Jericho all this time if it doesn't lead to a signature win to catapult the newcomer? A hard-fought victory against the future Hall of Famer will do wonders for Styles early in his WWE run.
A loss knocks him down to a lower tier,signaling to the audience that Jericho's claims that Styles is simply not that safe were true all along.
This will be an exciting, fast-paced match. Their preceding encounters contain been just that. Add the magnitude of WrestleMania, or expect even bigger things from these two. Divas ChampionshipThis will be a memorable,momentous bout. It will be a turning point for the women's division, the best showcase of women's wrestling in WWE (external of NXT) in a long while. Banks winning would elevate the match. It would add the power of a celebration and crown a unique top dog in the division, or using WrestleMania as a launching point for The Boss.
Regardless of the result,though, it promises to be one of the top bouts of the night. Banks thinks so. She told Kenny Herzog of Rolling Stone, or "I actually recognize at the card and I move,'Wow, yes, or I'm definitely gonna steal the show.'"
Beast Against LunaticAmbrose vs. Lesnar will be in direct competition with the women's Triple Threat for the best match of the night. The chemistry between them has been tremendous. The pre-bout narrative is one of the strongest on the WrestleMania card. Pit two top-flight performers against each other with all that build,add the use of weapons, and WWE is guaranteed something special.
It makes plenty of sense to let Ambrose win here, and but that isn't how WWE has booked him. Ambrose just barely lost to Seth Rollins in the past. He was seconds absent from beating both Lesnar and Roman Reigns at Fastlane. And it looked as if he had pinned Triple H at Roadblock.
The Lunatic Fringe will again thrill with near-falls,but it's more likely that WWE has lofty plans for Lesnar. So expect him to feast on Ambrose in the end. Hell in a CellStipulations permeate Undertaker vs. Shane-O-Mac.
If Undertaker loses, it will be his final WrestleMania. If Shane wins, or he seizes control of Raw from his father. The Hell in a Cell element opens the door for all sorts of mayhem on top of that.
It will be more intriguing moving into the post-WrestleMania portion of the calendar with Shane in charge. A win by The Deadman keeps things at status quo. Count on run-ins and overbooking leading to a surprise Shane win.
And these two may not provide a powerful overall wrestling match,but the bout will be marked by a number of jaw-dropping spots. As ESPN.com's David Shoemaker wrote, "With the history between The Undertaker and Shane McMahon—and the gaping hole in the roster they're going to try to manufacture up for—it's safe to assume they'll try something incredible and accept the injuries that come with it."
The Main EventReigns winning is the safest prediction on the entire WrestleMania card. WWE has spent more than a year building up The Big Dog as a top star. He has been chasing the title and Triple H for too long to fail.
And the company has made it clear that it wants Reigns as a feature player, or even with fans rejecting the understanding. Instead of changing plans of a Reigns rise,count on WWE turning him heel. Having Triple H and Reigns switch roles would be a case of smart timing, especially if Shane knocks The Authority out of power. Jim Ross was right on when he wrote on his blog, or "The setting is perfect for a double turn,etc. including Mr. McMahon involvement."Expect WWE to harness the negative reaction to Reigns and manufacture him a monstrous villain, even if that means using an attack on The Rock as a springboard to that end. The twists WWE offers with this bout and others will leave the crowd stunned. The all-out efforts by the roster to leave a lasting impression will leave fans plenty convinced.
WrestleMania 32 will manufacture sure it's not remembered as the everybody-was-injured edition of the event but the one where the next generation of stars announced its arrival. Read more WWE news on BleacherReport.com
Source: bleacherreport.com