Everything you need to know about WrestleMania 35

It's that time of year again. Yes, the time has come for me to break down each and every match for the upcoming WrestleMania to let you know EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW!

WrestleMania is the Super Bowl of professional wrestling. I won't judge you if you watch it. There's nothing wrong with that at all! I've written in defense of wrestling numerous times, both here and (believe it or not) in college. If you take it for what it is - ENTERTAINMENT - it's an easy way to have a little fun.

Keep in mind that what I *think* will happen at WrestleMania is almost always the exact opposite of what actually happens and that, if there is any way for the WWE writers to upset their fanbase, they will almost always do it. I've walked away from the last couple 'Manias a little disappointed because I went in with rather lofty expectations. Just remember that, when Brock Lesnar, Daniel Bryan and Ronda Rousey all win this Sunday night, I warned you about it first.

Another thing to mention here: WRESTLEMANIA IS LONG. Very long. Twice as long as a normal pay-per-view event. And if you're starting it behind schedule due to General Conference, family dinner or (in my case) very possibly BOTH, it's gonna be a long, long night for you, my friend.
With no further ado, let's hop right in and take a look at a bunch of predictions that may end up being completely off-base and incorrect:

Miscellaneous Tidbits:

• The WrestleMania Pre-show will start at 5:30 PM Eastern (3:30 Mountain) and will feature a panel of analysts and several matches. The main card (e.g., the stuff that actually matters) will begin at 7:00 ET (5:00 MT).
• WrestleMania is going to be held outside at MetLife Stadium this year, and there's a chance of rain in the forecast.
• Former RAW and SmackDown! Women's Champion Alexa Bliss will be the host of this year's event.
• Special musical guests for this year include Joan Jett, who will perform her hit "Bad Reputation" during Ronda Rousey's entrance, and WWE superstar Elias, who I love but has sucked lately and will very likely get interrupted and/or attacked at least once during the show.
• The Undertaker and John Cena typically perform at WrestleMania but, as of April 4, neither are scheduled to appear this weekend.
• The Triple Threat match between Ronda Rousey, Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch will be the first time that women have headlined WrestleMania's main event.
• I will post a blog after WrestleMania to own up to all of my incorrect predictions.

WrestleMania 35 Pre-show:

Buddy Murphy (c) vs Tony Nese (Cruiserweight Championship match)

• Background: The Cruiserweight division held a tournament on 205 Live to determine the number one contender to Murphy's championship, which was ultimately won by Nese.
• What to Watch For: The cruiserweights typically put on a high-flying showcase at WrestleMania, but their match usually gets buried on the Pre-show. That will be the case again this weekend.
• The Smart Bet: Murphy
• The Popular Pick: *shrug*
• SotT Prediction: Murphy
• The Bottom Line: I don't watch 205 Live and therefore have no opinion on the outcome of this match.

WrestleMania Women's Battle Royal

• Background: The Women's and Men's Battle Royals have become a WrestleMania staple over the past several years. I see them mainly as ways to monitor employee morale. "Sorry, you didn't make one of the main matches, but we'd love to have you compete with 20 other people on the pre-show!" It's kind of like how college teams will sub in their bench-warmers with a minute to play in a March Madness blowout. At least they'll be able to tell their grandchildren that they made it to the Big Dance. As of the Wednesday before WrestleMania, 13 women had been announced for this year's battle royal.
• What to Watch For: This would be an ideal time for Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville to split their partnership. They've teased it for months. Just make it happen. Also look for Asuka to be out for blood after recently (and unpopularly) losing her Smackdown! Women's Championship to Charlotte Flair two weeks ago.
• The Smart Bet: Asuka
• The Popular Pick: Asuka
• SotT Prediction: Lacey Evans
• The Bottom Line: Evans, who has sporadically (and increasingly annoyingly) appeared on RAW and Smackdown! for weeks, has (at the time of writing) not officially been announced as a participant in this match. If WWE wants to double down on the rumors that she's going to get a big push once moved to the main roster, this would be the way to do it.

