Mike Tedesco’s WrestleMania 32 Predictions
April 3, 2016
By: Mike Tedesco of Wrestleview.com
Well the day is upon us once again. WrestleMania is here. If you’re a wrestling fan, regardless if you love the product or have been down on it, you should be pretty amped up for this event. Has the build for the event been atrocious? Absolutely it has. If you need any proof, go back and read the last few reviews I wrote for RAW. Will it mean anything come show time? Most likely not. The build for last year’s WrestleMania was equally terrible, yet WWE still managed to pull out an event that was a lot of fun and quite memorable in a positive way. Was it the best WrestleMania of all time? I’d say no, but I would say it was a lot more entertaining and surprising than it had any right to be. I’m sure this year’s show will be no different. Though I’ve been down on the product, I truly am very much looking forward to seeing what the WWE will do to put on an entertaining event.
Just a quick note: There’s some confusion as to what matches are on the WrestleMania Kickoff program. I’ve heard different things, but I’m going by what the WWE’s WrestleMania website says.
WrestleMania Kickoff
The Usos vs. The Dudley Boyz
This is a complete and total “who cares” match. My hope is that it’s quick and over with. It’s been poorly built and truly doesn’t belong on the WrestleMania card even if it’s only a Kickoff Match. The Dudley Boyz are simply seen as a nostalgia act, and The Usos are staler than stale. They’ll most likely go with the young guys here.
Prediction: The Usos
WrestleMania Kickoff
The Total Divas vs. Team B.A.D. and Blonde
This is notable as it will most likely be the last match of Brie Bella’s professional wrestling career unless they do a match on RAW tomorrow night. I’m kind of half expecting Eva Marie to turn on her team here. She got such an awful reaction coming out on Monday night that I almost feel like they had to know it was going to happen so they could set up the heel turn. Oh wait, this is WWE creative I’m talking about. Never mind! This match is also notable because it’s the first match of Lana’s career, and it comes at WrestleMania. That’s a pretty high stress situation. She probably won’t be in the match long enough to screw anything up, so that shouldn’t be a problem. Even if Eva Marie turns on her team, I still see them coming out on top.
Prediction: The Total Divas
WrestleMania Kickoff
WWE United States Championship Match
Ryback vs. Kalisto (c)
This is listed on the WrestleMania website as a Kickoff match. We’ll see. Ryback did say at the Hall of Fame that his match would open WrestleMania, but he might have a broad definition of what opening WrestleMania really means. This kind of reminds me of when Kurt Angle ran into Daniel Puder at an airport. Angle asked him what he’s doing there, and Puder said he was in the main event, but it was really the Royal Rumble. Angle then told him that’s not really being in the main event and called him a moron. I digress. I honestly keep forgetting that Kalisto is the United States Champion because he’s booked to be invisible. Some are saying this could be the sleeper hit of WrestleMania. I’d like to see that actually happen. If they’re really committed to making Kalisto into the next Rey Mysterio (that’ll be a tough sell), then he should get this win.
Prediction: Kalisto retains
André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
This is one of those matches where literally anything can happen. The very first year it happened in 2014, Cesaro won despite not being announced as being in the match. Last year, Big Show won. Personally, I’d like to see Big Show win it again as it keeps the tradition of André the Giant alive as battle royals were his specialty. Other options to go with would be a surprise guy from NXT showing up and winning the thing like Samoa Joe. Hell, John Cena is saying he’s been cleared to compete. What if he came out and won the battle royal? Another great option would be to give the win to Bray Wyatt since he kind of got screwed out of the match against Brock Lesnar. There’s plenty of options for them to choose here. This is definitely going to be a mark against my record, but I’ve got to pick someone.
Prediction: Bray Wyatt
4 on 3 Handicap Match
The League of Nations vs. The New Day
I totally love The New Day. They’ve come so far in a year. Just watch the WrestleMania preshow from last year to see how badly they were sunk with a generic gimmick and look where they are now. They only have themselves to thank for that. They really showcased a ton of charisma and created something really special this past year. You can’t help but be happy for them, especially for a guy like Kofi Kingston who has been floating around the roster for quite sometime. That being said, this match just doesn’t get me too excited. Handicap Matches are usually boring as all hell. Then you add to the mix The League of Nations, a stable that was D.O.A. (not the wrestling stable) and it really brings it down. I still expect some fun antics from The New Day, but they could’ve been better utilized this year. It’d be neat if The New Day had a mystery partner show up to even this one out. Well, after what Kevin Von Erich accidentally called them last night at the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony, New Day really should win this.
Prediction: The New Day
Chris Jericho vs. AJ Styles
Ok, I thought their match at WWE Fast Lane was pretty good, but I’m expecting this one to be even better. Hell, from a technical standpoint, it might blow all the other matches away on the card. AJ Styles, still one of the best wrestlers in the world, on the biggest stage he’s ever performed on – you have to believe he’s going out there to completely steal the show. This should be an awesome match from start to finish. Jericho loses to everyone (see Zack Ryder on Monday Night RAW), so AJ really should pick up the win here. It’s a big match. If they really want to establish Styles as someone of importance and utilize him as best they can while he’s still not completely banged up, he’s got to win here. This better not wind up like Sting vs. Triple H last year.
