WWE WrestleMania 32: B/R Expert Match Predictions and Analysis
Everything's bigger in Texas, and that includes WrestleMania.
The time has come, the promos have been cut, the WWE Superstars are all in the building (or on the injured list, but that's a story for another day).
WrestleMania 32 is here, and it's sure to be one of the biggest events, if not the biggest, the company has ever hosted.
Since announcing last year that AT&T Stadium would host WrestleMania 32, the goal has been simple: become the biggest WrestleMania in WWE history. According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the company has already surpassed one record, as more than 84,000 tickets have been sold, besting SummerSlam 1992 in Wembley Stadium (h/t Raj Giri of WrestlingInc.com).
WWE is likely to top its all-time attendance mark of 93,000-plus from WrestleMania III in the Pontiac Silverdome. But it has to wonder just how big this event could have been if injuries had not besieged the roster.
If WWE hosted a separate event using only the fallen Superstars from the past year, it could potentially outdraw Sunday's show. John Cena, Seth Rollins, Daniel Bryan, Sting, Cesaro, Neville, Randy Orton, Nikki Bella, Luke Harper and Tyson Kidd have all gone down on The Road to WrestleMania and are not slated to participate.
Nevertheless, the show must go on. And the Bleacher Report team is here to break everything down and provide their expert predictions on what will happen at WrestleMania 32.
WrestleMania 32: B/R Expert Roll Call
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Bleacher Report's all-star lineup answers the tough questions about the WWE landscape and provides predictions for each match on the WWE WrestleMania 32 card.
This lineup features:
- Brad Jones (@beardjones)
- Anthony Mango (@ToeKneeManGo), founder of SmarkOutMoment.com and host of the podcast Smack Talk
- Aaron Bower (@aaronbower)
- Erik Beaston (@ErikBeaston)
- Yours truly, James Moffat (@jamesmoffat)
It's WrestleMania 32, so in the words of The Rock: Just bring it. Tie up your laces, and get ready to rumble. The predictions start now.
The Usos vs. The Dudley Boyz
2 of 15Q: True or False: Neither of these teams will ever again hold the WWE Tag Team Championship belts.
Anthony Mango (AM): False. The Usos were just voted the fan-favorite tag team of the year at the Slammy Awards and are one of the most viable tag teams in the company, while The Dudley Boyz are one of the most popular ever and just now seem to be hitting their strides as heels. It may not be for a while, but both teams could win those belts at any time, and fans wouldn't be too shocked.
Match Prediction: The Usos are victorious.
Aaron Bower (AB): False. You can almost guarantee that The Usos will force their ways into a position to win the tag titles again, as the fact they’re likely to spend their entire careers as a team means they’ll get a shot at some point. Being romantic, I would also like to think The Dudley Boyz hold the straps one more time, too.
Match Prediction: The Usos
Erik Beaston (EB): False. The Usos are a favorite of management, and their on-screen association with Roman Reigns will be good enough to get them at least one more title run—whether it comes as the stale babyfaces they are currently or as refreshed heels in the question. Considering the fact that current champions The New Day are babyfaces, The Dudley Boyz have as good a chance as anyone to dethrone them and enjoy that last championship reign before the inevitable Hall of Fame induction.
Match Prediction: The Dudley Boyz
Brad Jones (BJ): False. Despite the rise of The New Day, The Usos still have a major role to play in the tag division moving forward. They'll once again hold the belts before 2017 is done—and that's ignoring any possibility of a nostalgia run in a decade's time.
Match Prediction: The Usos
James Moffat (JM): If it's not true, then it should be true. Both of these teams are still somewhat entertaining, but their time has come and gone. Tag team wrestling is undergoing a change in NXT, and it's only a matter of time before those groups take the main roster by storm. Both The Usos and The Dudley Boyz should help those teams move forward, not clog their paths to greatness.
Match Prediction: The Dudley Boyz
3rd Annual Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
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Q: Considering it’s named after one of wrestling’s all-time greats, should this match be featured more prominently on the WrestleMania card?
