WrestleMania 34 is finally here and we conclude our WrestleMania Week here at The VideoScope, with a preview of and predictions for WrestleMania 34. Who wins? Who get stuck on the pre-show? Who main events? Read on to find out.
Kickoff Show:
Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal
Prediction: “Woken” Matt Hardy
Matt Hardy being able to DELETE all the other contestants and win the humongous wonder #8’s trophy might be the WWE’s best chance to make the internet BROKEN before the actual show that cases the immortals, WrestleMania 34.
The history of this battle royal has shown that it is not about pushing new talents, but creating moments. Cesaro slammed Big Show to win the first one, The Big Show himself won the second one to pose next to the Andre trophy and last year, Rob Gronkowski won it. This match serves two purposes, which is to give the whole roster a spot at Mania and capturing the attention of the most people possible to kick things off. That’s not gonna happen with Dolph Ziggler, but it might with Matt Hardy.
Cedric Alexander vs Mustafa Ali
Cruiserweight Championship Match
Prediction: Mustafa Ali
It’s truly a shame that 205Live has been dead on arrival, because the Cruiserweights are a talented bunch and not just in the ring. Just take a look at this promo by Mustafa Ali, top notch stuff.
That’s why I think Ali will win this match, which hopefully steals the kickoff show at the very least. Cedric Alexander might be more marketable and he is a damn good wrestler, but I feel like the Cruiserweight division needs something different to stand out and Mustafa Ali is the most unique out of the two. I’d love for them to wrestle on the main card or at least have the final match on the kickoff show, but as usual, the Cruiserweights will be shunned and overlooked.
The Bar vs Braun Strowman and ?
RAW Tag Team Championship Match
Prediction: The Bar
I’m not quite sure which match will end the Kickoff show, but unlike most other predictions, I think the Women’s Battle Royal will be featured on the main card. Seeing as Santina Marella apparently never happened and this is the “first” Women’s Battle Royal at WrestleMania, it has to be on the main show.
The RAW tag division desperately needs an infusion of talent, with The Bar serving as the only viable tag team at the moment. That’s why I think they will retain. Braun needs a push as well, but the way they have booked this match, his unwanted mystery partner can be the cause of his loss. Braun is at his best when he’s not finished with someone and tries to hunt them down, so expect ??? to get these hands.
WrestleMania 34:
The Usos vs The New Day vs The Bludgeon Brothers
Smackdown Tag Team Championship Match
Prediction: The Usos
Why not start WrestleMania with some riveting tag team action and give a popular duo a nice win to give the crowd a reason to be excited? It’s their time.
The Usos are fantastic, one of the best tag teams of all time and deserve a lot of praise for making Smackdown’s Tag Title scene look really good. Their long rivalry and feud with The New Day has been awesome to watch, but now that it has gotten a bit old, the WWE smartly added The Bludgeon Brothers to the mix.
Many believe TBB should win this to gain even more momentum, but I think the recently face team of The Usos deserve a huge WrestleMania moment. After 9 years as a tag team, they haven’t had a WrestleMania match until now. They would thoroughly deserve it. Luckily, The New Day is in the match and can take the pin to keep Bludgeon Brothers looking strong. The Usos are right at the cusp of rightly being recognized as an all-time great tag team and would benefit greatly from a win.
Alexa Bliss (C) vs Nia Jax
RAW Women’s Championship Match
Prediction: Nia Jax
Alexa Bliss is a fantastic champion and probably deserves to keep the title over a still green Nia Jax. But the WWE have kind of painted themselves in a corner here, where only a Nia Jax win would seem to justify the way they have built up this match. Unlike when Triple H went over Booker T at WM XIX before them, I predict the WWE will finally give the bully some come-comeuppance.
I can easily see Alexa Bliss winning the title back again, but the WWE probably will and should give Nia Jax a reason to smile for now.
The Miz (C) vs Seth Rollins vs Finn Balor
Intercontinental Championship Match
Prediction: The Miz
The objective of this match is simple: make The Miz (and by extension the IC title) look good.
By matching him up with Seth Rollins and Finn Balor, they give Miz a chance to be in the show stealer at Mania. It also means they can put him over two credible wrestlers who are fan favorites. It will both bring more credibility to him as champion and give him more heat, as a lot of fans would like to see Rollins or Balor win. There is still the off-chance that either Rollins or Balor take home the IC title for the first time, but there is more to gain from Miz retaining to take the record.
Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon vs Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn
Prediction: Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn
I’m going against the popular opinion on this one and believe that we’ll get a heel victory.
The argument against it, is that Zayn and Owens can be moved to RAW now, as the SuperStar Shake-Up is about to happen anyway and Daniel Bryan needs a win at his return
First of all, how would the WWE justify in kayfabe, that Smackdown get back enough talent to make up for the loss of Zayn and Owens? They can’t give SmackDown more superstars than RAW during the Shake-Up, how would that make any sense? Besides, Zayn and Owens just joined from RAW a year ago and they need a win themselves.
Secondly, when has the WWE ever given Daniel Bryan the win when the WWE Universe feel like he deserves it? He is always screwed and treated like the underdog.
I can see Shane McMahon’s ego and desire to punish Zayn and Owens himself get the best of him, and by some misunderstanding or in-fight between Shane and Bryan, the dastardly heels find a way to win and create Yep-o-Mania, KO Mania or Zayn-o-Mania.
Now that Bryan is a full-time wrestler again, he can’t be the GM, so they need an angle to get him fired. This way, it leads to Shane firing Daniel Bryan as SmackDown GM and give them a program running all the way to SummerSlam. Win-win.
