This year’s WrestleMania is the biggest show in the history of World Wrestling Entertainment. While the card may not come across as some dream lineup full of must-see matches, WWE fans are coming out in full force to attend the event at AT&T Stadium just outside of Dallas, Texas. The home of the NFL’s Cowboys has reportedly sold over 85,000 tickets, which is a legitimate record for WWE.
When the show airs this Sunday, they may announce a different number like 95,000 people or perhaps something over 100,000 people is possible as well. Since WWE is an entertainment show, they tend to do that sort of thing. Even WWE Chairman/CEO Vince McMahon tweeted about the attendance.
Old Record: 93,173 at Pontiac Silverdome.
New Record: This Sunday at @ATTStadium?#WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/6qt0BSxfDT
— Vince McMahon (@VinceMcMahon) March 30, 2016
Even though some fans may consider WWE’s product to not be hot right now in terms of TV ratings and attendance figures, it’s hard to deny the amazing success they already have with WrestleMania by having such a big crowd. Is it the lineup that drew people in or is it venue? There’s no clear answer to that question, but it’s probably a little of both.
When WWE puts WrestleMania tickets on sale every November they get a rush of fans all over the world that scoop up tickets. This year, one match made a big difference on Ticketmaster as well as secondary markets (like Stubhub) and that was Shane McMahon vs. The Undertaker. Once Shane came back after Fastlane last month, leading to Vince putting his son in a Hell in a Match with The Undertaker, WWE fans made the decision that this was a must-see show and they wanted to be there.
In addition to the Shane/Taker match, two other matches share the billing as the main event bouts on the show: Triple H vs. Roman Reigns for the WWE Title and Brock Lesnar vs. Dean Ambrose in a No Holds Barred Street Fight. It’s time to take a closer look at those matches as well as the rest of the eleven match card.
WWE Title: Triple H vs. Roman Reigns
It would be a surprise if Reigns didn’t win the WWE Title back after losing it at January’s Royal Rumble when he was forced to defend the gold in that match, which was won by Triple H. They’re likely going to get 20-30 minutes of in-ring time, so the quality of the match should be pretty high. Reigns has his haters, yet if you look at his performances in big matches he has done well for himself.
What’s most interesting about this match will be the crowd reactions. Reigns is booed by some WWE fans that are likely sick of him getting pushed hard as the next big babyface superstar. This could be the perfect time to turn him heel by having him do something cheap to win the gold. Then again, WWE may be stubborn about this and may want him to remain a face because Vince needs somebody to be in that spot since Cena’s nearly 40 years old. If Reigns wins as a face and the crowd boos, it’s not a reaction WWE wants. Will they change things up? Maybe, but Cena has faced those same boos for 10 years. Things turned out pretty well for him. It may the be the same for Reigns too.
Prediction: Roman Reigns by pinfall leading to loud boos
Hell in a Cell: Shane McMahon vs. The Undertaker
There’s a stipulation on this match. If Shane wins, he controls Raw and Undertaker wrestles at his last WrestleMania. Also, if Shane loses than he can’t use some made-up power he holds over his dad’s head — likely some bailout storyline that was never really explained.
This is a match that I wrote about in depth in this space two weeks ago with a prediction that Shane McMahon was going to win. The feeling was that WWE needs to change the stale storyline of the heel Authority group being in charge. Then this week’s Raw happened, with Shane taking out Taker with a flying elbow drop off the turnbuckle through the announcer table. Typical WWE booking usually sees the person in the advantage on the last Raw losing at the PPV, so that makes me think Undertaker may win.
If Shane wins, how do they do it? Probably have some sort of interference. Who might that be? We don’t know. Undertaker winning makes sense because obviously he’s one of the best wrestlers ever, while Shane is a part-timer that hasn’t had a match in over six years. I’m still leaning towards Shane in what should be an awesome match where he puts his body on the line like he has done so many times in the past. It may not be clean, but that’s okay. It’s more about changing the direction of the company.
As for Undertaker’s “last WrestleMania” stipulation, this is WWE — we know things can change at any time. He’s probably facing Cena at next year’s WrestleMania anyway.
Will Shane do some crazy spot that makes people chant “holy shit” for him? Yeah. Maybe two or three.
Prediction: Shane McMahon with some help
No Holds Barred Street Fight: Brock Lesnar vs. Dean Ambrose
This is my favorite match on the card because the build has been the best of any match. Lesnar’s the dominant big guy that wants to beat up whoever he’s in the ring against, while Ambrose is the underdog that never gives up while always finding a way to come back. That’s the easiest story to tell in wrestling, but when you have guys that are as good as Lesnar and Ambrose, that’s when you can have a match that really has the chance of being special. If they get 20+ minutes, chances are good we are talking about a match of the year contender.
Picking a winner here is tough because it would do wonders for Ambrose to go over. It would be the kind of thing that can propel him to the WWE Title later this year. However, WWE books Lesnar in such a strong way that they may be hesitant to have him lose. He could be a top contender for the WWE Title again. That’s why a win here seems very likely.
An X Factor in the match could be the Wyatt Family. They’ve attacked Lesnar in the past, so they may do it again as a way to give Ambrose a win. It wouldn’t be a case of them helping Ambrose — it would be more of a way to advance Lesnar’s feud with them. My feeling is that Lesnar will be the victor while the Wyatt Family may attack him the next night on Raw. It will be a valiant effort for the heroic Ambrose, but in the end Lesnar will be too much for him.
