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WWE WrestleMania 35 Matches: Full Card, Top Unanswered Questions Going into PPV

Erik Beaston@@ErikBeastonFeatured ColumnistApril 7, 2019

Credit: WWE.com

The grandeur and glitz of WrestleMania will take over MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sunday night. While we know many things, including the fact that Ronda Rousey, Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch will become the first women to main-event The Showcase of the Immortals as they battle for the Raw and SmackDown Women's Championships in a Winner Take All match, there remain some unanswered questions ahead of the event.

Some surround unscheduled talent and whether they will appear on the show or not. Another, the outcome of one of the highest-profile bouts on the card.

What answers, if any, can be provided before wrestling's greatest spectacle hits the WWE Network airwaves Sunday afternoon?

First, a look at the massive card.

   

Match Card

Triple Threat, Winner Takes All match for the Raw and SmackDown Women's Championships: Becky Lynch vs. Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair

WWE Championship match: Kofi Kingston vs. Daniel Bryan

Universal Championship match: Seth Rollins vs. Brock Lesnar

Intercontinental Championship match: Finn Balor vs. Bobby Lashley

United States Championship match: Rey Mysterio vs. Samoa Joe

Raw Tag Team Championships match: Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins vs. The Revival

SmackDown Tag Team Championships match: The Usos vs. Aleister Black and Ricochet vs. The Bar vs. Shinsuke Nakamura and Rusev

Women's Tag Team Championships match: Bayley and Sasha Banks vs. Beth Phoenix and Natalya vs. The IIconics vs. Nia Jax and Tamina Snuka

Cruiserweight Championship match: Tony Nese vs. Buddy Murphy

No Holds Barred: Triple H vs. Batista

Falls Count Anywhere: The Miz vs. Shane McMahon

Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre

Kurt Angle vs. Baron Corbin

AJ Styles vs. Randy Orton

Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal

Women's Battle Royal

     

In What Capacity Will John Cena and The Undertaker Appear Sunday?

Both John Cena and The Undertaker are in town for WrestleMania.

We saw the former at Saturday's Hall of Fame ceremony as he presented Sue Aitchison the 2019 Warrior Award. It is the first time Cena appeared on WWE television since teaming with Becky Lynch to defeat Andrade and Zelina Vega in a SmackDown mixed tag team match.

The Deadman's wife, Michelle McCool, was at the ceremony in support of Torrie Wilson.

There are no two Superstars more synonymous with The Show of Shows over the last decade than Cena and Undertaker. Entire shows have been built around them, and rightfully so. They are icons of the industry, household names and transcendent performers.

Both are expected to appear on this year's broadcast. How remains to be seen.

We know Elias has been promising a major musical performance, and if last year taught us anything, it is that Cena has no problem interrupting the sinister songster. Could the 16-time world champion become the latest to infuriate Elias, interrupting his performance and putting a damper on his WrestleMania 35?

Perhaps it will be the Deadman in that spot. After all, Elias began utilizing Undertaker's Old School maneuver in matches. More than a tip of the hat to an industry great, maybe it was a hint at what fans could expect on the grand stage. 

One thing that does appear to be certain: Cena will not be facing Kurt Angle in his farewell match, as that spot appears to be Baron Corbin's, whether anyone likes it or not.

    

Will WWE Creative Really Put Seth Rollins Over Brock Lesnar?

The Universal Championship is on the line Sunday night as Seth Rollins challenges Brock Lesnar in one of this year's marquee bouts. There is a great deal of excitement for The BeastSlayer and 2019 Royal Rumble winner possibly dethroning Lesnar, but recent history tells us Lesnar simply does not lose when you expect him to.

A year ago, on the same stage, he flipped expectation the bird and defeated Roman Reigns in a relatively one-sided ass-whupping. He successfully retained against The Big Dog at WWE Greatest Royal Rumble and defeated Braun Strowman to begin his current reign at Crown Jewel.

With uncertainty surrounding his contractual status with WWE, what once felt like a sure thing now has a shadow of doubt cast over it. Rollins downing Lesnar and standing tall Monday night, in a current landscape in which 50-50 booking is prevalent, only creates further concern that Lesnar's reign as champion may not come crashing down Sunday at WrestleMania.

If it does not, expect venomous rebuttals from fans tired of the part-time champion holding Raw's top prize hostage, and rightfully so. They have seen this story play out before, and no sequel or Hollywood remake will make it any more palatable.

Rollins needs to win the match Sunday, leave East Rutherford as champion and usher in a new era for Raw in which the flagship does not have to wait months at a time for its champion to grace it with his ever-so-important presence.

    

What Are Ronda Rousey's Post-WrestleMania Plans?

Without Ronda Rousey, women would not be headlining WrestleMania.

It is a fact that Charlotte Flair admitted in her latest WWE Chronicle special and one even Rowdy's biggest detractors cannot deny. She is a star, has crossover appeal and has brought legitimacy to the women's division that the writing team could not accomplish on its best day.

The question ahead of her appearance in Sunday's HERstoric main event is whether or not she is taking a hiatus following WrestleMania.

If so, it could determine how WWE Creative and Vince McMahon himself approach the finish of the bout.

If Rousey stays, preserving her big-fight aura and unbeaten streak remain key. Even if she does not leave victoriously, which she should not, protecting Rousey's un-pinned and un-submitted streak will allow for a one-on-one match between her and Becky Lynch at some point down the line.

Sacrifice either of those defeats Sunday and you ruin a legitimate opportunity for a big-money showdown.

Should Rowdy take the hiatus, then beating her has far less consequence. Use her star to put Lynch over and make The Man the enormous star she should be coming out of the show.