Happy WrestleMania Sunday, everyone! It’s the best day of the wrestling year, as the showcase of the immortals emanates from New Orleans tonight. Who’s going to win all the matches tonight? Our Sports Al Dente wrestling team of Talon Graff, Austin Hough, and Miles MacDonald submit their picks on who’s going to win every match tonight.
NOTE: Since John Cena vs. The Undertaker hasn’t been officially announced, it will not be selected in this rundown. The consensus is that The Deadman will answer the challenge from Cena, though, and defeat the Cenation leader tonight.
WrestleMania Pre-Show
Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal
Talon Graff: Dolph Ziggler. Ziggler’s career with WWE has been up and down but he seems to have settled into a nice little niche. Ziggler will get his moment when he eliminates Matt Hardy and a returning Bray Wyatt simultaneously who are too busy fighting each other.
Austin Hough: Tye Dillinger. He’s been needing a purpose to be on the main roster for a while, and a victory in the Andre battle royal should give him something to build off for the future.
Miles McDonald: Elias. Being, arguably, the most popular superstar in the match, Elias will win this match and earn some much-needed cred.
Women’s Battle Royal
TG: Ruby Riott. Riott has been given a nice little push lately, even earning a shot at Charlotte for the Smackdown Women’s Championship. She builds on her momentum at WrestleMania 34.
AH: Becky Lynch. Much like Dillinger, Lynch hasn’t had much going on the past few months. A victory in the inaugural women’s battle royal could help give her some direction.
MM: Riott. Not unlike Elias, Riott could use the boost from this win and after seeing her match with Charlotte at Fastlane, She’s ready for the main event.
Mustafa Ali vs Cedric Alexander for the Cruiserweight Championship
TG: Mustafa Ali. Ali has built up quite a reputation and has looked good during the tournament. I think WWE puts the belt on him for a while.
AH: Ali. I’m a Chicago kid, so my heart is with Mustafa Ali. He and Alexander are going to steal the show on the pre-show tonight.
MM: Cedric Alexander. After waiting literally months for this opportunity, Cedric will be rewarded by finally winning the thing he has sought after for so long.
Daniel Bryan celebrates winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship on April 6, 2014 at WrestleMania 30. Photo credit Miguel Discart – Under Creative Commons License.
Main Show
Daniel Bryan & Shane McMahon vs Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn
TG: Owens and Zayn. Owens and Zayn are clearly going to win this one, but how they put together the finish is up in the air. Could Bryan turn on Shane or vice versa? Will Owens & Zayn get a clean win? I think Bryan will betray McMahon and start a bit of a faction with Owens & Zayn while WWE eases him back to full-time action.
AH: Owens and Zayn. Like what Talon alluded to, I could see a heel turn coming from either Bryan or McMahon. A faction of Bryan, Owens and Zayn could be well done. It would be interesting to see Bryan as a bad guy on TV after being so beloved by the fans, but that may be the route WWE takes in this one.
MM: Owens and Zayn. Whether by hook, crook or DQ, Zayn and Owens will win the match and remain employed.
Kurt Angle & Ronda Rousey vs Triple H & Stephanie McMahon
TG: Angle and Rousey. Ronda will get a win in her debut and the finish will be Triple H and Stephanie simultaneously tapping out to Kurt and Ronda, respectively.
AH: Angle and Rousey. There’s no way Ronda Rousey loses her debut match in WWE. Plain and simple.
MM: Angle and Rousey. There is no doubt that Ronda and Kurt will win and that the Authority will get their long-awaited comeuppance.
Usos vs New Day vs Bludgeon Brothers for Smackdown Tag Team Championships
TG: Bludgeon Brothers. WWE has been building Harper and Rowan for a while now and portrayed them as totally dominating. I don’t think they win easily but I think they do win.
AH: Usos. This is their first time being on the main card of WrestleMania, and I think they get rewarded for that by retaining their championships. They’ll pin The New Day to keep the Bludgeon Brothers looking strong.
MM: Bludgeon Brothers. It’s about time for the brothers to win the titles and let the titles make them the champions they want to be.
