WWE: 20 Ridiculous Predictions for 2012 That Could Actually Happen

The WWE had a great 2011, but like with anything in life, it's time to move on.

It's officially 2012 now, and Vince McMahon's company has to really deliver in a year that is filled with some very high expectations.

With Wrestlemania 28 and the launch of the WWE Network right around the corner, things are about to pick up very quickly, and the stage is undoubtedly set for another great year from the WWE.

There were plenty of things that happened in 2011 that I never expected to see, such as CM Punk's incredible summer and Daniel Bryan's World title win, and the same could very well happen in 2012.

Yep, I'm definitely prepared for the unthinkable and seemingly impossible this year.

Here are 20 ridiculous predictions for 2012 that could actually happen.

20. Wrestlemania 28 Will Generate the Most PPV Buys in WWE History

Wrestlemania 27 (1.12 million buys) generated the second most pay-per-view buys in WWE history, falling considerably short of Wrestlemania 23 (1.25 million buys).

Now, if Wrestlemania 27 was that successful largely because The Rock was just hosting the show, then imagine how many people are going to want to buy Wrestlemania 28 now that he's set for one of the biggest matches in WWE history against John Cena.

I realize The Rock's match may not feel as special since he already competed at Survivor Series, but we're talking about a Rock/Cena bout that features two of the most popular wrestlers of all-time.

It will draw no matter what, and if the rest of the Wrestlemania 28 card features quality matches like CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho, The Undertaker defending his streak and the return of the Money in the Bank match, then I have little doubt that it will generate more pay-per-view buys than any oother show in WWE history.

19. The Brand Split Will End

In essence, the brand split is already nonexistent.

Kane was injured this summer while a Smackdown star and returned on Raw, The Big Show has been feuding for the World Heavyweight Championship for months now despite technically being a Raw star and Drew McIntyre inexplicably showed up as a Smackdown star this past Friday.

Not to mention that Raw's new "Supershow" format allows Smackdown superstars to appear on Raw on a weekly basis, with Raw stars often working for the blue brand as well.

As much as WWE officials want to pretend like there's a brand split, there really isn't one.

It's a long shot for the brand split to end (primarily because of the house show business), but judging how it means less and less by the week, I wouldn't totally count it out as a possibility.

18. Smackdown Will Go Live on Tuesdays

The WWE has tested this out by running "live specials" of Friday Night Smackdown on Tuesday a couple of times this year.

Excellent idea.

Along with Saturday, Friday is traditionally one of the worst nights of the week for TV viewership, so the WWE would be wise to do everything in its power to get Smackdown off of Fridays and onto Tuesdays.

There are drawbacks of producing a live TV show on Tuesdays, but the pros outweigh the cons because, ultimately, Smackdown will be on a better TV night, get higher ratings and be more likely to attract better advertisers.

I think WWE officials are actually working toward getting Smackdown on Tuesdays, and that would be a huge victory for the company if it happens.

17. The WWE Championship Will Get a New Look

John Cena is the man behind the ridiculous WWE Championship belt we see these days, and you know it's a bad sign when even he says it needs a new design.

Here's what Cena wrote in regards to a new WWE title on Twitter a while back (courtesy of SEScoops.com):

"

“I have thought that for 3 years. Either classic or new. It needs a change”

"

I agree 100 percent.

The WWE Championship looks like it was designed by a child in art class, and it's time for that stupid thing to be replaced with, as Cena states, something "classic or new."

The "winged eagle" belt would be fine, but I'd prefer the WWE come up with something completely new, as long as it looks better than those hideous tag team titles.

16. Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose Will Both Win Singles Titles

WWE developmental worker Dean Ambrose worked some dark matches at WWE shows recently, and fellow FCW talent Seth Rollins is currently touring with the Smackdown brand.

These two are far and away the top talents in WWE's developmental system, and I think it's just a matter of time before they're called up to the main roster for good.

