“The Grandest Stage of Them All”, “The Showcase of the Immortals”, “The Show of Shows”, “The Greatest Spectacle in Sports Entertainment”, “The Super Bowl of Sports Entertainment.” Since 1985, WrestleMania has earned so many nicknames quite because it is the most successful and longest-running professional wrestling event in history. The perfect example of what sports entertainment is about. A mix of wrestling at its best and celebrities appearing sometimes for a match, sometimes for musical performance.
Since 1993, the winner of the annual Royal Rumble match has been able to receive a guaranteed World Championship match at the same year’s WrestleMania. A women’s Royal Rumble match was introduced in 2018, and the winner has the option of challenging for either the RAW, SmackDown or NXT Women’s Championship. Because of that, Mania is where history can be made. An underdog can make “A Miracle on Bourbon Street”, “A Beast Can be Unleashed.” Anything can happen, even the most unexpected.
If the pandemic made WrestleMania 36 be a no-crowd event, the show remained something unforgettable. We welcomed back Edge, we said goodbye to The Undertaker in a memorable piece of cinematic wrestling. If the crowd has always been an essential component of the success of WrestleMania, being no-crowd last year makes this year’s edition a kind of rebirth because there will be a crowd. A smaller one than usual, but there will be some fans in the Raymond James Stadium to yell “This Is Awesome.”
Note: Predictions are pure that, predictions. Nobody at SteelChair has heard anything ahead of time, we promise.
Night 1: Saturday, April 10
Bad Bunny & Damian Priest vs. The Miz & John Morrison
There has been quite a history of celebrity involvement at WrestleMania. Some of the names over the years have included Mr T, Mike Tyson and Snoop Dogg. Although, it’s not very often that a celebrity is actually involved in a wrestling match, but there’s also an argument to be made that for it to ever happen at all is too much. The last time it happened, of note, was WrestleMania 24, where Floyd Mayweather defeated the Big Show. In this instance, it’s the rapper, Bad Bunny who’ll be wrestling a match. While it may sell a few more tickets and increase buy rates, what does it actually mean for the product if somebody with little to no wrestling experience, defeats somebody like the Miz, a veteran in WWE and a two-time Grand Slam Champion?
Thing’s have changed, slightly, following the last episode of RAW, where Damien Priest and John Morrison were added to this bout, making it a tag team match. This makes for a different dynamic, as Priest, Miz and Morrison can work the majority of the match, although it seems certain that Bad Bunny will have a memorable spot – presumably launching himself off the turnbuckle and onto Miz, or Morrison, or both.
Danny Cause’s Prediction: Bad Bunny & Damien Priest – the fact that the Miz was recently WWE Champion has been quickly forgotten. For all his talent and loyalty to the company, the Miz character has sadly been diminished to little more than a joke. So much so that losing to a rapper would be par for the course.
Steph Franchomme’s Prediction: Bad Bunny & Damian Priest – celebrities always win at Mania…
Cesaro vs. Seth Rollins
Since arriving on WWE’s main roster at Survivor Series 2012, last year marked the first time Seth Rollins left WrestleMania without a win. The history the self-proclaimed Messiah has written includes cashing in his Money in the Bank contract to win the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 31. Slaying the Beast to capture the Universal Championship at WrestleMania 35. Seth Rollins is a Grand Slam Champion who in recent times has slipped a little from the main event scene he’d been dominating. Seth needs a win at WrestleMania to get the wheels rolling again.
In contrast, Cesaro has also been on WWE’s main roster since 2012, yet he hasn’t reached the same dazzling heights as Rollins. There’s no doubting the talent of Cesaro, the fans can clearly see how talented he is, yet he’s never managed to break through the glass ceiling. A former United States Champion, the first-ever winner of the André the Giant Memorial trophy and a multi-time Tag-Team Champion. Yet, Saturday night will mark Cesaro’s first-ever singles match at WrestleMania. The Swiss Superman has already embarrassed Seth Rollins on recent episodes of SmackDown. Can he do it again at the Showcase of the Immortals?
