WWE WrestleMania 40: Predicting Match Order for Saturday and Sunday Cards

The success of any WrestleMania card can be attributed to the layout of the card.

Stacking too many expected great matches early in the show makes it a slog to get through the second half.

Taking a classic in-ring battle, or a battle of icons, and booking it before the main event risks exhausting the crowd.

Look no further than WrestleMania X-8, where The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan devoured fans' excitement, leaving the main event of Chris Jericho vs. Triple H to limp along with minimal heat for what should have been a triumphant moment for The Game.

A year ago, that same Triple H laid out a classic WrestleMania 39 card, expertly placing each match to ensure the most optimal reaction.

Back in charge of the lineup, without concern of being overruled by fans, he has compiled a slate of matches that have the potential to make the celebration of four decades of The Showcase of the Immortals among the best in WWE history.

Ahead of the April 6 and 7 show from Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field, these are the predicted match orders and what else fans might expect from the premium live event.

Saturday Card Predictions

Predicted match card from opener to main event:

1. Women's World Championship Match: Becky Lynch vs. Rhea Ripley (c)
2. Rey Mysterio and Dragon Lee vs. Santos Escobar and Dominik Mysterio
3. Jey Uso vs. Jimmy Uso
4. Intercontinental Championship Match: Sami Zayn vs. Gunther (c)
5. Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill, and Naomi vs. Dakota Kai, Asuka, and Kairi Sane
6. Cody Rhodes and Seth "Freakin" Rollins vs. The Rock and Roman Reigns

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The biggest tag team match in WWE history will headline Saturday night, meaning a women's match will not be in the marquee spot for the third consecutive year.

If that is the case, there is no better spot to put the showdown between Becky Lynch and Rhea Ripley on the card than the opening match. It sets the tone for the rest of the show and allows the competitors the opportunity to steal the show, something both of them are more than capable of.

Look no further than last year and what Mami accomplished with Charlotte Flair for proof.

Zayn vs. Gunther keeps the workrate going while Jey vs. Jimmy allows the company to set up a scenario where the latter can be taken out of the equation, leaving one less member of The Bloodline to interfere in the main event.

Sandwich two fun tag team matches featuring SmackDown talent in there and you have another instance where Saturday has the potential to outperform Sunday from a quality standpoint.

Sunday Card Predictions

Predicted match card from opener to main event:

1. Triple Threat Match for the United States Championship: Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens vs. Logan Paul (c)
   
2. LA Knight vs. AJ Styles
3. World Heavyweight Championship Match: Seth "Freakin" Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre
4. WWE Women's Championship Match: Bayley vs. Iyo Sky (c)
5. Six-Pack Ladder Match for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship: Awesome Truth vs. New Catch Republic vs. DIY vs. The New Day vs. Grayson Waller and Austin Theory vs. The Judgment Day (c)
6. Undisputed WWE Universal Championship Match: Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns (c)

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We know that the world heavyweight and undisputed universal title matches will occur on Sunday night, making it easier to predict the rest of the card.

Assuming WWE takes the same approach to this year's show as last, the SmackDown brand's women's title match will also occur on Sunday. Bayley vs. Sky is a hotter match than Asuka vs. Bianca Belair from a year ago and should not pale to the Saturday night title match quite like The Empress vs. The EST did.

LA Knight vs. AJ Styles has some quality heat behind it but feels very much like a buffer match while Orton vs. Paul vs. Owens should make for a majorly fun opening contest given the competitors and styles at play.

What Could Still Be Added to the Card?

The most obvious match that has yet to be announced for the card is the culmination of the feud between The Final Testament (Karrion Kross and The Authors of Pain) and the team of Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits.

It appeared a challenge would come Friday night after Kross and AOP cost Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins a spot in the ladder match for the tag titles, then proceeded to beat the babyfaces down.

That did not happen, but a digital exclusive promo from Kross, in which he taunted Lashley and the Profits for not being on the WrestleMania card, suggests the match is inevitable. After all, what better way to stick it to the loudmouth heel than by getting a spot on the lineup...against him and his cronies?

As far as other matches to be added, it feels as though the cards are pretty well laid out at this point, with the additions of two matches on Friday's broadcast.

Considering this is the 40th WrestleMania, a segment involving stars of the past should not be ruled out, not unlike what we saw a decade ago with Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin, and The Rock kicking off the three-decade celebration.

With the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal announced for the pre-WrestleMania SmackDown, featuring the likes of Ricochet, Chad Gable, Andrade, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Bronson Reed, it would appear the card is filled out sans the aforementioned six-man tag.

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