Both Ambrose and Rollins can already outwrestle a majority of the main roster, so I think they'll both get solid pushes on WWE TV right out of the gate.

They might not rise to the World title scene in less than six months like Alberto Del Rio did, but given that the mid-card scenes on both Raw and Smackdown are pretty thin at the moment, there's a solid chance Ambrose and Rollins could be challenging for the Intercontinental or United States Championships almost immediately upon their debut.

In fact, I think both will do just that, and both will be holding a secondary title by the end of 2012. 

15. King of the Ring Will Return as a PPV or Live Special

With the WWE likely making huge changes to its pay-per-view philosophy and the Money in the Bank match possibly moving back to Wrestlemania in 2012, the company will need to either come up with some new pay-per-views (or "live specials" if they air on the WWE Network), or bring back some old ones.

I'm fine with both as long as they make sense, but the selfish part of me really wants to see the King of the Ring return as its own pay-per-view (or "live special").

The KOTR of is one of those events that—like the Royal Rumble and Money in the Bankshould be used to help elevate new talent (particularly young heels), and I think it would be great to see it return to the prominence it once had.

That being said, I'd prefer it as a pay-per-view because it means less when relegated to Raw.

By the way, the last three King of the Ring tournaments took place in 2006, 2008 and 2010, so if the pattern continues, expect to see it back in some way, shape or form this year.

14. The WWE Will Go Back to the TV-14 Rating

I know, I know, some of you are thinking that the PG rating will be here for the next five or 10 years. At least.

That could certainly be the case, but some things that happened in 2011 lead me to believe that we could see the WWE go back to the TV-14 rating at some point this year.

We saw guys like The Rock, CM Punk, Triple H and even John Cena dropping curse words on TV, and the WWE product overall seemed to be a bit more edgy this year than at any other point in the PG era.

I'm not saying that the PG era will definitely go bye-bye in 2012 (not at all), but there is at least a chance that it will happen, however remote it may be.

13. We Will Witness the Best Divas Match in WWE History

You're probably thinking that I've completely lost it by now, aren't you? 

But hear me out.

Beth Phoenix is currently holding the Divas Championship, and her partnership with Natalya is leading to an inevitable breakup between the two at some point in 2012. Potentially, we could see these two women (who just so happen to be two of the best female wrestlers in the world) in a lengthy feud and a possible match at Wrestlemania 28.

I honestly and truly think that, given enough time, those two could tear the house down and give us the best Divas match in WWE history on the grandest stage of them all.

If that doesn't happen, though, we still have the upcoming return of Kharma (likely at some point during the first half of 2012) and a potential Beth vs. Kharma, Kharma vs. Natalya or Beth vs. Kharma vs. Natalya match.

I know we all like to complain about how bad the Divas division is, but all three of those matches have the potential to be the best Divas match we've ever seen.

12. Triple H Will Call It a Career

Triple H has only been used as a part-time wrestler for most of the last two years, and if he keeps going at that rate, I honestly think he could go for another three to five years.

But, according to the Wrestling Observer (via SEScoops.com), we could see Triple H put his career on the line against The Undertaker at Wrestlemania 28, and we all know there's no way that Taker is losing that.

Also, we have to consider that Triple H is taking on more and more responsibilities in his backstage role in the WWE, and he may want to start focusing more on that than he does his in-ring career.

Combine those two factors, and I think there's a decent chance that Triple H will not wrestle past 2012.

He may not necessarily retire at Wrestlemania, but he may not compete in 2013, either.

11. Batista Comes Back for One Final Run

Batista has been very outspoken about the WWE since parting ways with the company in 2010.

He's blasted the PG rating, John Cena, The Miz and Daniel Bryan, among other things, and he seems to genuinely have no interest in returning to the WWE at the moment.

But this is pro wrestling, a business that thrives on working the Internet and blurring the lines between reality and storyline, and no one knows for sure if Batista is doing just that.

Even if he isn't, however, I'm not convinced that Batista ended his WWE career on his own terms, and I always got the feeling that he'd be back at some point.

