WWE WrestleMania XXX: Smart Predictions for WWE's Marquee Event After TLC

WWE is on the verge of WrestleMania season, and speculation is already buzzing around about just what Vince McMahon and his creative crew will elect to do on April 6 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

Of course, nothing is etched in stone just yet.

But even at this early point, fans should be able to make a few predictions about what the company may have in store for its biggest show of 2014 and which legends will—and will not—be involved in the proceedings.

So, in order how just how likely they are to come to fruition, here are my top five predictions...

5. Hulk Hogan Will Make Some Sort of Appearance

Following John Cena’s heavily-publicized TMZ interview—in which he claimed he liked Hulk Hogan but felt he was too old to wrestle—we can likely expect the Hall of Famer to make an appearance at WrestleMania XXX.

Ideally, the two would be headed for a match on April 6. But Hogan really isn't in any condition to do a major match right now: His back problems have been well-documented, and he really shouldn't be taking bumps anymore.

Of course, even if the star did elect to wrestle in New Orleans, the results probably wouldn’t be pretty. Cena is a good wrestler, but even he couldn’t drag Hogan to a high-quality WrestleMania event. Heck, it’s doubtful that Kenta Kobashi in his prime could get anything out of “The Hulkster” right now.

So, Hogan will likely make an appearance at next year’s show, but not as a wrestler. Personally, I wouldn’t be too surprised to see him serve as a host or even a special guest referee.

Of course, the star still hasn’t signed an official deal with WWE, and there are no guarantees he will anytime soon, hence why this prediction isn’t listed higher.

4. Shaquille O'Neal Will Make an Appearance

from WWE.com

Shaquille O'Neal backstage at a WWE event.

A big event like WrestleMania XXX requires a major celebrity to help drum up mainstream interest from sites like TMZ and CNN.

So, how about Shaquille O’Neal? The former basketball player, who has made several appearances for WWE in the past, would clearly like to be involved in WWE’s marquee event: In early 2012, he went out of his way to hype up a potential appearance at that year’s event, though ultimately nothing ever came of it. (It seems the two sides may have had their wires crossed.)

Could we finally see the much-speculated Shaquille/Big Show match in New Orleans?

3. The Rock Will Not Wrestle

from WWE.com

The Rock at last year's WrestleMania.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson's status in Hollywood absolutely skyrocketed in 2013, with Forbes Magazine even naming the star as this year’s top-grossing actor on Monday.

Considering how fantastically his career his going, his agents will undoubtedly be urging the star to avoid any in-ring action in the future. Johnson is just too old and too injury-prone—he famously left this year’s WrestleMania event with a litany of injuries and painful muscle years—to risk doing more matches.

Sure, he might consider wrestling a fun hobby, but there are potentially hundreds of millions of dollars in Hollywood at stake here. Does he want to risk losing a blockbuster film role because he got hurt doing a match? It’s unlikely isn’t it?

2. Triple H and Shawn Michaels Will Take on Daniel Bryan and CM Punk

from WWE.com

Bryan and Punk on Raw recently.

WWE writers have been dropping strong hints over the past few months that retired legend Shawn Michaels will be returning to the ring one last time—likely to take on former protege Daniel Bryan.

An issue between Michaels and CM Punk was also teased on Monday’s Raw when the two had a heated verbal confrontation. Considering Punk has also clashed with Triple H, a tag team bout in which he teams with Bryan to take on a newly reformed DX at WrestleMania XXX seems like a tantalizing option.

1. The Undertaker Will Wrestle His Final Match

from WWE.com

The Undertaker, will he retire at WrestleMania XXX?

WrestleMania XXX would be the perfect time for The Undertaker to wrestle his final match, win and retire with his legendary streak intact.

Cena would be a potential candidate for his foe, maybe the only candidate considering every other significant WWE name has already challenged the streak. And in the cases of Triple H and Shawn Michaels, they've challenged The Undertaker more than once.

Sure, The Undertaker could go on past 2014, but really, what would be the point? As the star gets older—and the injuries pile up—it’s increasingly unlikely that he will continue to be able to churn out the best match on the card like he is used to. Does the veteran truly want to continue wrestling if he can’t live up to his own high standards?