AM: If there were less injuries and a wider variety of bigger stars were incorporated into the match, this year's battle royal would be less of an afterthought and promoted more. As it stands on this card, it basically means nothing, so it's best utilized as a way to kick the show off to get people excited.
Match Prediction: Braun Strowman has the clear edge if he participates.
AB: Absolutely. It seemed like it had a great future when it got going, especially with Cesaro winning it in year one. However, a disappointing decision to knock it back to the pre-show last year was backed up by pinning the win on Big Show. That needs to change this year, although I suspect it won’t.
Match Prediction: Braun Strowman
EB: No. The Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal is what it is: an excuse to get as many guys a PPV payday as possible. Nothing more, nothing less. Neither Cesaro nor Big Show have been better off for winning it, regardless of whose name is attached. Should Andre's memory be preserved in a more meaningful way? Sure, but that does not mean elevating a melting pot of mediocrity to do it.
Match Prediction: Heath Slater because...why not?
BJ: No. A battle royal on the WrestleMania card should serve to place less visible talent on the card, so given the limited notoriety of most of its entrants, it's fine as a sideshow to the meat of the biggest night on the WWE calendar. That said, it could be used more effectively as a launchpad for its winner.
Match Prediction: Braun Strowman wins, continuing his rise towards Big Show's mantle of "tedious giant."
JM: Yes. It could be a great filler match for WrestleMania, placed in the middle of the event. It could also be a second entry into WrestleMania for Superstars who lose matches earlier in the evening, looking to make a mark on the event. Or maybe WWE could make it a true stepping stone, awarding a United States title shot to the winner. It could be the midcard's version of Money in the Bank. Doing something different other than awarding a meaningless trophy would lend some surprise to what is now a bland pre-show event that deserves so much more.
Match Prediction: Curtis Axel
Kalisto vs. Ryback (United States Championship)
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Q: Worse title booking: Ryback’s IC run in 2015 or Kalisto’s U.S. title campaign in 2016?
AM: As bad as Ryback's title reign was, the biggest problem was his injury. With Kalisto, WWE has nobody to blame but the creative team itself. Kalisto has been booked horribly this whole time, killing any chances of him having a credible reign. Even if he beats Ryback here, it will do more harm to The Big Guy than help The Lucha Dragon.
Match Prediction: WWE loves to have the underdog win, so the smart money is on Kalisto, but here's hoping Ryback squashes him in under a minute.
AB: Kalisto’s U.S. title run, purely because it had more potential at the start. Once he shook off Alberto Del Rio, you felt like he could have broken out as a legitimate solo star, but right now, it feels like he’ll be back competing with Sin Cara within a few months.
Match Prediction: Kalisto
EB: Kalisto, by far. At least Ryback appeared motivated and had a few strong title defenses. Thus far, Kalisto is either beating Alberto Del Rio for the 2,000th time or losing in tag matches. That his match with Ryback is as undefined and uninteresting as it is only further serves as evidence to the miserable, halfhearted run that has been the masked luchador's U.S. title reign to date.
Match Prediction: Kalisto
BJ: Definitely Ryback's poor reign. Kalisto is being placed in a match with an opponent he's got a proven track record with on a grand stage. Conversely, The Sin City Silverback was tasked with producing good matches against feeble competition in the form of Big Show and The Miz. It's clear that Kalisto has the company's backing, whereas Ryback seemed to be being placed in a sink-or-swim scenario.
Match Prediction: Kalisto
JM: Can I call it a draw because they've both been so bad? No? I guess I'll have to go with Ryback. He won his title in a faux pay-per-view (Elimination Chamber) against weak opponents. He didn't wrestle due to injury, then faced...The Big Show and The Miz. Ugh. If Kalisto were to lose to Ryback on Sunday, I'd have to reconsider my choice, though.
Match Prediction: Kalisto
The New Day vs. The League of Nations
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Q: If this match isn’t for the tag team titles (a fact WWE has yet to divulge), then what is the point of having these groups face off?
