WWE WrestleMania 33: B/R Expert Match Picks, Predictions and Analysis

WrestleMania might not always be the best pay-per-view of the year, but it's always the biggest in terms of size and scope.

Here is a look at Sunday's match card, according to WWE.com:

• Neville vs. Austin Aries (Cruiserweight Championship)
• Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
• Raw Tag Team Championships Triple Threat Ladder Match
• Alexa Bliss vs. every available female talent (SD Women's Championship)
• Dean Ambrose vs. Baron Corbin (Intercontinental Championship)
• Chris Jericho vs. Kevin Owens (U.S. Championship)
• Bayley vs. Sasha Banks vs. Nia Jax vs. Charlotte (Raw Women's Championship)
• AJ Styles vs. Shane McMahon
• Nikki Bella and John Cena vs. Maryse and The Miz
• Seth Rollins vs. Triple H
• The Undertaker vs. Roman Reigns
• Bray Wyatt vs. Randy Orton (WWE Championship)
• Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar (Universal Championship)

Bleacher Report's lineup will answer the tough questions about the WWE landscape and provide predictions for each match on the WWE WrestleMania 33 card. It's made up of the following:

• Anthony Mango (@ToeKneeManGo), founder of SmarkOutMoment.com and host of the podcast Smack Talk.
• Kevin Berge (@TheBerge_).
• Erik Beaston (@ErikBeaston).
• Ryan Dilbert (@RyanDilbert).
• Yours truly, Chris Mueller (@BR_Doctor).

Because of some technical issues, a few answers are missing from some writers, but each match is covered. Let's take a look at the card and attempt to make some solid predictions.

2017 Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal

Q: Which Superstar—WWE, NXT or otherwise—would benefit most by winning this year's Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal?

Erik Beaston (EB): Sami Zayn. The former NXT champion is in desperate need of a boost. Sure, he wins and is regularly involved in matches with premier Raw stars, but he needs a defining victory to convince fans he is not quite the loser he is so regularly portrayed as. To do that, winning a major WrestleMania Battle Royal, beating Superstars like Big Show and Braun Strowman to do so, would be the right booking move.

Match Prediction: Braun Strowman.

Anthony Mango (AM): It's not so much that he would benefit from winning it but more he stands to lose the most if he doesn't, and that man is Braun Strowman. He was such a big part of the past few months and had been building up significant steam that could lead to a promising career. If he comes up short, it will look like he has been diminished. Nobody else is a better fit to be victorious, particularly in a scenario that sacrifices his credibility.

Match Prediction: Braun Strowman last eliminates Big Show to win.

Kevin Berge (KB): Braun Strowman. While I am not against a surprise victory for Sami Zayn, no star is better suited for this spotlight than Strowman. The new top giant winning the trophy honoring the most legendary wrestling giant is a perfect way to maximize a star on the verge of the main event. This match only exists this year for the sake of Strowman.

Match Prediction: Strowman dominates the Battle Royal, last eliminating a resilient Zayn.

Ryan Dilbert (RD): Sami Zayn could use the win in the worst way. He's been the stepping stone for others. His rise to the top could begin with a victory in this Battle Royal, poetically ousting old rival Braun Strowman at the end.

Match Prediction: Strowman wins after last eliminating Big Show.

Chris Mueller (CM): Anyone would benefit from the win because none of the people in this match have any direction. However, it would be great to see someone like Bobby Roode or Shinsuke Nakamura win it as a way to debut on the main roster.

Match Prediction: Sami Zayn.

Raw Tag Team Championships Triple Threat Match

Q: True or False: None of the three tag teams in this match are viable long-term options as Raw tag team champions.

EB: False. Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows proved their ability to lead the tag team in the weeks preceding WrestleMania. The duo was booked strongly, particularly on the go-home episode of Raw, and looked like the legitimate badasses they should have been presented as from the beginning. If not them, Big Cass and Enzo Amore are incredibly over and could easily carry the division into the future if WWE management gets over its infatuation with giving a Cass singles push.