If the opportunity presents itself for "The Animal" to return in 2012, we may see Batista back for one last "retirement tour."

10. Shane McMahon Will Return to the WWE

Shane McMahon official parted ways with the WWE on Jan. 1, 2010, and it was shocking to see a McMahon leave the family business.

Shane had been such a huge part of the WWE since the late 1990s, and many expected to see him take over the company once Vince got up there in age.

Of course, Shane moved onto other ventures, and as far as we know, he hasn't really expressed any interest in returning to the WWE.

But those "It Begins" videos—if they aren't pointing directly at Chris Jericho—seem like they could be promoting the return of Shane-O-Mac, and (who knows?) maybe he's ready to come back to the WWE.

If Shane's not the man behind those cryptic YouTube videos, the chances of him returning decrease dramatically, but as of right now, I could certainly see him coming back to the WWE.  

9. Kofi Kingston Will Turn Heel

Kofi Kingston is one of those guys who seems like he'll always be a baby face.

He has that perfect happy-go-lucky demeanor, that instant connection with the fans and offense that is much more suitable to being a fan favorite.

That being said, Kingston has been pretty much the exact same character throughout his career, only really showing much of a change during his feud with Randy Orton in late 2009.

It was the great intensity that Kingston showed during that rivalry with Orton; however, that leads me to believe that he could be a very solid heel if booked properly.

Given that Kingston is currently paired with Evan Bourne as Air Boom, the opportunity will definitely be there in 2012 for Kingston to turn on his tag team partner.

After all, we know that the vast majority of baby-face tag teams come to an end when one guy goes bad.

8. Zack Ryder Will Win a World Title

No, I haven't gone completely insane.

Zack Ryder made a dramatic climb up the card in 2011, and he could do the exact same thing in 2012.

I know there are a ton of people out there who think Ryder has to change his gimmick to reach the main event/World title scene, but I think the fact that he has a very noticeable on-screen friendship with John Cena could be all he needs to get to the main event.

If Cena were to ever turn heel on Ryder, it would get both guys over in a huge way, Cena as the heel and Ryder as the baby face, obviously.

Ryder's rise to the main event is probably way further down the road, but given the right storyline, he might surprise us by winning a World title toward the end of 2012.

After all, there aren't a ton of main event-caliber baby faces currently in the WWE, and if Daniel Bryan can win a World title when no one thought he would, then Ryder can, too.

7. Samoa Joe Will Debut in WWE

Samoe Joe doesn't fit the prototypical WWE look whatsoever, but he's got a couple of things working in his favor that he could land him a WWE contract.

Joe is a Ring of Honor guy, and the recent success of ROH alumni CM Punk and Daniel Bryan—who also lack the stereotypical WWE look—sets the stage for more former ROH stars to join the WWE. 

Plus, Joe's contract may expire near the end of 2012, and he received a ringing endorsement from none other than WWE Hall of Famer "Stone Cold" Steve Austin back in July 2011:

"

“WWE should sign @SamoaJoe as soon as his TNA contract is up. One of my favorite workers in today’s game. Needs a full green light push.”

"

Joe isn't exactly doing a whole lot in TNA at the moment, and the WWE seems to be pushing guys they wouldn't have pushed in the past.

Sounds like a match made in heaven to me.

6. The Miz Will Turn Face

When you hear The Miz cut a promo, you think top-tier heel.

But when you look at The Miz, that really isn't the case.

According to the Wrestling Observer (via SEScoops.com), Vince McMahon agrees with me. He reportedly doesn't see The Miz as "a legitimate tough guy," which is one of the biggest problems I see with him as well.

The fohawk and the fake tan just don't do it for me, and in fact, I think they almost make The Miz more baby face-like.

So, why not actually turn him baby face?

The Miz is good enough on the mic and decent enough in the ring to be a convincing good guy, assuming he's given a solid angle to turn face.

While some fans would find it hard to ever get behind The Miz, I think it's worth a shot to try and turn him at some point during the year and wouldn't be even remotely surprised if it happened.

