The road to WrestleMania has been a bumpy and disjointed one booking wise, but it's hard not to get excited about the biggest show of the year emanating this Sunday night live from Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
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Roman Reigns will stare across the ring at Brock Lesnar under the California sky in a match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship and while there are questions abound concerning Reigns' readiness for this moment and the booking leading up to it, there are plenty of reasons to believe this card can deliver Sunday night.
This show will finally mark the WWE debut of Sting, feature a match between two of the most twisted characters in WWE history in The Undertaker and Bray Wyatt, have an Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match that is sure to steal the show and will also include the blow off between Randy Orton and Seth Rollins, who has emerged as one of the top villains in the company.
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While there has been an heir of negativity around this card, the actual lineup looks to have a lot of potential, regardless of people's opinions on Reigns. And whose to say the former Shield member won't deliver the good when the lights shine bright?
For over three decades, WrestleMania has been the marquee event and the backdrop for some of the most memorable matches and moments in the history of sports entertainment.
Sunday night should be no different as the WWE presents the 31st installment of Vince McMahon's greatest creation. Here are some predictions for each match in our projected order of when they'll occur.
2nd Annual Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal: Participants: Konnor, Viktor, Kane, Big Show, Darren Young, Titus O'Neil, Jack Swagger, The Miz, Ryback, Curtis Axel, Fandango, Adam Rose, Zack Ryder, Erick Rowan, Sin Cara, Damien Sandow, Goldust, Mark Henry, Heath Slater, Hideo Itami
It's a little hard to care about this match considering that Cesaro seemed to have a breakout moment in the inaugural edition last year and was buried down on the card shortly thereafter. Sure, he's bounced back and currently is a Tag Team Champion, but it took a while for him to get going and he stalled out as a singles star thanks to WWE creative.
Another thing working against the bout is that the WWE pushed it onto the pre-show just days before the event, proving that in their eyes it's an expendable match.
Still, it'll be a good way to warm up the crowd and it's nice to have the WWE embrace the past by honoring Andre the Giant in this manner. Hideo Itami from NXT being added to the match will also be another highlight.
As for a winner, I'm stuck between Ryback, Damien Sandow and a returning Sheamus. Ryback has looked dominant lately and could get the win while it is also conceivable that it will come down to The Miz and his on-again, off-again protégé, which would lead to Sandow once again getting the better of his boss by tossing him to win the bout.
Sheamus is rumored to return at some point at this event, but since nothing is confirmed and he's not an official part of the match, it's between Ryback and Sandow and could go either way.
The Pick: Ryback
Cesaro won the first Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal last year at WrestleMania XXX:
Andre the Giant and Hulk Hogan collided in a famous main event at WrestleMania III in 1987:
WWE Tag Team Championship Fatal 4 Way Match: Cesaro & Tyson Kidd (c) w/ Natalya vs. The Usos (Jimmy & Jey) w/ Naomi vs. Los Matadores (Diego & Fernando) w/ El Torito vs. The New Day (Big E and Kofi Kingston) w/ Xavier Woods
This is the second match on the pre-show and will also be a fun event to get the fans into the proceedings, though the WWE hasn't made it clear if it's a single-fall or elimination bout.
Los Matadores and The New Day still haven't reached a level where it is conceivable for them to walk out of Levi's Stadium with the gold while The Usos seem unlikely to win since Jey is currently dealing with a legitimate shoulder injury and will probably be limited in the match.
That leaves Cesaro & Kidd and since they only won the gold just over a month ago at Fastlane, it makes sense for them to retain here. I'm sure all the managers on the outside will get into it at some point.
The Pick: Cesaro & Tyson Kidd
One of the best moments in WrestleMania history happened when Demolition defeated Haku & Andre the Giant at WrestleMania VI in 1990 to win their third and final WWE Tag Team Championships, leading to a face turn for Andre the Giant in his swan song:
7-Man Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match: Bad News Barrett (c) vs. Daniel Bryan vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Stardust vs. Luke Harper vs. R-Truth
This bout has clear Match of the Night potential, possibly Match of the Year, as long as the WWE gives it enough time.
It's still disappointing that the teased Ziggler vs. Bryan singles match isn't happening, and while we got to watch it on television this past week, 20-plus minutes on a pay-per-view would have been a lot better and could have gone down in the annuls of WrestleMania as one of the best matches of all time.
This match could suffer from what some of the later Money in the Bank matches did at past WrestleManias by having too many guys in one match. The WWE could have gone with Bryan-Ziggler in a singles match and then had Barrett battle Ambrose one-on-one in a Ladder Match for the title since "The Lunatic Fringe" is the original person to steal the belt.
Then, Stardust, Harper and Truth could have been put in the battle royal since they're unlikely to win this anyway.