Danny Cause’s Prediction: Cesaro – The King of Swing is arguably the greatest Superstar to never win a World Championship in WWE. Could 2021 finally be the year that changes? A win here would be a huge step in the right direction.
Steph Franchomme’s Prediction: Cesaro – For every win and moment Seth Rollins has had at Mania, give it to Cesaro… Well, love wrestling…
Steel Cage Match
Braun Strowman vs. Shane McMahon
To be or not to be… stupid, that’s the question. Shane McMahon has drawn the ire of Braun Strowman in recent weeks and will now have to enter the ring with a Monster at WrestleMania inside a Steel Cage. Shane O-Mac tried various attempts to calm Strowman’s frayed nerves over the WWE Title picture and teach lessons in conflict resolution, but the only possible resolution will come inside the squared circle. After Strowman demanded an apology on RAW, McMahon appeared to initially acquiesce, but he quickly turned to poke The Monster Among Men with insults of his intelligence.
The following week, an incensed Strowman had a new demand – a match with McMahon. Before the opening bell, The Monster came out mauling, but McMahon zoomed in on Strowman with repeated blows with a camera before an elbow drop through the announce table and buckets of slime brought the humiliation to a new level. Strowman sought payback at WWE Fastlane, but his plans were foiled when McMahon suffered an apparent knee injury. On the March 29 edition of RAW, an enraged Monster Among Men held Shane-O-Mac to his word that he could have any match he wanted by choosing the match stipulation for their WrestleMania showdown: a Steel Cage Match.
Danny Cause’s Prediction: Braun Strowman – I just don’t get this feud. Tormenting someone by calling them stupid is kids on the playground stuff. The writing makes Braun look stupid by being bothered by what Shane thinks of him. Please, just finish this feud!
Steph Franchomme’s Prediction: Braun – The storyline and the build-up of the match has been an insult to the intelligence of the fans. I’m doing a prediction but, honestly, this is the match I don’t give a damn of.
Tag Team Turmoil Match – Winners face Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship on Night 2
Naomi & Lana vs. Dana Brooke & Mandy Rose vs. The Riott Squad vs. Natalya & Tamina vs Carmella & Billie Kay
WrestleMania glory will be at the fingertips of four of the Women’s division’s top duos as a Tag Team Turmoil Match on Night 1 of WrestleMania will determine Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler’s challengers the following night.
Naomi & Lana, Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke, The Riott Squad, Carmella & Billie Kay, and Natalya & Tamina will all do battle with a WWE Women’s Tag Team Title opportunity up for grabs. Both RAW and SmackDown Superstars have been chasing Jax & Baszler, but at The Show of Shows, they’ll have to outlast the mayhem.
Danny Cause’s Prediction: Naomi & Lana.
Steph Franchomme’s Prediction: Rose & Brooke.
WWE RAW Tag Team Championship Match
The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) (c) vs. AJ Styles & Omos
At WrestleMania, Raw Tag Team Champions The New Day will put their newly reclaimed titles on the line against AJ Styles and his own personal colossus, Omos. Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods reclaimed the RAW Tag Team Titles from the Hurt Business’ Cedric Alexander & Shelton Benjamin on the March 15 edition of Monday Night RAW, only to be immediately interrupted by AJ Styles & Omos, who seized the moment and challenged the new titleholders to a title match at WrestleMania.
The highly decorated New Day are truly tag team royalty who can hold their own with any tandem on the planet. On the other side of the ring will stand The Phenomenal One, who has had some truly amazing WrestleMania moments. His partner Omos is a true tower of dominance but will be making his in-ring debut at The Show of Shows. And because his presence to this point has mostly been a source of intimidation, he will truly be an X-factor of the high-stakes tag team titles showdown.
Danny Cause’s Prediction: AJ Styles & Omos – The Phenomenal One only needs the Tag Team Championship to make him a Grand Slam Champion in WWE. On Saturday, AJ finally catches ’em all.
