 Triple Z shares his analysis for the two night event WrestleMania 36. Breaking down all the madness of what will be a historic event. DISCLAIMER: Triple Z did not read any spoilers for WrestleMania 36. This may be the weirdest WWE event that I will ever have to cover for this site. WrestleMania is defined by its pageantry and is a phenomenon. This year due to the coronavirus pandemic, WrestleMania will be happening from the WWE Performance Center. Yes, the WWE Performance Center that is used when NXT can't book Full Sail University. WrestleMania's attendance this year will be ZERO. Try explaining this to someone five years ago. It's a darn shame things turned out like this because WWE pre-coronavirus ruining the entire world... was building towards a well-rounded, respected WrestleMania card. A mixture of legends and new blood (kinda). The card is now split into two nights which is good considering WrestleMania's of years past have a tendency to run into the early morning of the next day. Now host Gronk has the time to do everything over two nights. Yes, this WrestleMania currently looks like a throwaway episode of RAW/SmackDown but I'm willing to bet that it will turn out better than expected. At least WWE is giving us some entertainment during these difficult times. In this special edition of The Wrestling BreakDownZ, I'll get into Edge, Undertaker, Goldberg, and even Brock Lesnar reportedly confronting Vince McMahon! Sami Zayn vs Daniel Bryan Let me just say that WWE has absolutely wasted Daniel Bryan's return. There have only been three good things that have came out of it: his match with Brock Lesnar, putting over Kofi Kingston at last year's Mania, and his feud with The Fiend (even that is iffy). WWE acted like they would have Daniel Bryan forever! His first feud back was with Big Cass! Big Cass! His highly-anticipated feud with The Miz even fizzled out. Daniel Bryan has been open that he's planning on retiring in the near future. Right now it seems like he's using his status to do whatever he wants. Like being paired with Drew Gulak, a wrestler from the NXT/205 Live realm, that has struggled to gain any traction of the main roster. Now we get Daniel Bryan facing off against Sami Zayn. Which in my opinion is terrific. This is a good match and it will be a showcase of how two WWE superstars that could've easily been in the main event picture are fighting for the Intercontinental championship. I don't see Daniel Bryan losing this one. Winner: Daniel Bryan Kairi Sane & Asuka vs Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross The Women's Tag Titles are forgotten, and it doesn't help that this year's WrestleMania won't create a ton of exposure either. Similar to WWE's men division there just isn't enough tag teams to compete for the titles, and your best and true women's tag team The IIconics aren't being used. Both Asuka and Kairi Sane always felt like they were thrown together, and same for Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross. All four are single wrestlers. So, let's just keep the titles on Kairi Sane and Asuka. Winners: Kairi Sane and Asuka Otis vs Dolph Ziggler Otis all the way! Poor, Tucker Knight probably will lose Otis within a year if his momentum keeps up. Winner: Otis Elias vs Baron Corbin If this was a NORMAL WrestleMania this feud would've taken place during a battle royal or ladder match. Yes, Baron Corbin does his job as a heel good enough. Elias, has all the potential in the world and WWE was gun shy about moving him into a main event feud with John Cena. This is a match that would happen on a SmackDown or a lesser PPV. With all that being said. WWE loves Baron Corbin. He is a WWE product. He didn't come from ROH, TNA, or the independent scene. He's homegrown and I think they are going to continue to push him to the top. In the case of Elias, I genuinely feel he may never get the chance to prove his worth. That's just how it goes in today's WWE. Winner: Baron Corbin Aleister Black vs Bobby Lashley You have Aleister Black win here. Sidenote: Lana isn't going to be able to comeback from this Bobby Lashley/cheating on her husband angle. Winner: Aleister Black Street Profits vs Team Vega I'm going to be safe and say Street Profits retain here. Although I think it is time for WWE once the coronavirus passes over and everything gets back to normal is to push Andrade and Zelina Vega to the moon. Let's say Drew McIntyre wins the WWE Championship from Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania. Who would be a perfect first feud for Drew other than Jinder Mahal? Andrade. Andrade beat Drew for the NXT Championship now will history repeat itself? Also I think Zelina Vega has massive potential to win in the women's division. It would be cool to see someone other than the Four Horsewoman hold a championship too. Yes, a little crazy that just a couple weeks ago Ciampa was tossing Austin Theory around like a rag doll in NXT and now he is on WrestleMania. Winners: Street Profits The Uso's vs The Miz & John Morrison vs The New Day No clue if this match actually happened. I didn't even realize that this was a ladder match. Let's just go with The New Day I guess? I don't really know at this rate. What a weird WrestleMania this year! Feels like I'm doing predictions for a random PPV! But please when things get back to normal let's push John Morrison and The Miz to the moon. Winner: The New Day (I guess) Kevin Owens vs Seth Rollins Now this is a WrestleMania worthy match. It also has the potential to be a potential show stealer. I think Paul Heyman's masterplan for RAW includes Kevin Owens as a top guy. So it would make sense to have him beat Seth Rollins. Winner: Kevin Owens Rhea Ripley vs Charlotte Flair My biggest issue with this match is that it shows the lack of depth of WWE's main roster women's division. They had to go to NXT to give Charlotte Flair a decent match. Even if it totally diminished the Royal Rumble win. It now leaves WWE in a strange place. Do they end the momentum of Rhea Ripley or do they have Charlotte Flair, your most dominant female star, lose to someone from NXT? It's a toss up. But I'm going with Charlotte Flair because we can't have anything nice right now and it's not like there is a ton of talent in NXT already that could use that title reign. Winner: Charlotte Flair FATAL 5 WAY Sasha Banks is going to win this. But another brutal match... that in any other year would probably been altered before the grandest stage of them all. Bayley isn't a good heel, and it's time for her to face the music and feud with her friend Sasha Banks. Winner: Sasha Banks Becky Lynch vs Shayna Baszler I still think Ronda Rousey is going to come back to WWE eventually. I think WWE is still holding out on a Rousey/Lynch match. Problem is that Ronda Rousey seem disinterested at least from the outside world perspective. If she was still into WWE wouldn't she have been used in the promotion for the FOX move? It's weird how that situation has gone down. I think Shayna has a bright future but Becky Lynch is WWE's latest star and I don't see them ending the Becky Lynch reign anytime soon. Winner: Becky Lynch Goldberg vs Braun Strowman Goldberg taking on Braun Strowman is just a bad match. I would've preferred a more random option for Goldberg. I bet this match is a squash. Winner: Goldberg Edge vs Randy Orton I started this site back in 2013. So, I never got to cover Edge while he was active. Now I get that chance which is crazy. I can't believe this match is happening. I can't believe Edge will be wrestling again in the year of 2020. Edge is totally a fish out of water in today's WWE. It's weird to see him back, and it's crazy to think about the potential matches we may get out of him. Having his probable final stretch with WWE start with a familiar opponent is smart. I can't see him losing this match. Even with no crowd there. I just can't imagine Orton beating Edge. This has to be Edge's triumphant return. Unless WWE gets super bold in this empty arena show and someone attacks Edge during this Last Man Standing match giving Orton the victory. Either way, I just hope WWE doesn't wast Edge's return. Don't mess it up like you did with Kurt Angle, Sting, and potentially Daniel Bryan. Winner: Edge John Cena vs "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt For frequent readers of ZWrestleTalk, you would know that I'm not a fan of The Fiend. Although this year for WrestleMania due to the fact they have to get creative I could see this match being entertaining but not from a wrestling standpoint. Wyatt isn't a fantastic wrestler. In this scenario, I could see John Cena and Bray Wyatt giving a solid performance if they go all out and if WWE embraces the weirdness of The Fiend. Maybe we will gain a few more John Cena memes out of all this? I think Bray Wyatt is going to beat John Cena. After having him lose to Goldberg you have to allow your guys to bounce back. A victory over Cena is huge. Considering we don't even know the next time we will even see Cena wrestle. So, having Wyatt beat him is still a big deal. Winner: Bray Wyatt The Undertaker vs AJ Styles The Undertaker's supernatural gimmick is fading away before our own eyes. It looks like AJ Styles will bring out the best in The Undertaker. They will have a boneyard match at WrestleMania. I don't know how much longer The Undertaker has left with WWE but hopefully his final couple matches live up to his own daunting legacy. I don't see AJ winning even if this WrestleMania is a minor league version. Winner: The Undertaker Brock Lesnar vs Drew McIntyre Brock Lesnar reportedly stood up to Vince McMahon due to the ridiculous conditions surrounding WrestleMania. We are in the middle of pandemic and is it really worth it to be doing a major wrestling event where many people will be in contact? This also can go for AEW too before I get accused of being bias. Lesnar was reasonably frustrated that he had to wrestle in front of no one. Lesnar probably holds the sentiment of the entire main roster. WrestleMania probably should've been postponed. Obviously it would've been risky to postpone WrestleMania but still it probably should've been considered. Now back to the match. Drew McIntyre has gone 360 with the audience ever since the Royal Rumble he's been on fire. Drew's build up reminds me of when WWE would actually prop up their talent. I hope the trend continues because it's easier to make stars. It's a shame that this match is happening in front of no one because when Brock Lesnar is motivated and wants to put someone over. Magic usually tends to happen. I don't see WWE waiting until SummerSlam to crown Drew. So they will probably do it now. Winner: Drew McIntyre WrestleMania 36 is bound to be historic but this time it could be for the wrong reasons. It also has the chance to shock the world as a solid two-part WrestleMania event. I guess we will see. Follow @TripleZ_87 Follow @ZWrestleTalk Now go listen to the unofficial theme of WrestleMania 36.
