WWE WrestleMania XXVIII: Predicted Match Card for Super Bowl of Wrestling

We are just a little over two months away before WWE WrestleMania XXVIII (that's 28 for those that cannot count Roman numerals) and with only one match on the card official, that being John Cena vs. The Rock, its fun to predict the rest of the match card.

I have thought long and hard at what matches I'd like to see on the card, some of them are no-brainers, but I've also thrown a few ideas of my own in there that you might find a little creative.

Please keep in mind that these are just predictions of a match card I'd like to see, so come April 1, 2012 when I'm shelling out $65 for me, my friends, and my grandpa to watch the pay-per-view we are entertained.

I hope that you'll find that card has a perfect balance to it. What I mean by balance is that it will not only have great wrestling and star-power, but it will also have entertainment which is all we fans who watch the pay-per-view legally want, to be entertained.

So without further ado, let's take a look at the first match on the card...

The Money in the Bank Ladder Match

First we'll start the show off with a bang. I always felt that starting a WrestleMania (since it's inception at WrestleMania 21) off with a Money in the Bank ladder match was a great way to get the audience amped and ready to go.

Watching athletes try and climb a ladder to retrieve a suitcase which is basically the equivalent to a World title is so riveting.

This year the WWE Money in the Bank ladder match will come back home to WrestleMania which I completely agree with because WrestleMania last year felt naked without it.

The WWE reportedly scrapped the Money in the Bank pay-per-view so that there would be only one a year to make WrestleMania more entertaining as well as making winning the suitcase more important, since you can now cash it in on any champion as opposed to having to cash it in on the champion of your brand.

I have 10 superstars competing in this match and you will see some surprising names to this list. WWE reportedly has an idea to have a lot of main-eventers in the Money in the Bank this year which I am in the minority for.

There are a lot of stars in WWE that need to have their faces on the show so putting a lot of established stars in the Money in the Bank along with some sprinkled young-uns who need the briefcase would help the WWE as a whole.

I have Randy Orton, Wade Barrett, Kane, Zack Ryder (w/ Eve), Alberto Del Rio (w/ Ricardo Rodriguez), Rey Mysterio, The Miz, R-Truth, Jack Swagger (US champ, w/ Vickie Guerrero), and Kofi Kingston as the 10 men in the match.

I know what your saying, "You're crazy." well I may be, but hear me out. Randy Orton's biggest feud right now is with Wade Barrett. As oppose to having a match at WrestleMania I put them in the ladder match so they could attack each other while also giving time for other stars to make the card. The same goes for The Miz and R-Truth.

I'm really just condensing the stars, Rey Mysterio is expected to be back in time for WrestleMania, but he will not have enough time to feud with anyone except for Alberto Del Rio who is the guy who "put him out of action."

Instead of making that a singles match, I condensed.

After John Cena, Kane will not have a solid feud with anyone so I put him in the Money in the Bank where he often finds himself anyway.

As far as Jack Swagger and Kofi Kingston, they are regulars in the match anyway and Swagger has already won one of them. Zack Ryder has been built up and has gotten himself over enough where he would have a believable shot of winning to make it interesting.

Of everyone I put in this match, I would book the winner to be Wade Barrett.

The Big Show vs. Shaquille O'Neal in a Singles Match

The second match on the card I have "The World's Largest Athlete" The Big Show vs. perhaps the greatest big man to ever play the game of basketball, Shaquille O'Neal.

Last month, Shaq spilled the beans in an interview that the WWE has plans of him facing off against Big Show at WrestleMania. I don't think this is Shaq tooting out horns; I believe it will happen.

WWE has shown in the past that they love having celebrities outside the ring be a part of WrestleMania.

Examples of this are Mr. T, soon-to-be WWE Hall of Famer and "The Baddest Man on the Planet" Mike Tyson, Mickey Rourke, and Big Show even had a match against Floyd "Money" Mayweather.  I enjoyed it, and it was not nearly as bad as people thought it was going to be.

This match, however, I will say will be more for entertainment. For a man Big Show's size, he is quite good in the ring, Shaq however had the injury bug for a lot of his NBA career especially at the end of it. He probably can't move much, either.

I expect this to be an entertaining brawl between the two big men that will be close to 10 minutes long. I expect Shaq to win because WWE will have even more publicity if Shaquille O'Neal beats one of their wrestlers and it will be a WrestleMania moment to remember.