Match Prediction: Enzo Amore and Big Cass.

AM: If the roster stays exactly the way it is, true. With these three teams feuding against each other, The New Day out of the picture and the only other teams being jokes, how can Raw's tag team division succeed? New teams need to be formed, and The Revival has to come up to either Raw or SmackDown to compensate, as SmackDown's tag team division is struggling too.

Match Prediction: Gallows and Anderson retain.

KB: False. I see all three as tag teams that can carry the division. Cesaro and Sheamus may be best suited for returning to singles careers down the line, but they have been fantastic together. Enzo and Cass are still among the most over stars in WWE, while Gallows and Anderson are the perfect bruiser team when they are not being wasted on bad jokes.

Match Prediction: Enzo and Cass capture the tag team titles and begin a long reign atop Raw.

RD: False. They all could be strong long-term champs with the right booking. Each squad has shown flashes of being a compelling act. WWE can't seem to find the formula to highlight Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, though.

Match Prediction: Enzo Amore and Big Cass win to dethrone The Club.

CM: False. With proper booking, any of these teams could be great long-term champions. It's all about having good matches with quality storylines.

Match Prediction: The Club retains.

Neville vs. Austin Aries (WWE Cruiserweight Championship)

Q: Whose title reign would you enjoy more: Neville's or Austin Aries'?

EB: Neville's. Austin Aries is a hellish in-ring performer, a hard-hitting, high-impact wrestler whose accomplishments between the ropes speak for themselves. He has undeniably lost a step, though. Neville, contrarily, is in his prime and delivering some of his finest performances under his heel persona. He also appears to have more in-ring chemistry with the cruiserweights than Aries has in his limited ring time. 

Match Prediction: Neville.

AM: I've been enjoying Neville during this run far greater than anything else he's done previously, but I'm still a bigger fan of Austin Aries overall. One major positive with Aries is how he teeters on the line between babyface and heel, allowing him to feud with virtually anybody on the roster with ease. When it comes to Neville, if he runs through every babyface, who else is left to pose an interesting challenge?

Match Prediction: Austin Aries becomes the new champion.

KB: Neville has been the star of the cruiserweights since he was crowned in January, and that should not stop. He may be the best heel on Raw because he understands the nuance of his role. He's a cocky bruiser who backs up his words and never plays the drama for the sake of the crowd. Aries is a fantastic star who can help the cruiserweights immensely, but it's not his time yet.

Match Prediction: Neville finds a way to pull out a cheap victory and escape with his title.

RD: Neville has been tremendous as the enraged, entitled ruler of the division. There's plenty more to explore with his character and this story arc. Aries can have his moment later; The King of the Cruiserweights is on a roll.

Match Prediction: Neville escapes with a win.

CM: I would have to say Neville's reign, just because he has done such a great job since turning heel and winning the title. He will probably lose on Sunday, but he will continue to be a fixture in the title scene for a little while.

Match Prediction: Austin Aries.

SmackDown Women's Championship Match

Q: Who are you expecting to be a surprise challenger for the SmackDown Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 33?

EB: Naomi. Much like Seth Rollins, she suffered a knee injury that forced her to the sidelines just ahead of WrestleMania. Like Rollins, I expect her to return just in time to have her WrestleMania moment. Little has been made of her recovery and rehabilitation. Nor has she undergone surgery. Her low-key role on the Road to WrestleMania makes her a prime candidate to surprise fans and pop up in time to regain her title. But she will not.

Match Prediction: Alexa Bliss.

AM: A lot of people are assuming Asuka is a lock, but if WWE wants to swerve everyone by having her retain her title at NXT TakeOver: Orlando, another option is Tamina Snuka. She's been waiting in the wings for a while, and since Raw has Nia Jax, SmackDown could use her as a dominant heel in their women's division. An outsider's chance would be Kelly Kelly, although she seems more like a Raw fit.

