WrestleMania XXX was great.
It didn’t feel like it would be going in but coming out? It ended up one of the best WrestleMania events of all time. From Daniel Bryan defying all odds to win in the main event to Cesaro bodyslamming Big Show outside of the ring to win the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal to the complete shock of Brock Lesnar defeating The Undertaker on a night he is never defeated, it ended up an absolutely unforgettable night.
It doesn’t really feel like this WrestleMania is going to have the same kind of outlook. While last year wasn’t really looking to be an absolute classic, it at least had all of the right beats to become that. This one feels doomed in a lot of ways, even if the right things happen. It’s hard to really say which way it’s going to go but it’s for sure got everyone wondering. This could be one of the hardest WrestleMania events to predict ever.
We have a WrestleMania sized team doing predictions and analysis today with Aaron Wrotkowski, Adam Contant, Jeff DeHaan, Philippa Hopwood, Ricky Rana and Shawn Wilken being joined by new members Angel Del Carmen-Rivest, Sean Garmer, Ryan Rider and Christopher Duarte. Don’t call it an André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal for predictions. Call it the Tito Santana Memorial Battle Royal. Because no matter how good we look, nobody is going to come out of this a winner.
WrestleMania 31 in Santa Clara, California
WrestleMania 31 Kick-Off
WWE Tag Team Championship 4-Way
The New Day (Kofi & Big E) vs. Los Matadores w/ El Torito vs. The Usos vs. Tyson Kidd and Cesaro w/ Natalie Neidhart
WRESTLER TO BE PINNED
Aaron, Adam, Ryan, Ricky and Christopher: Diego
Sean: Fernando
Angel: Kofi Kingston
Philippa and Shawn: Jimmy Uso
Jeff: Jey Uso
WINNER
Aaron, Angel, Adam, Ryan, Shawn, Jeff, Ricky and Christopher: Tyson Kidd and Cesaro
Sean: The Usos
Philippa: The New Day
THOUGHTS by Shawn Wilken: The WWE made a last ditch effort to create a more dynamic tag team match and ended up with a near-identical tag team fatal 4-way from last year`s WrestleMania. Credit due to giving both Los Matadores and The New Day a spot to shine and test their value, but one has to think a more meaningful build that lasted more than just a few weeks would have created a different look to this match, as opposed to The Usos, The Uppercats and two scrub teams. Perhaps a lesson can be learned on how to utilize a full calendar year to build up a division that isn`t the main event.
2ND Annual André The Giant Memorial Battle Royal
Confirmed: The Miz, Damien Mizdow, Curtis AxelMania, The Ryback, Fandango, Adam Rose, Zack Ryder, Jack Swagger, Titus O’Neil, Darren Young, Big Show, Kane, Erick Rowan, Sin Cara, Goldust, Heath Slater, Mark Henry, Konnor, Viktor, Hideo Itami (20)
Rumoured: Sheamus
FIRST ELIMINATED
Aaron, Angel: Heath Slater
Adam, Sean, Ricky and Christopher: Curtis Axel
Ryan, Shawn and Jeff: Adam Rose
Philippa: Sin Cara
LAST ELIMINATED
Aaron, Adam, Sean and Christopher: The Miz
Angel and Ryan: Damien Mizdow
Philippa and Ricky: The Ryback
Shawn: Curtis Axel
Jeff: Mark Henry
MOST ELIMINATIONS
Aaron: Big Show & Kane
Angel: Kane
Adam, Shawn and Jeff: The Ryback
Ryan and Philippa: Mark Henry
Sean: Sheamus
Ricky and Christopher: Big Show
WINNER
Aaron, Adam, Sean and Christopher: Damien Mizdow
Angel: Hideo Itami
Ryan, Shawn, Jeff and Ricky: Sheamus
Philippa: Curtis Axel
THOUGHTS by Sean Garmer: When it was first announced that WWE was going to have this again at WrestleMania 31, I was really skeptical because Cesaro took a hard fall for the majority of 2014 and I didn’t want to see that happen to anyone else. WWE has actually managed to pack a few things into this match, which adds a lot more intrigue than I remember last year’s having. Will Sheamus return and win the whole thing? Can Ryback make a statement and start a road to glory for himself again? Will AxelMania finally be eliminated? (I really hope not, this gimmick has the best thing he has ever done.) All that being said, I don’t think WWE spends so much time building up Miz and Mizdow for there not to be a payoff other than Mizdow simply eliminating Miz from a battle royal. In order for Mizdow to really get a modicum of revenge he has to win the battle royal. Then Miz gets pissed and perhaps pulls a Bret Hart from WM IV and breaks the trophy during the presentation. Then WWE can do a wonderful hardcore match between the two men at Extreme Rules.
Randy Orton vs. “Money in the Bank” Seth Rollins
WINNER
Aaron, Angel, Philippa, Shawn, Ricky and Christopher: Randy Orton
Adam, Ryan, Sean and Jeff: Seth Rollins
THOUGHTS by Jeff DeHaan: I like Orton and considering the lackluster year that he has had he could certainly use the win, but he has already gotten a measure of revenge. He has beaten Rollins and company again and again. It’s about time Rollins gets one up on the Viper. Plus Randy, while not old, is in much the same place as John Cena, and needs to start putting over young talent.