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Triple Z makes his predictions for Royal Rumble 2020. One of WWE's key events every year is the Royal Rumble. It's also usually the tone-setter for WrestleMania season. The two Royal Rumble winners receive title shots of their choosing. WWE has some big decisions ahead. Especially with Brock Lesnar now in the Royal Rumble match as a champion. You also have The Fiend they have to book for WrestleMania. On top of Roman Reigns who they are clearly positioning to be back in his normal main event slot. Let's start the BreakDownZ! "Shorty G" vs Sheamus I can't believe Sheamus is getting a push in 2020. He's a guy WWE needs to move on from. At least he went back to his old gimmick but he's still cutting cringeworthy promos. Maybe just maybe Sheamus giving out random brogue kicks will make him more valuable but I doubt it. "Shorty G" is just sad. How do you botch a prospect like Chad Gable this bad? I also don't see him beating Sheamus. Winner: Sheamus Bayley vs Lacey Evans Bayley taking on Lacey Evans will be a fine match. Bayley is still clearly leeching off Sasha Banks as she's a new character for the first time in her career in WWE. It's crazy how Bayley has lost so much value over time. That's one downside of Triple H's NXT machine. Triple H keeps creating better and better prospects. WWE also clearly loves Lacey Evans and it would be a bold move to put the title on her. You have to think we are heading into WrestleMania with Sasha Banks holding the belt. It's just in the matter of how we get there. The safest route for this match is probably having Bayley retain. Winner: Bayley Becky Lynch vs Asuka This should be a solid match. Becky Lynch keeping the title seems like a safe bet. Not much more to say on this one. I love the matchup. I think it's clear Becky Lynch is WWE's biggest star in a while. Winner: Becky Lynch Roman Reigns vs Baron Corbin The battle of Vince's boys. Roman Reigns has been solid. He's due for a title reign. The problem is WWE can never put him in a situation to succeed. The "Who's Attacking Reigns" storyline could've been INCREDIBLE. Could you imagine if WWE went all the way with it and had Daniel Bryan be revealed as the puppet master who set up the attacks on Reigns? The story sets itself up. Reigns was Daniel Bryan's replacement. If Daniel Bryan doesn't get injured we don't see the quick and unnatural rise of Roman Reigns. Baron Corbin is just dreadful. He's a heel I get it. But there is a difference between being a good heel and just plain bad. Corbin is somewhere in the middle, that's where I will give him credit. Corbin can try to poke fun at AEW too but at the end of the day there is a ton of talent in that company that is definitely better than him. Corbin's antics on SmackDown are childish, and I still can't believe people at FOX were willing to pivot WWE from not doing a more "serious" production. At the end of the day I see him losing this match. Reigns needs to look strong during WrestleMania season. Let's hope WWE doesn't overdue it though. Winner: Roman Reigns Bray Wyatt vs Daniel Bryan The Fiend is whatever at this rate. Bray Wyatt is Bray Wyatt it's the same creepy snore fest over and over. We know how this story goes (for now). We know he's going to win. Hopefully, Daniel Bryan doesn't get lost in the shuffle. Winner: Bray Wyatt Women's Royal Rumble This BreakDownZ (prediction) is going to go a little differently... Surprise Entrants (Plausible): Lita, Trish Stratus, Torrie Wilson, and the typical NXT people. Unlikely Surprise Entrant But I'll Mark Out For: AJ Lee Who I Want To Win: Ronda Rousey or Kairi Sane Who I Think Will Win: Shayna Baszler Clearly I think we will see some former WWE women's division stars make an impact as surprises in the Rumble. AJ Lee would be a fun return but still unlikely. I think Ronda Rousey winning the Rumble would be a fantastic decision and would catch a lot of people off guard. You can't let Rousey's star fade. Her drawing power will diminish the longer she's away from the game. Plus a singles match between her and Becky Lynch would be good for both sides. Kairi Sane is my other want to win pick just because she was a call up from NXT that was lost in the shuffle. Kairi Sane has a lot of potential as a singles star and there would be no better time to let her breakout than the Rumble match. In the end I feel Shayna Baszler is winning the Rumble. I don't know what that means for Ronda Rousey but WWE obviously likes Shayna. She had an incredible run as champ in NXT, and she even won a match at Survivor Series against Bayley and Becky Lynch. Seems like a natural fit to win the Rumble. Men's Royal Rumble This BreakDownZ (prediction) is going to go a little differently...
Surprise Entrants (Plausible): John Cena, The Undertaker, and Goldberg. Unlikely Surprise Entrant But I'll Mark Out For: CM Punk Who I Want To Win: Brock Lesnar, Daniel Bryan, or Keith Lee. Who I Think Will Win: Roman Reigns I think there is alway potential for more surprises. Obviously we will have a NXT influence in the Rumble match too. I would enjoy Lesnar going the distance and acting as the ring general. I think it would be a cool role for him, and it would show everyone that he still has it. CM Punk probably won't happen but who wouldn't mark out to hearing "Cult of Personality" again. Also, I think it's weird that WWE is considering the Saudi Arabia event Greatest Royal Rumble as official in the Royal Rumble history. I think WWE needs to institute a new rule that whatever happens in Saudi Arabia isn't canon in WWE history. Meaning HBK never came out of retirement, Goldberg/Undertaker didn't happen, that weird Royal Rumble match didn't happen, etc. Daniel Bryan and Keith Lee would be inspired picks to win. Daniel Bryan/Brock Lesnar could be a fantastic main event for WrestleMania 36. With all that being said I think they do Reigns winning the Royal Rumble. Yes, it may kill all of Reigns momentum once fans find out he's going to beat The Fiend but still I can see them going through with it. Safer route would be having Roman Reigns take on John Cena in a match. Anyways, the Royal Rumble is usually one of the best events of the WWE year. This year should be once again a fun show. Follow @ZWrestleTalk Follow @TripleZ_87  Triple Z gives his predictions for Survivor Series Coming off of the spectacular NXT TakeOver: WarGames event. NXT has to pull double duty. Tonight the NXT brand takes on WWE's RAW and SmackDown. In what is probably one of the most anticipated WWE pay-per-views in a while. Survivor Series looks to impress with a stunning card. Adam Cole vs Pete Dunne There are a lot of NXT superstars ready for the main roster but Pete Dunne from NXT UK may be the most ready to take the next step. Dunne has now been floating around the main NXT brand but I think it's time for him to move to the main roster. Scary I know but Pete Dunne has such a unique style that he could instantly become a top player on either brand. Adam Cole is also ready but the difference is, NXT needs all the star power right now to compete against AEW on Wednesday nights. So, I wouldn't expect many NXT call-ups even though a lot of the talent are ready for the big time. I think this will be a formidable match. It's a shame we didn't get the bonkers match of Brock Lesnar vs Adam Cole vs Bray Wyatt but understandably WWE wants to protect both Lesnar and Wyatt. Still, I think Adam Cole will pull off another impressive victory tonight. Winner: Adam Cole AJ Styles vs Roderick Strong vs Shinsuke Nakamura This is going to be wild. Even though AJ Styles vs Shinsuke Nakamura didn't live up to the hype a couple years ago. This match with Roderick Strong could be a thriller. I think Roderick Strong pulls off the win. I think WWE really wants Undisputed Era to look like a menacing unit. I do think Nakamura needs to be used more but for now it may not be his time. Winner: Roderick Strong Survivor Series Classic Match: Men's Teams Well, Kevin Owens may be defecting to NXT tonight. Also, Shawn Michaels will reveal NXT's team on the kickoff show. Maybe just maybe they only announce four guys leaving the door open for a Kevin Owens defection or a John Morrison return. Also, NXT may go with a totally different team but I would expect to see Ciampa, Keith Lee, and probably Matt Riddle (unless he shows up later, more on that soon). RAW in its current state looks like the most complete team. You have Randy Orton as the veteran. Seth Rollins who is a top guy. Kevin Owens and Ricochet who are solid performers, and Drew McIntyre who is a wild card. SmackDown is a team full of headcases except for Roman Reigns. Mustafa Ali and Chad Gable aren't bad picks but they seem out of place. I'm all for WWE pushing new talent though. Braun Strowman and Baron Corbin seem unreliable. I think the match really comes down to NXT vs RAW. Even though my heart wants NXT. It's probably going to be RAW. Winners: Team RAW Survivor Series Classic Match: Women's Teams NXT should win this. Yes, I'm going high on NXT tonight but in every match it seems like they have the advantages. That SmackDown team is a joke. I honestly have no clue what FOX wants out of SmackDown with teams like this. RAW's team is only slightly better. NXT holds the power though. It's honestly weird how NXT's women's division can be better than your main roster but here we are. Now face the reality. Winners: Team NXT The Viking Raiders vs The Undisputed Era vs The New Day Even though The New Day picking up a big victory here would make sense. I think The Undisputed Era sweeps the night. Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly prove themselves with two of the best teams today. Winners: The Undisputed Era Becky Lynch vs Shayna Baszler vs Bayley This one literally could go to anyone. Becky Lynch winning would establish her as the top threat in all of the women's division. Bayley seems to have gotten better since her heel turn. Shayna Baszler has been a top NXT prospect for quite sometime. If Ronda Rousey returns tonight then we see Baszler win. If she doesn't we could still see Baszler win but I can't imagine NXT winning all these matches. So, I'm going to just give this one to Bayley because why not. Still think there is tons of potential for a four horsewomen of WWE & MMA feud it just comes down to when Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir are ready. Winner: Bayley Bray Wyatt vs Daniel Bryan Daniel Bryan is wonderful. He can bring a good match out of almost everyone. That being said I absolutely HATE the Fiend gimmick. Maybe it will grow on me over time but right now all I see is Bray Wyatt as just nothing more as a gimmick. Can he really go when it's time to go? That's the big question we will see when he faces Daniel Bryan. Can he have a fun match without all the gimmicky stuff. That still remains to be seen. Still that championship isn't coming off him any time soon. Winner: Bray Wyatt Rey Mysterio vs Brock Lesnar This is a big time match. Brock Lesnar is taking on Rey Mysterio in a No Holds Barred match. A motivated Brock Lesnar is the best version of Brock. It will be fascinating to see what him and Rey can do in the ring. Outside interference is also a possibility and I'm thinking tonight could be a good night for Matt Riddle to strike against Brock Lesnar. Costing him the championship and creating a feud for down the line. Even though that's what I want. I still think Lesnar will walk out of Survivor Series as WWE Champion. Even though Rey Mysterio getting a title run would be awesome even if he is injury prone.
Winner: Brock Lesnar Follow @TripleZ_87 Follow @ZWrestleTalk  Well, this is going to be a quick predictions article. The FOX era of SmackDown which I've been talking about for months finally launched. SmackDown got an impressive 3.87 million viewers. Hey, that's a lot lower than their heyday but still on the wasteland of Friday night television that's a solid number. SmackDown had 1.4 million viewers in the 18-49 ratings share. Even though that episode didn't do a lot to sell why SmackDown should be watched every week those numbers are good for now. Yet, WWE forgot about Hell in a Cell. A reason why this piece should be relatively short is that WWE only has FOUR matches scheduled on the card. Which is unthinkable in the era where WrestleMania lasts two days. I'm sure more filler matches will be added but they probably won't be worth predicting. Bayley vs Charlotte Flair Honestly, I'm sure this match will get a solid amount of time. No clue if they can recapture the magic of the past clashes between the Four Horsewomen. Bayley seems like she has no direction. Charlotte Flair has been consistent but overall there has been nothing to make us care about this feud. Does Bayley beating Charlotte Flair reestablish Bayley as a legitimate threat? I just got to go with Bayley because there seems like no clear angle for Charlotte Flair. Winner: Bayley  Maybe I'm mad at Luke Harper for sticking around but like man it feels like we just keep going in circles with Wyatt/Rowan/Harper and I can never take them seriously. I wish Luke Harper would've gotten the chance to go back to NXT similar to Finn Balor, Killian Dain, Tyler Breeze, and Fandango. He's a guy that would've done well in that brand. I'm more interested in seeing Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan team because that's where the money is at. Daniel Bryan taking on Roman Reigns could be an epic match if they build it up right. Yet again this feels like WWE wants to push Erick Rowan and Luke Harper. Meaning I wouldn't be surprised to see them win this match. Winners: Rowan and Harper Becky Lynch vs Sasha Banks This should be a fantastic match. Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks have really built a good feud unlike Charlotte/Bayley. This was the perfect opponent for Becky Lynch. As I felt that the whole "The Man" gimmick was starting to fade. Having Sasha Banks come back to be her rival has made Becky Lynch entertaining again. Not saying that she wasn't entertaining but she is just so much better now than she was when she was feuding with Lacey Evans and the others. I'm expecting some hardcore elements within Hell in a Cell. I wouldn't be surprised to see them scale the cage a couple of times. Maybe we see some tables breaking. I’m just hoping there isn't to many botches within the match. This has the potential to be a fantastic match and honestly could be better than the disastrous main event of WrestleMania 35 where Becky Lynch won the title. Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks should be given plenty of time tonight. I don't see Becky Lynch losing the championship any time soon. The only thing that could screw up this prediction is if FOX wants Becky Lynch on SmackDown. Then they would have to have her drop the title somehow. Winner: Becky Lynch Seth Rollins vs "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt Will Seth Rollins slay The Fiend?
Rollins defeating Bray Wyatt wouldn't be something out of the ordinary. WWE has derailed hyped up gimmicks before. Also, does WWE really want to put the title on Bray Wyatt that fast? The biggest thing I want out of this match is seeing Bray Wyatt actually wrestle. No more mandible claw garbage and spooky supernatural effects. Let's see if The Fiend can actually wrestle in Hell in a Cell under the bright lights. That's what I'm hoping to see. Wyatt actually wrestling and less goofy gimmicky stuff mid-match. I also wouldn't be surprised to see Seth Rollins slay The Fiend so WWE doesn't work themselves into having Bray Wyatt be undefeated. I'm in the minority but The Fiend and Firefly Funhouse doesn't do it for me. Maybe I still feel bitter for how the first Bray Wyatt run went down. That I enjoyed his gimmick so much and then as time went on it got worse. I give Wyatt credit for creating an entirely new character. That's something that is pretty incredible. Seth Rollins has been on a heck of a run and I can't see him losing to The Fiend. So, I just have to go with Rollins. "The Fiend Slayer" seems like something WWE would say too. Also, for fans worried about Bray Wyatt not winning. WWE is probably going to keep pushing him either way. Winner: Seth Rollins  Triple Z gives his predictions on Clash of Champions. Which is looking to be a promising card. Clash of Champions is basically Night of Champions but with a different name. Also, where is this Roman Reigns/Erick Rowan thing going? Ah, Clash of Champions the former WCW/NWA event which is now being used as a WWE event. It makes sense that WWE is bringing back more of the WCW PPV names. Let's be real Clash of Champions sounds better than Night of Champions. Here is to hoping that WWE does Bash at the Beach and some other WCW classics. Isn't it ironic that Clash of Champions returns at the same time as WWE is about to face their biggest wrestling challenge since WCW. AJ Styles vs Cedric Alexander "Is AJ Styles declining?" That's a question I have been seeing lately around the WWE universe. Honestly, I don't think he is. I just think he has taken a significantly smaller role then we are use too. Styles is now with Gallows and Anderson. They are the group "The OC." The trio has potential but you have to wonder if "The OC" is actually holding Styles back. Having Styles as part of a group seems more like a creative rest stop. I have said it many times but WWE is bloated. So, not every guy gets to be in the main event scene. (Look at Jon Moxley). Styles should be back in the main event scene again soon. Cedric Alexander is a rising star for WWE. I feel that him beating Styles is possible but I just don't think it is the time. Winner: AJ Styles Shinsuke Nakamura vs The Miz It is crazy to think AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura are the mid-card champions. This shows how bloated or stacked WWE is. The Miz is a marketable star, and his 2016 heel run was never capitalized on. Fans also never got to see a babyface Daniel Bryan beat heel Miz. Nakamura seemed lost in the shuffle for awhile and I'm glad to see WWE found something for him. I think The Miz is going to win on Sunday. Having him as the Intercontinental champion would be good for FOX's SmackDown. I still hope Nakamura stays within the title picture. Winner: The Miz The New Day vs The Revival This is a solid match. If given the