Wrestlemania Preview

Eli Rafail

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(Photo Credit via orlandowrestlemania.com)

The biggest wrestling event of the year is right around the corner. Wrestlemania 33 will take place on Sunday, April 3rd in Orlando, Florida. This show has some people wary as to how it will go. Some hardcore fans think it may be a trainwreck much like last year’s “spectacle.” However, there are always optimists that think the show will go just fine. The card is absolutely stacked with star power, but will the matches deliver?

There are a number of undercard matches that have the potential to do great things. The Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal will once again take place. The Raw tag team titles are on the line in a ladder match, and both women’s titles will also be defended. Alexa Bliss will defend her Smackdown Women’ title against every available woman on the roster. Literally, every woman. Then Raw Women’s champion Bayley finds herself in a fatal four way against Sasha Banks, Charlotte, and Nia Jax. An interesting buildup will culminate at the Show of Shows. The Miz and his wife Maryse will take on the pairing of John Cena and Nikki Bella. This feud has been entertaining thus far, but many believe that the match won’t be as exciting. And finally, the match that has the potential to steal the entire show is the Cruiserweight championship match. Neville will be defending his title against Austin Aries. These two men are amazing performers, and if they are given enough time, they could easily steal the show.

Both of the secondary titles will be defended this year as well. First, Baron Corbin and Dean Ambrose will go one on one for Ambrose’s Intercontinental Championship. This is a feud that has had a decent build to it and it does have intrigue. However, neither of these men are really top notch in the ring, so the match may fall a little flat. It could most certainly be entertaining though, and it could also potentially lead to domination from Baron Corbin in the next few months.

The other secondary title feud belongs in the main event. The pairing of Chris Jericho and Kevin Owens had been entertaining for the entire second half of 2016. In fact, sometimes they were the only watchable part of Raw. Once Kevin Owens turned his back on Jericho though, that all came crashing down. With the end of the partnership also came the end of Owens’s title reign, as Goldberg defeated him for his Universal title, thanks impart to Jericho. Now the two will clash for Jericho’s United States championship. This may be the most interesting feud on the card, and it will definitely be one of the better matches of the night. Emotion, great wrestling, and a great result either way will make sure that this part of Wrestlemania will be entertaining.

AJ Styles was easily the best superstar of 2016. He put on classic after classic and even got ahold of the WWE Championship. It would only make sense to put the best wrestler on the planet against another amazing wrestler so that they can tear the house down, right? Well, wrong. Styles will instead face SmackDown Live commissioner Shane McMahon. It’s not worth time to dwell on the obvious. Styles deserves better, but the WWE Universe will just have to live it for now. Hopefully, Styles returns to the title picture after his Wrestlemania match.

Another battle against an authority figure will likely take place, but this one has all the intrigue in the world. Although it is not official at the time of this writing, Seth Rollins will clash against his former mentor Triple H in a non-sanctioned match. Due to Seth’s injury, doctors won’t clear him for a real match, which is why the street fight of the sorts will take place. This is the deepest rivalry on the show. The man who was once the student was betrayed by his master, and Rollins wants payback. Especially after a second injury was caused by Triple H’s new prodigy, Samoa Joe. Expect interference from Joe and others to make this one of the best matches of the night. This feud has been brewing for years, so an epic match that will be remembered for years is the only way to finish it.

The greatest performer in Wrestlemania history is The Undertaker. He has put on countless classics at the Showcase of the Immortals, but this year he will go up against the perennial “face of the company,” Roman Reigns. Reigns is documented as a hated man by the fans, and a win over perhaps the best sports entertainer of all time won’t make him any more popular. Additionally, with the rumor brewing that this could be Taker’s last match makes it all the more likely that he will go out on his back with a loss. Many fans will be unhappy, but it’s just another thing to deal with. The only way Reigns’s character will ever be completely effective is if he turns heel, but that may never happen. Wrestlemania is the perfect time to do so, but it’s too hard to tell exactly what will happen in this one.

The Universal title will also be on the line as Goldberg defends it against Brock Lesnar in a rematch from Survivor Series 2016. Let’s be honest, these guys shouldn’t both be in a title match and the both shouldn’t be in the main event at this stage of their careers. Goldberg has wrestled a total of just over 100 seconds since he returned in late November, and just because he’s a legend means that he should be the champion? No, not buying it. The belt did need to feel a bit more valuable, but that could’ve been done with full time talents. Nonetheless, expect this match to be boring if it goes long or it may be just as short as their Survivor Series clash. Either way, Lesnar will likely be the winner, allowing Goldberg to walk away from the company once again.

And finally, the WWE title will be on the line as Bray Wyatt defends his coveted gold against former Wyatt Family member, Randy Orton. This match also has a long build to it, starting all the way back in the early fall when Orton joined forces with Wyatt. Since then, they have won tag team gold, Orton has won the Royal Rumble, and Bray Wyatt has won the world title. However, Orton is now using his opportunity to strike at Wrestlemania, turning his back on his former teammate. Many fans believe that the third Wyatt Family member, Luke Harper, should’ve been added to make more intrigue and also create a new star, but that unfortunately didn’t happen. This match’s build has been great, but the wrestling aspect may falter. Both men have slow and methodical in-ring styles that may make this match a bit boring for some. The outcome is a bit hard to predict, but hopefully it will make for a good finish to Wrestlemania.