Steph Franchomme’s Prediction: AJ Styles & Omos – Understand the plan at first was to have AJ Styles vs Triple H at Mania. But HHH said no. Even if we haven’t seen Omos in a ring yet, he is so huge and strong he will make a huge difference, he has already proved it. I’m used to saying even arms up, Styles is not able to scratch Omos’ nose… So to grab the belt off his shoulder…
WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship Match
Sasha Banks (c) vs. Bianca Belair
She’s on her own, against the wall. With there being only four Women’s Royal Rumble matches in history, Bianca Belair joins an elite group of women as a winner of that match. The only other names on that list are Asuka, Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair. Not only is Belair chasing history but she’s setting records as well, having won the Rumble from the #3 spot and being in the match for almost fifty-seven minutes.
The spotlight will really be on Bianca on Saturday night when she competes at her first WrestleMania, in front of a live crowd at Raymond James Stadium. There will be no room for error, as Belair’s in there against the experienced Sasha Banks, and Banks has a chip on her shoulder. She’s a multi-time Women’s Champion, but she is without a win in her five WrestleMania matches. That is a streak that Banks will be looking to break, while Bianca will be looking to prove that she really is the EST of WWE.
Danny Cause’s Prediction: Bianca Belair – WWE has invested a lot in Bianca at this stage, with the huge Rumble win and the documentary on the Network. Belair is a fantastic role model for little girls and winning the SmackDown Women’s Championship at WrestleMania would be the perfect fairytale ending.
Steph Franchomme’s Prediction: Sasha Banks – it’s a feud that needs more time.
WWE Championship Match
Bobby Lashley (c) (w/ MVP) vs. Drew McIntyre
The Era of The All Mighty has begun, but one Superstar is out to transform the intense titleholder’s time into a footnote in his own WWE Title legacy. At WrestleMania, WWE Champion Bobby Lashley will go head-to-head with a fellow force of nature and former WWE Champion Drew McIntyre.
At WWE Elimination Chamber, McIntyre survived five elite RAW Superstars and the career-altering structure to continue his dominant reign as WWE Champion. His celebration was cut short, however, when Lashley suddenly unleashed a fierce post-match beatdown and paved the way for The Miz to cash in the Money in the Bank contract and steal the gold away. Eight days later, The All-Mighty dominantly conquered The A-Lister and captured the WWE Title to signal the start of The All Mighty Era.
Nevertheless, the reign isn’t without opposition, as McIntyre immediately set his sights on Lashley to reclaim his gold and become a three-time WWE Champion on The Grandest Stage of Them All.
Danny Cause’s Prediction: Bobby Lashley – WWE has done so much to protect Lashley over the last six months. He dropped the United States Championship without being pinned. He’s since been given an epic entrance that makes him look like a superhero. I just don’t think WWE has done all that building to knock him down so quickly. He’s going to stay All Mighty for a little while yet.
Steph Franchomme’s Prediction: Drew McIntyre – For Lashley to regain it.
Night 2: Sunday, April 11
Logan Paul on Sami Zayn’s side
Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn
Some will say again, some will say that’s great. How many times, since they were teenagers, have Zayn and Owens faced off each other? If you remember Payback and Battleground 2016, you know these two are unable to have a bad match. Then, here is the story of that match. Sami Zayn has battled against the conspiracies he feels have been plaguing his WWE career, but now the seemingly paranoid Superstar will have to face Kevin Owens at WrestleMania.
Zayn unsuccessfully attempted to reveal the “truth” to Owens, and a chaotic “KO Show” encounter paved the way for a showdown at The Show of Shows. Zayn believes he and his old friend could have ruled WWE, but at WrestleMania, they will settle their long-simmering differences in the ring. Logan Paul will be by Zayn’s side but we saw on SmackDown he was as puzzled as Owens was about this conspiracies thing.
Danny Cause’s Prediction: Kevin Owens – but it will do more to convince Sami there is a conspiracy against him.
Steph Franchomme’s Prediction: Kevin Owens.- shut Sami up, please.
The Fiend (w/ Alexa Bliss) vs. Randy Orton
These two men have a lot of history, going all the way back to late 2016 when Randy Orton briefly joined the Wyatt Family, although his goal all along was to double-cross the cult-like faction, bringing them down from the inside. The fallout led to Orton winning the 2017 Royal Rumble and then defeating Bray Wyatt for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 33.