Prediction: AJ Styles
WWE Intercontinental Championship – Ladder Match
Sami Zayn vs. Stardust vs. Sin Cara vs. Zack Ryder vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. The Miz vs. Kevin Owens (c)
Let me preface this by saying this will most likely be an awesome spectacle. That being said, the inclusion of Stardust, Sin Cara, and Zack Ryder completely lowers the prestige of the match. This would have been way better served to be a fatal four-way ladder match. When The Miz looks like a main eventer compared to three other individuals in the match, you know it’s trouble. Plus I think Kevin Owens should have had a better pick of opponents. Hell, if they really wanted to make this an awesome match, just have it be Owens vs. Zayn in a Ladder Match for the title. That’s who it will most likely come down to. While I’d like to see Zayn win to establish himself as a top tier guy, I can definitely see Owens coming out on top here to retain the title. Owens got himself into this mess storyline wise, and he’ll get himself out of it. It sure does seem like a long time ago that Owens beat John Cena in his first match on the main roster, doesn’t it?
Prediction: Kevin Owens retains
WWE Divas Championship – Triple Threat Match
Sasha Banks vs. Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte (c)
Hopefully this is given time and they let these women show what they can really do with (forgive me for borrowing a Curtis Axel line) the chains finally off. If that happens, this has the potential to be a fantastic match. The inclusion of Becky Lynch kind of feels out of place, but I guess she’s just there to take the pin. They want to protect Sasha Banks on this one I’d think. Yes, that means I think Charlotte is going to win. She’ll solidify herself as the new dirtiest player in the game with the original by her side. That’ll set up a singles feud for her and Sasha Banks that could last for a few PPVs. It’s all positive coming out of this one.
Prediction: Charlotte retains
No Holds Barred Match
Brock Lesnar vs. Dean Ambrose
Thinking about the vicious beating Dean Ambrose is going to take in this match makes me cringe. There certainly is some buzz surrounding this match, particularly since people think there’s going to be blood spilled in this one intentionally. Well, if you really believe that, log on or subscribe to the WWE Network (for free this month for first time subscribers) and watch the Finn Bálor vs. Samoa Joe match and let me know how you feel after that afterward. Lesnar has been built up as such an absolute monster. While Dean Ambrose needs a win here, I just can’t see it coming against the guy who ended Undertaker’s streak. I think Ambrose is going to be booked to look phenomenal and give Lesnar a run for his money, but some well placed interference from Paul Heyman should wind up costing him this match. Lesnar will have a newfound respect for Ambrose, and Ambrose will (hopefully) move to an even higher level on the card.
Prediction: Brock Lesnar
Hell in a Cell Match
If Shane McMahon wins, he gains control on Monday Night RAW
If The Undertaker loses, it will be his final WrestleMania
The Undertaker vs. Shane McMahon
There’s almost no doubt about it in my mind that this match will be going on last. This has all the hype and the buzz. Being at the Barclays Center this past Monday for RAW, there was a palpable excitement when these two had their segment to kick off the show. There are so many interesting ramifications that could result from the finish of the match. It’ll leave people excited and talking no matter what. That’s not including what should be a fantastic stunt show with Shane McMahon taking a sick bump of two from high up places. It’s just going to be a complete and total spectacle from The Undertaker’s entrance to Shane’s maniacal spots to the finish itself. Something interesting and impactful is going to come out of this. A lot of people were thinking Sting was going to cost Undertaker this match, but Sting himself took that off the table last night at the Hall of Fame by announcing his retirement. They don’t normally use the Hall of Fame to further their storylines, so I think he’s out. Still a major surprise heel turn could happen, but I really don’t want to speculate on that. It’s going to be awesome no matter what. I can’t believe I’m going to write this, but I do believe Undertaker will have his second WrestleMania loss tonight. I don’t know how, but I do think it’s going to happen. Then maybe we can finally ditch the nearly twenty-year run of the heel authority figure on WWE television. At the end of the day, the heel authority figure is an angle and it has run its course (like ten years ago). All angles are eventually meant to end. They had a program with a never seen authority figure before (Jack Tunney – seen very rarely) and they could do it again. I’d literally be stunned if they didn’t go with this prediction.
Prediction: Shane McMahon
WWE World Heavyweight Championship – No DQ Match
Roman Reigns vs. Triple H (c)
I’m putting it last because it’s the title match and it’s tradition, but I think this will be the third to last match sandwiched between a match no one really is interested in. I fully expect Roman Reigns to be booed out of the building… but as he’s booed out of the building, he’s holding the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. They can’t pull the rug out from under him two years in a row. They’ve already irreparably damaged his character with two years of shoddy booking. A loss here would push him way past “the point of (k)no(w) return” (that’s a Kansas album – where are my Kansas fans at?). The obvious best course of action is to turn Reigns heel and make him a really dastardly character. Reigns can pin Triple H straight up, that’s fine by me. Then have The Rock come out to celebrate with him, and Reigns annihilates him, setting up for next year’s WrestleMania. That’s how you do it. Then have Reigns tear through the roster for the next year. In my mind, that’s the only way to rebuild him. It’ll also help him to work on character development, something he’s severely lacking. In radio interviews, Reigns talks about how he goes to the gym and does what he’s told, so he can’t understand why people boo him. My question to him would be how much of his free time does he work on character development? That’s the hallmark of a great wrestler. Who cares how much physical work you put in if the character work isn’t there? That’s what he’s missing. Reigns doesn’t give people a reason to care about him. A nice heel run would buy him time to start doing that. Anyway, I digress. It’s coming. We all know it is. It’s time to embrace the inevitable.
Prediction: Roman Reigns wins the title
At WWE Royal Rumble, I went 4-2 on my predictions. That’s not bad. Sorry about missing WWE Fast Lane. I literally forgot the day of the show there was a PPV.
Predictions Record for 2016: 4-2 (.667)
My 2015 predictions record rebounded from a slow start. My overall numbers are pretty darn good, though.
All-time Predictions Record: 95-42 (.693)
Well, those are my predictions for the show. Do you agree? Disagree? Let me know!
E-Mail – MikeyT817@gmail.com
Twitter – @MikeTedescoWV
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Thanks for reading and enjoy WWE WrestleMania 32!