While we usually do larger in-depth previews of events with various members of the Last Word on Pro Wrestling staff tackling full matches individually, for this year’s WrestleMania we decided to go a different route and have all our writers weigh in on each match and what they mean to each of us, with our own thoughts. Check out what the LWOS Wrestling Department thinks of WrestleMania 33 and what we can expect!
WWE Universal Championship Match:
GOLDBERG (c) vs. BROCK LESNAR
WWE Championship Match:
BRAY WYATT (c) vs. RANDY ORTON
Raw Women’s Championship Match:
BAYLEY (c) vs. CHARLOTTE vs. SASHA BANKS vs. NIA JAX
Ryan: I’m going out on a limb here, and I’m picking Sasha Banks. I’m picking her by somehow screwing Bayley over for the win. Charlotte has been champion for most of the year, Jax isn’t ready, and there’s no real story development for Bayley unless Sasha turns heel after the match.
Martin: I’ll take Bayley to retain the title. This match might just steal the show with the caliber of women’s wrestlers in it. Expect Nia Jax to be taken out of the match in some hilariously over-the-top way.
Jamie: Much like Rich stated, Sasha seems the best choice to walk out Champion. Nia will be a distraction to the other stories, but Sasha somehow turning on Bayley in the match (or post) to set up a Bayley vs Sasha feud seems eminent. I wouldn’t be surprised if Dana Brooke interferes in this match somehow, costing Charlotte her chance at winning her 5th Raw Women’s Championship, setting up a protegee vs the master story post-Mania.
Smackdown Women’s Championship Match:
ALEXA BLISS (c) vs. BECKY LYNCH vs. MICKIE JAMES vs. NATALYA vs. CARMELLA vs. NAOMI vs. ??
WWE United States Championship Match:
CHRIS JERICHO (c) vs. KEVIN OWENS
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match:
DEAN AMBROSE (c) vs. BARON CORBIN
WWE Cruiserweight Championship Match:
NEVILLE (c) vs. AUSTIN ARIES
Martin: Neville. Austin Aries, despite being white hot right now, isn’t ready to end Neville’s run yet. No one is. Neville is on a “reign of terror” right now, and it’s not stopping any time in the near future.
Rich: On another night, this could steal the show, but being relegated to the kick off show on a super long card means it will most likely be lost in the shuffle. It will however be a strong way to start the card. Neville and Aries have been a breath of fresh air for the cruiserweight division, which is an odd thing to say considering that neither of them were involved in the Cruiserweight classic. Although Aries has been doing exceptionally well in this program, him winning would essentially end it and there’s no reason for that to occur here. Look for Neville to win by hook or crook and for the program to continue through the next few months.
Jamie: While many groan at the news this is a Kickoff match-up, it’s probably the best spot for it. It’ll get more time (which it deserves) which means both men will be able to showcase not only themselves but 205 Live better. It should be the lead match as a match of this intensity and caliber would be a great way to set the pace for the rest of a long card. My heart wants Aries to win gold, but for the sake of the story, Neville should retain so this feud can carry on, perhaps even to SummerSlam.
Raw Tag Team Championship Match:
LUKE GALLOWS & KARL ANDERSON (c) vs. SHEAMUS & CESARO vs. ENZO & BIG CASS
Martin: Enzo and Cass are taking this one. First of all, they’re crowd favorites, and might be one of the most over things on the red brand. Secondly, they sell, and we know that WWE loves that. Vince McMahon might not “get” the Certified G’s, but he can’t deny that they generate cash.
Ryan: In this match, either Gallows and Anderson retain or Enzo and Cass get the belts. Sheasaro had their run with the belts, and it’s just pointless to put the belts back on them now. I’d like to see the Good Brothers retain, but I feel like Enzo and Cass finally win gold.
Jamie: There’s been rumours one angle proposed is Finn Balor‘s return tonight may be to help his former Bullet Club allies Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows return and reform The Club, but that feels too good to be true. Either way, I expect the Good Brothers to retain – possibly to continue a feud with Enzo & Cass – and possible dissention in the ranks of Sheamus & Cesaro by the matches finish.
SETH ROLLINS vs. TRIPLE H
Ryan: A feud six years in the making, Seth Rollins and Triple H are finally going to face off in a WWE ring. Ever since Triple H selected Seth Rollins as the first NXT champion, the wheels have been turning to get this match going. It’s going to be a non-sanctioned match, so expect some kind of interference, and a heavy dose of sledgehammers. However, at the end of the match, Seth Rollins has to be the one left standing tall.