AJ Styles (C) vs Shinsuke Nakamura
WWE Championship Match
Prediction: Shinsuke Nakamura
Sadly, I don’t think this will main event like it should and what the Rumble winner is supposed to.
This is a dream match in the WWE and they can’t really go wrong with either one. The reason I’m going with Nakamura is that AJ has had a good run as champion already and the WWE would like to make some headlines in Japan with NJPW looking really good as of late.
Just sit down and enjoy this match, it will likely steal the show, it’s pretty unpredictable and will give us a nice reward for having to sit through Kid Rock.
Kid Rock and probably Flo Rida and Pitbull perform
Prediction: It sucks and nobody cares
We all need a bathroom break at this point.
The Undertaker and John Cena Thing(?)
Prediction: The Undertaker
Kid Rock keeps rolling and, plays “American Badass” and out comes The Undertaker to finally answer John Cena’s challenge to a match. As mentioned when I rated the build-up of this match, I don’t like how John Cena has been talking shit about The Undertaker. Neither has many other people it seems, so making Cena win the match he so desperately wants, would be counter-productive.
How the WWE then books The Undertaker’s retirement, I have no idea of, but it would be nice if he could end it where it all started, at Survivor Series.
WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal
Prediction: Bayley
It’s pretty clear that Bayley vs Sasha Banks is the main attraction of this match, so either one of them should win. I feel like Bayley needs a big win more and her winning can cause Sasha’s frustrations to boil over and beat down Bayley after the match, finally leading to a proper feud between the two and a definite heel turn for Sasha.
Sure, someone like Becky Lynch could also take advantage of Sasha and Bailey fighting to pick up the win, but Bayley needs the win even more. Sasha and Bailey probably deserve a singles match on this card, so at the very least they should be the main story in this historically historic Battle Royal.
Randy Orton (C) vs Bobby Roode vs Jinder Mahal vs Rusev
US Championship Match
Prediction: Bobby Roode
As I mentioned in the article when we rated the build-up for all the matches at WrestleMania 34, I have a theory that the WWE will do something to make this seemingly thrown together match worthwhile.
Most believe that Rusev will win this match, considering his recent surge in popularity and the fact that WrestleMania happens to be on Rusev Day. I however, feel like this is the perfect set-up for Bobby Roode screwing Rusev, recollecting his US title and getting a major heel-turn in the process.
I don’t know about you, but I feel like Roode’s tenure on SmackDown has fallen kind of flat. He is a natural heel, but due to the popularity of his theme song, he has been made to be a face. Rusev, despite his intimidating physique, has kind of become an underdog in the WWE, not getting the push he deserves, so I think a program with a heel Booby Roode would do him wonders.
A win for Rusev would give him a nice moment, but to make people invest in him long-term instead of just looking at him as a comedy act, I feel like Roode screwing him for the title is the best and most logical outcome. Maybe have Aiden English align with Roode down the road to screw Rusev and sing the “Glorious” theme song to make it less popular for a while.
Charlotte Flair (C) vs Asuka
Smackdown Live Women’s Championship Match
Prediction: Asuka
The final match from Smackdown and like the WWE Championship match, it features a beloved US Superstar and established champion against an up and coming Japanese wrestler who might be equally as beloved.
I’m going with a similar result like the Nakamura match, once again to make a big WWE push in Japan, but also this time to keep Asuka’s winning streak in tact. Hopefully they won’t keep her unbeaten until she loses at next WrestleMania to Ronda Rousey, but they can build up her undefeated streak for a bit more and give it the spotlight it deserves at WrestleMania.
Still, we want Charlotte to look strong and for this feud to continue further and that’s where Miss Money in the Bank, Carmella comes in. She might not even try to cash in, but she will definitely get involved, which should be enough to distract Charlotte and give Asuka the win. From there, the WWE can go a lot of different places, but they need to make sure Charlotte and Asuka get their time to shine before Carmella comes out.
Ronda Rousey & Kurt Angle vs Stephanie McMahon & Triple H
Prediction: Ronda Rousey & Kurt Angle
This time, I’m going with the obvious choice and that’s Ronda Rousey winning her first match in the WWE. The question is who she makes tap out, as you can make a strong case for both Triple H and Stephanie feeling the wrath of the former UFC Champion.
Stephanie McMahon makes a lot of sense, as she has never really gotten punished for her actions in past storylines. It’s not 2009 anymore, so she won’t get RKO’d on TV or suffer a move from one of the other dudes in the company and Brie Bella wasn’t able to beat her in her only singles match this decade. We already got a taste of Rousey beating her at WrestleMania 31.
If Ronda Rousey makes Triple H tap out however, that would send a huge statement about women’s wrestling and would also make Rousey look even stronger. I can see the WWE going with either route, but what is certain is that Rousey will win this match.
Oh, and Kurt Angle is competing at WrestleMania for the first time in 12 years. But who cares about that, right? He’s only there to work with Triple H for most of the match, as Rousey is still green as grass as a “Sports Entertainer”.
Brock Lesnar (C) vs Roman Reigns
Universal Championship Match
Prediction: Roman Reigns
Of course, Roman Reigns will be in the main event and of course, he will win to send the crowd home… ehm, lukewarm?
There might be a small chance of Lesnar’s rumored exit to be false and that he can still feature in the WWE while competing in the UFC, like he did for UFC 200. I’d say there is about an 8⅓ chance Lesnar wins, if that. Roman Reigns is not normal, he’s the WWE’s poster boy, so obviously he’ll take the mantle Brock Lesnar has had ever since he beat The Undertaker in the same building four years ago.
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