For the first time since 2019, the biggest show of the year is local to Bill and me as it heads to Philadelphia! This also marks the first time in two years that I do not have to go on a plane to travel for Wrestlecon, which is a tad disappointing. However, this is the biggest week of the year for all wrestling fans so let’s celebrate by beating Team Bill on the grandest stage of them all.
Night One:
Jey Uso vs Jimmy Uso
Kimmy: For the third time in Wrestlemania history, it will be brother vs brother, how exciting! To me, the outcome of this match affects what is going to happen in both main events on this show. The only reason I say this is because I can not see the entire Bloodline losing on this show, even though I see both Usos getting involved in both main events as well. I think Jimmy gets the win here so at least the Bloodline has one thing to celebrate.
Winner: Jimmy Uso
Bill: Sadly, this match — which should be a blood feud with a great stipulation attached to it — will be nothing more than getting the crowd to chant “Yeet” and “Not Yeet” rather than having two brothers end their conflict in bloody violence. Jimmy needs the win desperately (which means don’t be shocked if Jey wins), but I’ll foolishly stick with logic.
Winner: Jimmy Uso
Dragon Lee and Rey Mysterio vs Dominick Mysterio and Santos Escobar
[Editor’s Note: It looks like Andrade will take Dragon Lee’s spot]
Kimmy: I honestly thought they were going to do the eight-man tag match here, but clearly, I was wrong with that too. After Mysterio got his big win last year over his son, I think it is the heel’s turn to win this year. There is more to gain for both Dom and Escobar from winning this match than having the faces win for the second year in a row.
Winners: Dominick Mysterio and Santos Escobar
Bill: Dom Dom and Santos win here. Most likely because of a jealous Carlito not being picked by Rey twice to fight his son.
Winners: Dominick Mysterio and Santos Escobar
Six-Woman Tag Team Match: Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill, and Naomi vs Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai, Asuka, and Kairi Sane):
Kimmy: Is Jade Cargill worth the hype? This match is going to prove that for sure. Cargill will pin Kai to get the win for her team, but this is a huge test for Cargill as will hopefully show WWE that signing her was a good idea.
Winners: Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill, and Naomi
Bill: Naomi is going to play the Ricky Morton role of the babyface getting destroyed and making the hot tag. Bianca, somehow, is going to get taken out of the match. This will allow Jade to do a series of pump kicks, do the crossover Stinger splash, then pinned Dakota after Jaded (or whatever the E is calling it).
Women’s World Championship: Rhea Ripley vs Becky Lynch:
Kimmy: I do not believe Lynch needs the title right now. Although this match is going to be great and should kick off all of the action Night One, Ripley has had such a dominant reign that she needs to lose it to someone else down the line. She still has unfinished business with Liv Morgan and there are also plenty of other wrestlers on the roster that she has not gotten in the ring with. So although you can not spell Wrestlemania without the Man, she will not be walking out as champion.
Winner: “And Still” Rhea Ripley
Bill: Judgement Day is going to explode and Mami is going to drop the title. Rhea is injured and could use some time off, plus the belt has been on her for a year. Becky, with two months left on her deal, will likely be a transitional champ, and my hope is she drops it to Tiffany Stratton (I know Liv Morgan is the popular pick).
Winner: “And New” Becky Lynch
WWE Intercontinental Championship: Gunther vs Sami Zayn:
Kimmy: With Bash at Berlin coming up towards the end of the summer, one would think Gunther would be wrestling for the World Heavyweight Championship. However, with what I think is going to happen in the next couple of months with that title, it will be playing hot potato which is never a good thing. I am going to take a shot in the dark here and say Zayn will be the one to dethrone Gunther, it gives Zayn something to do and shifts Gunther towards the Heavyweight title picture.
Winner: “And New” Sami Zayn
Bill: Sami Zayn was the most over dude in pro wrestling, and now he’s an afterthought in an IC Title match. This will be a terrific match, but no way is he beating Gunther.
Winner: “And Still” Gunther
Six-Pack Tag Team Ladder Match for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship: The Judgement Day (Finn Balor and Damian Priest) vs DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) vs The Awesome Truth (The Miz and R-Truth) vs The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) vs A-Town Down Under (Austin Theory and Grayson Waller) vs New Catch Republic (Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate):
Kimmy: There are a lot of moving parts here so let’s get some things out of the way. One, there is no way Judgement Day is walking out with their tag team titles in this match. Two, this match is going to be insanely good. Third and most importantly, this is how we are splitting up the tag titles. R-Truth will climb the ladder and grab only one tag team title (The red one for Raw), and as Miz is yelling at him A-Town Down Under will take advantage and grab the blue tag team titles for Smackdown. This will separate both titles so there can be tag team champions on each brand, which with so many tag teams is a necessity.
Winners: “And New” The Awesome Truth (The Miz and R-Truth) and A-Town Down Under (Austin Theory and Grayson Waller)
Bill: My theory (no pun intended) here is that The Hardys show up because they replace one team that the crowd isn’t hot for (looking at you New Catch Republic) or they’re added by Pearce or Adlis for the vibes. If they do enter, they’re grabbing titles. A Town Down Under grabs the other because WWE hates me. If the Hardys don’t show, Papa H is having his sons DIY take the straps to no reaction (which sucks)
Winners: “And New” DIY (Gargano & Ciampa) or THE HARDYS and A-Town Down Under (Austin Theory and Grayson Waller)
The Bloodline (The Rock and Roman Reigns) vs Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins (If Rhodes and Rollins win, all members of The Bloodline will be barred from ringside during the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match Night Two, If Rock and Reigns win the Championship Match Night Two will be held under Bloodline Rules):
Kimmy: I am making a mental note here that I do not want to pick that Rollins will be losing two nights in a row and my heart is breaking doing so. The Rock did not come back just to lose and in these situations, the babyface always has one more challenge before getting to his ultimate goal. Rollins will take the pin here as there we will be in Bloodline Territory for Night Two.