André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal

• Background: Much ado was made of the rivalry between Braun Strowman and this year's celebrity correspondents, Saturday Night Live's Colin Jost and Michael Che. That storyline will undoubtedly dominate attention throughout the match. As of the Wednesday before WrestleMania, 29 men had been announced for the men's battle royal.
• What to Watch For: Strowman, who won the 50-man Greatest Royal Rumble in 2018, will clean house, eliminating a multitude of opponents - most notably Jost and Che.
• The Smart Bet: Braun Strowman
• The Popular Pick: Braun Strowman
• SotT Prediction: Braun Strowman
• The Bottom Line: It would be quite surprising to see anyone other than Strowman win here. But it doesn't really matter. This match means nothing and the André the Giant trophy will either get destroyed within two weeks or never be seen again, anyway.

The Revival (c) vs Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder (RAW Tag Team Championship match)

• Background: Curt Hawkins' losing streak is historic. Allegedly, he has lost more than 200 consecutive matches. And yet, somehow, with practically all build-up being done off-screen, he and longtime friend Zack Ryder have been granted a tag team championship match at WrestleMania.
• What to Watch For: Hawkins is actually going to pin somebody. Buckle up.
• The Smart Bet: The Revival
• The Popular Pick: Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder
• SotT Prediction: Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder
• The Bottom Line: Hawkins winning is a shoo-in. It's a silly angle, and it would be dumb if it happened at 'Mania with no build-up beforehand, but it is what it is. Enjoy it while it lasts; if Hawkins and Ryder win, I predict that they'll lose the titles on RAW the next night.

Main Card:

Shane McMahon vs The Miz (Falls Count Anywhere)

• Background: At the 2018 event WWE Crown Jewel, a tournament was held to determine the "Best in the World." When The Miz was (kayfabe) injured during his semifinal match, then-Smackdown! Commissioner Shane McMahon took things into his own hands, inserting himself into the finals and defeating Dolph Ziggler. Subsequently, The Miz claimed half of the "Best in the World" title for himself, declaring himself and McMahon "Co-Besties." This story led to the formation of a Miz/McMahon tag team, which was shortly thereafter disbanded at WWE Fastlane, when McMahon turned on his Co-Bestie and also physically assaulted The Miz's father.
• Too Long; Didn't Read edition: Best buddies turned bitter enemies.
• What to Watch For: Shane's going to jump off of something. It's what he does. A lot of this match will take place backstage or in the parking lot. After all, what good is a "Falls Count Anywhere" stipulation if it ends in the ring?
• The Smart Bet: Shane McMahon
• The Popular Pick: The Miz
• SotT Prediction: Shane McMahon
• The Bottom Line: I'll never be shocked watching a McMahon cheat their way to a WrestleMania victory, so it's likely that some outside interference will come into play here (it's legal!). I'm not positive what purpose a win by Shane would serve here.

Triple H vs Batista (No Holds Barred - If Triple H loses, he must retire)

• Background: Dave Bautista is back! When Evolution reunited on Smackdown! 1000 in October 2018, Batista took a dig at his old pal Triple H by pointing out that The Game had has never beaten him, 1-on-1. Batista re-emerged on RAW in February, during what was scheduled to be Ric Flair's 70th birthday party. After beating the Nature Boy senseless backstage, the three-time World Heavyweight Champion would go on to demand a match against Triple H at WrestleMania - but only if the Cerebral Assassin agreed to put his career on the line. It's true; if Batista can defeat Triple H on the Grandest Stage of Them All, the COO of WWE will be forced to retire from in-ring competition.
• Too Long; Didn't Read edition: Living legends face off in a career-threatening grudge match.
• What to Watch For: This match isn't going to last very long, but it will probably be a slugfest and should be fun to watch. It won't surprise me if Triple H's sledgehammer makes an appearance.
• The Smart Bet: Triple H
• The Popular Pick: Batista
• SotT Prediction: Triple H
• The Bottom Line: This is the perfect time for Batista, who plays Drax in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to make his (temporary) return to the ring. It will be great publicity for the upcoming movie "Avengers: Endgame," and vice versa. However, the odds of Triple H losing and having to hang up his boots are slim to none. That guy will wrestle until he's 90 - and he's in charge, so he can make that happen.