Divas Matter Tag Match
AJ Lee and Paige vs. The Bella Twins
WINNERS
Aaron, Angel, Adam, Sean, Philippa, Shawn, Ricky and Christopher: AJ Lee and Paige
Ryan and Jeff: The Bella Twins
WILL ANYONE TURN ON THEIR PARTNER
Aaron, Ryan, Sean, Shawn, Jeff and Christopher: No
Angel, Adam and Philippa: Yes (Brie turns on Nikki)
THOUGHTS by Aaron Wrotkowski: I’m writing this after watching the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony where Alundra Blaze brought poise, power, grace and eloquence to coming into the Hall of Fame as a women’s wrestler. What she also did was pull out the WWF Women’s championship out of the trash can and back onto her shoulder. I feel that should be the moment which changes Women’s wrestling in the WWE. Drop the “Diva” monicker that has never worked. Drop the models who can barely wrestle. It’s time to follow the trail blazed by Alundra. Paige and AJ can work. Have them beat the Bellas and eventually send them off to never wrestling in the ring again. It’s time for the real workers of the Women’s division to come up and no, not make Divas matter. Make women matter. AJ and Paige for the win.
WWE United States Championship
John Cena vs. Rusev w/ Lana (c)
WINNER
Aaron, Ryan, Sean, Philippa, Jeff and Ricky: John Cena
Angel, Adam, Shawn and Christopher: Rusev
WILL HULK HOGAN GET INVOLVED
Aaron: Yes
Angel, Adam, Ryan, Sean, Philippa, Shawn, Jeff, Ricky and Christopher: No
THOUGHTS by Philippa Hopwood: This match has a lot riding on it for me, it will be physical and it will be vicious and I expect both men to give stand out performances especially since it’s Rusev’s debut at WrestleMania, he will want to make a good impression and Cena is fighting for the USA. I expect the match to be close and back and forth with Cena getting the submission win.
WWE Intercontinental Ladder Match
Stardust vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Luke Harper vs. R-Truth vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Daniel Bryan vs. Bad News Barrett (c)
WINNER
Aaron, Ryan, Sean, Philippa, Jeff, Ricky and Christopher: Daniel Bryan
Angel: Bad News Barrett
Adam and Shawn: Dean Ambrose
THOUGHTS by Ryan Rider: It’s a shame that Stardust and Goldust don’t get to be involved in the same match, whether as a tag or against each other. This match can either be great or a cluster. I’m hoping for the former rather than the latter. Each superstar in this match ought to get a showcase moment. Stardust will continue to try to escape the shadow of his brother and father. R-Truth needs a WrestleMania moment. Luke Harper and Bad News Barrett will continue their rise up the ranks. However, my Rider’s Pick is that Daniel Bryan gets the victory with 70,000 fans chanting, “Yes! Yes! Yes!”
THOUGHTS by Christopher Duarte: I’ll say it once, I’ll say it again, and despite the build this match is going to be awesome. Daniel is the most likely winner of the bunch. He needs something to make his return mean something and legitimizing the IC title is a great direction for the company. For the longest time this title has been the jobber title. This win will let the hardcore fans go home happy at Mania. Plus it looks like we are getting a Dolph Ziggler and Daniel Bryan program going forward so a title win here will only sweeten the pot for some sure fire classics.
The Undertaker vs. Bray Wyatt
WINNER
Aaron, Adam, Philippa, Shawn and Christopher: Bray Wyatt
Angel, Ryan, Sean, Jeff and Ricky: The Undertaker
IS THIS UNDERTAKER’S LAST MATCH?
Aaron, Angel, Adam, Ryan, Sean, Philippa, Ricky and Christopher: No
Shawn: Yes
Jeff: Undecided
THOUGHTS by Ricky Rana: Veteran versus the future. Both men have a lot to prove within this match. Taker has to shake off the cob webs and redeem his shocking defeat from last year’s WrestleMania and Wyatt simple needs to make a name for himself by defeating the Dead Man. Although this match should be a great entertainer, for me, it will be the Dead Man who prevails.
The Icon vs. The Game
Sting vs. Triple H
WINNER
Aaron and Adam: Triple H
Angel, Ryan, Sean, Philippa, Shawn, Jeff, Ricky and Christopher: Sting
THOUGHTS by Angel Del Carmen-Rivest: It won’t end here, but Sting finally getting his WrestleMania moment after all of these years will be a real crowd-pleaser. I have no doubt that Triple H won’t take the loss gracefully, and these two will likely have another bout down the line.
Main Event
WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar w/ Paul Heyman (c)
WILL THE ROCK MAKE AN APPEARANCE
Aaron, Adam, Ryan, Sean, Philippa, Jeff and Ricky: No
Angel, Shawn and Christopher: Yes
WILL SETH ROLLINS CASH IN MONEY IN THE BANK
Aaron, Adam, Ryan, Sean, Shawn and Ricky: No
Angel and Philippa: Yes
Jeff: Undecided
Christopher: Will attempt
WINNER
Aaron, Ryan, Philippa and Shawn: Brock Lesnar
Angel, Adam, Sean, Jeff, Ricky and Christopher: Roman Reigns
THOUGHTS by Ryan Rider: Brock Lesnar is set to become one of the most dominant World Heavyweight Champions in WWE history. He ended the Undertaker’s streak, gave John Cena the biggest loss of his career, and now he is going into Wrestlemania as a heel champion and hopefully will retain over Roman Reigns. I would love to see Lesnar keep the championship through until Wrestlemania 33, and defend it against the Rock. Roman Reigns might be the future – but this is the present, and right now Reigns isn’t ready. Lesnar is the man, he is “the Big Thing” and that belt should be around his shoulder for a long time to come. The only wildcard in this situation is Seth Rollins, whose momentum continues to grow and he is in line for a future title reign. Plus, he has the Money in the Bank briefcase. I would give a run to Rollins in 2016. But right now, with his new multi-year contract signed, the dominance of Brock Lesnar ought to continue.
Thank you to everyone reading all of our predictions. I know they were long with all of the new members. Be sure to watch WrestleMania 31 on WWE Network, starting with the Kick-Off at 5PM EST, going two hours before the official start of WrestleMania in Santa Clara, California at 7PM EST.