Either way, it's sure to be one of the best matches of the night.
The booking for this one has been odd as Barrett has looked like a weak champion heading into it as he's lost countless matches on RAW and SmackDown in recent weeks whlle the other competitors stole his belt left and right. It's possible Barrett redeems himself by retaining the gold here, but I don't see that happening.
The three likely winners are Ziggler, Bryan and Ambrose. I'd be happy with any of these three winning it since they are three of the most entertaining Superstars on the roster right now. It would be nice to see Ambrose win gold again and Ziggler certainly deserves it, but this title is probably earmarked for Bryan.
There is a possibility that the WWE has Sheamus run in as a surprise last-minute edition or that he returns to cost Bryan the title to set up a feud since he is rumored to make a comeback as a heel.
While that may happen, the WWE is putting a major emphasis back on the midcard titles -- which hasn't been helped with Barrett's booking lately -- and after disappointing the fans by leaving Bryan out of the main event, they have to at least give him his first Intercontinental Championship reign.
That's what makes the most sense here.
The Pick: Daniel Bryan
The greatest Intercontinental Championship match in WrestleMania history occurred at WrestleMania III in 1987 when Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat battled "Macho Man" Randy Savage:
Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon had a revolutionary clash with a Ladder for the IC. Title at WrestleMania X in 1994:
Singles Match: Randy Orton vs. Seth Rollins
This was another match with some interesting buildup as everyone could sense "The Viper's" face turn coming and after a bit of a delay it finally occurred.
This should be a phenomenal match as Rollins deserves a high-profile bout after spending the past nine months serving as the de facto top heel in the WWE due to the nature of Brock Lesnar's part-time contract.
Orton may be a bit stale after years of using the same style and attitude, but he can still deliver the goods when the chips are down and that should happen again at Levi's Stadium on Sunday in the blow off of a feud that has been brewing between these two since November.
It would be nice to see Rollins win due to the fact that he's really blossomed into a great top heel on the microphone to go along with his strong skills in the ring.
However, the storyline has been built up for Orton to get his revenge on Rollins since The Authority took him out last November. It could be argued that he got it a few weeks back on RAW when he beat on Rollins to close the show.
Even still, it makes sense for Rollins to win to build some momentum as "Mr. Money in the Bank," especially with this shaping up to be a very babyface-heavy card.
The question is, will this be the last we see of Rollins at WrestleMania 31 or will he cash in?
The Pick: Seth Rollins
Randy Orton made his WrestleMania debut at WrestleMania XX in 2004 as he and Evolution defeated Mick Foley and The Rock:
Rollins' WrestleMania debut came at WrestleMania XXIX when The Shield took part in a six-man tag team match:
Singles Match: The Undertaker vs. Bray Wyatt
It's hard to really see what order these matches are going to go in as The Undertaker's grand return this high on the card would seem a bit odd, but with Sting and the WWE World Heavyweight Championship also on the lineup, this bout has to go somewhere.
The Undertaker hasn't been seen since his shocking loss to Brock Lesnar last year at WrestleMania XXX, which ended The Streak.
The WWE has looked to keep 'Taker's return a mystery in order to add to the drama of WrestleMania 31. Bray Wyatt has single-handedly carried the feud due to this, and it has seen him conduct some of the greatest promos as he has been haunting on the microphone in recent weeks.
It's a bit weird that The Undertaker will return for a match without even addressing his loss last year to Lesnar, but here is the "Deadman" moving onto new things. Perhaps, he'll meet up again with "The Beast" next year, but the WWE should at least have him acknowledge his loss at some point.
I wrote a few weeks back that it made sense for Wyatt to go over since a win will do nothing for The Undertaker if he's just going to go back into hibernation for another year and wait until WrestleMania 32. An argument can also be made, however, that The Undertaker should go over here.
'Taker is desperate to get some heat back after falling for the first time ever at WrestleMania last year, so a second consecutive defeat under the bright lights could cheapen his legacy and perhaps Brock Lesnar should be the only person to ever beat him at 'Mania.
While this is true, Wyatt has also paid his dues and will be in the WWE for the next year for the buildup to WrestleMania 32, so it would seem that he should go over to launch him into the next top heel in the company. Wyatt also fell to John Cena last year at WrestleMania, so he runs the risk of going 0-2 against two huge Superstars at the cornerstone event early in his career.
If Wyatt were to win, this could then set up Undertaker's desperation to not retire until he wins another match at the best show of the year, leading into WrestleMania 32 in his home state of Texas. This could lead to him challenging Sting -- or vice versa -- to an epic clash next year in what would be a fitting ending to both of their careers.
