WrestleMania XXVII: A Two-Pronged Look Ahead to Sunday's Event

After weeks of hype, we are just a few short days away from the biggest professional wrestling event of the year, WrestleMania.

This year's installment is truly a shift toward the youth, meaning the drawing power from the top of the card to the bottom isn't as strong as we have become accustomed to recently.

The top of the card is stacked, however and the fuel poured on the main event this past Monday will make for quite the WWE title match.

The Streak is once again on the line, a celebrity with no business being in the squared circle will team up with the greatest Diva of all time, and one of the hottest feuds in recent memory will come to a head.

Let's take a look at Sunday's potential outcomes, as well as the endings that would be best for the fans and wrestlers alike.

The Corre v. Kane, Big Show, Santino Marella and Vladimir Kozlov

Likely Outcome: The Corre and most specifically, Wade Barrett, has been hot lately. The opposing side is an amalgamation of guys who don't have anything going for the show. Creative appears to be relatively serious about giving The Corre some dap going forward, which is why I see them getting the victory Sunday.

Best Outcome: The Corre is the team that has anything to gain from this match. The other four will go their separate ways after Sunday's event, so there's no good reason to give the faces the victory in this match.

U.S. Championship: Sheamus (c) v. Daniel Bryan

Likely Outcome: Did creative give Sheamus the U.S. Championship just to break his losing streak? We'll likely find out Sunday, when the current champion clashes with the man he took the title from, Daniel Bryan.

Bryan has been an afterthought of sorts since he lost the U.S. title to Sheamus. When The Miz lost the U.S. Title to Bryan, we knew The Miz was dropping the title so he could rise to main-event status.

Sheamus has already been there and I don't think Bryan's career arc is headed to the main event. Look for Sheamus to get the win.

Best Outcome: Playing hot potato with a title that has become as irrelevant as the U.S. Title has makes no sense, and it hurts Sheamus' credibility if he loses to Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania.

If Sheamus is returning to the main event picture soon (which he likely will be) he can drop the title at Extreme Rules.

John Morrison, Trish Stratus and Snooki v. Dolph Ziggler and Lay-Cool

Likely Outcome: Celebrities don't often come in to WrestleMania and lose. While Snooki's pro wrestling career will likely (and hopefully) be a one-off performance, she'll likely join the likes of Mr. T and Lawrence Taylor by winning their first WrestleMania bout.

Best Outcome: The crowd deserves to see Trish Stratus walk out of WrestleMania with a victory in what will likely be her final WrestleMania appearance before entering the Hall of Fame. The Morrison-Ziggler feud will gain little from any outcome, so why not give the fans something to cheer about?

Rey Mysterio v. Cody Rhodes

Likely Outcome: Depending on what reports you believe, this could very well be Rey Mysterio's final WrestleMania. If that is indeed the case, it really is hard to see Mysterio going out with a loss. Mysterio has a WrestleMania win streak of his own, having not lost a match on the biggest stage in pro wrestling since WrestleMania XIX. 

Best Outcome: Whether or not this is Mysterio's swan song, Rhodes needs to go over in this match. In last year's version of this piece, I said The Legacy needed to go over in their match with Randy Orton. This is WWE's second chance.

The youth movement is in full effect, and there are few better ways to put someone over than by giving them a clean victory over an established star at WrestleMania.  

Jerry "The King" Lawler v. Michael Cole

Likely Outcome: This match is this year's Bret Hart/Vince McMahon match. There is little reason to have Michael Cole in the ring, other than to give the fans the payoff they've been waiting weeks and weeks too see.

There will likely be plenty of outside interference from Jack Swagger (and maybe others), but in the end, we'll all see what we've wanted to see since this angle began: Jerry Lawler beating the hell out of Michael Cole.

Best Outcome: Simply put, the only way this match can go wrong is to give Cole the victory. Let Lawler beat Cole down, give him the flying fist, maybe throw in a Stunner from special referee "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and give the fans the payoff.

Randy Orton v. CM Punk

Likely Outcome: This match is what the cliches call a slam dunk. In my mind, there is no doubt Randy Orton walks out of Atlanta with the victory.

That's not to say it won't be a hell of a match. Orton and Punk will likely have a great bout, feeding off the immense heat the feud has built over the past weeks. But in the end, it will be the company's biggest face (yeah, I said it) going over Raw's biggest heel.

Best Outcome: Call it blasphemy, but the best outcome of this match is to have Punk win.

CM Punk has been used in a bad way over the course of much of his career. He's one of the company's top heels, he may be the best on the mic and he puts on great matches. Yet, he never seems to get a big win without the aid of someone, or something else.

Punk is still relatively young and he can be the heel counterpart to Orton going forward.  A Punk victory would not only give him immense amounts of heat, it would also give him credibility by stopping the company's strongest force.

The Undertaker v. Triple H

Likely Outcome: As was the case last year, I have no idea which way this one is going to go Sunday night.

"The Undertaker's WrestleMania streak has never been in more jeopardy than it will be this year."

We've heard it plenty of times since Feb. 21. That statement is as true as ever for one reason: Triple H is a member of creative. Who in the Internet Wrestling Community can't see H giving himself the biggest win of his career?

Vince McMahon signs off on all creative decisions, however and Vinny Mac has long been known as the biggest Undertaker fan around.

Needless to say, it will be an interesting bout Sunday night.

Best Outcome: There is really no good reason to end The Streak now. The list of the men who have fallen victim to the streak is a who's who of some of the biggest names in wrestling history: Ric Flair, Randy Orton, Batista, Shawn Michaels and Edge, to name a few. Included on that list is Triple H, though WWE did their damnedest to make sure it was never mentioned in the build to this year's match.

Earlier in the week, I outlined five reasons why Triple H should not beat The Undertaker Sunday. There's no going back on that argument now.

World Heavyweight Championship: Edge (c) v. Alberto Del Rio

Likely Outcome: Brodus Clay and Christian will be at ringside for the first of Sunday's three main events. The smell of outside interference is overwhelming.

Internet reports of late have said there is a possibility that Christian will turn on Edge Sunday, costing him the World Heavyweight Championship.

Regardless of interference by Christian, Clay, or anyone else, Sunday appears to be Del Rio's night. Look for Del Rio to fulfill his destiny by becoming the new World Heavyweight Champion.

Best Outcome: Edge is a smart guy. He knows the future is the most important thing in the wrestling business and recent statements in interviews and shows point to Edge's career coming to a close sooner than later.

Del Rio is the future of Friday nights and Edge likely knows that. Therefore, giving Del Rio the win Sunday will surely be the right thing to do.

Like Triple H, Edge doesn't need to win Sunday. A loss will do nothing to tarnish his legacy as one of the greatest of all-time.

WWE Championship: The Miz (c) v. John Cena

Likely Outcome: John Cena hasn't been WWE Champion since June 20, 2010. Two superstars wrestling at this year's event, Triple H and Edge, have more world title reigns than Cena.

Who do you think is going to win this one?

It just wouldn't be WrestleMania without a John Cena world title celebration. And that's exactly what we'll get Sunday night.

Best Outcome: What would it hurt if The Miz walked out of Atlanta with the WWE Championship?

After all, if WWE is so set on giving Cena the belt (again), they could have him beat The Miz at Extreme Rules.

Nonetheless, it is important that WWE be very careful with the direction The Miz's character takes after losing at WrestleMania. Jack Swagger has been reduced to a valet for Michael Cole and Sheamus is walking a thin line right now. If creative isn't careful, The Miz could travel that same road.