4 Predictions for WWE WrestleMania 2023 and Updated Match Card

WrestleMania 39 is rapidly shaping up to be one of the best cards in recent memory, with grudge matches and championship encounters that the WWE Universe can invest in beyond the spectacle of the event itself.

Outside of the card, though, what might fans expect from The Show of Shows at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles come April 1-2?

From defining wins to Match of the Year candidates and the culmination of an epic storyline, these are just a few predictions of what will unfold at this year's WrestleMania.

Match Card

Already announced for this year's WrestleMania 39 match card:

• Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns (c)
• United States Championship: John Cena vs. Austin Theory (c)
• Seth Rollins vs. Logan Paul
• SmackDown Women's Championship: Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Rhea RIpley
• Raw Women's Championship: Bianca Belair (c) vs. Asuka
• Lita, Trish Stratus and Becky Lynch vs. Damage CTRL (Bayley, Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky)
• Brock Lesnar vs. Omos

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*(c) denotes champion

Austin Theory's Defining Victory

John Cena may not think Austin Theory is ready for their WrestleMania 39 match, but the United States champion will have the last laugh when he defeats the future WWE Hall of Famer and scores the biggest win of his career.

It won't just be a victory that propels him to the top of WWE, though. It will be viewed as one that defines his career.

Theory has made it clear previously that the match with The Cenation Leader is one he has chased for years, and now he's getting his wish on the biggest stage in pro wrestling.

More than his Money in the Bank victory or any U.S. title win, this contest will decide whether the 25-year-old is the star WWE believes him to be or if Cena was right in stating he is not ready for this spot.

The heel will win. He has to.

Cena is a part-time performer who has hit it big in Hollywood and will not be around to defend the title if he did win it.

Whether Theory makes the most of it and enjoys the fruits of such a victory will be a defining factor in his career.

Gunther Steals the Show

The WrestleMania card is shaping up to be one of the more impressive ones in recent memory, but it will be intercontinental champion Gunther who steals the show. Again.

The Ring General has become accustomed to doing so dating back to Clash at the Castle last September, when he and Sheamus tore the house down with one of the most physical matches of 2022.

While nothing has been made official yet, it appears a rematch with The Celtic Warrior, a singles bout with Drew McIntyre or a Triple Threat with both is on the horizon for the titleholder.

Given his chemistry with Sheamus and the consistent quality of McIntyre's work, there is every reason to believe Gunther will again be at the center of a show-stealing contest.

Expect a physical, hard-hitting match with lots of powerful strikes that leave all involved bruised and battered, while fans perch on the edge of their seats.

It will mark consecutive pay-per-view performances that propel Gunther into the upper echelon in WWE, following a stellar display in the men's Royal Rumble match that saw him enter at No. 1 before being the last man eliminated.

Logan Paul Again Proves Why He Is Wrestling's Best Celebrity Performer

Logan Paul is the best celebrity competitor in pro wrestling history, and it's not even remotely close. For proof, look no further than his Match of the Year candidate against Roman Reigns at Crown Jewel in November.

In only his third match with WWE, he wowed audiences in his dramatic encounter with The Tribal Chief.

It was a great contest that proved the social media star was more than an outsider looking to cash a paycheck. He took his performance seriously and put in the work, and the result was a verified banger against the top star in the industry.

Paul will have the opportunity to add to what is already an impressive resume at WrestleMania when he battles Seth Rollins in what could be one of the better matches of the weekend.

Rollins has consistently proved to be one of the best workers in the business and will be looking to show out on The Grandest Stage of Them All again, following last year's near-classic with Cody Rhodes.

Paul will also want to ensure his performance is as good, if not better, than what we saw versus Reigns.

Against Rollins, and with the industry sitting up and taking notice of the quality of his work, Paul will again prove why he is unlike any other celebrity to set foot in a squared circle by using his athleticism and determination to fuel a stellar showing.

The Bloodline's Reign Ends with Title Losses in Most Anticipated Matches

For two years, The Bloodline have reigned over WWE. They have been the central faction on both Raw and SmackDown, beating every opponent put before them in their history-making championship runs.

They have been at the center of the company's creative efforts and headlined major pay-per-views along the way.

At WrestleMania, their status as a seemingly unbeatable unit comes to an end, courtesy of Cody Rhodes, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn.

Rhodes won the 2023 men's Rumble match to earn his shot at Reigns and will cap off his journey to win the title that eluded his father and brother by dethroning him in the show's main event.

While not yet official, Zayn and Owens will reunite in time to challenge The Usos in a match so fueled by emotion that it could easily headline the weekend and nobody would find fault with the decision.

Heartbroken by his betrayal by Jey Uso, Zayn will partner with his real best friend, KO, to capture the undisputed WWE tag team titles and end the twins' 600-plus day run atop the division.

The result will be a creative reset at the top of the card and an opportunity to have The Bloodline face real adversity for the first time.

It will be best for them and give fans something to buzz about in the weeks following The Showcase of the Immortals.