"The Hardcore Legend" vs. "The Show-Off" (w/ "The Heat Machine")

Some of you love this idea, some of you don't and think Dolph Ziggler should be better utilized at WrestleMania maybe either in a title match or winning the Money in the Bank, but the fact is this happening will do wonders for Dolph Ziggler.

Does anybody recall the fourth match on the card of WrestleMania 22? It was Edge vs. Mick Foley in a hardcore match which was one of the best matches of the night.

The purpose of this match was to get Edge over, and boy did it ever. This match that I have predicted is made for one reason and one reason only, and that is to put Ziggler over.

Mick Foley has been reportedly training with Diamond Dallas Page with his DDP Yoga program that apparently works wonders and gets ring-rusted wrestlers in shape.

Other wrestlers who have done it are Shawn Michaels, and Chris Jericho who just recently used it to get in ring shape for his current comeback.

Just picture this, Mick Foley comes out to a huge ovation wearing the flannel shirt and the Cactus Jack shirt rocking the black tights and leopard boots. The arena is chanting "FOLEY! FOLEY! FOLEY!", then you hear "I'M HERE TO SHOW THE WORLD, I'M HERE TO SHOW THE WORLD, COME ONNNN, BRING IT ONNNNNN".

Dolph Ziggler comes out to nothing but boos; to his side is Vickie Guerrero. They have a 15-minute match where Dolph Ziggler wins cleanly and does a head stand at the top of the stage before he goes behind the curtain.

As I said this is a match to put over Dolph Ziggler, but it's also for Foley to have another (maybe final) WrestleMania moment. I haven't thought of specifics, but this could be a No- Disqualification, Falls Count Anywhere or Hardcore Match as well.

Beth Phoenix (c) (w/ Natalya) vs. Kharma for the WWE Divas Championship

This is a match that since Kharma's debut in the WWE last year everyone has been wanting to see.

We were hoping it would happen last year, but Kharma's pregnancy got in the way of that forcing her to go on maternal leave almost a year until her recent return at the WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view as just the third woman to compete in the Royal Rumble match.

Now Kharma's absence on television would lead you to believe that she is still not ready for a full-time return. She reportedly had the baby in December, and is still training to get into ring shape.

If you have been watching Divas matches lately (I know it's a chore) you would see that they are very short because Beth Phoenix has just been beating people like it's nothing.

She has been dominating and has been Divas Champion for months. WWE is playing off like she has zero competition, that is until one night when Kharma's music hits with that sick evil laugh.

I expect Beth to cut a promo after squashing someone saying she has no competition and how bored she is because she is so much better then everyone else (Natalya will be in the ring with her).

Then Kharma will come out, walk to the ring, they will have a staredown, she will try to attack Beth, but Beth will escape and she will watch in terror as she sees Natalya be on the bad end of a Implant Buster courtesy of Kharma setting up a match between the two at WrestleMania.

At WrestleMania, I expect Kharma to win and become new Divas Champion despite the fact that she cannot be classified as a "Diva."

I expect Beth's good friend Natalya to try and help Beth win which inadvertently cost her the match. maybe she accidentally distracts Beth and when she turns around BAM! Implant Buster for the win.

Epico & Primo (c) (w/ Rosa Mendes) vs. the Usos for the Tag Team Championships

The WWE's tag team division has been quite exciting lately with the progression of Epico & Primo with their smoking hot manager who's actually Canadian but does an awesome Puerto Rican, Rosa Mendes.

Add that on-top of the charismatic Jimmy and Jey Uso, and even "Air Boom" (before Evan wanted to a little more air and a little less boom if ya know wadda I mean *winky face*) have all been the center pieces of an improved and fresh tag team division.

WWE had brought a little prestige back to the tag title which seemed to be more of props that accomplishments a couple years ago by having an established tag team like Epico & Primo defend them on regular occasions and retain.

The Usos are the opponents because there is no other team deserving of  shot at this time or any other in the close future. This tag team match is what I meant when I said other stars needed to be displayed on the card which was the cause for my condensing.

I expect this to be a entertaining back-and-forth match that runs about 10-15 minutes before ultimately Rosa Mendes does what all good managers do and costs The Usos the match. Epico & Primo retain, building them up more while also not hurting The Usos because it was dirty.

Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Goldust in a "Career vs. Title" Match

Much like the Mick Foley vs. Dolph Ziggler Match, this match is made to give Goldust one last moment before he calls it a successful (albeit weird) career, while also putting over his brother Cody who has been so impressive over this last year.

