With less than a year to go, Wrestlemania 33 has the potential of creating some incredible scenarios with its matches. Who could possibly face who at the WWE’s biggest event of the year?
It is still months away, but with the winds of change blowing WWE in a different direction, Wrestlemania 33 could provide wrestling fans with a number of new and exciting possibilities. It may be too early to predict just which matches fans can anticipate, but why not try to foresee the future? These match predictions certainly take into consideration just who fans would ideally want to put on the card, and which matches would help tell the best stories leading up to the event.
It is often called the Granddaddy of Them All, and when Wrestlemania happens the focus has been on the event as a spectacle. These ideas are set in an ideal world where everyone remains healthy going into the event, and the matches chosen represent what would work best for the biggest wrestling event of the year. Yes, fans and the promotion want the biggest names on the roster to be on the card, but another consideration is who would add the ‘spectacle’ feel to it. A number of different selections were considered when these matches were coordinated. They feature Raw and SmackDown Superstars, and even a dose of NXT thrown in.
With this in mind, here are eight potential matches that would work best for Wrestlemania 33.
LAS VEGAS, NV – JULY 08: UFC President Dana White (C) looks on as mixed martial artists Brock Lesnar (L) and Mark Hunt (R) face off during their weigh-in for UFC 200 at T-Mobile Arena on July 8, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The fighters will meet in a heavyweight bout on July 9 at T-Mobile Arena. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
8. Brock Lesnar vs. A UFC Fighter
It doesn’t seem to matter who Brock Lesnar is set up to fight, the way to book him is to have him compete as a ‘special attraction’. The structure of his contract is such that he can’t really be taking part in any long-standing feuds with any of the talents on either the Raw or Smackdown roster. Over the last year, we’ve seen him compete on isolated occasions. Those matches included the likes of Dean Ambrose, Randy Orton, and Goldberg. Each of these matches had a special feel to them because Lesnar is used in moderation, which helps increase his value.
So when we think about having Lesnar compete at Wrestlemania, the best scenario would be for him to fight someone from the same promotion that recently capitalized on his presence. In what would seem like a terrific opportunity to cross promote UFC and WWE, why not have Lesnar face a credible MMA fighter in a ‘wrestling’ match on the grandest stage of them all.
Source: WWE.com
7. John Cena vs. Samoa Joe
This match up, much like an AJ Styles/John Cena match up, never seemed like a possibility. However, once Samoa Joe joined NXT, it became possible. The difference, however, is that Joe and Cena have history with one another. Fans may not be aware (though some might) that Cena and Joe crossed path’s years ago, having trained together at the beginning of their respective careers. The Face That Runs the Place has been with WWE for 15 years, though, and Joe just joined NXT in 2015. So, their careers have certainly gone in a different direction.
However, here they both are, potentially crossing paths fourteen years later. It is one of many dream matches, as it combines two of the biggest names in wrestling over the past two decades. With Joe’s tenure in NXT appearing all but done, this would be another matchup that hasn’t happened in a WWE ring before.
WWE.com
6. The Undertaker vs. Sting
With no reason to compete and even less to prove, maybe that is exactly why this one happens now. When Sting announced his retirement at the Hall of Fame induction, it felt like there was something left missing, a dream match that would never be. Still, the idea of having Sting and The Undertaker face one another just one time could be momentous. The whole build could simply be nothing more than ‘they just had to know.’ It may seem funny to have two 50 something men face each other and have a competitive match.
However, with enough time, enough build and enough preparation, it could still be something special for fans to see. Will it have the same value it would have if they faced off even ten years ago? No. Time catches up to everyone. However, fans will remember where they were when The Undertaker and Sting faced off against one another. Regardless of their ages, it will still be a moment that no one will ever forget.
WWE.com
5. Dean Ambrose vs. Roman Reigns
This idea may seem a little out there, but since all is fair in love in war, it may not be all that far off. This concept may also be off a little because these men are on different brands as of this posting. However, maybe one may be traded to the other brand, or there may be a crossover Raw versus Smackdown Live match up, much like what is being talked about, for Survivor Series.