It's tough to say who should win here as a case can be made for both, but it seems likely that the WWE wants the "Deadman" to avenge his loss to Lesnar at the expense of the "Eater of Worlds." Wyatt will still look like a million bucks and the next big threat, but it's hard to see 'the Demon from Death Valley falling again at the biggest show of the year.
Wyatt will eventually be the face that haunts the WWE, but not until the Undertaker is ready to hand him the reins.
The Pick: The Undertaker
The Undertaker retired Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XXVI in 2010:
Wyatt made his WrestleMania debut last year against John Cena:
WWE United States Championship: Rusev (c) w/ Lana? vs. John Cena
This has actually turned into a tremendous feud as Cena has brought the intensity and Rusev has started to emerge as the next breakout star in the WWE as a monster heel.
Lana is still a question mark as she is off filming a movie and may not be at WrestleMania, though hopefully the WWE works it out to where she can at least show up at the biggest show of the year after being a huge part of garnering heat for Rusev and this match.
Lana could very well come to the ring in the end to either help Rusev win or accidentally cost him the match, leading to more friction between the Ravishing Russian and her client.
Rusev defeated Cena at Fastlane in a match that the WWE probably should have just preserved for WrestleMania, so it appears as though Cena is due for a win to get his heat back.
A win for Rusev, much like a win for Wyatt, would be huge for his career, but a loss doesn't necessarily ruin it.
Even though he beat Cena last month, doing it at the biggest stage there is would be even greater, but it won't kill him if he loses while looking strong..
Rusev will likely come out similar to how Wyatt fared last year when he fell to Cena but looked great in the process. It would be amazing to see the mighty Russian go over the "Cenation" leader here, but after Fastlane and Rusev's beat down of Cena on RAW, it seems like a long-shot that he'll retain the gold.
With the WWE's emphasis on making midcard titles feel important again, this feud has made the U.S. Title scene interesting and having Cena and Bryan on top of the midcard divisions as champions could be pretty cool.
Like Cena or hate him, he's a huge part of the WWE and still deserves to stand tall at the biggest show of the year.
The Pick: John Cena
Cena won his first WWE Championship from JBL at WrestleMania 21 in 2005:
Singles Match: Sting vs. Triple H
After years of close-calls followed by months of back-and-forth negotiating, Sting finally signed with the WWE and is set for his in-ring debut at WrestleMania 31 against Triple H.
After building his career in WCW and then becoming a TNA legend following the fall of that company in 2001, Sting had come close to joining the WWE many times, but he always remained as the one elusive former WCW star that Vince McMahon couldn't sign.
Now, "The Vigilante" is finally on board after making his WWE debut at Survivor Series and he has a date with "The Game" at the biggest event in WWE lore.
This buildup has been fun to watch as it slowly developed over the last few months and seeing Sting on RAW has been surreal.
It was always believed that Sting would come in and meet The Undertaker, and while that may happen down the line, he is now set to face Triple H in what should be a great match.
Sting turned 56 last week, so it was now or never for him to finally jump on board with the WWE.
This should be a classic encounter as flashbulbs are sure to fill Levi's Stadium when Sting and Triple H go nose-to-nose at the WWE's marquee event.
Triple H has been on a serious downswing at WrestleMania, losing three of his last four matches at the WWE's linchpin event, so he could be due for a win here as Hall of Famer Ric Flair pointed out.
It's hard to believe the WWE paid all this money to Sting and finally got him to the company with all this buildup just to have him lose at WrestleMania, so it seems like a no-brainer that he'll stand tall.
Perhaps, these icons will meet again at SummerSlam this August in New York City.
The Pick: Sting
Triple H had a war with The Undertaker inside Hell in a Cell at WrestleMania 28 in 2012:
One of the best Icon vs. Icon matches saw The Rock face Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania X-8 in 2002:
Divas Tag Team Match: Paige & AJ Lee vs. The Bella Twins (Nikki & Bella)
Unlike many other Divas matches in the past, this one actually seems like it has the potential to be something great as the whole #GiveDivasAChance movement has led to the ladies getting more time to build up their matches and tell proper stories.
Lee and Paige have been a breath of fresh air for the division and their alliance has been fun to watch. Paige will probably be looking to do something special here with it being her first ever WrestleMania match.
The Bella Twins make good heels, though I'm always forced to wonder how the WWE Universe is supposed to forget about their split at SummerSlam last year and that as heels they're in relationships with two of the top babyfaces in Daniel Bryan and John Cena.
As for a winner, it would make sense for Lee or Paige to pin Nikki Bella to insert themselves as a threat to her Divas Championship, but the two could have some sort of disagreement leading to the heels getting the win.