This idea was actually brought up by Goldust on his Twitter account as he is strongly pulling for it and I love the idea. The WWE was reportedly thinking about doing it for the WWE Elimination Chamber match, but they decided to just put Cody in the SmackDown Elimination Chamber.

I still believe this match will happen and I think WWE was building up to it when they had Dustin Runnels (Goldust when not painted up) interrupt a segment between Cody and Booker T on SmackDown which ultimately ended with Dustin on the receiving end of a "Beautiful Disaster" to the face.

Goldust has been out of action for over a year and would pour his heart out into that match for himself and his brother.

The match would be a solid contest and Cody Rhodes would pick up the win putting his brother's career to an end, and honestly I cannot think of another person better to end Goldust's career.

Look for Booker T or even Dusty Rhodes to get involved in this match by some magnitude considering their close relationship to both wrestlers, whereas Dusty is the father of the men and Booker just feuded with Cody and is good friends with Dustin.

Daniel Bryan (c) (w/ AJ) vs. Sheamus vs. Mark Henry vs. Christian for the WHC

This is one of the more creative matches I thought up. Right now, Daniel Bryan is the World Heavyweight Champion, he is a heel and a good one because he drives me freaking crazy.

Sheamus is the 2012 Royal Rumble winner, which means he has the choice to face either the WWE or World Heavyweight Champion in the main event (even though it's not really the main event) at WrestleMania.

Even though Sheamus hasn't made his announcement on who he will face, its almost guaranteed he will choose the World Heavyweight Championship because C.M. Punk is the current WWE Champion and he will be until WrestleMania and Chris Jericho has already laid the challenge for the belt.

That leaves Daniel Bryan, who I expect to yet again weasel his way out of the Elimination Chamber still World Heavyweight Champion.

Mark Henry who has received one of the pushed of the year I fully expect to remain in the title hunt when he gets back from a his little hiatus he's taking to heal some nagging injuries. Another man who will be returning sooner rather then later is Captain Charisma himself, Christian.

Christian has been out of action for almost four months with broken bone in his foot, an injury that they played off as a result of a beating from Sheamus.

When he returns down the stretch I expect him to attack Sheamus on a SmackDown and demand to be inserted in the title match at WrestleMania which he will be. Mark Henry will do the same when he gets back from his "suspension."

This match should be heavily entertaining when you have two great wrestlers in Daniel Bryan and Christian as well as the highly improved Sheamus and the dominating Mark Henry.

Daniel Bryan will not be able to defy the odds again as I see a 20-minute match that sees a new World Heavyweight Champion in Sheamus as his push comes full circle. I'd love to give it to Christian, but there's just no way Sheamus doens't get the title at this point.

"The Best in the World" vs. "The Best in the World at What He Does"

From the exact moment CM Punk started calling himself "The Best in the World," all us wrestling fans were thinking the same thing, "Where have we heard that?"

Then it hit us: Chris Jericho before he left WWE called himself "The Best in the World at What He Does", then we started to drool a little bit and thought to ourselves "DAMN! I wish Jericho was back in the WWE so he could face Punk".

Then one Monday after weeks of cryptic promos, Chris Jericho made his triumphant ingenious return without saying a damn thing. And then the next week he said nothing, then the next week, and then on the next week he actually was in a tag match that he once again trolled the audience and walked out.

Finally before the WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view he said "After the Royal Rumble, it will be the end of the world as you know it", Instantly we all thought "Okay, Jericho is winning the Rumble", but then he lost. All of us were shocked and thought, maybe he's not back to face Punk.

But last week on Raw he Codebreakered CM Punk right in the middle of the ring after costing him his match against Daniel Bryan, clearly showing us all that he is back to beat C.M. Punk.

This match will a be candidate for match of the night as well as an early candidate for match of the year. It will get a lot of time, I'm feeling 30 minutes, and it will be a nail-biter to the end. I expect an equal amount of CM Punk and Chris Jericho fans in Miami causing the stadium to erupt throughout the whole match.

I see CM Punk retaining his title in a great match making him an even bigger star then he already is. Who knows, if the rumors that Jericho is in for long run are true, he could walk out of Miami as WWE Champion.

The Undertaker vs. Triple H W/ Shawn Michaels as the Special Guest Referee

We all thought it would happen last year, that Shawn Michaels would get involved in The Undertaker and Triple H's match last year at WrestleMania, but it didn't happen.