time it could be one of the best matches we see at the PPV. I think because WWE's main roster is so chaotic. Talents like The New Day and The Revival don't get to show their full potential. Even though I think WWE is going to do its best to keep The Revival happy. I don't see them winning this match. I also can't imagine The Revival going to AEW even if they do have a "feud" with The Young Bucks. Winners: The New Day Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross vs Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville The Women's Tag Team Championship has become a hot potato. Surprise! The championships are dual-branded. Once the IIconics lost the championship I knew it would open the floodgates for new champions. I think Bliss and Cross don't work as a team. I think at this rate we are waiting for Bliss to turn on Cross so we can get that feud. Bliss and Cross should do the job to Deville and Rose. It would only make sense since Deville is now on the cast of Total Divas to give her a championship run. I also think that Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose are a true team so that's also another reason to give them a championship run. I still think WWE is going to need time to figure out this division. Realistically the division outside of the current tag team champions has The IIconics, Deville/Rose, and Asuka/Kairi Sane. They actually need to split up Asuka and Kairi Sane. It just doesn't work and having Paige as their manager is brutal to watch. In the end this division has issues. I think for now the smart play is to give Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose a run with the championships. They will probably defend them at Evolution II... oh wait. Winners: Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville Braun Strowman & Seth Rollins vs Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode Dolph Ziggler somehow remains relevant within the WWE title picture. WWE changed Bobby Roode's name to Robert Roode. Which is honestly just a puzzling move for no particular reason other than it's stupid. Obviously, WWE is going to give Ziggler/Roode the championships to set up the main event later on. Why build the tag team division when random pairings always prevail? I think Roode could still be a major player within WWE if he is given the chance to shine. Winners: Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode Bayley vs Charlotte Flair Bayley is in a grey area. Is she really a heel? We will have to wait and see. Just because she is friends with Sasha Banks shouldn't make us think she is a total heel. This match will determine if WWE is going to pull the trigger on Bayley being a heel. Charlotte Flair is also in a weird spot. Does she need another championship reign? No. Yet, Charlotte is coming off of a huge victory over Trish Stratus. Should WWE run with that momentum? Not to mention Bayley cashed in Money in the Bank on her. So, Charlotte winning the championship back would be a big victory for her. I just don't think it is needed. Also, WWE really needs Bayley to get somewhere. She was suppose to be one of the top women's division stars and it feels like she hasn't hit her stride. Hopefully, this heel championship run and inevitable babyface turn on Sasha Banks will get her back on track. With all that being said I think this match ends with Bayley showing off her "ruthless aggression" by hitting Charlotte with a chair, kendo stick, whatever else, etc. Meaning Charlotte would win by DQ, and she wouldn't become champion. Winner: Charlotte Flair via DQ Roman Reigns vs Erick Rowan Did WWE botch an intriguing Roman Reigns storyline? THEY SURE DID. Why is this match happening at Clash of Champions? It's not even for a championship. Kinda defeats the point of WWE's version of the PPV. Reigns/Rowan could've happened at another PPV but still this whole storyline is a mess now. Literally, WWE just needed to reveal that Daniel Bryan is jealous of Roman Reigns and that he was the man who orchestrated all the attacks on Roman Reigns. Leading us to a big time money match between Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan. That isn't hard. Now we are seeing Reigns face Rowan in a match that I'm betting ends in a no contest because why not? And you may ask how does a NO DQ match end in a no contest? They will find a way. It's too early to have Rowan lose and it wouldn't make sense for Reigns to job. No Contest Kofi Kingston vs Randy Orton Kofi Kingston's championship reign has taken a turn. This is the "make it or break it" section of the reign. Similar to other champions in the past. We will see if WWE has the confidence in Kofi Kingston to continue his reign. Randy Orton still remains his biggest threat. If Kingston can conquer Orton. The sky is the limit. Kingston could end up facing Roman Reigns, John Cena, or Brock Lesnar down the line. I think Kingston's reign has time left but I wouldn't be surprised if this match makes it seem like his championship window is closing. Winner: Kofi Kingston Becky Lynch vs Sasha Banks I can't see Becky's reign ending yet. Although heel Sasha Banks has been a breathe of fresh air. This is the feud both of them needed and I hope it lasts longer than Clash of Champions. Not much else to say on this. Winner: Becky Lynch Seth Rollins vs Braun Strowman WWE could put the championship on Strowman but I don't see it happening. Seth Rollins is being groomed into a WWE mainstream mega star (similar to Reigns). Being the only active main roster member (outside of Roman Reigns) to beat Brock Lesnar clean (let alone beating him twice). Rollins has the big match momentum. Strowman does not. Rollins is going to continue his reign. Honestly, I don't know what massive threat WWE could have Seth Rollins face next?
The one thing is for sure is that Rollins is currently "the man." Strowman is too on and off again to actually give a championship run. Rollins will be a safe champion until WWE figures out on what to do with him and the championship. Winner: Seth Rollins Follow @TripleZ_87 Follow @ZWrestleTalk  Triple Z discusses WWE's SummerSlam and why their biggest event of the summer will have huge ramifications for their upcoming fall schedule. It's been a while since I blogged on professional wrestling. A lot has come up in the past few months. WWE's pay-per-view schedule is fast and furious, and not to mention the lack of interest in the earlier months led me to be silent on ZWrestleTalk and focus on other projects. Well, I'm back and there is a ton to discuss for SummerSlam. The event is important and will have ramifications on WWE's future this fall. NBCUniversal and Fox are wondering why WWE isn't performing well in the ratings. Can WWE turn itself around? WWE hired Eric Bischoff and Paul Heyman to course correct their main shows. These aren't "figurehead" roles either. The Executive Director role comes with real responsibilities like talking to the show's respected network and reporting directly to Vince McMahon. Was the move a reaction to WWE's stale product or was it a reaction to AEW? All I know is before I get heavy into predictions. WWE locking up Heyman and Bischoff was brilliant. You know for sure AEW would've made a play for Heyman. Bisichoff would be more unlikely considering his stint at TNA. I feel like that whole saga damaged his aura. WWE has turned it around lately. Kicking things into high gear even before Heyman/Bischoff assume full control of their shows. The prospect of competition on a major network has them shook, and really that isn't a bad thing. I like AEW. Yet, I still think WWE is overrating their threat level. WWE is a billion dollar company. AEW has funds but it's not even near that range yet. The roster of AEW is good but it's not even close to the talent of WWE's. WWE shouldn't even put NXT on Wednesday's to compete against AEW. NXT needs to remain on the WWE Network. It adds necessary value to it. Having a taped NXT on FS1 will not capture the same level of value. Especially ratings wise, and not to mention its unnecessary to showcase that brand on a network of that size alongside your other shows. If WWE messes with NXT's current format they could once again end up with a lackluster third show that looks reminiscent to Main Event/WWE Superstars. Now with that all being said let's get to some predictions. I'm abandoning predicting for 205 Live because I don't keep up with it at all. Finn Balor vs Bray Wyatt Finn Balor is going on a break after SummerSlam. Honestly, that's probably the best thing for him. WWE is stuffed with talent, and Finn Balor has been included in major storylines but that will only last so long in the current WWE ecosystem. Bray Wyatt on the other hand is in line for a major push. I give him credit he has reinvented himself. I do find his new character not as entertaining as others have. I think Wyatt will eventually burn out but maybe this run actually works for him. Winner: Bray Wyatt AJ Styles vs Ricochet AJ Styles will take on Ricochet once again for the United States Championship. I can't imagine Styles losing so quick into his reign. Especially now that he's part of the rebranded "The Club" which is now just "The OC" meaning "Original Club." Which is a reference to the past of AJ Styles, Karl Anderson, and Luke Gallows. It will be fascinating to see how long this lasts before WWE decides to make Styles a solo main event act again. Winner: AJ Styles Goldberg vs Dolph Ziggler This will be the most exciting Dolph Ziggler match in years. That being said. Winner: Goldberg Trish Stratus vs Charlotte Flair I really hope this isn't Trish Stratus' last match. She wouldn't be a bad part time talent to have during big pay-per-views like SummerSlam and WrestleMania or even during a random event that just needs some star power. My heart wants Trish to win because it's Toronto after all, and how good would it be to see Charlotte Flair lose a big match? I just know better. It's going to be Charlotte Flair winning and Trish "passing the torch." Winner: Charlotte Flair Kevin Owens vs Shane McMahon I'm starting to see shades of current Kofi Kingston and 2014 Daniel Bryan in Kevin Owens. I think there is a possibility he could rise to be a true top guy. Someone that is truly over. His momentum is ramping up. He uses the stunner now and cuts passionate promos, and it does help he is in a feud with Shane McMahon. The match itself I assume will be okay. Maybe it will be better than their previous outing. It feels like WWE is making Shane McMahon wrestle a ton. Which is crazy considering he works best as a part-time talent in most scenarios. I can't see Owens losing this fight, and I can't see WWE attempting the tired "He lost so he has to quit only to come back three weeks later." Just give us a clean Owens victory. Winner: Kevin Owens Bayley vs Ember Moon This match to me is just one big shrug. I hope Bayley keeps the title so she can finally return to height of her popularity. I just haven't felt this feud at all but I do respect WWE making this feud between just two SmackDown stars. We really need to enforce the brand split again. I think Bayley is going to retain so it doesn't make her cash-in look like a waste. Winner: Bayley Kofi Kingston vs Randy Orton This one should be epic. Kofi Kingston is the WWE Champion and longtime foe Randy Orton is now in his way once again. Will Randy Orton win his 14th world championship? It's a possibility. This feud has been brewing for a decade ever since Kofi's first main event feud with Randy Orton back in 2009. There were rumors after that program, Orton used his status within WWE to hold Kofi Kingston back. After that feud in 2009, Kofi Kingston would go on to have entertaining matches and even become a part of The New Day. Which is now one of WWE's best tag teams of all time. Kofi Kingston is finally a main event talent. Yet, the WWE is a hard place to stay at the top. Ask the likes of JBL, Jinder Mahal, and even Dolph Ziggler. Kofi Kingston's reign has been decent. He's only faced the likes of Dolph Ziggler, Kevin Owens, and Samoa Joe so far. Which are all good but none are on the established level like Randy Orton. The Viper poses Kofi's biggest challenge yet. WWE tapping into the real life aspects of this feud is brilliant. If Kofi Kingston can retain at SummerSlam we could see him holding on to the title for a couple more months. Orton/Kingston has potential to be the match of the night. Purely from a story element. It's hard to bet against Randy Orton, especially when he is in raging heel mode, but I'm going to have to this time. Winner: Kofi Kingston Becky Lynch vs Natalya Let me start by saying I love Becky Lynch. Yet, "The Man" gimmick is starting to take its toll. It was starting to feel unoriginal at WrestleMania and some of her tactics have leaned more heel than "anti-hero." The one thing I give Becky credit for is that she stole the female Stone Cold status away from Ronda Rousey but if Rousey returns soon it could be fun to see those two compete for the same role. I don't think Rousey is returning anytime soon but I would assume WWE would need one of their most marketable names available during WrestleMania season. Heck, they may need her for SmackDown on FOX this fall. I honestly think Becky Lynch may hold the belt until WrestleMania. Why make the women's championship a hot potato when you don't need too? Although, it could be a good twist to see Natalya tap out Becky Lynch in Toronto. Natalya has come across way more impressive in this feud with Becky. Still I think Becky retains. Winner: Becky Lynch Brock Lesnar vs Seth Rollins It's clear WWE no longer thinks of Money in the Bank as a long story arc. The Money in the Bank briefcase is now used for short term gains in terms of story. This is what happened with Brock Lesnar winning Money in the Bank and winning the Universal Championship. It was a short term gain.
Now the bigger question rises. Which Brock will show up? Lazy Brock, who doesn't care to even try and just hits suplex after suplex and a F5 or in the losing scenario loses in less then a minute. or... will we get Motivated Brock, the same Brock Lesnar we saw against the likes of AJ Styles, Finn Balor, and most importantly Daniel Bryan. The Brock that has a desire to tell a story and have a fun match. It will be interesting to see but WrestleMania showed us that Lesnar can lose in horrific fashion. The first true WWE talent to beat him outside the likes of Reigns, HHH, Taker, and Goldberg squashed him in an unmemorable match. Lesnar is going to stay with WWE for awhile. I can't see him dropping the title so soon. Also, if this match is main event maybe they can do a twist at the end? I honestly don't know where Rollins and Lesnar go from here. Winner: Brock Lesnar One last thing will call this like a post-credit prediction. Roman Reigns' "Who did it" storyline will take a major turn at SummerSlam. Please give us Reigns vs Bryan at WrestleMania 36. Follow @ZWrestleTalk on Twitter.  Triple Z is back to predict WWE Money in the Bank. So, WWE really botched post-WrestleMania. Vince McMahon can't make up his mind regarding the superstar shake-up which leads us to the new and groan-worthy "wild-card" rule. Where basically RAW and SmackDown stars can jump brands. Pretty pathetic considering the brand split. Reportedly, the move comes from both NBC and FOX as they are now worried WWE will not have enough talent to sell both shows weekly. Well, dang maybe this is something they should've game-planned for. To make WWE's declining ratings and creative issues even worse. New reports from various outlets are stating that Triple H and most of the WWE creative team are at odds with Vince McMahon and his lack of change. They even say that both Shane and Stephanie McMahon spoke to their father on the issues. And now let's add salt into the WWE wound. All Elite Wrestling has a partner in WarnerMedia. I have had many Twitter musings on AEW, and this was one of the keys for me. AEW got more than a television partner. They got a place for television and pay-per-view events. Not to mention the possible synergy of AEW becoming a part of HBO Sports. For now, AEW will be on TNT officially this fall. The network hypes it as their return into the wrestling business. The network sent out a gif with the AEW logo with flames reminiscent of WCW Monday Nitro in the background. AEW's first event Double or Nothing will also be available through Bleacher Report Live. Vince McMahon will be facing his first real competition in years. Even if WWE doesn't show it. It has to be unsettling that the former network that wanted you out of business got back into the wrestling business. (Yes, I know Ted Turner is no longer involved with TNT but this whole TNT/Dusty Rhodes revenge angle with AEW is fun to write about it). Now let's predict Money in the Bank, an event that WWE needs to execute well. Daniel Bryan & Rowan vs The Uso's Let me start by saying the last few weeks of WWE television has been a bore. Hysterically bad from the standpoint the brand split is becoming more and more confusing. Some say WWE should abolish it. I totally disagree, the brand split when done well and with the amount of talent WWE has would beneficial for the entire roster. More champions the better, and more important matches to happen when there is a clear focus for both shows. Our first match is a prime example of what not to do. The Uso's were just moved to RAW and now they are fighting for the SmackDown Tag Team Titles? Also, this isn't like a feud that was leftover from the shake up. This came out of nowhere. Daniel Bryan is currently in a cool down phase after becoming the hottest heel in WWE, and helping Kofi Kingston transition into a singles main event star. If WWE was smart they keep Daniel Bryan on SmackDown this fall and they turn him babyface once again. Have Daniel Bryan have the babyface reign he was robbed of. As for this match The Uso's shouldn't even be considered to win. Let's not ruin the brand split even more. Winners: Daniel Bryan and Rowan Tony Nese vs Ariya Daivari The Cruiserweights just do their own thing. To me it doesn't really matter right now. 205 Live continues its brand crisis. The only things that brand has going for itself is that Drake Maverick acts as a general manager and that the talent can now escape the brand for either RAW, SmackDown, NXT, or NXT UK in a call up