Cautious optimism.
That’s the best way I can describe my feelings just days before Orlando opens up The Ultimate Thrill Ride and for the 33rd time, we all get to experience the grandeur that is WrestleMania.
Even with some of the big concerns on this year’s show, it’s still WrestleMania. We will all still have that same feeling that we get when we see 70,000+ at the 
Citrus Bowl as the opening pyro goes off and America the Beautiful is played. I mean pictures of the set being built are hot topics at this point!
Even in the worst WrestleMania’s there is still a moment of two that people still talk about. WrestleMania 2 was pretty bad, but remember when William Perry eliminated Big John Studd? You can go without watching WrestleMania 9 but the WWF Championship changed hands twice! Even last year’s show was a bit iffy but Shane jumped off of WHAT??
So what will it be this year? To get you ready for The Showcase of the Immortals, take a look at who we think will come out on top of all of the matches.
KICKOFF SHOW
2017 ARNDRE THE GIANT BATTLE ROYAL
In the fourth installment of new way to get everyone involved on the WrestleMania card, this match is still trying to find its footing. It still doesn’t seem like it has been given the prestige that something with one of the most recognizable names in wrestling history attached to it should have.
This year, though, seems to have the deepest roster in ATGBR history. If you read something we posted earlier this week then you know I think Sami Zayn winning would make the most sense…don’t see it actually happening though. Though my prediction has made a huge improvement to where he was this time last year so it is hard to say he wouldn’t deserve getting the win here either.
WINNER – Braun Strowman
CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Neville (c) vs Austin Aries
I understand that there has to be a few matches on the pre-show to fill two hours and the Cruiserweight Division hasn’t exactly taken off since its inception, but I 
was really hoping that this match would make the main show.
Neville and Aries should put on a match that will be talked about the next day. Both stars have tremendous in-ring skills and have shown that they have chemistry working together the last few weeks. I would like to see this program last a few months. A-Double will walk away with the purple belt when it’s all said and done, but not on Sunday.
WINNER – Neville
SMACKDOWN WOMAN’S CHAMPIONSHIP
Alexa Bliss (c) vs “All Available SmackDown Women”
Why not keep Naomi’s return a surprise for Sunday? It was good to see that she is back in time for WrestleMania, but it could have had a little more impact if it came in Orlando – especially since that is where she is from. Naomi and Bliss are really the only ones that have a chance of coming out on top in this one. So, flip a coin and …
WINNER – Naomi
WRESTLEMANIA 33
INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Dean Ambrose (c) vs Baron Corbin
When I was getting ready to write about the Andre the Giant Battle Royal, I was about to say that no winner seems to have done anything with the win. Cesaro won in 2014 in what should have been the start of his needed push. It was not. Big Show won in 2015 … … … so that happened.
Last year, though, Corbin, still in NXT, came from behind to eliminate Kane and make the Dallas crowd erupt. Corbin has been very solid in the last year since – as has Ambrose capturing both the WWE Championship and the Intercontinental Championship. Corbin is probably primed for a push at this point, and just being in a title match on the main show is the start. The title win comes later though.
WINNER – Dean Ambrose
RAW TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP – LADDER MATCH
Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson (c) vs Enzo & Big Cass vs Cesaro & Sheamus
I don’t think there is any way this match does not start the show. A ladder match is always a great way to get the fans up from their seats early. Plus, when Enzo & Cass’ music hits and Enzo delivers one of his Enzo promos on the grandest stage, 
the crowd will go crazy.
The only strange part is that there aren’t really any of your typical ladder match competitors, except Enzo maybe. This will be a very physical ladder match. If you don’t believe me then just take a look at Sheamus’ face as he makes his way to the ring. In the end, The Club will hang on to the titles after they shoot up the ladder like a bullet! (see what I did there? … you know, cause they were, uh, well in Japan they were, ah nevermind)
WINNERS – Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson
UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP
Chris Jericho (c) vs Kevin Owens
You know what happens when you don’t get excited for this match? You know what happens if you’re not looking forward to a match that has been built since before SummerSlam? When you don’t appreciate two of the top in-ring performers going at it on the biggest stage? Non-believers…YOU JUST…ok, I’ll stop now.
Seriously though, Jericho has had an amazing year. I really think that he has moved from possible to definite Hall of Fame headliner. Raw has gone through some rough patches since the brand split. The one constant that always had fans talking was The List. Seriously, Chris Jericho got a clipboard over! Amazing!
For the match, if this really is the new era, then Owens needs to come out on top. KO gave legitimacy to an odd looking red title belt with a questionable name. If he walks out of WrestleMania with the United States, he could do the same for that title – a la John Cena after WrestleMania 31.
WINNER – Kevin Owens
Shane McMahon vs AJ Styles
Make a list of stars that would make more sense to be in the ring with Styles for WrestleMania and it would take some time before you got to McMahon. I get that.
Don’t let that make you assume the worst though. When has Shane-O-Mac not stepped up to the plate? Though it will be a little difficult, has Styles pointed out on SmackDown Live this week since this will just be a regular match, not Hell in a Cell, Falls Count Anywhere, Street Fight or anything of the sort.
Something will happen in this match. I don’t know what but something will happen that we’ll be talking about for a while.
If that thing is Shane beating AJ though, we won’t be talking very positively.
WINNER – AJ STYLES
John Cena & Nikki Bella vs The Miz & Maryse
When the rumor started floating around that this was a planned WrestleMania match, it was met with a confused groan from me – as I’m sure it was for you as well.
