Ryan Dilbert's 10-Count: Surprises Will Be Key to WWE WrestleMania 32's Success

1. The Showcase of the Swerves

As WWE WrestleMania 32 draws close, eerily familiar issues linger—a lackluster build, a headliner who the audience has been vocally rejecting and concerns that the event will be a flop.

The same concerns festered before WrestleMania 31. Then WWE emptied its bag of tricks. The New World Order stormed onto the stage, Rusev rode atop a tank, Ronda Rousey slapped the spit from Stephanie McMahon's mouth and Seth Rollins pulled off an unforgettable heist.

Don Feria/Associated Press

Suddenly, the image of Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar's ill-advised tug of war was gone. Electricity surged through the product.

Praise poured in. Jack de Menezes of the Independent wrote, "It will go down as one of, if not the greatest WrestleMania of all time."

For WrestleMania 32 to overcome the injury plague that has left the card devoid of names like John Cena and Daniel Bryan and create the kind of buzz that last year's event did, WWE will have to employ a similar strategy. Turn the seemingly predictable into something shocking; fill the night with unexpected moments. 

That begins with the special guests in attendance. 

WWE has advertised The Rock as part of WrestleMania, although it hasn't specified his role. Having him assist The New Day or be the means to turn Reigns heel would be a boon for the show. Him just cutting a promo would be fun, but involving him in the action and storylines will have a more lasting impact.

WWE can either catapult The New Day by having The Rock endorse the trio or execute Reigns' shift to villainy in astounding fashion by having him assault his own cousin.

If Cena and/or Steve Austin are in attendance at AT&T Stadium, they offer WWE a major chance to do something magical. Neither is going to compete, but they should be vital pieces of the booking puzzle regardless, used as exclamation marks on matches.

Set up Cena vs. Undertaker for next year by having the former aid Shane McMahon in defeating the latter. Have Stone Cold lend Dean Ambrose a hand against Brock Lesnar. 

Just keep throwing curveballs.

WWE is at its best when it lives up to the "anything can happen" concept. And WrestleMania's history is laden with examples of the power of upending the audience's expectations.

No one will forget when Lesnar ended Undertaker's undefeated streak. Austin joining forces with Vince McMahon will forever live in WWE lore. Mike Tyson clocking Shawn Michaels was an emphatic addition to Austin's coronation.

Going this route again is key at WrestleMania 32.

The night will boast less star power in the ring than usual thanks to torn ACLs and surgically repaired shoulders. Reigns' continued disconnect with the crowd prevents WWE from simply composing a straightforward happy ending.

Instead, creative use of all the pieces on the chess board will result in WrestleMania pushing aside the negativity surrounding it and becoming something special.

2. Streaks Still Intact

If anyone is ever going to come close to matching Undertaker's 21-0 undefeated streak at WrestleMania, it's going to take a long, long time. 

Shane McMahon, at 2-0, is the closest. But he's a part-time attraction who turned 46 this year. He's not going to add to those numbers much.

Paige is 1-0 at The Showcase of the Immortals, and she's just 23 years old. With a win at WrestleMania each year, she wouldn't be in line to match Undertaker's mark until WrestleMania 51 in 2035.

A long list of wrestlers are making their WrestleMania debuts this year—Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch, AJ Styles, Charlotte, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Xavier Woods, Kalisto, Lana, Emma and Tyler Breeze. We will no doubt see someone from that group go 1-0. 

They will then be just 20 perfect years removed from matching history.

3. Throwback Video of the Week: Sasha Banks

Before Banks was NXT champion, a trailblazing wrestler in the WWE women's division and one-third of arguably the biggest women's match in WrestleMania history, she was Mercedes KV, a young wrestler showing flashes of big-time potential.

In a 2011 match against Mistress Belmont, she performed in front of just a smattering of people. Banks was not yet the in-ring artist she is today, but her talent was unmistakable.

In just five years, she will be going from squirming under a snake at a Premier Wrestling Federation event in the Davey Lopes Recreation Center to challenging for the Divas Championship inside AT&T Stadium.

4. NXT's Newest Additions

The Mighty Don't Kneel are officially NXT-bound. WWE announced, "Michael Nicholls and Shane Veryzer have signed with WWE and will report to the WWE Performance Center in early April."

The athletic, dynamic tag team built its name working for Pro Wrestling Noah. Nicholls and Veryzer have been one of the most exciting teams on the wrestling scene for the past few years.

The Australian duo will instantly elevate the NXT tag team scene. Suddenly, American Alpha and The Revival have opponents who will push them and make the battle to be the best pairing in WWE's developmental brand a contentious one. 