Rich: Wrestling is at its best when I don’t know whether something is a shoot or kayfabe. Did Rollins ever reinsure himself? I don’t know and that’s why I love this build. It has seemed like a long term plan and has kept Seth important. This should be a “gutsy” performance from Rollins and we will get to see if his selling of his bum knee compares to Savage at Mania 8. Despite the obstacles, Rollins should walk away the winner here and out HHH back behind the curtain.
Jamie: This match might be the most underrated match-up on the card. Many people’s insistence that someone like Triple H doesn’t belong on these cards anymore, but they’re missing that there’s still no one on the roster with Hunter’s psychology and storytelling yet. This will be just as much a live learning lesson for Seth as it will be an absolute treat of a match for the fans. Seth is still very much being leaned on to be one of the faces of the company going forward and Triple H is going to do everything he can to make Seth come out looking like a Legend. And that will also include Triple H taking the loss – but not without involvement from Samoa Joe (who I expect will be Seth’s next feud).
AJ STYLES vs. SHANE McMAHON
Martin: This one is going to be FUN. If I had to pick a Match of the Night right now, it’d be this one. Shane O’ Mac can still go, and AJ Styles is the best wrestler on the face of the planet. These two are going to have a war, and I can’t wait to see the crazy high spot that Shane McMahon creates this time.
Ryan: I think this match is getting a bad rep. I think Shane is perfectly capable of having a decent match, and AJ Styles might just be the best wrestler in the world. Shane’s match wasn’t great last year, but he was also wrestling the Undertaker.
Rich: This seems like an odd use of AJ’s considerable talent here, but in the future it may be one of those memorable Wrestlemania moments that a different match would have not produced. By far not being anyone’s favorite pairing I think that will actually push both of these men to bring it and produce a more than serviceable match here. AJ easily walks away the winner here in what will me a great future highlight for big Mania moments.
THE UNDERTAKER vs. ROMAN REIGNS
Ryan: Hear me out. I think that this could be a good match. Look, it’ll be built around Reigns destroying Taker, right? Well, Reigns is a lot younger, and a lot more athletic, and if he turns heel, it could really turn the crowd against him… as if he needs help.
Martin: I’m actually cringing while writing this. Roman Reigns is going to retire The Undertaker this Sunday. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think I need some time to myself after writing that.
Rich: The battle over whose yard the WWE is can really change how the fans perceive Reigns. A loss to the Undertaker by one of the wrestler who has been pushed as the toughest guy on the roster would be harmful to everything they have done with Reigns. On the other hand, Roman defeating the Undertaker would most likely draw the boo of fans, even those who support him as their love of Roman is superseded by the adoration of Undertaker. Braun should be involved in some way here to soften the impact of how the victor and loser are perceived moving forward.
JOHN CENA & NIKKI BELLA vs. THE MIZ & MARYSE
Martin: I’m really not looking forward to this. At all. But if I had to make a pick, I’ll go with John Cena? I guess? It’s not exactly a riveting storyline, but maybe Cena and Miz can give us some good wrestling. Maybe.
Ryan: It’s a shame, because Mizaryse should win this. Yes, Mizaryse, you can steal that one. But I think that Cena and Nikki win, and then Cena proposes. Ms. Elizabeth and Macho Man? No. But it’s better than Mark Henry and Mae Young.
Rich: If you had showed this card three months beforehand, this would have been the match that I would have been least excited to see. However, The Miz and Cena have done an amazing job of making the issues between two seem so real that I’m thoroughly excited to see how this plays out. In terms of including Total Divas/Bellas storylines in the WWE product, this was by far the most interesting way to get it done. Even if this ends up being a glorified way for Cena to propose to Nikki, it will still be worth it. At this point, if Cena doesn’t propose the fans may actually get what they’ve always wanted: a Cena heel turn.
ANDRE THE GIANT BATTLE ROYALE
Ryan: Spoiler: Braun Strowman wins the Andre The Giant Battle Royale. There’s nothing else to say. Maybe Shaq and Big Show eliminate each other, but it’s the Wyatt alum that wins.
Martin: Braun Strowman. This is a “test your might” type of match, and Strowman is perfect for that.
Jamie: Braun Strowman seems the clear cut winner, but the recent news that The Big Show is retiring post-Mania lends some doubt that perhaps they give Show the win as a send-off, perhaps even at the expense of Strowman. Those two behemoths had a great match for a big man on Raw a few weeks back and a short feud where Big Show is retired by Strowman would be a nice rub and sendoff all at the same time.