AM: There really isn't any. The New Day has defeated all sorts of combinations of The League of Nations, so it has nothing to prove in this "battle for supremacy" as WWE is promoting it. This is just one of the matches that has been done to death before WrestleMania, yet WWE seems OK with just doing rematches and thinking that's good enough for the biggest show of the year. It isn't.
Match Prediction: With the titles not on the line, it seems obvious The League of Nations will win. If they don't, nobody will care anyway.
AB: I think it’s a way of getting everyone onto the main show. Stars like Alberto Del Rio, Sheamus and The New Day are still fairly significant and important for WWE. In that respect, the company has to ensure there’s some beef added to the midcard. However, I suspect the straps will end up being on the line.
Match Prediction: The New Day
EB: Um...reasons? The New Day has beaten The League of Nations at every turn and retained the tag titles twice before. There really is no real reason to continue the program other than to put Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods and Big E over strong on the grand stage. The act is hot, they have succeeded in their new babyface roles and a big win over Sheamus and his lackeys will solidify them as one of the top acts in all of WWE.
Match Prediction: The New Day
BJ: Variety. A good multi-man match offers something different to the singles competition already on the card. You only have to look back as far as The Shield vs. The Wyatt Family to see why WWE will always give faction warfare another try. While these teams aren't quite as well established in some respects, they're just as well-poised to deliver fireworks between the ropes.
Match Prediction: The New Day
JM: This is WWE waving the white flag of surrender on the tag team division. There's nothing else to do but wait until new teams enter the fold to liven up the matches. That's not a knock against those competing. The problem is that fans have seen every conceivable combination, and it's just gotten stale. The New Day needed to be part of WrestleMania, and this was the only way to do it.
Match Prediction: The New Day
Bonus Question No. 1
6 of 15
Q: Which injured WWE Superstar would have most improved the WrestleMania 32 card?
AM: This one is tough, as John Cena, Sting and Seth Rollins all would have been major parts of the show, while Daniel Bryan still probably would have been relegated to something like the Intercontinental Championship match. With those three names, I'd lean towards Cena being the most influential, although when it comes to the quality of matches, Rollins takes the cake.
AB: Seth Rollins. No-brainer for me. The main event is the bout that looks like it has the least appeal at the moment, and you really feel like the look of the main bout of the evening would be much healthier with Rollins on the scene. The sooner he’s back, the better.
EB: John Cena. He is the franchise star for a reason. His aura is missing, the company has been unable to lean on his name value and the fact that the industry’s best big-match performer will not be at its premier event is troublesome. Imagine what he could have done with Roman Reigns to help ensure a more satisfying reaction at The Showcase of the Immortals.
BJ: John Cena. He's a big enough star to turn a singles contest against an up-and-comer into a true marquee match, and 2015 might rank as his best year in terms of in-ring competition since his debut.
JM: I look at this as a question of utility. Which Superstar could help the entire card? To me, that boils down to John Cena or Randy Orton. WWE could plug either of those guys into any matchup, shift other guys around and make for a better overall card. Because of the matches he was having prior to his layoff, I'd give the edge to Cena this year.
Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch vs. Sasha Banks (WWE Divas Championship)
7 of 15Q: True or False: The oft-rumored WWE brand split would most benefit the Divas division.
AM: False. The brand split wouldn't benefit anybody, least of all the women on the roster. Separating Raw and SmackDown works best when there's a surplus of talent, which is not the state the Divas division is in right now. This would only work if all of the women in NXT were on the main roster as well, but that still limits the variety of matches to keep things interesting.
Match Prediction: Sasha Banks wins the championship. Poor Becky may even take the fall.
AB: I think false, although it’s a tough call. Yes, there would be more opportunities for Divas to get into separate storylines, but can we trust that WWE knows what it is doing with so many storylines? The second Divas match of the night, the multi-tag bout, has been dreadful in terms of its build, which proves my point.
Match Prediction: Sasha Banks
EB: False. The company has finally established a hierarchy in the women’s division, with the NXT women captaining it, Paige flirting with the top and everyone else filling in beneath her. Splitting the roster unravels all of that work and leaves the company in an unenviable position in which Lana, Brie Bella or Summer Rae find themselves in a prominent role in the women’s title hunt. That hardly helps with the growth and evolution of women’s wrestling.