5. John Cena Will Turn Heel

Will the unthinkable happen in 2012? Will John Cena actually turn heel?

I think so.

Although most people see a Cena heel turn as untouchable, I think that all changed when those "Cena Sucks" shirts came out and quickly sold out. It was at that point that WWE officials realized that they could still cash in on Cena even though many fans don't like him.

You can turn Cena heel, sell those anti-Cena shirts and pretty much not miss a beat when it comes to merchandise sales.

After all, some fans are going to hate Cena no matter what, and Cena's current storyline with Kane would be rendered almost completely pointless if it didn't lead to Cena going to the dark side.

As much as I've considered a Cena heel turn damn near impossible throughout the last several years, the recent developments on TV and off it lead me to believe that the possibility of a Cena heel turn is more alive now than ever before.

4. The Undertaker and Kane Will Both Retire

The Undertaker and Kane are two of the most polarizing figures in WWE history.

Their monster-like characters and larger-than-life personas have allowed them to become two of the WWE's longest-tenured employees, and two of its most popular ones as well.

Unfortunately, the sun may be setting on their WWE careers.

The Undertaker has wrestled only sparingly over the last couple of years and is one win away from going 20-0 at Wrestlemania, which I think would be a perfect way to end his storied career. Meanwhile, Kane just returned with his mask on and seemingly is at the end of his WWE career as well.

It would be great for nostalgic purposes (although maybe not wrestling-wise) to see these two face each other at Wrestlemania and then both hang up their boots for good.

Even if that doesn't happen, though, you have to wonder how much either guy has left in the tank and whether or not they'll be around come 2013.

Personally, I think the likeliest scenario is that Kane wrestles into next year, but Taker doesn't, although I could easily see both men retiring at some point in 2012.

3. John Cena Will Not Win the WWE Championship

John Cena going all of 2012 without winning the WWE Championship is a Cena hater's dream.

Yet, it may not be that unrealistic.

Given Cena's current storyline with Kane and upcoming Wrestlemania match with The Rock, Cena likely will stay away for the WWE title until April at the earliest, and whenever he does go after it, there will be a number of familiar faces and up-and-comers going after the belt as well.

Plus, you have to consider that there's a chance Cena winds up on the brand with the World Heavyweight Championship come the WWE Draft, and thus, stays away from the WWE title for the rest of 2012.

The bottom line is that Cena won't be around the WWE Championship for the first chunk of 2012, and given the potential of the WWE draft and the potential for a Cena heel turn, a run with the WWE title this year just may not be in the cards for "The Champ."

Wouldn't that be awesome?

2. The Rock Will Beat John Cena at Wrestlemania 28

In just about every single article I've read here on B/R concerning the Wrestlemania match between The Rock and John Cena, everyone has already decided that Cena is winning.

My question is, why? Why does that have to be the case?

I know that it makes the most sense as a sort of "passing of the torch" from The Rock to Cena, but this is the WWE, where logic is often thrown out the window.

It could do much more for Cena to actually lose to The Rock than beat him, because it would (like the current storyline with Kane) give Cena some much needed freshness to his character.

I will admit that Cena winning at Wrestlemania is the likeliest outcome, but I just don't see why many fans aren't even considering the possibility of The Rock winning.

1. The Rock Will Wrestle Again After Wrestlemania 28

When The Rock agreed to be the guest host of Wrestlemania 27, he said he wasn't ever going to come back to wrestle. That changed.

When The Rock agreed to face John Cena at Wrestlemania 28, he was supposed to come back for that match and that match only. That changed.

When The Rock faces Cena at Wrestlemania 28, it is supposed to be his last match with the WWE. That could change, too.

It just seems that the more The Rock is around the WWE, the more he wants to get in the ring.

Thus, how do we know for sure that he won't want to wrestle another match—let's say at Summerslam—after his match with Cena at Wrestlemania 28?

Quite simply, we don't.