Kurt Angle vs Baron Corbin (Kurt Angle's Farewell Match)

• Background: WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle is officially bringing his in-ring career to an end at WrestleMania. He hand-picked Baron Corbin to be his final competition, as the two wrestled (pun intended) for control of Monday Night RAW over the course of many months in the past year. The announcement of Corbin as Angle's final opponent was universally loathed by wrestling fans, who believe that the American Hero deserves better than that. Nevertheless, it seems that this is what we'll be subjected to, come Sunday.
• Too Long; Didn't Read edition: The WWE Universe bids adieu to an icon.
• What to Watch For: There are some rumors that Corbin could get squashed quickly and another (better) opponent could come out to face Kurt. The online community would love to see Angle's longtime rival John Cena show up. If not, it won't be five minutes before Corbin is tapping out to an Ankle Lock.
• The Smart Bet: Kurt Angle
• The Popular Pick: Kurt Angle
• SotT Prediction: Kurt Angle
• The Bottom Line: There is now way Kurt loses, no matter who he ends up facing. Hopefully the quality of the match will be a fitting end to a great career. I would love for fans not to chant "You Suck" as he makes his way back up the ramp for the last time. Watch this tribute video that aired on RAW. If you're not convinced Kurt Angle is the greatest wrestler of all time right now, you might be in three-and-a-half minutes:

AJ Styles vs Randy Orton

• Background: Styles/Orton didn't get much of a storyline during the build-up to WrestleMania. Essentially, it's the culmination of a bunch of short promos and brief interactions over the past two months. Orton is a classic "company guy," who was been with WWE for nearly 20 years. He's irked because Styles came up through the independent circuit and several other non-WWE wrestling promotions.
• Too Long; Didn't Read edition: Two megastars face off in a match that looks great on paper.
• What to Watch For: Ideally, this should be - SHOULD BE - one of the better matches of the night, with two great in-ring performers going at it, but Styles has been a tad hit-or-miss in past 'Manias, putting on a great match against Shane McMahon at WM33 but having a snoozer against Shinsuke Nakamura last year. Look out for one of Orton's ever-creative RKOs out of nowhere.
• The Smart Bet: Randy Orton
• The Popular Pick: AJ Styles
• SotT Prediction: Randy Orton
• The Bottom Line: Orton has made a career of killing legends (and, arguably, burying talent). It will be interesting to see if the Legend Killer maintains that reputation or if Styles can solidify himself as one of the biggest names in the industry.

Roman Reigns vs Drew McIntyre

• Background: In October 2018, Roman Reigns announced to the WWE Universe that he was suffering from a return bout of leukemia. (Watch the devastating announcement here.) In February, Reigns appeared on RAW to announce that he was in remission and ready to return to the ring, much to the approval of just about everybody... except for the Scottish Psychopath, Drew McIntyre. McIntyre challenged Reigns to a match at WrestleMania to prove that he, not the Big Dog, is running RAW now.
• Too Long; Didn't Read edition: Roman Reigns returns to the ring for his first big match, post-leukemia.
• What to Watch For: Fans will be squarely in Roman's corner now, as opposed to their constant, vehement disdain for Reigns that prevailed over the past five years of his tenure with WWE. Reigns' former tag team partner, Dean Ambrose (whose real-life contract will expire after 'Mania), may play a part in the finish, likely coming to Reigns' aid after weeks of barbaric attacks at the hands of McIntyre.
• The Smart Bet: Roman Reigns
• The Popular Pick: Roman Reigns
• SotT Prediction: Roman Reigns
• The Bottom Line: This one should be rather straight-forward and will not likely be a match that people are talking about the next day. More than anything, this is a showcase for Roman.

Samoa Joe (c) vs Rey Mysterio (United States Championship match)

• Background: The ageless wonder that is Rey Mysterio slid into United States Championship contention after a stellar program with Andrade (FKA "Andrade 'Cien' Almas). The past two weeks have featured Mysterio cutting promos with his son, Dominic, pitching an anti-bullying angle against Samoa Joe. Joe's short title reign has been impressive but imperfect, featuring fluke losses to several competitors. (Editor's note: I am just now learning that Mysterio appears to be legitimately injured, and his status is uncertain heading into this weekend.)
• Too Long; Didn't Read edition: The big bully takes on the world-class high flyer.
• What to Watch For: It would not be unlikely for Dominic to have a role in this match, perhaps by way of a ringside confrontation with Joe. Despite his age, Mysterio still harnesses a killer move set, and is one of a handful of jaw-dropping performers.
• The Smart Bet: Samoa Joe
• The Popular Pick: Rey Mysterio
• SotT Prediction: Samoa Joe
• The Bottom Line: With many "face" (good guy) wrestlers poised to win the top-tier championships later in the night, look for bad-guy Joe to retain with the Coquina Clutch. With this being Joe's first major title reign on the main roster, he will hopefully hang on to that belt for a couple more months.

