Well here we are again… again. It’s the third year I’ve woke up and decided to write a blog on the morning of Night 1 of WrestleMania. Year 1 the pandemic had just begun, my own personal life was a mess, and the world looked pretty bleak… WrestleMania helped. Year 2 and my personal life again was in tatters, Pandemic was ongoing, but then once again WrestleMania helped. This time around and it appears the pandemic is at a stage that the world can JUST ABOUT handle it, although the world hasn’t totally got its act together just yet… my own personal life is certainly far better than it was this time last year, and the year before that also… so let’s see where that goes… but one thing is certain, WrestleMania is BACK! As we knew it, for the first time in the two night era it very much feels like WrestleMania weekend as we know it.
Today (Saturday) I’m in the process of watching ROH, GCW, AEW, WWE shows to have me caught up before NXT and WrestleMania later. Over 10 hours of catch up from Friday, then probably 7/8 hours live… and I LOVE it!
As I always say, whatever is happening on my life (in the bad times of the past, or even right now when I’m doing pretty good), wrestling is always there. And even though I’ve not exactly been enamoured with the way WWE run their company or their TV product in the last few months, WrestleMania does feel like the show of shows. And to be honest I actually think both nights should be (at worst) FUN, I for one am looking forward to it. Sure some matches I could give or take, but there’s 5/6 matches across both nights that I cannot WAIT for…
Night 1
Raw Women’s Championship: Bianca Belair vs Becky Lynch (C) – I love this match up. I’ve really enjoyed this slow turn of Becky into a crazed heel, and I think this will only go up a few notches if/when she loses her title. Bianca is an absolute star, I’ve thought as much ever since I saw her in NXT. None of her successes surprise me too much, and I hope she gets her moment once again here.
The Mysterios vs The Miz & Logan Paul – Can’t say I’m all that fussed about this, but it’ll be fun I know that. I could see all possibilities here, so I’m just gonna let it entertain me… we shall see…
Drew McIntyre vs Happy Corbin (with Madcap Moss) – absolutely not a Mania worthy match, but I would say that about most things given my love of Drew. I heard someone say they wanted to see McIntyre hit the Claymore right away and it be over… that wouldn’t upset me I can’t lie… but although he’s had an awful run of gimmicks, I do think Corbin gets way too much stick as a performer. And people don’t see how good a worker he is either… maybe this is the time to give Drew the End Of Days kick out??? We shall see, but these are two great-good workers so maybe they’ll surprise us…
SmackDown Tag Team Championship: The Usos (C) vs Shinsuke Nakamura & Rick Boogs – Feel like this is a theme, but this doesn’t feel Mania worthy to me… maybe we get new champs? Maybe it’s just a good match? 4 very good workers so the match I don’t worry about at all, but me personally I wouldn’t beat The Usos here…
Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods vs Sheamus & Ridge Holland – This isn’t really ‘Mania level’ either, but this can be given a pass on that front. Seems pretty obvious to me that prior to his recent injury, this match was surely going to be a 6 man tag, and the reunion of The New Day with Big E alongside his brothers. But it was not to be… again this should be lots of fun… and maybe the result here sets up the next challengers for whoever wins the tag title match?
Seth Rollins vs… ??? – Say what you will, but I’ve LOVED the way Seth has led the build to this. He’s been one of my favourite characters on WWE TV for a little while now, and I’m happy he’s getting this big spot on the WrestleMania card. Ofc we all know who we think and want it to be… there’s so many rumours and yes and no, and he’s signed and he’s gonna back out… but let’s just see shall we. I know the crowd and majority watching on tv won’t accept anyone else… but hopefully Seth’s Road to WrestleMania hasn’t all been smoke and mirrors, and his American dreams don’t turn into nightmares , dashed before our eyes… we shall see…
The KO show (with special guest Stone Cold Steve Austin) – this will be something for sure… I presume Kevin Owens will come out, talk, Austin will come out to a huge pop, they’ll go back and forth verbally and then get into a wild brawl. And Austin will drink some beers and we will all love it. Same old with Austin but… ITS STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN FOR FUCK SAKE, so LETS FUCKING GOOOOOO!!!
