WWE WrestleMania 31: GSM's Pick, Preview and Potential for Each Match
On Sunday, WWE will present its historic WrestleMania 31 pay-per-view event, live from Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, at a special start time of 7 p.m. ET.
Although the buildup to this event has left something to be desired, the card has a ton of potential to be outstanding. Following the amazing WrestleMania 30 spectacular last year, this year's installment will have its work cut out for it.
With his win in the 2015 Royal Rumble match, Roman Reigns has earned the right to challenge Brock Lesnar for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the main event. Will Reigns take the next step in achieving superstardom, or will Lesnar keep his dominant reign going strong?
For the first time, Sting will step foot in a WWE ring to do battle with Triple H. Will Sting emerge victorious in his WWE debut match, or will The Game put an end to Sting's WWE tenure before it even beings?
Coming off his shocking defeat last year, The Undertaker will make his long-awaited return to TV to go one-on-one with Bray Wyatt. Can Undertaker avenge the loss he suffered at the hands of Lesnar, or will Wyatt follow through on this promise of putting The Deadman down for good?
Here, I will provide my personal preview, prediction and potential for every match on the advertised card.
Kickoff Show: Fatal 4-Way Tag Team Match (WWE Tag Team Championship)
1 of 9
Preview
At WWE Fastlane, Cesaro and Tyson Kidd were victorious in unseating The Usos as WWE tag team champions. In subsequent weeks, the two tandems continued to feud, but in time, more teams were added to the mix, including The New Day and Los Matadores, who scored non-title wins over the tag team champions as well. A Fatal 4-Way match was made official for the WrestleMania 31 Kickoff Show, where the twin titles will be up for grabs.
Prediction
On paper, I have no burning desire to see this match based on the fact The New Day and Los Matadores are involved. I just don't see why The Ascension and/or The Prime Time Players couldn't have been in there instead.
Needless to say, neither of those tandems should win the straps, so it comes down to Cesaro and Kidd and The Usos. It might be a shoo-in that the champs retain, but with The Usos' father Rikishi going into the WWE Hall of Fame on Saturday and the event emanating from their home turf, there's a chance they regain the gold here.
It's still too soon to take the titles off Cesaro and Kidd, so they're my pick to win.
Potential
As of this writing, there is no word on this match being elimination style like last year. Hopefully, it's added because it definitely makes the match more exciting. As down as I am on the involvement of The New Day and Los Matadores, they're all excellent athletes, and this can be a fun match if it's given the time to shine.
Kickoff Show: Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
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Preview
In March 2014, Hulk Hogan established the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal for WrestleMania, honoring the memory and legacy of one of WWE's most iconic figures. After Cesaro won the inaugural installment, it will be making a return this year at WrestleMania 31.
Over the last month, Superstars such as Big Show, Ryback, The Miz and Damien Mizdow have thrown their name into the hat of competitors. NXT's Hideo Itami also earned his way into the match by winning a four-man tournament at WrestleMania Axxess this past week.
Prediction
The build to this match has been atrocious, which is saying something considering the terrible build to last year's inaugural installment. There are very few reasons why I should care given the lackluster list of talents who will be participating, from Kane all the way down to Adam Rose.
That said, the only match this story has going for it is the one between The Miz and Damien Mizdow, and as soon as they were both announced for the bout, it was obvious it will come down to these two in the end. I'm not counting out Ryback given the momentum he's been riding recently, but there's no better payoff to the long-running Miz-Mizdow angle than with Mizdow tossing his mentor over the top rope for the huge victory.
Potential
Battle Royals can either be hit or miss, and last year's was a total train wreck with the exception of the ending. Thankfully, the match has been narrowed down from 30 competitors to 20 this year, so hopefully it won't be as painful to watch.
Of all the matches to bump to the Kickoff Show, this was the right one—that's where it belongs, anyway. The early goings shouldn't be anything notable, but if and when it comes to Miz and Mizdow, expect Levi's Stadium to come unglued.
AJ Lee and Paige vs. Brie and Nikki Bella
3 of 9
Preview
Since the start of the year, the Bella Twins have tormented Paige, ensuring that she never win back the Divas Championship. On the March 2 edition of Raw, a returning AJ Lee came to the aid of her former "frienemy," uniting with Paige against the dastardly duo.
Despite their storied past, the one thing AJ and Paige have in common is their mutual disdain for the Bella Twins, and at WrestleMania, they'll be looking to knock them off their high horse once and for all.