Booking a collision of Shield brothers is easily done, and with the chip that Ambrose is carrying on his shoulder, it would be easy for him to have an issue with Reigns. The argument could be made that Reigns never took him seriously as a contender, or took him for granted as a friend. It would be hard to have Reigns as the face here, so efforts would have to be made to have Ambrose come across as a whiner. It may be difficult, though, with the crowd still against the three-time WWE World Champion. Having over 70,000 people booing him at Wrestlemania 33 wouldn’t help this either.
WWE.com
4. Finn Balor vs. Kevin Owens
These two are no strangers to one another. During their time in NXT, they battled literally all over the world against one another, whether it was during an NXT Takeover event in North America or battling for the NXT championship in Japan. Balor’s ascent to the top of the card in WWE was meteoric after his elevation to the main roster during the brand split between Smackdown Live and Raw. As the first pick from the NXT brand, it was a given that there were high hopes for Balor.
However, as quickly as he was elevated, he was injured. That injury caused him to relinquish his championship and put him on the sidelines for as much as six months. Could Balor return prior to the Royal Rumble? It is a very definite possibility. The idea of having Balor and Owens rekindle their rivalry on the main roster is an exciting prospect that fans can look forward to. Fans were robbed of that opportunity with Balor’s injury, but it can still happen at Wrestlemania.
WWE.com
3. Triple H vs. Seth Rollins
The idea for this potential matchup seemed to materialize after one specific incident. As the WWE Universal championship was on the verge of being decided, Triple H did what many would have thought would be unthinkable: he turned on Seth Rollins. Fans were always under the impression that Rollins was a ‘Triple H guy,’ but shockingly The Game pedigreed Rollins in the middle of the ring and handed Kevin Owens the opportunity to pin Rollins and walk away as the WWE Universal champion. This is arguably the next step in a feud that began over two years ago when The Architect and The Game first aligned.
This action has created a potential match up. These two are no strangers to one another in the ring, as they faced off against one another when Evolution and The Shield battered each other, until both factions dissolved. Rollins as a face wanting retribution for being screwed over by Triple H seems like a match up best suited for no other place than Wrestlemania.
WWE.com
2. AJ Styles vs. Bray Wyatt
This seems like a foreign idea, but having a heel face-off against another heel isn’t as unlikely as it may seem. Bray Wyatt is often considered the right guy at the wrong time, and it seems like for one reason or another he is held off from facing important competition that would help to elevate him. One guy that would be an interesting matchup for Wyatt would be AJ Styles at Wrestlemania 33.
Whether or not Styles is the WWE World champion remains to be seen, but what this does provide is another example of how Smackdown Live remains committed to creating new and unique matchups. Some may question how exactly the build for such a match would happen, or even make sense. However, Wyatt has often been one to play on others’ insecurities, and he could play up Styles lacks support or alliances now that he remains alone as the champion. It would be a most phenomenal conundrum, rest assured.
The only other thing to consider is the heel and babyface roles. With both as bad guys, someone may have to work toward pandering to the crowd. We saw Styles do that earlier this year, but could it be Wyatt’s time to undergo a character change?
WWE.com
1. Asuka vs. Becky Lynch
As it stands right now, Raw appears to have the better selection of female wrestlers between the two brand. They have three of the biggest names in Bayley, Charlotte and Sasha Banks. They don’t, however, have the biggest female name on the Smackdown Live roster. Becky Lynch never captured a title in NXT or on Raw, but she was the inaugural Smackdown Live Women’s champion, and has provided fans with a number of highly competitive matches during her reign. Whether she has feuded with Alexa Bliss or Natalya, Lynch has been the poster child for the female division.
The greatest challenge she could face, and a female that could only add to the depth of their division, is NXT women’s champion Asuka. We have seen Asuka face-off against the best NXT has to offer and walk away unscathed. However, as part of Smackdown Live, her biggest challenge would be against the current champion. It would certainly be a great match for the Women’s title at Wrestlemania.
Which Wrestlemania 33 matches would be on your card with five months to go?
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