The Bar vs Braun Strowman & Mystery Partner for the Raw Tag Team Championships
TG: Braun and Mystery Partner. I think Dean Ambrose gets his return at WrestleMania and wins the tag belts with Braun.
AH: Braun and Mystery Partner. BRRRRRRAAAAAAAUUUUUUUNNNNNNN!!! Dark horse picks for his partner: Bray Wyatt or Lars Sullivan.
MM: Braun and Mystery Partner. Whoever Braun picks, the team will win and Braun will win his first championship in WWE.Alexa Bliss vs Nia Jax for the Raw Women’s Championship
TG: Nia Jax. Nia Jax gets her revenge on her “friend” and begins her reign.
AH: Alexa Bliss by DQ…then Carmella. The princess of Staten Island needs a fresh start, and having her cash-in her MITB briefcase on Alexa Bliss would be a great way to do that. Jax destroys Bliss after the match, setting up the cash-in.
MM: Jax. It’s time for Nia’s first WWE championship and for the championship to raise her to the superstar they want her to be.
Charlotte Flair vs Asuka for the Smackdown Women’s Championship
TG: Asuka…Twice. Asuka defeats Charlotte for her first championship as a member of the main roster. After she and Flair steal the show, Carmella comes out to cash in her MITB briefcase, but Asuka slaps on an Asuka Lock before Carmella can think twice and taps to the newly crowned champion, keeping her undefeated streak alive.
AH: Asuka. The Empress of Tomorrow takes down the Queen in the biggest women’s wrestling match of all-time.
MM: Asuka. Asuka wins in dominant fashion and begins her reign of dominance over the women’s division.
Randy Orton vs Bobby Roode vs Jinder Mahal vs Rusev for the United States Championship
TG: Bobby Roode. Roode was doing a great job of carrying the US Championship before dropping it to Randy so he could be called a Grand Slam Champion, don’t get me wrong it is deserving. However, Roode deserves the belt and earns it back.
AH: Mahal. I so desperately want it to be Rusev. Every fiber in my being wants Rusev to win tonight. But I have a gut feeling Mahal somehow leaves New Orleans with the title. Ugh.
MM: Rusev. I could honestly see anyone of these guys winning but with the cheers that Rusev has been getting, He’ll win this match and hold onto the championship for a while.
The Miz vs Seth Rollins vs Finn Balor for the Intercontinental Championship
TG: Finn Balor. Finn never got back to the status he was when he got injured after winning the Universal Championship from Seth Rollins. Balor returns to that glory at WrestleMania.
AH: Rollins. The Architect has transformed himself over the past few months, and I think he finds a way to leave New Orleans as the new Intercontinental champion,
MM: Miz. Like the U.S. Championship match, I could anyone of these three guys winning. However, they will keep the title on the Miz to build the story and the record.
AJ Styles vs Shinsuke Nakamura for the WWE Championship
TG: Shinsuke Nakamura. The winner of the Men’s Royal Rumble and Women’s Royal Rumble each win their respective championship matches. Shinsuke ends Styles’ reign and becomes the most charismatic champion that we have had in a long time.
AH: Nakamura. I could really see AJ Styles winning tonight, but my money is on Nakamura. It’s his time to be the top champion on Smackdown, and I’m excited for the potential matches he could have with the likes of Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, and Daniel Bryan.
MM: AJ Styles. With so many title changes, I think they’ll keep the title on Styles and continue to build Shinsuke until his eventual title win.
Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns for the WWE Universal Championship
TG: Roman Reigns. Lesnar is moving on from WWE and returning to UFC competition. This outcome has been planned for a while, though, as Reigns has been pushed as the next face of the company. Roman claims his spot on top and sends Lesnar packing.
AH: Reigns. The only way Lesnar retains is if he has secretly signed an extension with WWE. Otherwise, this is the last night we’ll see the Beast Incarnate on WWE programing for a long time. Reigns wins after his 600th spear in the match finally keeps the champ down.
MM: Reigns. You, me and your grandmother all know what’s coming and we have no choice but to sit back and watch as it unfolds.