fashion. Winner: Tony Nese Samoa Joe vs Rey Mysterio This is a leftover feud from WrestleMania/shake up. Rey Mysterio and Samoa Joe have a good chance at putting on an absolute clinic. I still think Samoa Joe wins but with a healthy Rey Mysterio in the mix we can be in for a more entertaining match. Winner: Samoa Joe Men's Money in the Bank Money in the Bank should be the easiest pay-per-view to hype. The event has year-round implications for both men and women's divisions. This year's match is pretty solid. Yes, I'm not a fan of McIntyre or Corbin but the rest of the group is worthy. WWE has a lot of angles they could go with this match. Could the grizzled vet in Orton carrying a briefcase energize an entire roster? Why not? Can you imagine an RKO out of nowhere leading into a cash in? Andrade has to be the favorite. Purely because he is a heel. Ricochet and Ali could be good winners along with Balor. Sami Zayn, Drew McIntyre, or Baron Corbin winning would be heel heat although Sami Zayn was once a lovable underdog character before facing the realities of the main roster. McIntyre is an unrealistic pick along with Baron Corbin just from the pure standpoint they don't need the contract. Why you might ask? They are gifted opportunities constantly. Constantly. Trust me, these two will get plenty of title shots. Also, no need to have a boring cash in. When push comes to shove. I think I'm going to go with Randy Orton. It's not a popular choice but I don't know if I have the confidence in WWE to give Andrade the briefcase especially considering his ally Zelina Vega isn't in the women's version. Winner: Randy Orton Women's Money in the Bank Is it bad I want to see Carmella win it again? I would've been fine with Alexa Bliss winning but she got injured. I could see Mandy Rose winning the match in a Carmella-like fashion with her partner Sonya Deville coming to help her. Naomi, Natalya, and Bayley don't fit the current storylines at all. Bayley could make an intriguing opponent for Becky Lynch considering the four horsewomen angle but that seems unlikely. I know what Nikki Cross and Ember Moon accomplished in NXT but why should I care now? I think that's the biggest issue with NXT call ups particularly in the women's division unless they are introduced right (example: IIconics, Zelina Vega, Lacey Evans) they usually fall flat and the audience forgets what made them special. We've seen that with Moon, Cross, and even Bayley. Dana Brooke is a mystery case considering she had a moment at WrestleMania and now she's thrown into the women's main event scene. It's a particular weird move when you have Mickie James on the sideline but I guess Dana Brooke is well-liked and this was WWE Creative's way of giving her props. So, just from that it's hard to really knock her in this particular scenario other then it feels random. Does she have a shot at winning? Probably not. If she somehow won the match it would make intriguing television and with the current state of WWE. I think we could use a couple surprises. I'm going Mandy Rose. I'll be rooting for Carmella as my close second but it seems like WWE likes Mandy Rose enough to give her a massive run. Winner: Mandy Rose Becky Lynch vs Lacey Evans They want Becky Lynch to do a Chris Jericho. Yet, I don't think it has the same meaning at all. I kinda wanted to see Lacey Evans win the title from Becky Lynch in her first big match but I'm fine with waiting for Lacey Evans to win the big one. For now, I think the best case scenario is have Becky Lynch hold both titles until Ronda Rousey eventually returns. That's where the money is at. Please WWE don't justify putting Charlotte Flair into the mix when Ronda Rousey does come back. The feud is clearly Lynch vs Rousey. I also think if Becky Lynch's gimmick starts to wear thin it could be the perfect opportunity to have Rousey come back KO her and win the title. Not to mention they botched the main event of WrestleMania so it's hard to get behind Becky Lynch right now because her win still feels tainted. Winner: Becky Lynch The Miz vs Shane McMahon Honestly have to give this one to The Miz. Then give Shane McMahon a break until SummerSlam. Not much to say on this one. Winner: The Miz Roman Reigns vs Elias Honestly this should be a solid match. Elias and Roman Reigns getting a chance to fight will be pretty cool to watch. It's clear Roman Reigns will be a big part of FOX's SmackDown this fall. So, maybe this is his path to the WWE Championship. Winner: Roman Reigns Kofi Kingston vs Kevin Owens This should be a fantastic match. Kofi Kingston was one of the bright spots of a now unmemorable WrestleMania. Yes, I said it. If WWE would've had a better WrestleMania and post-WrestleMania they wouldn't of fallen into this boring abyss. Anyways, Kofi Kingston is going to survive against Kevin Owens. I still find it funny that Vince McMahon considers Kevin Owens "Championship" material now as in the past he would've never picked someone like Kevin Owens to carry a title. Winner: Kofi Kingston Becky Lynch vs Charlotte Flair Can someone make it stop? Can we move on from this please? Please, I am begging you. There are countless other women superstars that could put on great matches with Becky Lynch. The only problem they have is Lynch's character is clearly an anti-hero. So, they aren't exactly opening the doors for babyfaces to develop. Even though they should. Becky Lynch's character holding two titles has so much potential. Let's see if they can move on and create some new feuds for her. Winner: Becky Lynch Seth Rollins vs AJ Styles Dream Match.
Maybe we can change this title design too? This should be a fun match. I don't think AJ Styles is going to win but who knows considering his move to RAW now actually doesn't mean anything. Seth Rollins could end up holding this championship until WrestleMania if he stays healthy. No clue who could possibly take it off him especially after he defeated Brock Lesnar. Winner: Seth Rollins I'm optimistic for Money in the Bank considering the current product has been so bad. This could be a good night to really embrace surprises and have overall good matches. Follow @ZWrestleTalk Follow @TripleZ_87  Triple Z gives his predictions for WrestleMania 35. WWE's return to the New York/New Jersey area. Breaking down every single match for the grandest stage of them all. Before I even begin the BreakDownZ for WrestleMania 35. The build up to WrestleMania 35 has been weird. That's the best way to describe it. Usually it is the most meticulously planned part in WWE's schedule. Now it feels like an event that is rushed and thrown together literally a week before the event. WWE is looking to catch some headlines. Giving Ronda Rousey, Becky Lynch, and Charlotte Flair the main event at this year's WrestleMania. Yet, that entire feud has become way too convoluted. This match now has both titles on the line. This historic main event has killed more Women's matches off the card. I'm sure the other women superstars will be in a battle royal. I'm sure they will appreciate that. Also, what does WWE do next year when the men go back into the main event? How do you explain that after the Women's Revolution? On the other hand, WWE has created one of the best organic feuds of the entire year in Kofi Kingston taking on Daniel Bryan. Back in 2014, Daniel Bryan was the top babyface. He was the underdog hero. Now, Daniel Bryan is a heel and he has become everything he fought against. Then comes the rise of Kofi Kingston. The audience has finally demanded his push after years of entertaining. The New Day has become one of the biggest groups in WWE with major mainstream appeal. Daniel Bryan is known by the mainstream audience for creating the "YES" chant. Daniel Bryan vs Kofi Kingston would've been a more emotionally satisfying main event. Kingston finally reaching the top, and Daniel Bryan being a villain. And like every year. Before I get into the predictions. WrestleMania probably will run long. Either way the event currently doesn't have a memorable slate. Let's see if they are able to change that on the day of the event. The Revival vs Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins Why? Even though the reunion of Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins gives a lot of fans the feels. It still doesn't make sense for WrestleMania. If this was the plan, which obviously it wasn't. Why not set this feud up earlier? Either way this seems like a kickoff match. The Revival are going to drop the titles and The Edgeheads will be tag team champions for a day. Winners: Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins Women's Battle Royal My original picks to win this were either Carmella or Zelina Vega due to the event being in their home state. Now my pick is Lacey Evans because WWE is obviously high on her. Winner: Lacey Evans Buddy Murphy vs Tony Nese I'm assuming this will be a 205 Live kickoff match? Let's have Tony Nese win here because why not? Winner: Tony Nese Tamina & Nia Jax vs Boss N' Hug vs IIconics vs Divas of Doom I give them props for doing this match. Hopefully, it isn't on the kickoff show. This match is important for obvious reasons. Let's bullet point it.