Match Prediction: Alexa Bliss retains.

KB: If anyone is going to make a surprise entrance, it would be best she is not a one-off but an addition to the roster, which needs more bodies. Therefore, an appearance by Asuka would be the ideal way to add a new top face to the division. She's been wrestling at another level in NXT and would instantly dominate SmackDown. Matches with Becky Lynch, Alexa Bliss and Mickie James are all enticing possibilities.

Match Prediction: Naomi recaptures the SmackDown Women's Championship, pinning Bliss.

RD: Lita. It would be great fun to see her back in action again. It'd also boost her foes to tangle with her. Like Mickie James, Lita is a bridge to the better parts of past women's divisions.

Match Prediction: Naomi wins back the title.

(CM) : Asuka. Having her come in and clean house out of nowhere would be a great way to bring up the woman who has been unstoppable in NXT.

Match Prediction: Mickie James.

Dean Ambrose vs. Baron Corbin (WWE Intercontinental Championship)

Q: Is Baron Corbin WWE’s next monster heel?

EB: Monster heel? No. Great heel? Yes. Corbin has been fantastic in recent months, exhibiting the attitude and in-ring work necessary to succeed in WWE. It is that attitude that will carry him to great success, beginning Sunday in Orlando, Florida.

Match Prediction: Baron Corbin.

AM: He could have been if WWE didn't wait an entire year to start pushing him. After winning the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal last year, Corbin lingered with nothing to do until just recently. Although he's starting to gain some momentum, Braun Strowman and Samoa Joe have surpassed him as the current big monsters on the roster.

Match Prediction: Dean Ambrose retains the title but drops it at Backlash.

KB: While he has not been quite at Strowman's level, Corbin has already taken up the top monster role on SmackDown with ease. It has made it easy to see him battling alongside stars like Dean Ambrose and AJ Styles. I see only bigger things in his future, with a WWE Championship reign in the coming year not out of the question.

Match Prediction: Corbin finds a shortcut to steal the win and earn his first championship in WWE.

RD: He's headed for a top spot on the SmackDown hierarchy, that's for sure. His character, though, is too calculating to be a true monster heel. His mic work has been inconsistent, but when he's on, he exudes a supervillain aura. WWE is sure to make use of that moving forward.

Match Prediction: Corbin wins his first title in WWE.

CM: It's tough to say how hard WWE will push him in the future. His feud with Ambrose has been good, but he needs to dominate his next few programs to reach the level of a monster heel.

Match Prediction: Baron Corbin.

Chris Jericho vs. Kevin Owens (WWE United States Championship)

Q: What is the likelihood the U.S. title match ends cleanly?

EB: With Samoa Joe, Sami Zayn, Finn Balor, Triple H and Seth Rollins all intertwined in various ways, the likelihood this match ends cleanly is a big, fat 0 percent. Too much has gone into the background and the blatant establishment of Owens and Joe as associates for The Samoan Submission Machine to not find his way into the match. Jericho may have an ace up his sleeve to combat interference from Joe, meaning this has the potential to become an Attitude Era-style brawl rather than a straight one-on-one bout.

Match Prediction: Kevin Owens.

AM: Far too many people will be busy in other segments to involve some kind of interference angle, but if Owens walks away victorious, he will cheat in some fashion. The bigger factor in the ending of the match is whether Jericho is leaving right after WrestleMania or sticking around at least long enough to wrestle on Raw or at Payback. Y2J will win clean if he can drop the belt later on, but Owens will cheat if he's booked to be the winner.

Match Prediction: Owens becomes champion if WrestleMania is the last we'll see of Jericho for a while.

KB: There are likely too many factors involved for this to be a clean match. Samoa Joe will play a role in some way, perhaps alongside Sami Zayn. Given Owens will almost certainly win and has rarely found success with clean victories, it is hard to even imagine we see the ending of this match not involve KO cheating Jericho out of his championship.