Match Prediction: Sasha Banks
BJ: False. The biggest difficulty in getting the Divas Revolution to take hold was establishing new faces among those in the WWE audience who don't watch NXT. Given that a split would almost certainly require more additions to the roster, we'd be waiting even longer for the division to hit the high gear the likes of Charlotte, Lynch and Banks are capable of bringing to fruition.
Match Prediction: Sasha Banks
JM: True. A brand split would let WWE have its cake and eat it, too. Have your Divas compete on Raw, while women's wrestling could overtake SmackDown. Charlotte, Sasha, Becky, Paige and Natalya would be able to showcase their skills in front of fans, while Vince could have his Total Divas television promotions on Monday nights alongside Chrisley Knows Best commercials. Win-win.
Match prediction: Charlotte
Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match
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Q: Three-part question: Who do you want to win the IC ladder match, who should win and (in your match prediction) who will win?
AM: I can't help but feel that the only people who by all means shouldn't win are Sin Cara, Zack Ryder and Stardust. Everyone else is fair game, but I'll be rooting for either Kevin Owens to retain or for Sami Zayn to get the upset, so those two can continue to feud separate from the pack.
Match Prediction: Sami Zayn gets the Daniel Bryan treatment from last year and wins.
AB: I want Kevin Owens to win, I think Sami Zayn probably should win to set up a lengthy feud between he and Owens and I also think Zayn will emerge triumphant. There’s nobody else in the match apart from Owens or Zayn who deserve the IC title.
Match Prediction: Sami Zayn
EB: I want to see Zack Ryder leave with the IC title. His work ethic, despite having his one push yanked away from him by WWE management back in 2012, is admirable, and he is so damn likable that one cannot help but root for him. Winning that title would pay off his dedication and never-say-die attitude in grand fashion. Kevin Owens should win, though, as this match is set up perfectly for the unlikable heel to find a way to sneak out with his title intact. Instant heat.
Match Prediction: Kevin Owens will win.
BJ: I want Sami Zayn to win. However, Kevin Owens should win—and hopefully will. Let's see KO snatch the belt away from his rival and set up a feud that could bubble away throughout the summer. At this point, Zayn isn't established enough as a fan favorite to make his win count.
Match Prediction: Kevin Owens
JM: I want a certain Broski from Long Island to climb the ladder and claim the title. I mean, who doesn't want to see Zack Ryder capture glory? OK, now that that's done, down to business. Kevin Owens should win this match. If you're going to have him lose, it needs to be a one-on-one situation, likely to Sami Zayn or AJ Styles once they get more recognition from the casual fans. The Internet Wrestling Community is great and all, but casual fans drive more decisions than anyone (See: Kalisto as U.S. champ).
Match Prediction: Kevin Owens
Team Bad and Blonde vs. Team Total Divas (WWE Divas 5-on-5 Tag Team Match)
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Q: There’s a lot of angles crammed into this match: Brie Bella’s rumored retirement (per Ryan Satin of Pro Wrestling Sheet), Emma's and Eva Marie’s main roster returns, Lana’s wrestling debut, the in-ring direction of Paige and Natalya. What’s most interesting to you?
AM: Pretty much none of it is, but out of sheer curiosity, I'm interested in seeing what Lana can do. If she's impressive, then that will be a pleasant surprise. If she's a train wreck as I'm expecting, then that will at least be interesting to watch and make fun of later on.
Match Prediction: If Eva Marie doesn't cost the match for Team Total Divas, they'll come out on top.
AB: Not much really, but I do like the idea of finding out if Emma is returning to the main roster as a character with more direction than before. She’s a stunning in-ring performer, one of the best of all the Divas, and she has real potential as a heel.
Match Prediction: Team Bad and Blonde
EB: The allure of Lana’s in-ring debut is strong, especially since the company spent months building to it last year before aborting that mission suddenly. With that said, it was clear that Team Total Divas was not wild about Eva Marie coming to its aid Monday night, as if it suspected that she had other motives for joining them. Whether she is the same self-absorbed heel from NXT bears watching.
