The road to tonight’s WrestleMania has been perhaps the most difficult ever faced by WWE. The rancour caused by the decision to place Roman Reigns in the main event – instead of the wildly popular Daniel Bryan – has barely abated. While Reigns has received some lukewarm receptions recently – hardly ideal, but a significant improvement upon the torrent of abuse which marked his Royal Rumble success – he is still far from over, and is likely to garner more than his share of booing when he emerges in Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, to face WWE World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar.
The road to WrestleMania XXX was similarly fraught, but salvaged in the weeks leading up to the event when WWE ceded to the voice of the fans, and effectively inserted Daniel Bryan into what would become a three-way main event pitting him against Randy Orton and Batista. Daniel Bryan’s triumphing at the end of that show made for a genuine WrestleMania moment, and seemed set to establish him as one of WWE’s focal stars. The desire for a repeat showing this year has not reflected a fanbase eager to have things all its own way. Rather it has demonstrated the depth of support Bryan enjoys, and the hope that – after his long injury layoff – WWE would fulfill what WrestleMania XXX promised, in entrenching Bryan as a figurehead and a fixed title contender. It is still a cause for lament that we won’t get to see Bryan face Lesnar tonight. The match was the obvious route for WWE to take, but also the most exciting: offering a classic David and Goliath battle, an intriguing contrast of two physical styles, and an encounter between two supremely popular superstars capable of coming together to produce a memorable match.
Lesnar vs. Reigns is what we are getting, and the match received a timely boost at the beginning of this week when WWE confirmed that Lesnar – after weighing up and rejecting the possibility of a return to the UFC – has signed a contract extension which will keep him with the company for the foreseeable future. While Lesnar was unlikely to face jeers tonight even if he had opted to forego the wrestling business – such is the fans’ respect for the man, and their ambivalence towards Reigns – his decision has given the title bout new impetus. Its conclusion is now uncertain, and it has the opportunity to build tension and provoke surprise.
Still, the title feud was not helped by an anticlimactic ending to this weeks RAW, which featured Lesnar and Reigns quibbling over the belt. Elsewhere matches on the card for WrestleMania 31 have largely had to sell themselves. The United States Championship bout between Rusev and John Cena is the exception: a feud which has been coherently built over several months, and should result in an intense confrontation which demonstrates Rusev’s worth on the biggest stage. The Undertaker vs. Bray Wyatt and Sting vs. Triple H have largely relied on the exceptional name value of the participants involved. With the addition of the seven-man ladder match for the Intercontinental Championship, we have what in fact looks like an exceptionally strong card – marred by concerns over the performance levels of a few luminaries, and by a build that has been decidedly below average.
So with only hours until the pre-show gets us underway, we have in front of us a mixed bag, and it is difficult to know what WWE will contrive to pull from it before the night concludes. This is WrestleMania after all: such a spectacle that it is impossible, as a fan, not to feel excited; and it is true that when it comes to their showcase event, WWE rarely completely disappoints.
* * *
Tyson Kidd and Cesaro (c) vs. The New Day vs. Los Matadores vs. The Usos – Fatal 4-Way for the WWE Tag Team Championships
This could prove a decent match – but despite the ascendancy of Tyson Kidd and Cesaro, who comprise one of the best teams in some time, WWE continues to falter when it comes to the tag division. The Ascension have fallen predictably flat since being called up from NXT; and the division simply isn’t given enough time to establish itself as an engaging and meaningful part of the presentation. The match could see several spots on the outside, incorporating Natalya, Naomi, and El Torito. The champions will surely retain.
* * *
André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
The number of contestants – all of whom are yet to be formally announced – make this match hard to predict. And especially with it bumped to the pre-show, it is hard to care much about the prospective victor of this second edition of the memorial battle royal. Again, Cesaro – the winner of the inaugural edition – went into last year’s WrestleMania on a wave of popularity, which reached a new peak when he body-slammed Big Show over the top rope. But WWE utterly failured to capitalise on this; and it is hard to see how this year’s version will be more compelling or more productive for the winner. Of the announced competitors – who include The Miz, Damien Mizdow, Kane, Big Show, Jack Swagger, and Ryback – I will opt for a surprise win for Curtis Axel.
* * *
Randy Orton vs. Seth Rollins
As far as I am aware, the running order of matches has yet to be announced, but it seems likely that this or the ladder match will commence the show proper. This feud – which extends back to October and a Curb Stomp which put Orton out of action – has been a little too drawn out, with its momentum disrupted at crucial points after Orton’s return at Fastlane. Logic dictates that Orton gains his full measure of revenge tonight – perhaps after some mix-up between Rollins and his stooges – with both superstars then moving on to other things. On the other hand, there is clearly a lot of respect within WWE for Rollins as a talent, and it isn’t impossible that he goes over in order to sustain his push; although if he does win the match, it is hard to see Orton simply fading from view. I am going for the expected win for Orton.
* * *
AJ Lee and Paige vs. The Bella Twins
When Paige debuted the night after WrestleMania XXX, and focused her attention upon AJ Lee, it seemed this would breath new life into a Divas division grown stagnant and short on wrestling talent. However, the feud between Paige and AJ proved convoluted and did little to restore the division with any sense of direction. The hope must be that things improve when a group of talented NXT women – headed by Sasha Banks – make the step up to the main roster. As for tonight’s tag match, the losses Paige suffered at the hands of the Bella Twins at the Royal Rumble and Fastlane, alongside AJ’s recent return, together indicate that Paige and AJ come away with the victory.