5. Rey Mysterio Heads to the Underground

As one of the newest warriors to join Lucha Underground, Mysterio looks refreshed. Whether a lighter schedule or the buzz of being in a new environment is responsible, this is the best we have seen him in a long while.

He fits perfectly into the Lucha Underground landscape. The roster has become the ideal blend of veteran and emerging stars, a collection of monsters and heroes. 

Mysterio's arrival gives everyone from Fenix to Prince Puma a top-flight opponent to work with. And judging by the first glances of the luchador in his new home, he has some memorable contests left in him.

6. Triple H's Top WrestleMania Matches

WrestleMania 32 will mark the 20th time Triple H has competed at The Show of Shows. In that span, he has been a part of a number of classic bouts, including one from just two years ago.

For those unfamiliar with The Game's work, these five contests are well worth diving into:

• Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Benoit: WrestleMania XX
• Triple H vs. John Cena: WrestleMania XXII
• Triple H vs. Undertaker: WrestleMania XXVII (No Holds Barred)
• Triple H vs. Undertaker: WrestleMania XXVIII (Hell in a Cell)
• Triple H vs. Daniel Bryan: WrestleMania XXX

Is he poised to add another to his list? Fresh off a stellar showing against Dean Ambrose at WWE Roadblock, Triple H faces a man in Roman Reigns who has made it clear that he can handle himself in a big-match situation.

7. Pre-WrestleMania Gift

Onnit, a fitness and supplement company, gifted Undertaker with a Hell in a Cell cake for his 51st birthday.

The dessert came complete with ring ropes and an Undertaker figure looming atop the cage. No word on whether there were fondant steel chairs hidden under the cake.

8. What Does History Say About Roman Reigns' Chances?

In the past three years, WrestleMania has ended with a new champion celebrating with gold in hand. But go a bit further back into The Show of Shows' history, and one sees that titleholders aren't doomed heading into the marquee event. 

Event	Incumbent Champion	New Champion
WrestleMania 31	Brock Lesnar	Seth Rollins
WrestleMania 30	Randy Orton	Daniel Bryan
WrestleMania 29	The Rock	John Cena
WrestleMania 28	CM Punk	N/A, champion retained
WrestleMania 27	The Miz	N/A, champion retained
WrestleMania 26	Batista	John Cena
WrestleMania 25	Triple H	N/A, champion retained
WrestleMania 24	Randy Orton	N/A, champion retained
WrestleMania 23	John Cena	N/A, champion retained
WrestleMania 22	John Cena	N/A, champion retained
WrestleMania 21	John Cena	John "Bradshaw" Layfield
WrestleMania 20	Eddie Guerrero	N/A, champion retained

At seven out of the last 12 WrestleManias, the champ has retained. From 2004 to 2009, only JBL didn't hold onto his title. 

From a storyline standpoint, all signs point to The Game losing to Reigns, extending the streak of new champions emerging from WrestleMania. Still, history says that title turnover is no safe bet.

9. WrestleMania Battle Royal Can't Be Used as Lifetime Achievement Award

Kane and Big Show being two of the prominent figures in the build to the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal could well point to one of them winning it on Sunday.

The Social Outcasts have played the rodeo clowns getting tossed around by the bulls. They don't look like they are winning. With no other participants getting significant screen time, does that mean that either Kane or Big Show is headed for a victory?

Awarding Big Show consecutive wins or having Kane be the last man standing would feel like a way to salute to long-tenured veterans. It would be a sign of gratitude, a salute to what they have done in the past.

That's the wrong way to go, though. There is no spark to that story.

WWE would be better off using the Battle Royal as means to catapult a Superstar stuck in neutral. Get people talking about Tyler Breeze. Resurrect Damien Sandow. Kick-start Darren Young's career.

All of those options leave fans curious about what's to come. Kane or Big Show winning would be far less powerful, a tip of the hat to the past rather than a catalyst for the future.

10. Triple H on the Crowd Reaction to Roman Reigns

Booing from the seat you paid for isn't true protest. If fans are unhappy with Reigns as the top babyface, they need to stop buying tickets and stop tuning into Raw.

As long as Raw plays to packed houses, there is no real incentive to change.

Manish Swarup/Associated Press

In an interview with Denny Burkholder of CBS Sports, Triple H said, "You've seen it for, what, the last 10 years with John Cena. I used to say to John all the time, 'You're the Red Sox and the Yankees in the same game. Half the place hates you, half the place loves you, but it's full, so who cares?'"

There has been so much talk of how much a disaster Reigns will be as a main eventer, but the first WrestleMania he headlined was the highest-grossing event in WWE history. With him set to main event again this year, WrestleMania has sold over 84,000 tickets, per Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Raj Giri of WrestlingInc.com).

What message does that send?

Win-loss statistics courtesy of CageMatch.net.