Prediction
This may not be saying much, but there hasn't been a Divas match at WrestleMania this well-built since Mickie James vs. Trish Stratus at WrestleMania 22. I just love the fact that it actually has a story behind it and that it makes sense. It's sad it has to be that way, but the women have been grossly overlooked for so long that you take what you can get.
With nothing on the line, this match can go either way, and quite honestly, it doesn't matter who wins. You can flip a coin to predict the victor, but seeing how Nikki Bella hasn't lost a pay-per-view match since September, I see her getting her comeuppance here with a loss in tag team action.
Potential
Riding the wave of momentum from the "Give Divas a Chance" movement, this is the perfect opportunity to have the women contest a quality match. Of all the matches to be cut for time, this might be one of them, but I surely hope that isn't the case.
If given time, these four ladies can have the great match they're capable of. The resurgence of women's wrestling in WWE could start and end with this show, but if WWE really wants us to take the ladies seriously again, they must be allowed to go out there and tear it up.
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Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match
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Preview
After coming up short of winning the Intercontinental Championship at WWE Fastlane, Dean Ambrose stole Bad News Barrett's belt. This started a trend of various Superstars appearing out of nowhere and laying claim to it, including Daniel Bryan, Dolph Ziggler, R-Truth and others.
As weeks passed, each hungry up-and-comer entered into the ladder match at WrestleMania 31, where the Intercontinental title will be hanging high above the ring.
Prediction
According to WrestlingInc.com, it's been heavily rumored that officials are looking to put the title on Bryan to make it mean something again. Although it's a step in the right direction, it's going to take time to instill all that lost prestige back into the strap.
If you were expecting me to pick Bryan, I'm afraid I have some bad news. As much as I want to see a new champion crowned here, the story that WWE Creative is currently telling is that Barrett can't win a match to save his life, which indicates that he will retain via Booking 101.
I hope that isn't the case because he's already damaged beyond belief and a win here won't change that, but that's just my gut feeling.
Potential
Despite the bad buildup, the match is almost guaranteed to be excellent considering all the amazing talent involved. My only concern is that it might result in a train wreck, but hopefully it'll be like any other Money in the Bank ladder match, just for the intercontinental title this time.
Randy Orton vs. Seth Rollins
5 of 9
Preview
Randy Orton and Seth Rollins go back a few years (they were on opposing teams at WrestleMania 29), but they didn't begin to tease tension until just last fall when they were both key members in The Authority. When Orton rebelled against the faction and threw a fit, Rollins put him in his place by brutally assaulting him and taking him out of commission for a few months.
It wasn't until WWE Fastlane that Orton finally resurfaced, immediately setting his sights on Rollins. Although he seemingly reunited with The Authority for a few weeks, it was all a ruse just to get closer Rollins so he could exact revenge on him.
At WrestleMania, The Viper will finally get his hands on Rollins, but will Mr. Money in the Bank do what he does best and avoid being taken out by Orton?
Prediction
While I'm still excited for this match, the build became convoluted when it didn't need to be. Regardless, I see the feud carrying on for a while past WrestleMania.
Orton has gotten the upper hand over Rollins at every turn these last few weeks, and while that would usually ensure a win for Rollins, I'm not positive it does in this case. I'm getting the feeling Rollins will be cashing in his briefcase sooner rather than later, which will likely led to Orton beating him here and demanding a title shot for later down the line.
Potential
This is the match most people are saying will steal the show, and I share that sentiment. Orton and Rollins had an above-average bout last November on Raw, and they can do better if they have the time. They are both incredible competitors.
John Cena vs. Rusev (United States Championship)
6 of 9
Preview
After interrupting his promo during the Royal Rumble post-show, Rusev shifted his focus to John Cena. They collided in a match for the United States Championship at WWE Fastlane, and in surprising fashion, Rusev emerged victorious after knocking Cena out cold.
For weeks, Rusev refused to give Cena a rematch because he felt he didn't deserve one, but after an assault on Rusev on the March 8 edition of Raw, Lana finally gave in and granted him another title shot. Will Cena be the one to end the ruthless reign of Rusev and bring the star-spangled prize back where it belongs?
Prediction
First and foremost, Lana must be at ringside for this match, because if she's not, the match will die, as that's all the crowd will chant for. With that said, I don't see how the outcome of this match is even in question.
I'm not holding onto the shred of hope of a Rusev win here because it's been obvious for months that Cena would hand him his first loss, just like he did with Bray Wyatt last year. Throw in the fact the WWE wants to have a renewed focus on the midcard belts coming out of WrestleMania and it's as clear as day that Cena walks out as champion here.