* * *
Wade Barrett (c) vs. Dean Ambrose vs. R-Truth vs. Luke Harper vs. Stardust vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Daniel Bryan – Ladder Match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
It isn’t easy to orchestrate a match with so many competitors – and the briefly proposed match-up of Ziggler vs. Bryan could have stolen the show as a standalone singles bout – but this still holds a huge deal of potential, and should be a lot of fun to watch. One view which has gained widespread traction over recent weeks maintains that those within WWE are inclined to put the Intercontinental belt on Bryan and the United States belt on John Cena, pushing these two championships while Lesnar remains as the world title holder, making sporadic appearances. This concept makes sense, but works much less readily with Roman Reigns as a face champion. I think Barrett, Ambrose, Ziggler, and Bryan all have a chance here, but I am picking Bryan as the new Intercontinental champion, with a sequence of matches against Ziggler to follow.
* * *
Rusev (c) vs. John Cena – Singles Match for the WWE United States Championship
The course of the traditional feud suggests that, after suffering several humiliating defeats and beat-downs, Cena will persevere and find a way to come out on top tonight. This is what will most probably occur; but the problem is that Cena has overcome adversity so often in the past it is almost impossible to make any retelling of this story feel relevant. As a result, even though this feud has progressed efficiently and ought to have gone a long way towards establishing the credibility of Rusev, a win for Cena will reset the picture, leaving neither wrestler vastly better off. For properly consolidating Rusev’s status as a main-event level heel, he should take the victory in a way which allows both men to go their separate ways – much easier to suggest than to conceive and enact. A win for Cena seems like a strong bet. This should at least be a well-told, firm and physical bout.
* * *
The Undertaker vs. Bray Wyatt
Bray has had to promote this match on his own, and he has done a sterling job in imperfect circumstances, highlighting and recontextualising the Undertaker’s long-familiar tropes. None of us know when The Undertaker’s last WrestleMania will come. A second successive defeat – after Brock Lesnar brought an end to his streak last year – would create a compelling storyline should The Undertaker make it to Texas in 2016; but it seems safer to predict a victory for The Undertaker, with Wyatt perhaps not yet sufficiently experienced or well-known to be deemed worthy of a surprise victory. I think this can be a good match in spite of the Undertaker’s advancing years, provided they don’t overdo the theatrics.
* * *
Sting vs. Triple H
Sting has largely remained silent since making his first appearance in a WWE ring back at Survivor Series. Drawing upon his Crow-inspired WCW run against the nWo, and in a manner resembling the build of the WrestleMania XXVII match between Triple H and The Undertaker, the feud between Sting and Triple H has relied largely on looks and gestures and coming-togethers rather than words and explanatory detail. This past Monday on RAW, Sting finally revealed his motivation for intervening in Triple H’s affairs, citing the way Triple H has consistently, through the course of his career, manipulated his way to the top.
Amid the conflux of perspectives which define the WWE viewing experience today, Triple H is not entirely villainous: away from the ring he is praised as the orchestrator of NXT, while in front of the camera it is Stephanie who has taken the role of chief Authority antagonist. But Sting’s explanation was about giving the feud the the veil of legitimacy which will allow us to enjoy unconstrained the occasion of the match, and Sting’s in-ring debut in WWE. With all of the talk about this being Sting’s last match, it seems certain he will take a momentous victory.
* * *
Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Roman Reigns Reigns – Singles Match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
While the announcement of Lesnar’s contract extension was a major coup for WWE, and surely reignited the enthusiasm of many fans heading into WrestleMania 31, it poses a distinct set of challenges when it comes to considering the outcome of the main event. If Brock had opted instead to revive his career in the UFC, logically he would have dropped the belt tonight; and fans with knowledge of his status would have been more accepting of a title win for Roman Reigns. Now an unfettered triumph for Reigns is probably the least of three or four potentialities.
The first potential outcome is that Brock simply retains the belt, and continues as he has done for the past year: making special appearances as WWE champion, and potentially progressing towards a match with Bryan at SummerSlam. Brock with the belt poses its own problem, because it leaves the active WWE roster without the reference point that defines the promotion and helps to build upper-echelon feuds – although this situation would be mitigated were Bryan and Cena to successfully elevate the IC and US titles. Without the belt, it is difficult to sensibly integrate Brock, as a part-time superstar, into meaningful short-term programmes.
On the balance, I sway ever so slightly towards Brock retaining the title tonight at WrestleMania 31. But an equally appetising possibility would see Seth Rollins interrupt proceedings and – armed with his Money in the Bank briefcase – steal the title against a worn-down opponent. This could occur before the end of the title match, or after a winner has already been declared. Rollins attacking either man – but especially Reigns, given their shared history as part of The Shield – would instantly set up an enticing feud with excellent long-term prospects. At this point, through all of the convulsions of the past two months, I expect Rollins to play some part in the main event. Of course, he could attempt to cash in on his contract but fail in the endeavour – even costing Reigns the title in the process, which would leave the belt on Brock while setting up a prominent diversion which would allow Reigns to get over thoroughly and on his own steam.
Reigns winning the title as a face seems the least likely outcome – especially because of the furious response it would elicit from the fans in attendance, damaging to WWE on the company’s most prestigious night of the year, and surely carrying through to subsequent RAWs. The final alternative is that Reigns, during the title match, succeeds in turning heel and taking the belt – which would presumably be achieved with significant help from Paul Heyman. This seems like a distinct possibility, even if it would be a perverse about-turn from WWE, which has appeared set on advancing Reigns as the new face of the product. Again, through all of the possibilities, I’ll opt for Brock to retain; but tonight’s main event is exceptionally tough to call, and should leave fans enthralled to the last.
