WrestleMania 32 Kickoff Show (Mauro Ranallo as host/play by play announcer)
Team Total Divas (Natalya, Paige, Alicia Fox, Brie Bella and Eva Marie) vs. B.A.D. and Blond (Lana, Tamina Snuka, Naomi, Emma and Summer Rae)
The two big things going into this match are that it’s Lana’s in-ring debut and probably Brie Bella’s last (or next to last) WWE match for the time being. The finish depends on what they’re trying to do here. Well, and if Lana has political weirdness going on. Brie winning would be a nice moment, but the heels need a big win a lot more, especially with Lana debuting and both Emma and Summer Rae returning to the mix. Still, this was so hastily thrown together (with an angle shot on Main Event, no less) that it doesn’t really matter. E! and/or Bunim/Murray Productions wanting Team Total Divas to go over could also be a factor, especially depending on what type of storylines they’ve been shooting and if they’re looking to give Eva Marie a big moment.
The Usos vs. The Dudley Boyz
This has potential to be a really good match, as The Usos tend to deliver on big shows and especially WrestleMania, plus they may have chips on their shoulders about being on the pre-show. The Usos should get a win here to blow off the feud in what is, on paper, the best match of the kickoff show.
Kalisto (c) vs. Ryback for the WWE United States Championship
Kalisto’s first WrestleMania match, so he should be looking to make a statement with his performance as well. The only ending that makes sense is Kalisto conquering Ryback and proving The Big Guy wrong about if a good little guy can beat a good big guy. Anything else would be a flat ending and kill of Kalisto. In the ring, this might be the sleeper match of the card. Ryback has quietly improved a lot in the last year or so and he’s done some fun promos to hype this match, so if it delivers with an uplifting finish, it’ll be a nice way to gear the fans up for the main card.
WrestleMania 32 Main Card
Chris Jericho vs. AJ Styles
This is the rubber match, and Styles has to win. On top of only being in for a limited run, Jericho has not been setting the world on fire since his return, most noticeable having blown a lot of spots in their previous pay-per-view match. Styles, on the other hand, is coming off a run where he was arguably the best wrestler in the world and excelling at putting on great big show matches. There’s really no reason for Jericho to win this match; It’s for Styles to get a big win over a tenured star in (hopefully) a great match at WrestleMania.
Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal
With the reports that Braun Strowman has lost favor with Vince McMahon, this is wide open, especially with the surprise entrants. Baron Corbin is rumored to be one of the surprises (Tommy Dreamer is another) and would make some sense. Otherwise? If the Strowman story is false, he should still win. If it’s true? This is a pick ’em with no obvious winner except for maybe one of the surprises.
The League Of Nations vs. The New Day in a Handicap Match for “Tag Team Supremacy”
New Day has been winning most of the matches in this feud, which would make you think they lose here, but with all of rumors about their big entrance and a surprise star being involved in the finish, it sure seems like they’re winning unless plans changed. In the ring, the feud hasn’t been lighting the world on fire but I could see them pulling out the stops here, especially with the kind of risks Kofi Kingston and Big E like to take.
Charlotte (c) vs. Sasha Banks vs. Becky Lynch in a Triple Threat Match for the WWE Divas Championship
All signs point to Banks winning here, though it feels like Lynch caught on better with the fanbase at large. In-ring expectations will be high coming off of their NXT matches, so expect the usual flashy, rehearsed match with a lot of dramatic false finishes. This should also lead to the rebranded WWE Women’s Championship being introduced tonight or tomorrow and the winner will be doing a lot of media, so expect this to be treated as a really big deal.
Kevin Owens (c) vs. The Miz vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Sami Zayn vs. Stardust vs. Zack Ryder vs. Sin Cara in a Ladder Match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
Zayn should win to get momentum and set up an Owens program after how coldly he was introduced to the main roster fans. Will they do that? It’s not like the other options are especially realistic other than Owens retaining and maybe Ziggler winning for a renewed push. I’m especially curious to see what Stardust, Ryder, and Sin Cara pull out, as they’re all more talented than their pushes and are getting a rare major showcase match here. Given Owens, Zayn, and to a lesser extent Ziggler have a history of doing some pretty insane ladder matches, this has potential to be a lot of fans’ pick for best match.
Brock Lesnar vs. Dean Ambrose in a No Holds Barred Street Fight
The booking patterns would suggest an Ambrose win, as revenge for Lesnar leaving him laying over and over again. This is another strong candidate for match of the night, as Ambrose is probably as willing as anyone on the roster to do a hard Lesnar style match, and at WrestleMania with weapons he’s totally in his element.
Triple H (c) vs. Roman Reigns in a No Disqualification Match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Does Vince change his plans again? Who knows?!?! I don’t see a way Reigns doesn’t win, but the question has become if he’ll somehow turn heel in the process. With The Rock there, maybe Reigns can turn on him? That said, if Reigns doesn’t turn, at least it’s not going on last as of the most recent reports. In the ring, both guys are inconsistent, and it seems like the added No DQ stipulation will let them have all of the smoke and mirrors that Triple H loves.
The Undertaker vs. Shane McMahon Hell In A Cell Match (If Shane wins, he controls RAW/WWE. If Undertaker loses, he can never compete at WrestleMania again)
This is the “real main event.” Shane McMahon will probably jump from somewhere high as the big spot in a crazy match with every kind of smoke and mirrors you can think of. Nobody knows who will win, but it certainly seems like Shane winning makes more sense unless Shane was somehow enticed back just to have a big main event opponent for Undertaker. Drama wise, expect a ton of crazy stunts and camerawork zooming in on facial expressions.