Nia Jax is just bland. WWE keeps pushing her even though majority of the fans couldn't care less. The same goes for Tamina. This duo is just not it. Boss N' Hug is a curious case. Sasha Banks clearly needs to be a heel again. The women's division needs legitimate heels. Not Nia Jax heels. Banks could provide that. Bayley should gear up for another singles run. Maybe move them both to SmackDown? The next team is the IIconics. The only true, full time team. Yeah, you can make the argument for Banks/Bayley and Jax/Tamina. Let's face it there not true teams. The IIconics have the most potential overall on the main roster. If they are used correctly. They actually can wrestle, and they are over-the-top characters. Beth Phoenix makes Natalya better. Beth Phoenix gets to finally compete in a better era. It's truly remarkable to watch. Phoenix was at the crossroads. She didn't get to face the likes of Trish Stratus and Lita. This era suits her better. Like it would for most of the women back then. I don't see them winning the championships but this team competing at Mania is pretty special and pretty cool. I think this isn't the last we have seen of Sasha Banks and Bayley. For now, I think the championships will belong to the IIconics. I may be wrong. I'm just making a bold prediction. Winners: The IIconics Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal This battle royal just is sad. It could be used as a launchpad or a way to introduce new talent but WWE would rather have Braun Strowman win it every year from now on. Which on WWE's end takes care of Braun's booking every year. Most people are against WWE's recent relationship with Saturday Night Live. I'm actually fine with it. The only part that is iffy is that Colin Jost and Michael Che aren't even believable wrestling celebrities. Gronk, Floyd Mayweather, and other celebs just come across better because of their physical presence. Jost and Che have comedic chops but them actually wrestling someone like Braun isn't funny. Unless Braun brings in his tag partner Nicholas from a year ago. Still Braun wins this and SNL shines. Winner: Braun Strowman Ricochet & Aleister Black vs The Uso's vs The Bar vs Rusev and Shinsuke Nakamura I'm assuming this is a main card bout. I don't think the WWE would put The Uso's on the kickoff show let alone The Bar or the new NXT call ups. The Uso's just re-signed with the WWE. We could see them walk out tag team champions. Yet I think WWE will go the "surprise" route with Ricochet and Aleister Black making their marks early on in their main roster call ups. That's the problem with these call ups. WWE doesn't play the hot hand. Even though it may be formulaic. Taking the NXT talent that were successful and sky rocketing them on the main roster is a better strategy than calling them up and letting them sit. Examples include EC3, Sanity, Tye Dillinger, and Andrade at the beginning. So, having them win the titles right away isn't too soon. It's actually a good play. Winners: Ricochet and Aleister Black Kurt Angle vs Baron Corbin Kurt Angle's last match is against Baron Corbin. The decision was unpopular. I'm fine with the match but I'm more concerned that Kurt Angle can no longer carry a match. They are sticking him in the ring with Corbin who isn't exactly a great in-ring psychologist. John Cena would've done a better job making Kurt Angle look good in his final showing. Angle has shown his age and it's good he's getting out of the game now. It was heartbreaking watching some of the singles matches where he could barely move or when he was getting mauled by Drew McIntyre. Not to mention his awkward entrance and exit fro this year's Royal Rumble. I think Angle is abandoning the tradition of going out on your back. I think he defeats Baron Corbin soundly. It's just sad that the Hall of Famer's last match isn't a big deal. Winner: Kurt Angle Bobby Lashley vs Finn Balor This is just all around bad. Bobby Lashley is currently at a whatever phase within WWE. Remember last year he returned on the RAW After Mania and he had all the potential? Yep a year back on the WWE track drained that potential. I am a huge fan of Finn Balor but his character is poorly written on the main roster. It's kinda up to Finn to change that. The usage of the demon feels unnecessary. WWE just wanted The Demon entrance at WrestleMania. This match is a toss up but you have to assume Finn Balor walks out with the title? The bigger question WWE needs to answer is why the mid card titles don't have multi man ladder matches? That's where WWE could benefit from finding a new "Money in the Bank" gimmick or something. The amount of singles matches are unnecessary especially when they aren't WrestleMania worthy. Winner: Finn Balor Rey Mysterio vs Samoa Joe This is a WrestleMania worthy one on one match. It's a dream match. Despite SmackDown's loaded roster not getting an opportunity at the championship. Could you imagine a ladder match with Andrade, Ali, R-Truth, Kevin Owens, Samoa Joe, Jeff Hardy, Matt Hardy, and Rey Mysterio? That would've been the match of the night. Honestly Samoa Joe probably wins this sound. Unless WWE has a vendetta to "bury" old school TNA at WrestleMania. More on that in the next section. Winner: Samoa Joe AJ Styles vs Randy Orton This is WWE vs TNA. Despite how much WWE loves AJ. Do you think they are going to let Randy Orton lose to the man who was the king of TNA for years? This is exactly like Sting vs Triple H. If we go based on the story it's obvious Sting and AJ win. Yet, WWE will probably have their guy prevail. Randy Orton wins on a wicked RKO moment. Winner: Randy Orton Roman Reigns vs Drew McIntyre I'm glad to see Roman Reigns back, and I'm happy to see WWE isn't rushing him up the card. I don't like Drew McIntyre. I think fans completely over-rated him when he was released from WWE and went back on the indies and went to TNA. I'm not impressed with him, and quite frankly he's probably one of the worse NXT big signings in recent memory. I hope Reigns wins quick on Sunday. I know McIntyre will continue to be pushed, and there will be people who love that he's being pushed. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if he wins a title on the night after Mania or if he's a key switch in the Superstar Shake Up. Still this is a very unnecessary singles match. If it is a match you can see on RAW every week then it shouldn't be booked at WrestleMania. Winner: Roman Reigns Shane McMahon vs The Miz This is such a strange match. Shane McMahon is still wrestling but half of his matches don't have any stakes or purpose. At least The Miz and Shane get to face off in a Falls Count Anywhere match. So, we will get to see some new areas and some wild spots hopefully. Pretty easy pick for winner. Winner: The Miz Triple H vs Batista How did Batista and Triple H make one of the best feuds of WrestleMania season? Batista has been out of the game. Triple H doesn't do a lot of storylines anymore. Yet this match is going to be exciting. Triple H's in-ring career is on the line. Batista is using this as his final match before he goes back to conquering Hollywood. Maybe it is because this feud captured real emotion and there is a sense of realism. Something WWE needs to do in the other feuds, and something that NXT does really well. Batista and Triple H probably will be the longest match of the night. It will be a back and forth with Triple H coming out on top. Winner: Triple H Brock Lesnar vs Seth Rollins When Brock Lesnar cares he puts on a good show. Let's hope Lesnar cares for Seth Rollins. Brock Lesnar has done well against Daniel Bryan and Finn Balor. Now we have an opportunity to see Seth Rollins win the Universal Championship, and defend it regularly. I hope this match is given the time of day. WrestleMania gets overstuffed and I really would like to see this match shine. I think it's obvious Brock Lesnar is dropping the title and will pursue UFC again before doing another WWE stint. Winner: Seth Rollins Daniel Bryan vs Kofi Kingston There isn't much to analyze other then how lucky we are. Daniel Bryan is competing again, and he's a heel. Kofi Kingston is in a singles championship match at WrestleMania! This is just all around good. I would not be surprised if this match takes cues from Gargano/Cole from NXT TakeOver: New York. Have Rowan and a new member of Bryan's cult come out, and have Big E and Xavier Woods stop them. Have Kofi Kingston become a kickout machine. Have a lot of close calls. History favors Kofi Kingston. Winner: Kofi Kingston Becky Lynch vs Ronda Rousey vs Charlotte Flair This should be a fascinating watch. Becky Lynch seems like the obvious pick but I wouldn't be surprised to see Ronda Rousey win both championships either. I wouldn't even put it past WWE to pull a "Roman Reigns" with Charlotte Flair. The match has a lot of hype to live up too.
I'm going with Becky Lynch just do to the story. Even though the winner takes all really takes away from her story of beating Ronda Rousey. She no longer needs to beat Charlotte Flair yet for some reason WWE keeps throwing her in. If my prediction comes true and Becky Lynch does win. WWE better not pull the sappy, have all the women out on the stage celebrating ending. Not for this. If you want it to come across as a real main event just like the guys of the past. You have Becky Lynch celebrate this victory solo or with family members. No, Four Horsewoman last call. No, Evolution ending. Just "The Man" with the championships. We just don't need the sappy ending and the garbage narrative that all the women on the roster have made it possible. When in reality if Ronda Rousey isn't in WWE this main event doesn't happen. At the end of the day. I'm hoping the match delivers. Nothing can be as bad as the last three Mania's with Reigns main eventing and the crowd being completely dead. So, that's at least something. Winner: Becky Lynch Follow @TripleZ_87 Follow @ZWrestleTalk  Triple Z returns to break down WWE's Fastlane, the last event before WrestleMania The New Day vs Shinsuke Nakamura and Rusev The New Day are still on the kickoff show! Surprised? This right here shows you how messed up WWE's landscape has become. The New Day were once hailed on the same level as The Rock and Hulk Hogan when they were given the duty to host WrestleMania. Now they are just scrapping it out on the kickoff shows. I see a lot of fans argue about The New Day. They are convinced turning them heel or having Xavier and Big E turn on Kofi would be the answer. The short answer: It won't work. (I'll have a larger article on this at a later date stay tuned). Rusev to me has always been a mid-carder. It's time to be brutally honest with the current roster. WWE has more talent than ever, and they need to prioritize certain talents unless they want people departing to AEW. Shinsuke Nakamura being lumped with Rusev is a joke. Nakamura should've been sent to RAW if SmackDown was becoming to crowded in the main event scene. The shakeup would've avoided Nakamura's current situation. With all that being said. It's a kickoff match, and these are usually unpredictable. Winner: The New Day Rey Mysterio vs Andrade This is another kickoff match. I do appreciate the SmackDown feel. That's the one down side of the co-branded events is that RAW gets too much booking power despite the brand having way less talent. This is a quality match for the kickoff. Even though it shouldn't be a kickoff. I guess this is the only way. I feel like these two will be involved in a WrestleMania ladder match. For now, I think Andrade will pick up the win. Winner: Andrade UPDATE: Match was changed to a Fatal 4 Way. I think Samoa Joe is going to hold onto it. The Revival vs Ricochet & Aleister Black vs Bobby Roode & Chad Gable This is a solid match, and it had a decent build. Not a good one but a decent one. The NXT call ups felt very unnecessary but they added a surprised element to WrestleMania season. I'm wondering who will debut the night after WrestleMania. The options are obviously limited. Unfortunately, Ciampa already got injured when debuting on the main roster. Black and Ricochet have fared well on the wild main roster. Gargano is pulling double duty. This match has all the talent. Consisting six great guys from NXT. The match features two former NXT champions, former NXT tag team champions, and of course a former NXT North American champion. I could see WWE going radical and giving the titles to Black and Ricochet. Winners: Ricochet and Aleister Black Asuka vs Mandy Rose I'd just like to assume that Asuka would retain here. I wouldn't be surprised if they do a multi-women match for the SmackDown Women's Championship at WrestleMania. Winner: Asuka Sasha Banks & Bayley vs Nia Jax & Tamina Quick pick: Banks and Bayley really can't lose on their first defense right? Right? Winners: Sasha Banks and Bayley The Uso's vs Shane McMahon and The Miz It's obvious The Uso's are going to win this one. Plus this match may kickstart whatever The Miz and Shane McMahon are doing at WrestleMania this year. The Usos's are most likely going to have a battle with The Hardy Boyz at Mania. Which will be incredible if they execute it right. Winners: The Uso's The Shield vs Baron Corbin, Drew McIntyre, and Bobby Lashley Roman Reigns first match back is with The Shield. The match should be exciting due to Roman being back. It's a shame that they are facing Team Snoozefest. Honestly, The Shield should come out and squash these three guys. Yet, I'm sure this will be a long drawn out match with The Shield coming out on top. Also, maybe we get an appearance by Brock Lesnar so we can get some build for Rollins vs Lesnar. Instead of the same regurgitated Paul Heyman promo. That would be nice. I feel like WWE is forgetting to even promote that match, and that's a shame. As for Reigns, I'm sure that he will have a small match at WrestleMania 35. Maybe him taking on Baron Corbin. The only other wild scenario I could see is that they do Reigns vs Cena again. A match that essentially doesn't need any build but is proven to have wild crowd engagement. Winners: The Shield Charlotte Flair vs Becky Lynch Shoehorning Charlotte Flair into the Becky/Ronda feud was the worst thing for it. Also, this match just proves the Women's Royal Rumble means nothing. Who cares that Becky won the Rumble if she can't automatically get her title shot. WWE overcomplicated the feud by adding Charlotte in. She could've had an easy rivalry with Asuka over on the SmackDown side. Not to mention Ronda Rousey turned heel, and by doing so she broke kayfabe. Which is one of the most interesting moves I've seen in recent years. I think it's perfect because Ronda Rousey is working the audience now. She has them hook, line, and sinker. Fans are calling her a coward and just another UFC star. It's the perfect scenario in a feud that is getting way too complicated. With that being said, Becky will probably win. Although, I think they should've raised the stakes of this match. If Charlotte Flair loses she should be out of the match. But that's just me. Winner: Becky Lynch  Babyface Kevin Owens works. I'm glad he is a babyface even if it is just for a little bit. This match should be epic. I think it is safe to say that Daniel Bryan retains. Maybe, a new member of the eco-cult is revealed? Then that leads to a face-off between Bryan's stable and The New Day. That would be the way to end Fastlane.
