WWE WrestleMania 37: Matches That Would Benefit from Cinematic Style

WrestleMania 37 will provide a sense of normalcy to the wrestling world, as fans will file into Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, but wrestling during the COVID-19 pandemic did provide some positives.

Chief among them was the use and normalization of cinematic matches, which was something WWE rarely did when shows played out in front of packed houses prior to the pandemic.

Last year's WrestleMania was highlighted by two of the most widely praised cinematic matches of all time in The Undertaker vs. AJ Styles Boneyard match and "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt vs. John Cena Firefly FunHouse contest.

WWE might try to cut down on the cinematic matches this year since there will be fans in attendance, but here is a closer look at three clashes that could be elevated by adding the cinematic element.

Randy Orton vs. The Fiend

The longest-running feud entering WrestleMania is the one between Randy Orton and "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt, meaning their match deserves all the bells and whistles possible.

After months away due to getting burned alive by Orton at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs in December, The Fiend finally returned at Fastlane last week during the match between The Viper and Alexa Bliss, helping the latter score her victory.

Now a burned, mangled mess, The Fiend is undoubtedly out for revenge against Orton, and he will have a chance to get it on The Grandest Stage of Them All on April 10-11.

Despite how deeply their rivalry runs, there wouldn't be a ton of interest in a straight-up singles bout between Orton and The Fiend. The narrative changes, however, when taking into account the possibility of a cinematic match.

Specifically, the second-ever Firefly FunHouse match would make all the sense in the world given the lengthy history they have together.

Last year's Firefly FunHouse bout between The Fiend and Cena was great since it drew on their past rivalries and the veteran beating Wyatt at WrestleMania 33.

Something similar could happen with The Fiend and Orton since The Legend Killer was once part of The Wyatt Family only to turn on them before beating Wyatt for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 33.

In fact, there is perhaps nobody on the roster who The Fiend has more history with than The Viper, making a Firefly FunHouse match the perfect stipulation since it is all about looking to the past and requiring someone to answer for what they did.

Orton wronged Wyatt in the past, and in order for the feud to culminate, he must be confronted with his decisions at this year's WrestleMania.

Braun Strowman vs. Shane McMahon

The recent issues between Braun Strowman and Shane McMahon are finally set to come to a head at WrestleMania after Shane-O-Mac accepted his rival's challenge on Raw.

Over the past several weeks, McMahon has been calling Strowman stupid every chance he has gotten, and he has made every attempt to play mind games and get under his skin as well.

Their scheduled match on the March 15 edition of Raw turned into a beatdown when McMahon hit The Monster Among Men with a camera, elbow-dropped him through the announce table and poured green paint over his head.

Then, their match at Fastlane six days later didn't happen after McMahon claimed he got injured during a training session earlier in the day, meaning he again escaped the clutches of The Monster Among Men.

Strowman will finally get his hands on Shane-O-Mac at WrestleMania, and the match could be enhanced by adding cinematic elements.

A hardcore stipulation like Falls Count Anywhere makes sense in terms of playing up to the strengths of both wrestlers, and while the match wouldn't have to be fully cinematic, some aspects of it could.

The Monster Among Men figures to display some amazing feats of strength during the match such as pushing over a vehicle, and making those types of segments cinematic could go a long way toward making them feel more authentic.

Strowman vs. McMahon may not be one of the top matches that most fans are looking forward to, but they have a chance to overdeliver if WWE takes extra care in the way the match is presented.

Bad Bunny vs. The Miz

After establishing himself as a regular character on Raw since the Royal Rumble in January, Grammy-winning rapper Bad Bunny will have his first true match at WrestleMania 37 when he faces The Miz.

The singer has acquitted himself well thus far and is clearly committed to entertaining the fans within a business he has loved and respected for many years.

There is little doubt that Bad Bunny wants to make sure the match is good and that he doesn't embarrass himself, and adding some cinematic elements is one way to help in that regard.

He is already in good hands against a veteran like The Miz, plus the presence of Damian Priest and John Morrison on the outside will allow WWE to make the match chaotic in order to keep fans entertained.

One thing that a cinematic match gives WWE the license to do is throw in some smoke and mirrors that aren't otherwise possible in a normal contest.

With Bad Bunny being a successful musician and Miz and Morrison now mocking him in a way by promoting a song of their own for Raw next week, perhaps WWE could book the match as if it's taking place in a music video.

WWE may just be content to do a normal match with Bad Bunny winning thanks to some help from Priest, but everyone involved would likely benefit from the company getting as creative and off-the-wall as possible with the match.

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