Winners: The Bloodline (The Rock and Roman Reigns)
Bill: There is no chance in hell (no pun intended) that Roman and The Rock don’t win. Do you really think Roman loses TWICE? Or the Rock loses at all? Come on. The Bloodline is going to have everyone come out, and likely Drew McIntyre costs Seth the match to remind us that he is in fact wrestling Seth and not CM Punk.
Winners: The Bloodline (The Rock and Roman Reigns)
Night Two:
WWE Women’s Championship: Iyo Sky vs Bayley:
Kimmy: Now, I know a lot of people are disappointed with the build to this match and feel like Bayley has not been the vocal point for this show even though she won the Royal Rumble match. In my opinion, I agree. I feel as if more fans are more excited about the other women’s championship match taking place on the show rather than this match. However, this is Bayleys moment. She has done just about everything you can do as a WWE Superstar and this will be one more thing she can add to her resume.
Winner: “And New” Bayley
Bill: Sleeper match of the show. Bayley and Iyo are going to kill it, and Bayley will get her well-deserved flowers.
Winner: “And New” Bayley
Philadelphia Street Fight: The Pride (Bobby Lashley, Montez Ford, and Angelo Dawkins) vs The Final Testament (Karrion Kross, Akam, and Rezar):
Kimmy: This feud has been going on for too long. With the Street Fight Stipulation, there is a lot you can do plus it is a way for both Scarlett and B-Fab to be involved in the match. I do not have too much excitement for this one, but for the sake of everyone involved moving on to bigger and better things, The Pride should win this one.
Winners: The Pride (Bobby Lashley, Montez Ford, and Angelo Dawkins)
Bill: One of two matches that are just absolutely not necessary for Mania. The Pride should win this one in order to move past Kross’ failing faction so the Street Profits can get back on their proper trajectory. The Street Fight aspect of this will cover up the faults of everyone in The Final Testament thankfully, but the spirit of ECW is weeping over this one. I’m going with The Pride, but don’t be shocked if HHH’s “guy” Kross gets the W either.
Winners: The Pride (Bobby Lashley, Montez Ford, and Angelo Dawkins)
LA Knight vs AJ Styles:
Kimmy: Like many others, I thought Knight would be challenging Logan Paul for the United States Championship on this card, but I was wrong. The build has been strong for this one, but it feels like a match that most people are forgetting about and don’t care about which is disappointing. Knight will get the win and hopefully head into a championship feud after this.
Winner: LA Knight
Bill: The second match not necessary for Mania. Knight’s push has fizzled so hard since losing to Roman in Saudi, plus his Rock-esque act is ice cold because the actual Rock is here. He desperately needs to beat Uncle Alan and he will.
Winner: LA Knight
Triple Threat Match for the WWE United States Championship: Logan Paul vs Kevin Owens vs Randy Orton:
Kimmy: Why do we have triple-threat matches in wrestling? To protect people! Randy Orton will pin Owens to extend the feud between Orton and Paul because “Paul did not get pinned to lose the title”. This is also my sleeper match of the whole two-night card, these three are going to pull out a lot of cool things here.
Winner: “And New” Randy Orton”
Bill: Kevin Owens eats the pin here. Logan Paul and his Prime drink are a title sponsor of this event, I’d be stunned to see him not only lose tonight, but lose his second Mania in a row. Nope, they keep this belt on him and he holds it till Cleveland for Summerslam.
Winner: “And Still” Logan Paul
WWE World Heavyweight Championship: Seth Rollins vs Drew McIntyre:
Kimmy: Here is exactly how this is going to go down. Rollins will lose to McIntrye in this match, and Priest when he decides to cash in (which might be the Monday Night Raw after Mania) will lose. At Summerslam, a returning CM Punk will defeat McIntrye for the title only to lose it at Bash to Berlin to Gunther. You’re Welcome.
Winner: “And New” Drew McIntyre
Bill: Seth is going to lose because the crowd has to be bummed out heading into the main event. Now does he lose it straight up to McIntyre, or does he lose it after beating McIntyre (thanks to CM Punk) and Damien Priest cashes in to win. Either way, Kimmy is going home sad because her dude unfortunately gets the short end of the stick. I think McIntyre wins here (and announces on RAW he’s signed a new long-term deal).
Winner: “And New” Drew McIntyre
Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns vs Cody Rhodes:
Kimmy: With all the interference that will happen in this match, including a new debut Rhodes will get the job done. I was there in California last year when he lost and I have never heard a crowd get that quiet and be so upset in my entire life. If Rhodes does not finish the story here, I have no idea what WWE is doing.
Winner: “And New” Cody Rhodes
Bill: There’s a whole Avengers: Endgame scenario where Brandi Rhodes, Jey Uso, Mama Rhodes, Pharoah, Dustin Rhodes, Diamond Dallas Page, John Cena and Steve Austin interfere on Cody’s behalf battling The Rock, Haku, Riksihi, Solo, Paul Heyman, Tama Tonga and every Bloodline relative out there. Likely, however, is The Rock turns on Roman and helps Cody win. Don’t rule out Hunter getting slightly involved somehow.
Winner: “And New” Cody Rhodes
WrestleMania 40 will be streaming live on Peacock on April 6th & 7th at 7 PM EST