Fast forward to the present day, Orton and Wyatt are feuding again, but the roles seem to be reversed. Although Wyatt is now the enigmatic, demonic figure known as The Fiend. Orton thought he was done with the Fiend, once and for all when Orton set him on fire as the climax to TLC 2020. In the Fiend’s absence, Alexa Bliss, who seems to also have mystical powers of her own, has been a thorn in the Legend Killer’s side ever since.
Orton took on Bliss last month at Fastlane but lost, thanks to the surprise return of the Fiend, looking more like a burnt Leatherface from the Texas Chainsaw franchise. Only in pro wrestling do you get to type such words with a straight face. Tune in Sunday night, to see if this will truly be the end of this feud.
Danny Cause’s Prediction: The Fiend – these two work well together, but they’ve worked together a lot. Hopefully, this will mark the end of the feud, after which point, Orton and Wyatt could benefit from an extended break from each other. A win for the Fiend here ought to put him next in line for the WWE Championship.
Steph Franchomme’s Prediction: The Fiend, once and for all.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Match
Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler (c) (with Reginald) vs. Night One Tag Team Turmoil winners
More effort seems to have been made in storylines for Reginald than the Women’s Tag Team Championships. Make of that what you will. From being the personal sommelier to Carmella to then supposedly harbouring an unrequited love for Sasha Banks. Now, Reginald appears to be the object of Nia Jax’s affection. A recent edition of SmackDown featured a segment where Nia took Reginald clothes shopping. All of Nia’s recent attention to Reginald seems to be making Shayna Baszler jealous. That may cause friction and be a hindrance to the second title reign of the incumbent Champions.
Of course, with the Turmoil match being on Saturday, we don’t yet have any idea who the Champions will be defending against. Both the Turmoil and title match seem like a way of getting as many wrestlers on the card as possible, in the absence of a Women’s Battle Royal this year. The tragedy of it all is that there isn’t actually a Women’s tag team division, to speak of, on the main roster, but rather a case of individuals paired up to make teams.
Danny Cause’s Prediction: Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler – regardless of who the challengers are. There’s no real storyline leading us here. This doesn’t seem the time to crown new Champions.
Steph Franchomme’s Prediction: Reginald.
WWE United States Championship Match
Riddle (c) vs. Sheamus
Riddle’s chill championship vibes have clashed with Sheamus’ explosive anger on Monday Night RAW, and at WrestleMania, the two in-ring warriors will battle for the United States Championship. A callous beatdown of The Original Bro with his own scooter signalled The Celtic Warrior’s United States Title intentions, and a punishing victory over the champion on the following RAW made them even clearer.
Sheamus is looking to become a three-time United States Champion, while Riddle looks to solidify his ascent on RAW by toppling one of its most accomplished Superstars. Just out of a violent series of matches against Drew McIntyre, Sheamus has proved he still has the guts to be a Champion.
Danny Cause’s Prediction: Sheamus – it’s been a long time since the Celtic Warrior held singles gold. WrestleMania would be the perfect time to change that.
Steph Franchomme’s Prediction: Sheamus – I may be laughing at Riddle with his scooter, the White Shark is so determined to regain a title he will make it.
Nigerian Drum Fight for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
Big E (c) vs. Apollo Crews
Extreme Rules, No Disqualification, No Holds Barred, Street Fight, a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. This Sunday, the Intercontinental Championship will be defended in a Nigerian Drum Fight. This feud between Big E and Apollo Crews feels like it’s been ongoing for quite some time, so it needed a big stipulation for – what we presume will be – the climax to this rivalry. Having spent the majority of his time in WWE as a member of the New Day, this will be a huge WrestleMania for Big E. It will be his moment to prove himself as a singles competitor.
2020 was quite the year for Apollo Crews. He spent a lot of it as United States Champion, proving his worth as an upper-mid-carder until he was dethroned by Bobby Lashley. The issue after that was that it didn’t seem like there was anywhere else for Crews to go. A turn to the dark side may have been the only option, but it also brought a refreshing new character. Apollo declared himself as a descendent of Nigerian royalty and began speaking with a different accent, one he claims to be his one true voice. But will the power of his ancestors be enough for Crews to finally capture the Intercontinental Championship?