Match Prediction: Owens injures Jericho and sends him packing without the U.S. Championship.

RD: Very likely. If Jericho is headed off to tour with Fozzy soon, as many expect, he may drop the belt in a definitive loss with the option of reopening the feud later on. Plus, it's WrestleMania. The event is often the home to feuds' climaxes.     

Match Prediction: Owens wins a thriller.

CM: About as likely as CM Punk returning to win the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.            

Match Prediction: Kevin Owens.

Shane McMahon vs. AJ Styles

Q: Raw commentator Corey Graves recently said on Bring It to the Table that "The prospect of AJ Styles vs. Shane McMahon does absolutely nothing for me" (h/t Josh Barnett of USA Today). Do you agree or disagree with his statement?

EB: I agree, but only to an extent. Styles probably does deserve something more given the body of work he turned in over the past year. With that said, there are few matches more important than whichever one a McMahon family member participates in. Shane brings a certain star power with him that ensures his matches are among the highest profile of the night. Styles will benefit from working with him, if only because more eyes will be on his match than they may otherwise have been.

Match Prediction: AJ Styles.

AM: I wholeheartedly agree. AJ Styles deserved to have an opponent who would give him a classic wrestling match. While I do like Shane McMahon, he works best in No Disqualification environments rather than standard matches. This is getting lost in the shuffle, and the only reason it's considered remotely high profile is because of Shane's surname—certainly not the lackluster feud that has led to this point.

Match Prediction: AJ Styles has to win to maintain his credibility.

KB: Shane's never been a great wrestler—more a car-crash aficionado. Styles deserved to work with someone who brings out the best in him. However, I cannot wholly agree that the concept is not enticing. Styles has brought out the best in everyone he has battled, and Shane has told some fantastic stories in his appearances over the years. The build has been well done, and the two seem committed.

Match Prediction: Styles proves too much for Shane, who pulls out all the stops.

RD: I understand people's issues with the match. I was hoping for a Styles-Finn Balor cross-brand battle myself. But these two have sold the hell out of this match. Styles' emotion during the buildup has been tremendous. The story has been strong. And The Phenomenal One is going to get the best match we've seen from McMahon in a long time.

Match Prediction: Styles wins.

CM: Disagree. Styles is one of the best in the world, and McMahon is better than people are willing to admit. AJ can cover Shane's shortcomings while both men take some risks to make the match exciting.

Match Prediction: AJ Styles.

John Cena and Nikki Bella vs. The Miz and Maryse

Q: Can this mixed tag team match live up to its tremendous build, or will the match itself be an ultimate letdown?

EB: The match itself will benefit from fun spots and interactions between John Cena and The Miz, but anyone expecting a show-stealing performance is fooling themselves. The build has been great, the crowd will be hot and it will be entertaining. Anything beyond that will be a genuine surprise. In either direction.

Match Prediction: John Cena and Nikki Bella.

AM: When you name Al Roker as a special guest announcer, it's hard to expect this match to be on par with The Undertaker against Shawn Michaels. This will be a glorified squash match, and nothing more. If you want to see The Miz and Maryse get their comeuppance, you'll enjoy it. But if you're looking for a classic wrestling match, it will definitely be a letdown.

Match Prediction: John Cena and Nikki Bella win. Guaranteed.

KB: Cena and Miz have been wrestling at the highest levels of their careers lately, and I can see them taking it to the next step at WrestleMania. Unfortunately, the matchup of Nikki and Maryse is less enticing and will likely pull both men down. There is no way this can match up to the build because that was the best going into 'Mania.

Match Prediction: Cena and Nikki gain a confident certain victory.

RD: It's going to be difficult. The mic work between these enemies has been red-hot. The Total Bellas spoofs have been first-rate. The match, though, may not get a ton of time with all the title matches also on the card. And mixed tags are rarely any good.

Match Prediction: Cena and Bella win. Cena proposes.