The Pick: The Bella Twins
One of the most entertaining Women's Championship bouts ever happened between Trish Stratus and Mickie James at WrestleMania 22 in 2006:
WWE World Heavyweight Championship: Brock Lesnar (c) w/ Paul Heyman vs. Roman Reigns
And here it is, one of the most polarizing WrestleMania main events in the history of the WWE.
For months, I had Reigns penciled in as the sure-fire winner of this bout, but with "The Beast" striking a new contract with the WWE this past week, things may be changing.
The WWE has had huge plans for Reigns ever since The Shield split up in June and it has been rumored for over a year that their hand-picked man would come to WrestleMania and win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
A hernia injury that caused the leader of the Roman Empire to miss September-December - three crucial months of development as a singles star - didn't halt the WWE's plans for Reigns.
When Reigns came back and struggled to develop his offense and microphone skills following that absence, the WWE didn't waver.
Reigns won the Royal Rumble Match while stars like Daniel Bryan, Dolph Ziggler and Dean Ambrose were treated as fodder during the contest.
The WWE once again spurned Bryan fans at Fastlane last month, having Reigns - who for his part looked good in the match - defeat Bryan to keep his standing as No. 1 contender.
Reigns can one day be THE man in the WWE, but the company fast-tracked him and used Bryan, a huge fan favorite, as a stepping stone to propel their guy regardless of what the fans wanted.
There was seemingly nothing that could stop Reigns from leaving WrestleMania 31 with the richest prize in the game.
The reason was simple, Lesnar's contract was set to expire shortly after WrestleMania 31 and the reason the WWE paid him a truck-load of money on that pact -- aside from the fact that he's a huge draw -- was so that he could create a new top star as John Cena won't be around forever.
Lesnar ended The Streak of The Undertaker last year, something that drew mixed reactions from the fans, but seems like an okay call now that Lesnar is staying.
From there, Lesnar decimated John Cena at SummerSlam to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship to add to the list of names that he's beaten since returning in 2012, a list that includes Triple H and CM Punk.
Lesnar then dominated a Triple Threat Match (and early Match of the Year contender) at January's Royal Rumble with Cena and Rollins and looked great in retaining his title.
The WWE built up "The Beast" as just that, a beast who can't be stopped, only for him to eventually fall to their hand-picked guy in Reigns in order to usher in a new era.
That was the plan, but it may be derailed now that Lesnar has signed a multi-year multi-million dollar deal to stay with the company instead of returning to UFC.
Lesnar went on ESPN of all places to announce the new pact, so it would be hard to see the WWE pull the title off of him after such mainsream exposure. Lesnar even said on the show he will do anything to keep the belt.
With Lesnar re-signing, the WWE has a lot of great potential feuds it could run with him on top, so it's possible he could retain on Sunday. It's a difficult call as the WWE had months of plans with Reigns.
Lesnar re-signing is not only good for the company long-term, but it helped add an element of mystery and intrigue to this match.
What was once a formality is now a question and with Cena and Bryan likely winning the midcard titles with plans of them headlining house shows and pay-per-views with the belts, a Lesnar win is conceivable.
The fans may turn on Reigns this Sunday. He's had mixed reactions throughout his run to the top of the biggest show of the year, and while it hasn't stopped the WWE from halting his push before, Lesnar's new contract might.
Lesnar is a huge draw, an intimidating figure that is must-see when he's on television, so it's hard to take the belt off him if he's going to be around for a few more years.
On the other hand, the WWE may also want to put the belt on Reigns so that he could defend it regularly as opposed to Lesnar, who disappears with the company's biggest prize for months on end due to the nature of his contract. Again, Cena and Bryan could fill the void should Lesnar retain.
Reigns could always lose here, develop over the next five months and take the belt from Lesnar at SummerSlam instead, though WrestleMania is usually the place where stars are born.
Anything can happen. Lesnar could win. Reigns could win. The Rock could cost Lesnar the match. Rollins could cash-in. Heyman could pull a double cross. The options are endless.
I'm torn on this one, it could go either way, but the WWE made Lesnar an offer that he couldn't refuse and part of that proposition may have included an even lengthier run atop the No. 1 wrestling promotion in the world.
The Roman Empire will have to wait.
The Pick: Brock Lesnar
Lesnar won the WWE Championship from Kurt Angle at WrestleMania XIX in 2003:
Another passing of the torch moment saw "Stone Cold" Steve Austin defeat Shawn Michaels for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania XIV in 1998:
Hulk Hogan and The Ultimate Warrior fought in a classic bout at WrestleMania VI in 1990:
Another historic chapter in WWE history will unfold when WrestleMania airs live this Sunday from Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
When the bright lights go dim at Levi's Stadium and the smoke settles over WrestleMania 31 all of the questions will be answered after the biggest show of the year. One thing for sure is that history will be made.
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