WWE WrestleMania XXX Preview
April 6, 2014
By: Josh Boutwell of Wrestleview.com
The WWE presents “WrestleMania XXX” live tonight from the “Big Easy” New Orleans, LA in what could be considered the biggest “WrestleMania” in the history of the WWE – and with it being the first PPV to ever be streamed live on the WWE Network that’s hard to argue with. Consisting of a two hour Pre-Show on the WWE Network and the four hour PPV, it will undoubtedly be the longest as well. “WrestleMania” features three championship bouts, a Battle Royal, and Daniel Bryan’s quest to finally recapture the belt he had stolen from him. Plus, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin has confirmed that he will be in attendance at “WrestleMania” and appearing on the show. One can only imagine what the “Texas Rattlesnake” has up his sleeve for the biggest event of the year.
PRE-SHOW MATCH
WWE World Tag Team Championships
Fatal 4-Way Match
The Usos (Jimmy & Jey Uso) (c) vs. The Real Americans (Cesaro & Jack Swagger) vs. Los Matadores (Fernando & Diego) vs. Ryback & Curtis Axel
The tag team division could very well steal the show early on when these four exciting teams take the stage during the WrestleMania Pre-Show. This past week on Raw The Usos teamed with Los Matadores in an exciting 8-Man Tag when they faced The Real Americans, Ryback, & Curtis Axel showing exactly what kind of action we can look forward to in this Fatal 4-Way. These four teams will likely look to prove to the WWE that relegated them to the Pre-Show was a big mistake. The Usos captured the WWE Tag Titles back in March on Raw from The New Age Outlaws, but the ever growingly popular duo will have to tend to three other teams in this match up. Both the Real Americans and Ryback/Axel were granted this show by Kane as a reward for helping Kane ambush The Shield on Smackdown a few weeks ago. The masked Los Matadores have looked impressive over the last few weeks scoring victories over Ryback & Axel as well as earning the pinfall in the big 8-Man Tag this past week on Raw. Also, El Torito and Zeb Colter will surely make their presence felt in this match as The Usos look to conquer the odds and retain their belts over three hungry teams.
WWE Divas Championship
Vickie Guerrero Invitational
AJ Lee (c) vs. Layla vs. Alicia Fox vs. Nikki Bella vs. Brie Bella vs. Summer Rae vs. Eva Marie vs. Emma vs. Aksana vs. Rosa Mendes vs. Natalya Neidhart vs. Cameron vs. Naomi vs. Tamina Snuka
If you thought The Usos task of retaining their belts was difficult, then that makes AJ Lee’s seem almost impossible as she will defend the Divas Championship against 12 challengers! That’s right, 13 divas in the ring at the same time and the first pinfall/submission will win the match and the title for whoever gains the fall. AJ has hit a bit of a slump as of late dropping matches to Naomi, Cameron, and Natalya over the last couple of months. Naomi seemed to be on the verge of ending AJ’s historic title reign before an eye injury forced her to the sidelines. Still Naomi defeated AJ in a non-title match in March upon her return, and the powerful Natalya has been on the hunt for the Divas Title for quite some time. Former Divas Champions Layla, The Bellas, Natalya, and Alicia Fox are certainly ready to regain the title once more while Summer Rae, Eva Marie, Aksana, Rosa Mendes, Cameron, Naomi, and even AJ’s personal bodyguard Tamina are all looking to gain their first Divas Championship. The deck is stacked against the champion and to retain her gold she must survive 12 challengers.
Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal
Dolph Ziggler vs. Big E vs. Fandango vs. Alberto del Rio vs. Damien Sandow vs. Titus O’Neil vs. Christian vs. Sheamus vs. Big Show vs. Mark Henry vs. Heath Slater vs. Jinder Mahal vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Goldust vs. Kofi Kingston vs. The Miz vs. Brodus Clay vs. Darren Young vs. Justin Gabriel vs. Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. R-Truth vs. Santino Marella vs. The Great Khali vs. Zack Ryder vs. Sin Cara II vs. Brad Maddox vs. TBA vs. TBA vs. TBA
A concept brought to light by the “Immortal” Hulk Hogan this huge Battle Royal will take place in honor the legendary Andre The Giant and numbers wise will be the biggest match in WrestleMania history with 30 superstars in the ring at the same time! It’s not short on World Champions either with Dolph Ziggler, Alberto del Rio, Christian, Big Show, Sheamus, Mark Henry, The Miz, Rey Mysterio Jr., and The Great Khali all being former World Champions. The current Intercontinental Champion, Big E, is also thrown his hat into the ring and will be looked as a possible favorite along with the giant Big Show who made his presence felt this past week on Raw against other men that will be featured in this match. Also, there are still three open spots. Who will be the mystery participants in the Battle Royal? Rob Van Dam? CM Punk? Hulk Hogan himself? Who knows?