SmackDown Women’s Championship: Ronda Rousey vs Charlotte Flair (C) – people don’t seem all that excited for this one, not universally anyway… idk why… it’s a HUGE match up. Are we forgetting how good their first match was? I think if they go and have a fight it’ll be great. If they try and wrestle it might be tricky, but I’m confident enough will of gone into this match to make it pretty good. Given she’s sticking around I’m almost certain Ronda will win, but having Rousey hold your belt can only elevate it surely?
Night 2
Fatal 4 way match for the Women’s Tag titles – Lots of good talents in this match, but it feels like the women’s tag titles are just token on the Mania card. Since their inception we’ve had them ONCE contested at a WrestleMania in a straight tag match, discounting last year where there was a qualifier on night 1 to get the title match on night 2. I don’t know who you reverse the course and make these titles genuinely important, at this point they may already be a lost cause… but for me, I can’t bare to see Sasha Banks go 0-7 at Wrestlemanias … so I hope her and Naomi win.
Johnny Knoxville vs Sami Zayn – so it’s Anything goes here, which means it’ll be wild and a lot of fun. Will it be technically spectacular? No of course not. But we know Zayn is excellent, and Knoxville has made his life from taking crazy bumps and stunts, so this will be something that’s for sure… I guess you’d go Zayn to win? Or maybe not but either way this will be fun…
Pat McAfee vs Austin Theory – having seen what he did in NXT, I think people will be happily surprised by Pat in this one. It’s a very random feud, but hey this will be a good watch. Pat has to win doesn’t he? Doesn’t he???
Raw Tag Team Championship: RK-Bro (C) vs Street Profits vs Alpha Academy – in-ring wise this should be GREAT. Good workers all round here, so wrestling wise it’ll be fun, and they’re all fairly over so the crowd should love it. It all depends what they wanna do with these long term that will dictate the result, my guess (purely because I don’t feel It’s time to split them or see them lose) would be the champions retain…
Edge vs AJ Styles – I cannot WAIT for this one! Two incredible wrestlers, a proper WrestleMania worthy dream match! I adore this new heel Edge with the BANGER music, and with talk of a faction led by him coming soon, I see him winning here. Maybe with help from the new team we shall see, but this could well be the best match of both nights!
Bobby Lashley vs Omos – god I hope this isn’t very long… it’ll be some sight to see these two wrestle, it was certainly a sight to see Lashley knock Omos off his feet on Raw. And I’ll be honest, I’ve been a Bobby Lashley mark since 2007, so maybe I’m biased but I’m low-let excited for this one! Result wise… I mean you shouldn’t beat Omos, cause when you do… what next? Although maybe Lashley could face the winner of the main event next up, given he has history with both men… but the best idea I’ve heard all week was the MVP betrays Lashley and manages Omos after this going forward, so I would LOVE to see that! Fingers crossed.
Winner takes all match to Unify the WWE Championship and the Universal Championship: Brock Lesnar (C) vs Roman Reigns (C) (with Paul Heyman) – look, I get Roman vs Brock again bores people… but you know what? FUCK OFF! This is a totally different Brock and a totally different Reigns, and both different for the better! I’ve loved this build up, and I think this match is gonna be carnage. Let’s think about the title situation after, they’ll do whatever they wanna do and I’m sure people will be annoyed but fuck it… it is what it is… As fans let’s just enjoy what we’ve got here, two genuine mega stars in a WrestleMania main event that definitely feels as such. Two very good wrestlers, two huge dudes and it all should equal an absolute war. Roman has to win surely, at least if my dream scanerio is to come true he does…
Then MAYBE… we will see what Roman can smell…
So that’s the Mania line up… the strongest ever? No. But some genuine dream matches? Yes for sure! I think people will be pleasantly surprised. WrestleMania 31 had low expectations and people now say it was one of the better Manias in recent times… so who knows? I for one am excited. Seems a long time at this very moment until I can get there, I’m currently finishing the ROH show before I have GCW, Rampage, SmackDown AND hall of fame to view all before NXT Stand and Deliver and of course the first night of the big one.
But this weekend is the highlight of my year, and whilst I’m in a very much better place mental health wise than I was this time the last two years, it’s still like Christmas to us wrestling fans. So whatever you think, and whatever company you’ll be watching this weekend, have fun and ENJOY!
Josh.
NobodyisReady.com 