WWE WrestleMania 31: Handicapping Most Likely Swerves at Marquee PPV

WrestleMania just wouldn't be WrestleMania without a couple of twists and turns.

The biggest pay-per-view of the year has plenty of precedent when it comes to providing fans with a few shocks and drama, as last year's edition proved.

Brock Lesnar's shocking win over The Undertaker, although not exactly a swerve in itself, was proof that anything can happen at WrestleMania.

So with WWE WrestleMania 31 just a few days away, let's take a look at some of the likely swerves we could expect to see at Sunday's event.

Paul Heyman Aligns with Roman Reigns

Credit: WWE.com

Even though there's a possibility this could well play out during the WrestleMania main event, it's still the least likely of the swerves featured here.

The logic is pretty simple. Should the WWE decide to have Roman Reigns win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, there needs to be a way in doing it that keeps Brock Lesnar looking strong.

It's pointless having Lesnar dismantle everyone in his path for the last 12 months, only to be beaten cleanly by a new talent at WrestleMania.

If the WWE does things that way, the fan backlash would also be enormous. So if Reigns is destined to win, could it be with Heyman's help? He's turned on Brock before to cost him a major match, and the biggest hint of all is the mutual respect Heyman and Reigns have for each other.

Almost every single promo Heyman has cut has referenced how much he respects Reigns, so is the WWE trying to suggest what could play out this Sunday?

Lana Inadvertently Hands Rusev His First Loss

Credit: WWE.com

One of the more interesting subplots to Rusev's match against John Cena for the United States Championship is the mysterious absence of Lana.

Ever since she granted Cena a rematch at WrestleMania, she has been suspiciously absent from WWE TV. Rusev will not tell anyone where she, which has led to suggestions their relationship is deteriorating.

Should she return at WrestleMania this Sunday alongside Rusev, perhaps the WWE will use this developing storyline to help give Rusev his first loss.

It would be wise to add an element of controversy to Rusev's defeat in order to keep him looking strong, even if it means putting Cena over as the champion again.

As a result, Lana could cause a distraction for Rusev, which in turn leads to a victory for Cena. You then have a strong storyline for Rusev heading out of WrestleMania, something which has been a problem for a number of stars in recent years.

Dolph Ziggler Costs Daniel Bryan the IC Title

There's probably an argument for most of the seven men competing in this Sunday's intercontinental title match to go home with the belt.

And as much as Daniel Bryan is the heavy favorite, there's perhaps a greater need for Dolph Ziggler to walk out of WrestleMania as the new champ.

Ziggler's influence and input in this match will be as huge as Bryan and Dean Ambrose's. They're the three biggest stars in this match, and the ending needs to revolve around those guys.

Having Ziggler cost Bryan the championship, or at least attempt to do so, would set things up nicely for a feud between the two men heading out of WrestleMania.

Ziggler teased a match on social media in the weeks leading up to Mania, but having it take place with the WWE Intercontinental Championship on the line would add a huge amount of prestige to any potential rivalry.

Seth Rollins Cashes in After the Main Event

Regardless of what the WWE decides to do with the ending of Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns, there will always be a lingering suspicion that Seth Rollins' music will hit after the bell rings.

He's been the keeper of that briefcase since June last year, and time looks to be running out on potential windows for Rollins to cash in.

Doing so at WrestleMania would guarantee a mammoth ending to the pay-per-view, regardless of whether Rollins is successful or not.

It would also give the WWE a way out should Roman Reigns pick up the win and fan reaction is far from favorable.

The more interesting option here, though, would be Rollins attempting to cash in on Lesnar. The two had the beginnings of a feud earlier this year, and to see them tussle properly over the WWE World Heavyweight Championship would be a fantastic rivalry post-WrestleMania.