Danny Cause’s Prediction: Big E.
Steph Franchomme’s Prediction: Big E – once and for all.
WWE RAW Women’s Championship Match
Asuka (c) vs. Rhea Ripley
The Empress vs. The Nightmare on The Grandest Stage of Them All? Yes, please. Following weeks of videos warning of her arrival to Monday nights, Rhea Ripley finally showed up on Raw to make a statement by challenging Asuka to a match for the Raw Women’s Championship at WrestleMania.
Asuka’s swift acceptance of the challenge sets the stage for an epic first-time matchup between two of the greatest champions in NXT history. The Empress has certainly racked up her fair share of accomplishments since her days on the black-and-yellow brand, but Ripley looks to win her very first RAW Women’s Title, fittingly, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, where she was originally supposed to defend her NXT Women’s Championship just one year ago against Charlotte Flair.
Danny Cause’s Prediction: Rhea Ripley – only because Asuka’s held the Championship for a long time and faced everybody. A Ripley win would freshen up the division.
Steph Franchomme’s Prediction: Asuka – The feud is just beginning and it can last as long as they want because it will be fabulous.
Triple Threat Match for the WWE Universal Championship
Roman Reigns (c) (w/ Paul Heyman) vs. Daniel Bryan vs. Edge
WWE Hall of Famer and 2021 Royal Rumble winner Edge chose to go head to head with Universal Champion Roman Reigns, but Daniel Bryan had his own WrestleMania main event ambitions. Returning from injury, Edge started this year’s Royal Rumble Match at No. 1 and outlasted 29 other Superstars to earn the right to challenge the World Champion of his choosing at The Showcase of the Immortals.
In the wake of his Herculean effort, The Rated-R Superstar travelled to RAW, NXT and SmackDown to scope out the World Champions before declaring that he would not announce which World Champion he would challenge until after WWE Elimination Chamber. He then showed up on SmackDown, getting involved in the main event before taking a Spear from The Head of The Table.
At WWE Elimination Chamber, Daniel Bryan outlasted five other Superstars to earn the right to face Reigns for the Universal Title immediately after the career-altering contest. With the Leader of the The “Yes!” Movement nowhere near 100 per cent, The Big Dog emerged triumphant over Bryan in swift order. However, as Reigns was beginning the celebration, The Ultimate Opportunist struck with a devastating Spear on Reigns out of nowhere. Looking over the fallen titleholder, the WWE of Famer pointed to the WrestleMania banner and declared that he will challenge Reigns on The Grandest Stage of Them All.
Bryan was granted a rematch and appeared to force a tap-out from the Universal Champion, but The Ultimate Opportunist derailed the encounter from his position as Special Guest Enforcer. With the controversial finish, Adam Pearce converted The Showcase of the Immortals battle to a Triple Threat showdown.
Danny Cause’s Prediction: Edge – It’s been a long road back for the Rated-R Superstar. Ten years on since being forced to retire and vacate the World Championship, this is his chance for the dream to end. I also wouldn’t be surprised if Edge pins Bryan, giving Roman cause for complaint that “he never lost,” potentially setting up a rematch at Backlash.
Steph Franchomme’s Prediction: Roman Reigns – Just Edge vs Reigns was not an easy one to predict, but with Daniel Bryan also… Remember both Edge and Daniel Bryan are back from serious neck injuries. I very often ask myself how and why they are back in a ring. I don’t see Edge being able to defend it in the long term, Daniel Bryan is on his way to part-time. So, sadly, Reigns.
WrestleMania 37 comes your way with Night 1 on Saturday, April 10, and Night 2 on Sunday, April 11, at 8 PM EST (1 AM BST) exclusively on Peacock in the U.S. and on WWE Network. A pre-show will air both nights on WWE Network and WWE social media at 7 PM EST (midnight BST).
All pics and videos courtesy of WWE