CM: Cena and Miz are both great in the ring, and Nikki has made big strides since she returned last summer, but Maryse hasn't been in a real match in years. If they can keep her involvement minimal, it should be a lot of fun.

Match Prediction: Cena and Nikki win, and Cena proposes.

Brock Lesnar vs. Goldberg (WWE Universal Championship)

OddsShark lists Brock Lesnar as an overwhelming favorite (-5000) to defeat Goldberg and claim the WWE Universal Championship. Considering how unstoppable WWE has booked Goldberg since his return, what must the company do to justify a Lesnar win?

EB: I am not sure WWE has to justify a Brock Lesnar win at all. For the handful of times he has been manhandled by Goldberg, he is still very much The Beast Incarnate. If anything, this feels like Lesnar's story. What happens when the typically dominant force of nature comes up against someone he cannot toss around the ring? What happens when he faces adversity? We will find out Sunday. Something tells me, though, that fans will not suddenly find fault with the most protected badass of the past five years suddenly rising to the occasion and taking the Universal Championship.

Match Prediction: Brock Lesnar.

AM: I would go so far as to say there's no justification needed. From a kayfabe perspective, Goldberg is a class above Lesnar, and this should be a quick squash in Goldberg's favor. From a fan's perspective, I see no value in taking such a fresh belt that has undergone so much controversy already and putting it on someone who won't defend it again until the end of August. WWE clearly valued adding the Universal Championship to this match as the main event above any and all consequences or alternative options, and since those officials are the ones calling the shots, that must have felt like justification enough.

Match Prediction: Goldberg hangs it up after losing the title to Lesnar.

KB: It was KO who explained the fundamental flaw of Goldberg: endurance. Goldberg defeated Lesnar in quick fashion and did the same against Owens. If Lesnar can survive the early flurry, he could show he has the advantage over Goldberg as the match progresses. As long as this match is more than a couple of suplexes and an F5, Lesnar's victory should come off as natural—especially if he cheats.

Match Prediction: Lesnar finally finds victory over Goldberg.

RD: The story has to make sense. Maybe Goldberg makes some key mistakes and Lesnar pounces on him. Maybe Goldberg suffers a storyline injury that Lesnar exploits. It's going to be hard to satisfy a crowd already so down on this match either way, however. 

Match Prediction: Lesnar wins a short one.

(CM): It has to make Lesnar look smart. His biggest downfall has been rushing at Goldberg and being caught with a Spear. If he looks like someone who has studied his opponent, everything will turn out fine.

Match Prediction: Brock Lesnar.

Randy Orton vs. Bray Wyatt (WWE Championship)

Q: Can Bray Wyatt overcome another pay-per-view loss, especially a title match in a headlining spot at WrestleMania?

EB: Bray Wyatt can overcome the loss if he can maintain his momentum. If he comes out of a WrestleMania loss angrier and more vengeful and dangerous than before, the loss is essentially erased. If he goes back to the middle of the pack, losing more big matches than he wins without any character growth or evolution, his most recent push has been meaningless.

Match Prediction: Bray Wyatt.

AM: After all the blunders he had with losing steam throughout the years, he still managed to find himself in a position where WWE gave him the championship and set up the Royal Rumble winner to be his opponent, so despite those problems, he must still have his supporters. Another loss at WrestleMania certainly wouldn't help, but those same people who pitched this title match to begin with will probably continue to support him going forward to help counteract that loss.

Match Prediction: Randy Orton becomes the new WWE champion.

KB: Wyatt will lose many more times in his career, including at WrestleMania, but this is his first WWE Championship reign. He must retain to solidify that if WWE has any hope of making him a top star on SmackDown. Orton has lost at 'Mania in major matches before and can take the loss in stride as long as the contest is great. This must be Wyatt's night.

Match Prediction: Wyatt proves his power, even without Sister Abigail, with a sudden emphatic victory.

RD: WWE can't go that route. Wyatt will have worked with top names at WrestleMania but will have no wins to show for it. He already has a reputation for failing in big spots. The company would be foolish to perpetuate that.