Match Prediction: Team Total Divas
BJ: While I'm glad that the likes of Natalya and Paige are on the card, nothing about this bout holds that much appeal. There's just not enough in-ring ability to warrant a spot on the biggest show of the year. Unfortunately, this match is an unnecessary reminder of the bleak times the women's division is hopefully heading away from.
Match Prediction: The Total Divas
JM: Am I the only person on the planet excited for this match? I mean, you've got Emma returning, Paige and Natalya on the biggest stage in the world and a potential send-off for Brie. And let's not forget that Eva Marie gets heat that's reserved for Roman Reigns. Plus, Lana is wrestling! Come on, people! This is freaking awesome.
April Fools, guys. There's absolutely nothing interesting about this match. Move on.
Match Prediction: Total Divas
AJ Styles vs. Chris Jericho
10 of 15Q: Has the Styles-Jericho feud lasted too long?
AM: It isn't so much that it's lasted too long, but WWE shouldn't have had them wrestle so many times already. What's different about this match compared to the other three matches they've had? There's no gimmick attached or stipulation to spice things up. If you saw them face off at Fastlane and beforehand, there's no incentive to watch this. WWE should have teased the match, and this should be their first encounter—or at least the third to act as a rubber match—not the fourth.
Match Prediction: AJ Styles winning this match is a guarantee.
AB: Probably, although WWE could have ensured it had a more exciting rivalry at WrestleMania if it'd made it a little fresher. A stipulation for this match, for example, would have been great. However, you have to trust that they’re both so damn good inside the ring, they will hold their own without a doubt.
Match Prediction: AJ Styles
EB: Yes. It should have wrapped up at Fastlane with Styles’ victory over Jericho. With no other clear plans for the two, it looks like WWE Creative opted to put them together for no other reason than potentially delivering the show-stealing performance we know they are capable of. Unfortunately, it looks like they may do just that...in a hollow match that has no real lasting effects of any kind.
Match Prediction: AJ Styles
BJ: No. This is a feud that's built on ring work, so a series of matches is completely appropriate. Its length will no doubt turn some off, but they're not the fans that were in mind when WWE signed Styles.
Match Prediction: AJ Styles
JM: Yes. I could've gotten behind this feud if it had been continuously built and didn't resort to Y2Jackass chants. Now it's just petulant. It should have ended at Fastlane. Both men are too good to be working this kind of angle. The match is sure to be good. It's just that the story bores me.
Match Prediction: AJ Styles
Bonus Question No. 2
11 of 15Q: What is the best role for Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson at WrestleMania 32?
AM: It's a shame he won't be wrestling, as this card could use his star power. Since that's out of the question, the worst thing for him to do would be to eat up too much time with an in-ring promo where he does nothing but stare into the crowd and smile. Best-case scenario, The Rock interferes on behalf of The New Day to even the odds against The League of Nations or acts as the special guest referee to Shane McMahon vs. The Undertaker.
AB: A bit of a reverse way of going about it, but not playing any part in trying (and failing) to get Roman Reigns over. I’d lean towards a segment in the ring where he comes out and warms the crowd up or brings them back to life mid-show. Backstage, WWE should be assessing the crowd and the mood and throw him out when the time is right.
EB: Ideally, Rock would be partnering with Ronda Rousey to battle Triple H and Stephanie McMahon. but since that is no longer an option, he can make a giant impact by joining The New Day in a beatdown of The League of Nations. While that would be wildly entertaining, there is one more option available that would make use of the most mismanaged element of WWE television this year: The Wyatt Family. Imagine Bray orchestrating a beatdown of The Great One. On the grandest stage, The Reaper of Souls would regain relevancy and momentum by pummeling one of entertainment’s most recognizable stars. Electrifying the audience while giving back to the company in a meaningful way is the best way for The Rock to make an impact.
BJ: Performing the role he's expected to play for Roman Reigns—that being support magnet—for The New Day. The group is almost there as a fan-favorite faction, but Rock could easily push them over the edge.