6-Man Tag Team Match
The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, & Roman Reigns) vs. The New Age Outlaws (Road Dogg & Billy Gunn) & Corporate Kane
Since becoming “Corporate” Kane as the director of operations of the WWE the monster Kane has been unleashing his wrath on anyone that dare to defy The Authority. The Shield, at one time muscle for The Authority, has begun to go against their orders “in the name of justice” which has drawn the ire of Kane and The Authority. Kane has now enlisted the once “degenerate” former Tag Team Champion New Age Outlaws to help him gain his own form of justice of the “Hounds of Justice” at WrestleMania. During their incredible war with The Wyatt Family over the last couple of months some cracks started to form in the allegiance of The Shield but it seems that they have found their unity again as they have gone against The Authority. The fact that Kane and The New Age Outlaws cost The Shield a shot at regaining the WWE Tag Team Titles at a recent Smackdown just adds more fuel to the fire of what is sure to be a war with the “Reality Era” meeting the “Attitude Era” in this match up.
John Cena vs. Bray Wyatt
The creepy and manipulate leader of the Wyatt Family has seemingly been renting space in the legendary John Cena’s head ever since Bray Wyatt and his Wyatt Family cost Cena the WWE World Title at Elimination Chamber. Wyatt has been ravaging Cena verbally ever since that night and forcing the former WWE Champion to battle his monstrous henchmen of Harper and Rowan over the last several weeks leaving Cena with plenty of battle scars. Wyatt believes Cena is a phony and looks to expose him for what he is while the ever polarizing Cena looks to shutdown a man that is on a massive rise in the ranks of the WWE. Cena got one up on Wyatt this past week as he disguised himself as another Wyatt follower only to attack Bray’s goons before Bray was able to escape. Can Cena overcome the odds once again or are the odds against the rising Wyatt too much for him?
The Streak vs. The Beast
The Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar
21 men have attempted to end the streak, 21 men have failed, but none of them were the “Beast” himself Brock Lesnar either! Paul Heyman set out to lead CM Punk to end the streak at last year’s WrestleMania and came within a breath of doing so but ultimately failed. Now Heyman looks to lead the monstrous Brock Lesnar in doing just that and after F5’ing Undertaker this week on Raw Brock showed Undertaker that he can certainly do so in the blink of an eye. Ever since the two agreed to this battle of the monsters Undertaker has been playing mind games with the former UFC and WWE World Heavyweight Champion. At WrestleMania the mind games will end and the war will begin. The unprecedented streak is once again in the balance for “The Phenom.”
Daniel Bryan vs. Triple H
The “Yes Movement” is in full effect and if Daniel Bryan wants to get his shot at the WWE World Title he must first go through the “Cerebral Assassin” in former WWE Champion Triple-H. Triple-H too has made it clear that he wants the WWE Championship as well and if he wins will be inserted into the match as well. Bryan has been searching to regain his gold ever since Triple-H screwed him over at SummerSlam last year, and things will come to a wild conclusion when he finally steps in the ring with The Authority’s HHH. Bryan had been trying to goad Triple-H into facing him at WrestleMani and when he and his fans literally took over Raw standing in the middle of the ring HHH finally broke down and agreed to the match as well as the stipulation of the winner being put into the WWE Title match. Later on Triple-H even had Bryan handcuffed by fake cops and unmercifully beat the defenseless Bryan. On Raw Bryan was able to gain a measure of revenge on Triple-H by not only interrupting his Main Event of Randy Orton vs. Batista but brutally beating Triple-H with a kendo stick. Things come to a head at WrestleMania with Bryan looking to finish his quest to regain the belt while HHH looks to bury the “Yes Movement” once and for all before reclaiming his throne atop the WWE.
WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Triple Threat Match
Randy Orton (c) vs. Batista vs. Bryan/Triple H Winner
Randy Orton took the WWE Championship away from Daniel Bryan last summer and then unified it with the World Heavyweight Championship against John Cena. He has been called the “Face of the WWE” by The Authority and the “Viper” looks to prove just that at WrestleMania, but standing in his way is the 2014 Royal Rumble winning “The Animal” Batista. Batista has been on quite a roll since returning to the WWE in January and he looks to recapture gold and takeover as the new “face of the WWE.” The problem is that both men will have to contend with another challenger and neither knows just who that is yet. The winner of the Daniel Bryan-HHH war will be entered into the match and though they will be at a disadvantage because of not knowing their opponent before the show, the winner of HHH-Bryan will also be at a disadvantage having already competed in a match. Who will overcome the odds and truly become THE “face of the WWE?”