All that has changed!
The buildup that these four have put together have made this a match that everyone is talking about now. And why am I surprised? John Cena is, well, John 
friggin Cena. If you are booing him for any other reason that you feel you have to because it’s a fun thing to do, then you don’t understand this business. And The Miz…ooohhhhh The Miz! I’m a guy that appreciated everyone on the roster and didn’t really have a problem with anyone…except Miz. I just couldn’t do it. He was nothing more than a MTV reject who was given top spots that should have gone to more deserving stars.
This year though I have done a complete 180! Miz has been (I’ve spent a minute trying to think of a different word to use, but none fit quite like…) AWESOME! His program with Dolph Ziggler was a strong candidate for rivalry of the year. Miz has just been great as of late.
Won’t be enough though – Cena always kicks out at 2!
WINNER – John Cena & Nikki Bella … and I’ve been calling it for a while now, Cena proposes in the middle of the ring after the match.
RAW WOMAN’S CHAMPIONSHIP – ELIMINATION MATCH
Bayley (c) vs Charlotte vs Sasha Banks vs Nia Jax
It’s pretty easy to say that the Raw Woman’s Division is the better of the two brands. Even though some questionable booking decisions (the title may change hands between Sasha and Charlotte twice by the time you finish reading this) the woman have main evented Raw multiple times and broke more barriers with the first woman’s Hell in a Cell match in October.
The fact that this is an elimination match makes it that much more interesting. There will obviously be a tease of a confrontation between current friends Sasha and Bayley, who can pin Nia Jax, does Charlotte win back the title – it will keep the audience entertained through the entire match.
When all is said and done the title will not go anywhere and the next night will probably start a fun few months of Bayley vs Sasha.
WINNER – Bayley
NON-SANCTIONED MATCH
Seth Rollins vs Triple H
My excitement level for WrestleMania increased exponentially when they officially announced this match. It should have happened last year and probably would have saved WrestleMania 32.
Once again it almost didn’t happen. Rollins went down with an injury the night after the Royal Rumble and the WWE Universe collectively held its breath. Rollins is arguably the epitome of what most fans think of as what the “New Era” is all about. It makes sense to have him go against arguably the biggest name of the previous era in The Game.
Obviously Samoa Joe will have an appearance in this one, especially since he isn’t 
booked for a match for some reason. My BOLD PREDICTION (shout out to my NFL posts for DrinkFive.com) for this match is that FINN BALOR WILL MAKE HIS LONG AWAITED RETURN AND HELP TRIPLE H BEAT SETH ROLLINS. Whether the faction that Triple H has been building lately will be called the Balor Club is up in the air but this will happen.
WINNER – TRIPLE H
The Undertaker vs Roman Reigns
Wait…what was that? Was that…no…no it couldn’t be. Did…did a majority of the internet wrestling community give a thumbs up to Roman Reigns for his part in the build of this match? Wow! Amazing things do happen during WrestleMania season!
All joking aside, the build has been great for this one. The Undertaker was…well, The Undertaker! He has had the same basic formula for over 25 years … and it’s still as entertaining as it was over 25 years ago!
The focus here though is on Reigns. He gave us a taste of Heel Roman last Monday on Raw, and it was great! I am really getting a sense that the long-awaited full heel turn might just be around the corner. Is there any way to get everyone to boo you (boo you more in this case I guess) than beating The Deadman at WrestleMania?
WINNER – Roman Reigns
WWE CHAMPIONSHIP
Bray Waytt (c) vs Randy Orton
Just like Owens and Jericho, this match has been building since SummerSlam, which, again like Owens and Jericho, makes this one of the most anticipated matches of the night.
After basically being used by some of the top names in WrestleMania history – John Cena at WM30, The Undertaker at WM31 and The Rock at WM32, Bray Wyatt finally stands on the greatest stage as the top guy. In a matter of 48 hours, 
Wyatt pinned AJ Styles and John Cena (twice) to solidify himself as the biggest star on SmackDown right now. Long overdue!
Orton has proven to be more than entertaining as opposition to The Eater of Worlds. Buring down the Wyatt Compound was one of the most talked about segments on SmackDown since the brand split. Though at times they have taken the paranormal aspect a bit too far, it is clear to see that these two have chemistry together and it should show in the ring on Sunday.
WINNER – Bray Wyatt
UNIVERSAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Goldberg (c) vs Brock Lesnar
…(sigh)…
OK, playing devil’s advocate here, a lot of people have been using their match at WrestleMania 20 to show that it’s a bad idea to put these two together again. First off, there are plenty of other reasons to be upset about this match! Second, the match in 2004 was bad because the New York crowd found out that they both were leaving WWE that night and killed the match literally before it even began.
I just don’t get though. Goldberg vs Brock just as that is an attraction, the title is not needed.
But since there is nothing that can be done at this point and all signs are pointing to this match closing the show, you HAVE to think that WWE realizes that it would be a bad idea to end a WrestleMania with just a 1:00 long squash match and then the closing pyro, right?
RIGHT?
Something will happen. I have no idea what that something is going to be but SOMETHING will happen.
WINNER – Brock Lesnar
SO WHAT DO YOU THINK? ARE YOU EXCITED FOR THIS YEAR’S SHOWCASE OF THE IMMORTALS? HOW WILL THE SHOW END? WHAT SURPRISES WILL WE GET? FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @FROM_THETOPROPE AND LIKE US ON FACEBOOK AND LET US KNOW!
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