Many wrestlers over the years have said that the road to WrestleMania begins after SummerSlam. With the amount of preparation that goes into WrestleMania, it isn’t completely out of the question, especially if you look at WWE’s recent history. The main event for WrestleMania XXVIII was officially booked the night after WrestleMania XXVII, a whole year before the event was set to take place, so it stands to reason that early plans for WrestleMania XXXI have begun getting tossed around the office. While many fans are still looking back at WrestleMania XXX and the events that transpired there, without question, many of those same fans have also begun speculating what may happen at the grand spectacle in 2015. Being that we here at LWOS wrestling are all fans ourselves, I thought it would be fun to do some speculating of my own.
The Main Event
We’ll start off with the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Without question, the biggest and most talked about moment from WrestleMania XXX was Brock Lesnar beating the Undertaker and breaking the streak. Now he is the world champion. I don’t know what kind of contract he has with WWE since he has been a part timer up to now, but it would make sense to keep his momentum rolling and have the beast hold onto the title up to, or at least close to, WrestleMania. Who could face him? Well, if the fans have any say in it, Daniel Bryan would be at the top of that list. Bryans return date is still foggy as no one seems to know for sure how long he will be out for his neck injury. Bryan himself has talked about needing a second surgery, and recovery time would probably be the better part of six months, meaning he might be able to compete at WrestleMania XXXI, but competing in the Royal Rumble would be unlikely.
Someone who made an amazing showing in the 2014 Royal Rumble, and another name who would be at the top of the fans’ list of challengers is Roman Reigns. A wrestler who has shot up in popularity since the cracks started showing in The Shields armour last year. Looking at the current roster, he is one of the top choices available to face Lesnar. Young, strong, and very popular, Reigns seems to have almost taken CM Punk’s place in WWE for popularity. However, WWE could go in many directions. Perhaps Brock and Heyman become out of control and the only one to stop the Beast is Triple H himself. Maybe Randy Orton gets kicked out of the Authority’s favour and goes after Lesnar. And there is always the Money In the Bank contract.
Speaking of the Money In the Bank briefcase, I feel it is probably not in Seth Rollins best interest to cash in on Brock Lesnar. However, we have yet to see a Money In the Bank cash in at a WrestleMania. The closest I think we have seen is Dolph Ziggler cashing in the night after WrestleMania XXIX on Raw. It is possible that Rollins could hold onto the briefcase until after WrestleMania XXXI, as it will not expire until June 2015. Although, as long as he has that briefcase, he will remain a factor in the WWE World Heavyweight Championship picture.
The Undercard
What about the other championships in WWE? Will the Usos still have tag team gold come March 29, 2015? They have certainly been on quite a roll, holding the titles for nearly six months and counting. While WWE seems to have peaks and valleys with their tag team division, no one can deny the talent pool in said division. Harper & Rowan, The Dust Brothers, Rybaxel, and the newly formed team of Mark Henry and The Big Show. Any combination of those teams could have great matches. The same could be said for the midcard titles as well. The Intercontinental title seemed to get a new lease on life when held by the likes of Cody Rhodes and Bad News Barrett, and with a wrestler like Dolph Ziggler holding the title currently, we will get some great feuds.
The US title doesn’t seem to get the same love however. Heading into WrestleMania it will probably be an afterthought, although my hope is that WWE will put that title on Rusev as a further insult to Americans. It would add heat to the brute and possibly elevate the US title as others look to take the red, white and blue strap from the foreigner’s waist.
The Divas Championship, while sometimes having a fair amount of talent to pull from, rarely involves more than one challenger at a time, letting a feud run its course, and then moving on to the next. I predict when WrestleMania XXXI time comes, AJ Lee will still find herself holding, or chasing the championship.
Speaking of looking to gold, many wrestlers will be looking at the golden trophy (if WWE makes another) awarded to the winner of the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal. While it seemed like a gimmick used to help celebrate WrestleMania XXX, it was called “the first annual” by many in the company, presuming that the plan is to have one every year. Cesaro’s momentum seems to have slowed a bit since his victory, could he be looking to win again, or was winning that trophy a curse much like the King of the Ring was to Sheamus? Only time will tell.
The Undertaker
Finally, a question that has been on every wrestling fans mind since WrestleMania XXX, what will happen with The Undertaker? Is he going to retire? The possibility is there. He is 49, he’s had to have a pretty relaxed schedule for last few years considering what he puts himself through every WrestleMania, and he took a hellacious beating from Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania XXX. No one would blame Undertaker if he hung up his boots. However, just because the streak is broken, doesn’t mean Undertaker himself is. The question then becomes who does he face? The popular answer seems to be Sting. While I am not a fan of that match prospect, I can understand the appeal. Two veterans, legends who have never faced one another in their prime. Two men who were always in opposing camps, whether it was WWE and WCW or WWE and TNA. If both men were able to get into fighting shape and could put on a great match, then it could certainly work. The opponent I would like to see face the Undertaker, if he were to return for WrestleMania XXXI would be a path of redemption. A path that leads straight to the Beast Incarnate, Brock Lesnar. Whether it was for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship or not (in fact, ‘Taker could potentially cost Brock the title leading up to WrestleMania) The Undertaker has something to prove. Not only was his WrestleMania streak broken, The Undertaker has never beaten Brock in one on one competition. This could be his chance to prove to the younger Beast that there is still fight left in this old Devil. WrestleMania XXX may have only been the battle, WrestleMania XXXI could be the war.
It is still seven months from now before WWE invades Santa Clara, California for WrestleMania XXXI. There is plenty of time for some wrestlers to return, some to leave, and others to possibly get injured. No one knows what the future holds, but it’s always fun to speculate.
Photo via WWE.com
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