Potential
If Lana isn't present at ringside, no one will care about the match, but if she is, Cena and Rusev can contest another solid bout. They had one of the better matches of the night at WWE Fastlane, but hopefully the predictability doesn't kill people's excitement for this matchup.
The Undertaker vs. Bray Wyatt
7 of 9
Preview
For weeks, Bray Wyatt referred to a mysterious being during his promos, and at WWE Fastlane, he finally revealed it to be The Undertaker. The Deadman hasn't been seen or heard from since having his 21-0 streak snapped by Brock Lesnar last year at WrestleMania 30, and it wasn't known if he would ever step foot in a WWE ring again.
After weeks of calling out Undertaker, Wyatt's WrestleMania challenge was accepted by The Phenom on the March 8 Raw. Now the question is if he will be in any shape to compete against someone like Wyatt, who is at the top of his game right now.
Prediction
For me, this has to be the hardest match to predict. No matter who wins, it's a lose-lose situation. Wyatt shouldn't lose back-to-back WrestleManias, but neither should Undertaker, given that he won at the event for 21 consecutive years.
Wyatt can always rebound from the loss, but I'm afraid WWE doesn't have any substantial plans for him coming out of this match. It wouldn't make any sense to have 'Taker suffer a second straight loss, especially with the possibility of his wrestling his final match next year against Sting, so he's my pick to win.
Potential
This match can either exceed expectations or perform well below them. As we learned last year, not every one of Undertaker's outings at WrestleMania can be instant classics, especially at the age of 50.
Undertaker and Wyatt may not have any in-ring chemistry, but if they can focus on the story and psychology of the characters, this may be one of the most memorable matches of the night.
Sting vs. Triple H
8 of 9
Preview
At Survivor Series, Sting made his long-awaited WWE debut when he interfered in the main event and laid out Triple H, costing him his authoritative role in the company. Of course, he returned to power a short time later, but Sting kept coming back to target Triple H at every opportunity.
When the two came face-to-face at WWE Fastlane, Triple H threw out the challenge for a match at WrestleMania, which Sting subsequently accepted. Will Sting fall to The Game in his first WWE match?
Prediction
While it's predictable Sting will win given that it's his debut match, you can never know for sure with this company. Remember, Brock Lesnar stupidly lost his first match back in eight years to John Cena, so anything is possible.
With there being a chance of Undertaker vs. Sting finally happening at WrestleMania 32, Sting would have to win against The Game. Meanwhile, Triple H isn't being built up for any upcoming opponent, so a victory for him here would be pointless.
Potential
Although Sting hasn't seen in-ring action in well over a year, I would hope he's in good enough shape he won't have to wear a T-shirt for this match. Triple H can always be counted on for a solid match, so if the emotion and excitement are there, the atmosphere for this match may be something special.
Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar (WWE World Heavyweight Championship)
9 of 9
Preview
In January, Roman Reigns emerged victorious in the 2015 Royal Rumble match, earning a shot at the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 31. There was much criticism from fans regarding his Rumble win and whether he was truly ready for the main event, but Reigns silenced some of those critics when he defeated Daniel Bryan in impressive fashion at WWE Fastlane.
Meanwhile, Lesnar has been the most dominant entity in WWE for close to two years. From John Cena to The Undertaker to Triple H, he has dispatched of all his opponents and is looking to add Reigns to that lengthy list come WrestleMania.
Prediction
You don't need me to tell you that the buildup to this bout has been lackluster, but by some miracle, WWE got fans fired up for this match when Lesnar re-signed this past week. That put the finish in doubt for many, as there is now the realistic chance he could retain.
Personally, the news didn't change my prediction a bit. While I enjoy Reigns' work, I agree with the majority that he isn't ready for a run as world champion yet, so it'd be wise to hold off on him winning the strap here.
However, that didn't stop WWE from having him win the Rumble despite how evident it was he shouldn't have been the guy to go with, so I see the same happening at WrestleMania. As awesome as it would be for Seth Rollins to cash in Money in the Bank here, I have my money (no pun intended) on that happening the next night on Raw, which would ensure this show closes with Reign's grand championship celebration.
Potential
With the news of Lesnar re-signing with WWE, that will automatically make him the fan favorite in this match. Hopefully, WWE runs with it instead of fighting it, as it will cause fans to revolt against Reigns even more. From an in-ring standpoint, this match could go either way, but the unpredictability surrounding the finish and the aftermath will make it all the more intriguing.
Read more prediction pieces for past WWE pay-per-views here.
Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, is a journalism major at Endicott College. Visit his website at Next Era Wrestling and "like" his official Facebook page to continue the conversation on all things wrestling.
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