Match Prediction: Wyatt retains.

(CM): He could if he had to, but I am not so sure he has to worry about it. Everyone is assuming Orton will win, which is why I think WWE will go in a different direction and have Wyatt retain with the help of a returning Erick Rowan.

Match Prediction: Bray Wyatt.

Bayley vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Sasha Banks vs. Nia Jax (Raw Women’s Championship

Q: Does the Raw women's division suffer from being too top star-heavy?

AM: I don't think it's so much an issue of being top-heavy but rather WWE's consistent refusal to utilize anybody but these four women. Dana Brooke teased a feud with Charlotte Flair a long time ago, but WWE never pulled the trigger. Months later, she finally split as her friend, but where is she? Paige and Summer Rae have been injured, but Alicia Fox has been just a valet, and the less said about the Emma/Emmalina fiasco, the better. Raw's writers just prioritize Charlotte above the rest, and the three others in this match are the only ones WWE is willing to let get close to that spot.

Match Prediction: Bayley retains the title.

KB: I think the problem is simply that Raw doesn't have a sense of direction with the women. Emma has been walking in circles for months. Nia almost felt shuffled off to the side before she was quickly added to the Fatal 4-Way. Even Bayley's story has been moving sporadically without a clear focus. The division needs feuds that hold steady and use the entire division in the way SmackDown has.

Match Prediction: Bayley wins, last eliminating Charlotte.

RD: Indeed. The matches are repetitive as a result. WWE has already run through some of the matchups too. Meanwhile, Alicia Fox, Summer Rae and others have been nonfactors, with their talents not used nearly enough.

Match Prediction: Banks wins after turning on Bayley.

CM: A little, but I think it makes the title scene more exciting. Having multiple women pursue the belt at once makes it look more important. There can never be too much competition.

Match Prediction: Bayley retains.

The Undertaker vs. Roman Reigns

Q: True or False: The best creative decision for Roman Reigns' future moving forward is to remain a face. 

AM: False. There are no redeeming qualities that would turn the anti-Reigns crowd back to supporting him. If Triple H acknowledges that an overwhelming majority of the audience is booing him and that he's effectively a heel, WWE should just roll with the punches and start booking him like one. Turning a negative into a positive by having one of the hottest heels on the roster is not a risk. Continually showing that you're either out of touch or stubborn enough to adamantly refuse to go with the flow, however, is a huge risk that has yet to pay off and likely never will.

Match Prediction: The Undertaker wins unless WWE is really that blind as to how poorly a Roman Reigns victory would be received.

RD: False. There is no more obvious fix to a roster issue than turning Reigns heel. He is a more natural fit in that role. Fans are already booing him. And the disconnect between his alignment and the audience's response is jarring.

Prediction: Reigns wins by nefarious means.

(CM): I don't know anymore. Would turning him heel make people cheer him? Can he ever win over his haters? Is there any point in having him play one role or the other when he is going to be booed regardless? There are too many unanswered questions in this scenario.

Match Prediction: The Undertaker.

Seth Rollins vs. Triple H

Q: Thumbs up or thumbs down: Triple H as the next Raw General Manager. 

AM: Thumbs in the middle. I'd rather see something a little more creative and different, as we've had The Authority for the past few years and I'm ready for something fresh, but if this were announced, I wouldn't be opposed to it. There are better and worse picks out there.

Match Prediction: Seth Rollins wins with a little help from Finn Balor.

RD: Thumbs down. We've seen that movie already. Raw would be better off adding a fresh face to that spot. Someone like Lana or Summer Rae, a star who needs a stage to showcase their skills, would make more sense. The Game's appearances should be rare and special.

Prediction: Rollins wins a hard-fought match.

CM: Thumbs down. Stephanie needs someone who will go against her at times like Foley did. It makes for a more interesting story when those in charge have issues between them.

Match Prediction: Seth Rollins.