JM: If Roman Reigns is to turn heel, then he needs The Rock to take a dive. Nothing would turn everyone against him faster than laying out The Rock in the middle of the ring following a loss. If that's not in the cards, then The Rock needs to do Rocky things: make inappropriate jokes, recall the good ol' days and spew catchphrases. Plain and simple.
Dean Ambrose vs. Brock Lesnar (No Holds Barred Street Fight)
12 of 15Q: What percentage chance do you give Dean Ambrose walking out of WrestleMania 32 victorious?
AM: It may seem like a fool's bet, but I actually think Ambrose has a better chance of winning than Lesnar. Despite how dominant The Beast normally is, this is a match with weaponry involved, so that evens the odds a bit. With so many people injured, WWE can't afford to make Ambrose look like he's not on par with a part-timer like Lesnar, and it isn't as though a loss would hurt Lesnar's credibility, either. Nothing is set in stone, but 60 percent in favor of Ambrose seems fair to me.
Match Prediction: Dean Ambrose goes through a lot of torture but pulls out a win.
AB: Five percent, and that’s being generous. I see no way of Lesnar looking good coming out of Mania with a loss, unless it’s via a twist at the hands of Bray Wyatt. I think Ambrose could look strong as a valiant loser, with fans getting the impression that he pushed The Beast desperately close.
Match Prediction: Brock Lesnar
EB: I give Ambrose a 65 percent chance of winning. That may be significantly higher than my colleagues go, but this entire build to WrestleMania for The Lunatic Fringe feels like his coronation as a main event star. Sure, we have been here before, but WWE has taken such an interest in growing the Ambrose character that he had a championship match against Triple H, was the last man The Game eliminated at the Royal Rumble and forced WWE to alter its plans for Lesnar. Losing would only set him right back to where he was before the show, while a victory would solidify him as one of the elite stars. Add in the potential interference of The Wyatt Family, and the likelihood that Ambrose wins is rightfully high.
Match Prediction: Dean Ambrose
BJ: 20 percent. Ambrose stands to benefit more winning this match than Roman Reigns does against Triple H, as he would no doubt be a main event player with a victory over The Beast. He's got a chance thanks to his hardcore credentials, but it remains to be seen whether WWE sees the merit in having him be the guy who beats Lesnar.
Match Prediction: Brock Lesnar
JM: Ambrose has a 12 percent chance. I think there's a greater chance of The Wyatt Family breaking up this match and it winding up as a no decision. Doing so would keep both Brock Lesnar and Dean Ambrose strong, while making Bray Wyatt and company the monsters they need to be.
Match Prediction: Brock Lesnar
Undertaker vs. Shane McMahon (Hell in a Cell)
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Q: What should fans realistically expect from a 51-year-old part-time Superstar and a 46-year-old businessman?
AM: To err on the side of caution, not all that much should be expected for these two. I'm going so far as to expect that this match will be terrible in the hopes that I'm proved completely wrong, but I think a lot of fans are going to let the hype get to them. Those fans will likely be disappointed, and it will ruin their moods for the rest of the night. There are so many things that can go wrong and very few things that can go right.
Match Prediction: Morale will be low no matter who wins, and the match won't have a simple ending, so there's a chance it ends in a draw.
AB: Well, Shane McMahon showed he can still handle the big spots on Raw this past week, so there’s something big we can surely expect if WWE rolled out a spot like that on a go-home show. As for Taker's and Shane’s in-ring abilities, it’s obviously going to be limited and limp, but if WWE ramps up the big spots, it should get the match through.
Match Prediction: The Undertaker
EB: Fans should realistically expect a match overbooked to hell, with plenty of interference and one giant leap for McMahon-kind, courtesy of Shane-O-Mac. The match is not going to be a traditional wrestling match by any means, but it will be full of high spots and cameo appearances, ensuring that fans are not disappointed in the slightest. They should also expect Shane to win because, if not, what was the point of having him tell the audience that the show sucks if there is no plan to have him stick around and fix it?