The Undertaker advanced to 19-0, but at a price as he was legitimately hurt and driven on a cart up the stage and to the back never to be seen or heard of again for 10 months until last week's Raw when he confronted Triple H challenging him to yet another bout at this year's WrestleMania.

Now I was part of the majority that did not want to see this match again, but then I thought about it and realized that despite it's happened twice already, these two are legends who will give us one hell of match.

Amazingly, they could give us match of the night, which is shocking to believe since Trips has wrestled four times this year and Taker hasn't sniffed a ring in almost a year.

But this match in order for it to happen again needs a gimmick to it, I thought someone puts their career on the line, but then I thought about the fact that Hunter will be on Raw a lot the next coming months due to him firing Laurinaitis and I really do not believe this is Taker's last match either. So I thought lets add the Heartbreak Kid to the occasion.

HBK was angry last year that Triple H thought he could do something he could not twice, imagine how he would feel now that Hunter is going for a third shot?

There is a lot of ways I can see this match ending, but the result will be the same, and that is The Undertaker going 20-0 because you do not allow a money-maker like The Undertaker and his streak to go away if you are the WWE.

I can see an accidental Sweet Chin Music to Triple H, I can even see one on purpose however that would probably cause a feud between Triple H and Shawn Michaels and I think HBK is really done for good.

So maybe Taker just wins cleanly and for the first time in Shawn's career, he calls a fair match. By the way, I see this match going a half hour like their match did last year.

The Rock vs. John Cena in a Singles Match

This is the only official match on the card and without a doubt the most anticipated one. This was a dream match to most wrestling fans, one that they never thought they would see, but its going to happen and it will be the main event in The Rock's hometown of Miami, Fla.

We have had nearly a year to think about this match and all the scenarios on who will win and why.

Ladies and gentlemen, I am here to tell you there will be absolutely NO torch passing in this match. John Cena will not beat The Rock cleanly if he does indeed win, and I don't even think he will win.

Why would The Rock come back to put over John Cena? He talks all this trash about him saying the same thing that us fans have thought about John Cena for years from the way he dresses, to his boy scout image to how he sucks and the only people who like him are kids.

I'm sorry but I do not think the WWE has the balls to think they can get away with having John Cena win against The Rock on WrestleMania in Miami where the roof of that place will be poppin' all night for Rocky and crapping all over Cena.

If Cena wins, we riot? How about if Cena wins, we go f****ing crazy. If Cena wins, they better be prepared to have him turn heel because he won't be able to Rise Above the Hate he will get after he beats everyone's favorite star from the Attitude Era.

There are only two ways this could pan out, I do not see a domination from either wrestler as I see a very hard-fought even match. I can see The Rock winning cleanly, I can see Cena winning dirty.

What I do not want to see is a clean win by Cena followed by a handshake in the middle of the ring because that would suck and Cena haters such as myself would hate him even more.

As well, I would not be too fond of The Rock that much after that either (don't get me wrong, I'd love The Rock regardless, but he wouldn't have gained any love from me after that).

Bottom line this will be the longest match of the night, I see it going 40 minutes. I see The Rock having a great night in-ring wise, and I'm hopeful Cena can provide the same match quality he did with C.M. Punk at Money in the Bank.

Final prediction is The Rock wins and the show ends with The Rock doing his pose on the top turnbuckle setting up for the following night's Raw where I would imagine Cena wants a rematch and gets it maybe at SummerSlam, or The Rock wins and Cena AA's The Rock maybe after a handshake and he walks out of the arena with a cocky smile on his face showered with boos.

The Funkasaurus Does a Segment with David Otunga

What would WrestleMania be without everyone's favorite dinosaur, Brodus Clay? I see Brodus coming out to his entrance and before he can cut a promo, David Otunga comes out and interrupts him. He starts rambling on some legal stuff maybe about how he's not scheduled for the show.

Brodus does his usual "She-Plex" and does his splash in the turnbuckle followed by "What the Funk." He says "Somebody call his momma."

He dances for a little bit, the screen goes black, WWE airs a promo for the WWE Network and the next match happens. I expect this to happen somewhere in the middle of the card, maybe after the Diva Championship match.

Thanks for Reading

Thanks for reading the slideshow, I hope you liked it. Please leave a comment telling me your opinions about the match card: what you liked, what you didn't like, constructive criticism, whatever your feelings are towards the slideshow, I'd like to hear all about it.

Thanks for Reading, Bleachers.

- Nick Fino