Bobby Lashley (c) vs Finn Bálor

• Background: Bobby Lashley and Finn Bálor have swapped the Intercontinental Championship back and forth for the past couple months, in the midst of a rivalry that has included many a handicap match. Lashley's hype man, Lio Rush, has been a permanent fixture in this story arc and will certainly influence the outcome of this match, as well.
• Too Long; Didn't Read edition: The Demon emerges for a chance to reclaim championship gold.
• What to Watch For: Bálor will appear as his body-painted alter ego, The Demon, at WrestleMania 35, so his entrance will be the most theatrical moment of the weekend. But will his supernatural persona will be enough to overcome the inevitable 2-on-1 odds?
• The Smart Bet: Bobby Lashley (with Lio Rush)
• The Popular Pick: Finn Bálor
• SotT Prediction: Finn Bálor
• The Bottom Line: WWE would do well to give Bálor his "WrestleMania moment" here, springboarding him to a long and prosperous run as Intercontinental champion.

The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) (c) vs Ricochet and Aleister Black vs The Bar (Cesaro and Sheamus) vs Shinsuke Nakamura and Rusev (Smackdown! Tag Team Championship match)

• Background: WrestleMania host Alexa Bliss announced this Fatal Four-way match during the most recent Smackdown! episode, so there is little-to-no story behind this match-up. The Usos have been a dominant force in the tag division for years and enter as heavy favorites, but NXT upstarts Ricochet and Aleister Black have been on a roll in recent weeks on RAW, Smackdown! and NXT.
• Too Long; Didn't Read edition: Fast-paced tag team action, accented by great chemistry and a pair of flashy newcomers.
• What to Watch For: Don't blink when watching Ricochet. His suicide dives - especially the one he does over the turnbuckle and out of the ring - are things of beauty.
• The Smart Bet: The Usos
• The Popular Pick: Ricochet and Aleister Black
• SotT Prediction: Ricochet and Aleister Black
• The Bottom Line: Handing the straps to Ricochet and Black would be a great way to introduce them as permanent members of the main roster on the Smackdown! After 'Mania. If WWE really wants to piss fans off, they'll have Nakamura and Rusev win; a victory for the odd couple would definitely feel like a let-down.

The Boss 'n' Hug Connection (Bayley and Sasha Banks) (c) vs The Divas of Doom (Beth Phoenix and Natalya) vs The IIconics (Billie Kay and Peyton Royce) vs Nia Jax and Tamina (WWE Women's Tag Team Championship match)

• Background: The first-ever Women's Tag Team Champions, Bayley and Sasha Banks, promised to defend their titles on any brand against anyone. Well, they are making good on that pledge and will defend the championships against a current team from RAW (Nia Jax and Tamina), a current team from Smackdown! (The IIconics) and the legendary pairing of Natalya and WWE Hall of Famer Beth Phoenix.
• Too Long; Didn't Read edition: The first major test for the inaugural Women's Tag champs.
• What to Watch For: Beth Phoenix returned to the ring for the first time since 2012 last Monday and looks like she hasn't lost a step. (Cue the "You Still Got It" chants.) Fans will love seeing her fight on Sunday night, and a showdown between Phoenix and Jax would be (dare I say it?) iconic.
• The Smart Bet: The Boss 'n' Hug Connection
• The Popular Pick: The Boss 'n' Hug Connection
• SotT Prediction: The IIconics
• The Bottom Line: Anyone other than Sasha and Bayley winning this thing would be considered a sizable upset. But if The IIconics can pull off a stunner in this Fatal Four-way, it will break Twitter.

Brock Lesnar (c) vs Seth Rollins (WWE Universal Championship match)

• Background: Brock Lesnar held the WWE Universal Championship for a record-breaking 534 days before losing it to Roman Reigns at Summerslam 2018. When Reigns relinquished his title in October, Lesnar quickly regained the vacated championship. He will be faced by Seth Rollins, who won the right to headline WrestleMania by winning the 2019 Royal Rumble in January.
• Too Long; Didn't Read edition: Fans hate Lesnar and love Rollins.
• What to Watch For: Could this be the moment the entire world has been waiting for? Will Lesnar finally, at long last, lose the belt and hopefully just go away? Rollins has been selling a whole lot of "Beastslayer" merchandise lately. WWE Shop is really pushing that stuff out. Take us to the promised land, Seth. Finish the job.
• The Smart Bet: Brock Lesnar
• The Popular Pick: Seth Rollins
• SotT Prediction: Brock Lesnar
• The Bottom Line: I would love more than anything to see Brock lose, but you just can't bet against him. He is always there to ruin a perfectly good Pay-Per-View, and, of the three major championships matches, I think this is the one most likely to have the bad guy win. However, if Seth can slay The Beast, it will be a truly glorious, well-deserved moment.