Match Prediction: Shane McMahon
BJ: They can expect a spotfest that offers more thrills and spills than your average Hell in a Cell match as of 2016—the setting and the participants are all aligned for that to happen. That said, anyone looking for this match to change the status quo in WWE will likely be disappointed.
Match Prediction: Undertaker
JM: Fans should expect a plodding, methodical dance led by The Undertaker, followed by a flurry of highlights in a short span. That's not necessarily a bad thing. As long as the two men can tell a story that keeps with the pace of the match, then it'll be entertaining. I think fans will be pleasantly surprised.
Match Prediction: Somehow, some way, Shane McMahon
Triple H vs. Roman Reigns (WWE World Heavyweight Championship)
14 of 15Q: Is this year the last time WWE fans will see Triple H in a WrestleMania match?
AM: Triple H has been in great shape the past few times he's wrestled, so factoring that in with his relaxed in-ring schedule, I think he'll be wrestling for many years to come. There are still big matches he can have against Seth Rollins, AJ Styles and even The Rock, as teased last year. No future matches will be for the championship, though.
Match Prediction: Roman Reigns wins the title.
AB: It simply has to be. The guy is a legend of the business and has been a real asset for the company for years, but it’s time to let it go now. You suspect if Seth Rollins had been fit, Hunter wouldn’t have graced the main event, but that’s just the way it is.
Match Prediction: Roman Reigns, sadly
EB: No. The Game is wrestling some of the best matches of his career this year. He is in tremendous shape and has looked more motivated than ever to prove that he can hang with the brightest young stars in the industry. Add to that the fact that he is the most reliable and well-booked heel on the roster—outside of his wife that is—and you have plenty of reason to suspect that The King of Kings will be back in the marquee match of WrestleMania in years to come.
Match Prediction: Roman Reigns
BJ: No. There are a couple of irresistible matches between The Game and talent seasoned in NXT that seem inevitable. Hopefully we'll see Triple H take on at least Finn Balor and Seth Rollins on the grand stage before he hangs up his boots and his sledgehammer.
Match Prediction: Roman Reigns
JM: It sure as hell needs to be. Injuries not withstanding, WWE has the deepest, most talented roster of Superstars it's ever had. Triple H doesn't need to be front-and-center in WrestleMania matches. That's not to say he can't be involved in someone's corner or cut promos like he did in Santa Clara last year. But as far as working inside the squared circle, it's time to hang up those boots.
Match Prediction: Roman Reigns
Bonus Question No. 3
15 of 15
Q: Time for foreshadowing: What is the opening promo for Raw the day after WrestleMania 32?
AM: If Shane McMahon is victorious, he needs to open the show, but the last thing that should happen is for Triple H and Stephanie McMahon to come out first. Then again, Roman Reigns trotting out with the title will probably upset a lot of fans, too, as would a retiring Undertaker. Maybe the best-case scenario is for The Rock to cut a promo, as he should still be in the area, and that will rile the crowd up no matter what he says.
AB: If I’m dreaming, Roman Reigns comes out and cuts a promo saying he did it all without the help of the fans, who were more interested in booing him. It’s got all the hallmarks of a heel turn, and then Seth Rollins’ music hits. Or even Dean Ambrose’s, saying he wants the title he’s been robbed of. More realistically, it’s going to be Reigns coming out and The Authority unveiling his next challenger.
EB: Shane McMahon, win or lose. The second-generation McMahon has been one of the few Superstars to generate interest and excitement on The Road to WrestleMania 32, so fans will understandably want to know if he sparked a new era in WWE or if he fell at the feet of The Phenom as so many others have before him.
BJ: It has to be Undertaker following up on his showing, regardless of the outcome. Unless he loses his WrestleMania privileges this Sunday, we may well have an inkling about his opponent for the 2017 edition of the show by the end of Monday night's broadcast.
JM: Unless aliens interfere with the world title match, then either Shane McMahon or Vince McMahon leads off this show. Since I believe Shane wins on Sunday, I would assume he rescinds Vince's WrestleMania clause. If Undertaker wins, I hope Shane walks out and tells everyone the dirt he's got on his old man.
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