Winner: Daniel Bryan Follow @ZWrestleTalk on Twitter. 2/16/2019 WWE Elimination Chamber BreakDownZ: Jimmy Uso Squared Up, Corey Graves Got Caught, and Tony Khan is Going to WatchRead Now What a week for wrestling. Jimmy Uso squared up with a cop. He got arrested but now he's out and he has to perform on Sunday. Corey Graves got accused of cheating by his wife with Carmella! The WWE sleeping around carousel continues. Graves wife revealed some disturbing texts. It will be interesting to see if Corey Graves is reprimanded for his actions. He would be the fall guy. On top of all this Tony Khan watches WWE like a hawk waiting for the perfect time to strike. Khan will continue to look for talent for AEW. The more controversy surrounding WWE the better. Khan's ultimate goal is for the talent to become restless in WWE and some become ballsy enough to jump ship. I also love that the dirtsheets are constantly reporting "AEW is looking to sign *blank*" because it will be funny when one of those reports finally come to fruition. Elimination Chamber is going to be fascinating considering the backstage politics and how this event heavily ties into the shaping of the WrestleMania card. Buddy Murphy vs Akira Tozawa Buddy wins this match. It will be a quick one due to it being a kickoff match. Winner: Buddy Murphy Braun Strowman vs Baron Corbin What a yawn fest. Braun Strowman has had one of the worst declines in recent memory. Also is Baron Corbin one of those talents that constantly brings down a feud? This use to be Bray Wyatt's role (at least in recent years). This will be a sloppy No DQ match that will probably continue this lackluster and utterly ridiculous feud. Winner: Braun Strowman Finn Balor vs Bobby Lashley and Lio Rush Hopefully, Finn Balor can pull a CM Punk. Remember when Punk defeated The Shield all by himself? I can see the same happening to Finn on Sunday with him defeating Bobby Lashley and Lio Rush for the Intercontinental championship. Handicap matches for titles are always goofy. So I expect Finn to get the win. I'm very excited to see Lio Rush wrestle at his first big WWE event. Lio Rush didn't get to have a real run in NXT before getting called up to 205 Live, and then becoming Bobby Lashley's mouthpiece. Also remember Lio Rush is only 24! So his future is bright. Winner: Finn Balor Shane McMahon and The Miz vs The Uso's THE USO PENITENTIARY. Sorry, I couldn't help myself. On a serious note. The Miz and Shane McMahon are lost in the shuffle. I can't believe WWE is really going to do The Miz vs Shane McMahon? Babyface Miz vs Heel Daniel Bryan would feel weird. That match should of always been face Daniel Bryan vs the ultimate heel Miz. Daniel Bryan's new eco-friendly villain persona is going to probably lead him into a new feud for WrestleMania. Leaving The Miz fighting with Shane McMahon over... pride? All Shane McMahon feuds are just kinda thrown together. The duo has to drop the titles now right? The Uso's becoming champs again is fine but WWE is really lacking creative direction all around. Winners: The Uso's Ronda Rousey vs Ruby Riott Ronda Rousey is going to have a dominating performance. Ruby Riott is getting a big time match. I feel bad that Rousey isn't going to get a true main event showdown with Becky Lynch. WWE decided to inject Charlotte Flair for no logical reason. I'm sure there are other wrestling writers/journalists praising the move but it really wasn't necessary at all. The first ever Women's main event should be one on one. Not every revolutionary women's match should be about trying to stuff as many people into one match. Rousey vs Lynch was it. WWE decided to screw with it. In my honest opinion, Lesnar vs Rollins should be the main event but WWE is so set on capitalizing on their women's division that they are missing the big picture. Brock Lesnar is still WWE's box office attraction, and his last two matches have been solid. Him main eventing this year would be different. Rousey will face off against Riott. This will be a unique matchup to showcase both of their skills. I'm sure The Riott Squad won't be too much involved due to having a match later in the show. Rousey should win easy unless they decide to do run-ins. Winner: Ronda Rousey The Elimination Chamber Match to crown the first-ever Women’s Tag Team Champions Let's break the teams down one by one.
I could see Nia Jax and Tamina winning. WWE loves Nia and having Tamina finally win something would be a good pat on the back for WWE. The IIconics and the team of Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville could pull upsets. As WWE seems to like giving surprises every once in awhile. Riott Squad seems too random but there is a reason they are in the match. Carmella and Naomi lost their shot unless WWE truly makes a radical decision. I could even see them being written out of the match and a new Women's team replaces them. Perfect opportunity for Alexa Bliss and Lacey Evans? Boss N' Hug Connection seem like the safest bet to start the new era of women's tag team wrestling. Winners: Boss N' Hug Connection Daniel Bryan vs. AJ Styles vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Randy Orton vs. Samoa Joe This is a stacked match. It is unfortunate for Mustafa Ali but he will make it back. This also ignited momentum for Kofi Kingston. Who deserves to be a player within the main event scene. We also see a great opportunity for Jeff Hardy. AJ Styles, Randy Orton, and Samoa Joe remain in the chase for the title. This is a very likable Elimination Chamber match which makes the match better overall.
Personally, I would love to see Daniel Bryan vs Kofi Kingston in the final two. Only to have Daniel Bryan and Rowan screw Kofi Kingston out of the championship. Maybe another person will join the eco-friendly hippie cult? The New Day vs Heel Daniel Bryan is a feud I never knew I needed. Kofi Kingston vs Daniel Bryan would be an ultimate story at WrestleMania. The original underdog in Daniel Bryan, taking on the man who has been working hard forever but hasn't gotten his main event shot. There is the possibility of course that WWE isn't paying attention to momentum, and they will give us a different story at WrestleMania. This match should indicate the Mania card. Most Elimination Chamber matches really telegraph what's about to happen at WrestleMania (remember Jack Swagger?) The obvious result to win is Daniel Bryan. It's still awe-inspiring that he was able to return to wrestling. I can't imagine him dropping the title here. Unless WWE is planning on doing a multi-man title match at WrestleMania. Winner: Daniel Bryan Follow @TripleZ_87 on Twitter Follow @ZWrestleTalk on Twitter |
Triple ZI created ZWrestleTalk. On this page I give my PPV predictions for Wrestling Events (Usually just WWE) Archives
April 2022
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