Daniel Bryan (c) vs Kofi Kingston (WWE Heavyweight Championship match)

• Background: Kofi Kingston has gone 11 years without a singles match for the WWE Championship. That's a really long time. In an "underdog" storyline that is practically the identical twin of Daniel Bryan's unthinkable road to WrestleMania XXX, Vince McMahon has absolutely screwed Kofi over at every turn. From removing Kingston from the main event of last month's Fastlane event to making him earn his way back into 'Mania several times in the past month, Kofi has had to scratch and claw his way back to number one contendership. With the support of the whole Smackdown! locker room and an entire #KofiMania-crazed arena, can Kingston knock off the angry vegan titleholder?
• Too Long; Didn't Read edition: The first shot for Kofi to hold a heavyweight championship - and the fans are dying to see it.
• What to Watch For: Kingston is known for his tremendous athleticism and spectacular creativity. Kofi/Bryan should be a top contender for Match of the Night.
• The Smart Bet: Kofi Kingston
• The Popular Pick: Kofi Kingston
• SotT Prediction: Kofi Kingston
• The Bottom Line: The only hesitation I have in picking Kofi is that they just recently gave Daniel Bryan a brand new, eco-friendly championship belt. It would be a little odd to create that brand new strap, then have Kofi take it away so quickly. Kingston would become the first African-American to hold the WWE Championship, which would be a major win for those concerned about diversity and equality, and if he does end up winning, he will get the loudest ovation of the night.

Ronda Rousey (c) vs Becky Lynch vs Charlotte Flair (c) (Winner-Takes-All match for the RAW and Smackdown! Women's Championships)

• Background: For the past year, WWE has been Ronda and Becky's world and we've just been living in it. Rousey made her in-ring debut at WrestleMania 34 and very quickly won the RAW Women's Championship. She has never lost a match. Becky Lynch has had quite the year, having held the Smackdown! Women's Championship, won the 2019 Royal Rumble, gotten her face broken by Nia Jax and dominated airtime on both brands. Becky's invasion of RAW was one of the best things WWE has done in years. Vince McMahon revoked Becky's spot in the main event at WrestleMania and inserted Charlotte Flair (to the disdain of fans everywhere). At the insistence of an angry Rousey Becky was eventually added back into the match, which became a Triple Threat Match. But wait! Charlotte beat Asuka for the Smackdown! Women's Championship two weeks ago and Stephanie McMahon announced a "Winner Takes All" stipulation for the WrestleMania match, meaning that the winner will walk away with both women's titles. In a wild episode on Monday night, all three women were (kayfabe) arrested and sent to jail. It's been crazy and I realize that my explanation of it all seems incredibly convoluted. Geez.
• Too Long; Didn't Read edition: These are three extremely pissed off ladies.
• What to Watch For: Becky and Ronda's Twitter war has verged on feeling a little too real, and, at times, it has legitimately seemed like the two can't stand each other. Ronda's gimmick as of late may have been that she believes wrestling is fake (so strange), but some of the punches and kicks on Sunday might not be.
• The Smart Bet: Becky Lynch
• The Popular Pick: Becky Lynch
• SotT Prediction: Becky Lynch
• The Bottom Line: Rousey appears to be at the end of her time with WWE. The only appropriate way to end this rivalry is to have Becky submit Ronda to an armbar. Honestly, Charlotte has no place in this match, and her involvement seems totally unnecessary. This night needs to end with "The Man" raising both titles above her head.

Award Predictions:

• MVP - Kofi Kingston

• Rising Star Award - Ricochet

• Match of the Night - Daniel Bryan vs Kofi Kingston

• Surprise of the Night - The IIconics win the Women's Tag Championship

• Most Disappointing Match of the Night - Randy Orton vs AJ Styles

• Worst Moment of the Night - Brock Lesnar def. Seth Rollins

Enjoy your WrestleMania experience this weekend! Before you go, check out this fun "Tonight Show" segment of WWE superstars reading trash talk written by children:

LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE!!!