Prediction: Brock Lesnar wins a close battle that’s an instant classic
The Rest Of The Show
Intercontinental Title Ladder Match: Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn vs. The Miz vs. Sin Cara vs. Stardust vs. Zack Ryder vs. Dolph Ziggler
There have been so many multi-man ladder matches that we should know what to expect here. Guys will hit some big spots, the crowd will “ooh” and “ahh” while hoping that nobody gets hurt along the way. Owens retaining the title seems like the right call because they can have him feud with arch nemesis Zayn post WM. Keep the gold on Owens for now.
Divas Title: Charlotte vs. Sasha Banks vs. Becky Lynch
A title change seems inevitable here — it’s just a matter of whether Banks or Lynch leaves with the gold. Charlotte’s done a good job of evolving as a performer due to her heel run as champion for the last six months. Banks seems like the more likely choice just because she has more of the crowd supporting her. What’s really exciting is that this could be one of the longest women’s matches in WrestleMania history. It’s a good time for it because these three have amazing chemistry. In the end, Banks should leave with the title.
On another note regarding the divas, there’s a rumor that the Divas Title will be replaced by the Women’s Title on the Raw after WrestleMania. It seems like it’ll happen. That would be a good thing because the Divas Title looks silly while the Women’s Title is a more respectable name.
Chris Jericho vs. AJ Styles
This is their fourth match in the last two months since Styles debuted at January’s Royal Rumble. Styles won the first time on Raw, then Jericho won on Smackdown and Styles won at Fastlane. Shortly after that, Jericho turned heel and now it feels like a more personal feud. All of their matches have been very good and this one can be great if they approach 20 minutes of in-ring time. Look for Styles to get the clean win in what should be a spectacular WrestleMania debut.
Handicap Tag Match: Big E, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods vs. Sheamus, Rusev, King Barrett and Alberto Del Rio
Even though The New Day are the Tag Team Champions, this isn’t for the tag titles. It’s a 3-on-4 handicap match. Since New Day has won multiple title matches against them, I think it’s time for the League of Nations foursome to get the win in order to build them up as a credible group.
United States Title: Kalisto vs. Ryback
Ryback’s turning heel as a bully that picks on the little guys like Kalisto. It’s not a very good feud that should generate little reaction from the crowd, but it’s a way to put Ryback over. Look for the “Big Guy” Ryback to be the new US Champ.
Team Total Divas: Natalya, Alicia Fox, Brie Bella, Paige & Eva Marie vs. Team Blonde & Bad: Lana, Naomi, Tamina, Summer Rae & Emma
Since WWE has a big roster of women that aren’t in the title picture, they decided to put them together in a tag match as a way to get them on the card. This match probably won’t be that long or that exciting, but Brie Bella should get the deciding fall for her side since she is retiring from WWE very soon.
The Dudleys vs. The Usos
When The Dudleys returned to WWE last year they were faces. Then they turned heel a couple of months ago by attacking The Usos. It’s leading to this match on the WrestleMania Kickoff show where The Usos should win to get their revenge after getting beat up so much.
The Andre The Giant Battle Royal
It’s the third annual Andre the Giant Battle Royal match for the guys that aren’t in another WrestleMania. The match is expected to feature about 20 guys, although at this point WWE hasn’t announced all the names. The favorites in the match would have be Wyatt Family members Bray Wyatt, Braun Strowman or Erick Rowan (Luke Harper is out with a knee injury), although WWE wants people to think Kane and Big Show (last year’s winner) are the favorites. There may also be a surprise return by Cesaro, who won the battle royal two years ago. It makes a lot of sense to put Strowman over here, so that’s my pick.
Don’t Forget The Special Guest Stars
There are several big WWE names that are expected to be at WrestleMania including The Rock, who WWE has advertised heavily. They haven’t advertised a specific role for him, but that’s not a bad thing. The Rock made surprise appearances at both WrestleManias 30 and 31, so if he wants to show up, fans should be excited about it. Think of it as a treat.
Other WWE legends like “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels and Mick Foley are expected to be on the show in some way too. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Austin hits somebody with a Stunner as well. One of the Social Outcasts, perhaps?
Former WWE Champions John Cena and Seth Rollins haven’t been cleared to wrestle after dealing with shoulder and knee injuries, respectively, but there’s a chance they could find a way to be on the card too. Cena was promoting WrestleMania on NBC’s Today Show and Tonight Show, even though he hasn’t been on WWE TV in months.
Could Hulk Hogan make his return after being fired last year? Probably not. It may be too soon to welcome back the Hulkster, but it could still happen.
Another wildcard name is Kurt Angle. For the first time since he left WWE 10 years ago, Angle is no longer a contracted performer for TNA Wrestling. They could bring him back any time. I don’t expect it, but I sure would love it.
How To Watch
WrestleMania 32 takes place this Sunday night (April 3) on WWE Network, live from the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The action begins at around 5:00pm ET for the Kickoff Show with the main PPV portion of the show starting at 7 p.m. ET. If you don’t have WWE Network, you can sign up for free at WWE.com right now and enjoy the broadcast that’s likely going to last over five hours. Pace yourselves because it’s going to be a long night.
