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WWE WrestleMania 32: All the Matches and Our Predictions
We predict the results of all matches set to take place at WrestleMania 2016.
WWE is transitioning from a pay-per-view mindset, where it promised the world to would-be buyers, to a network based one, where satisfying locked-in subscribers has taken priority.
That's one charitable explanation as to why WWE's major shows in recent times have tended to outperform expectations and build-up. In other words, WWE's desire to surprise its fans has become greater than its desire to advertise its attractions.
At WM30 the Rock-Austin-Hogan triumvirate was the big shock, while a year later Ronda Rousey dropped jaws as she stepped into the squared circle for the first time.
With that in mind, come Sunday, don't be surprised if you're surprised.
Over the next 11 pages, we offer our WrestleMania 32 match predictions, featuring all pre-show, undercard, and main event matches. On Sunday we'll post the results, along with a review.
Click on the next image to begin...
The Usos vs The Dudley Boyz
Although it wouldn't be an outrageous decision to give The Dudley Boyz one more notch at WrestleMania, here the odds favour The Usos. The Anoa'i brothers were just 15 years old when The Dudley Boyz made their debut on Monday Night Raw in 1999, and evidently they have a bigger future to build upon.
Despite their youth and relative experience as WWE Tag Team Champions, the Usos have for a year lost momentum since WrestleMania 31 due to a major shoulder injury that put Jay Uso on the bench for seven months.
A victory here against one of the most respected teams that helped shape The Attitude Era could serve as the launch pad for a new push.
GameSpot predicts: A clean Uso victory
10-Diva tag-team match - The Total Divas vs Team B.A.D. & Blonde
With so many moving parts and characters in this five-on-five match, it's hard to safely predict a clear outcome. But one scenario springs to mind more than any other: If WWE wants Lana to wrestle full-time, then her debut here could be a victory which lays the foundations for a longer feud with Brie Bella.
Our money is on Brie though, who is at the top of her game ahead of her impending retirement. With all the anguish suffered by her sister Nikki and husband Daniel Bryan in recent months, we think the booking team will want to close her chapter on a high at the grandest stage.
GameSpot predicts: Victory for the Total Divas
Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royale
The Wyatt family, which is now at its nadir in terms of the stable's positioning in the WWE, will certainly carry the prominent story in the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royale.
How the ending is booked is a little complicated: It's likely either going to be Bray or his monstrous protégé, Braun Strowman. An unconfirmed back injury to Bray is one reason why the relatively green Strowman could take the trophy, while his obvious size advantage could give him a moment to establish himself as dangerous force in WWE.
But how WWE can show Bray losing whilst retaining his shine is the big question here, especially if management wants to keep the Wyatt stable together and strong. But there's a clear will to establish Strowman, and it's likely that the show's producers can find a way.
GameSpot predicts: Strowman the winner
Kalisto (c) vs Ryback
(For the United States Championship)
Rey Mysterio's triumph at WrestleMania 22 represents the defining moment for Luchador wrestling in WWE. 10 years since, such a feat seems unlikely to be surpassed, but welterweight upstart Kalisto is a gripping daredevil performer whose career trajectory shows enough promise to reach similar heights.
His stardom is far from guaranteed, however, especially in today's age of over-exposed performers and 50/50 booking. But Kalisto, having emerged victorious after a bruising feud with Alberto Del Rio, with each match proving to be better than the last, is demonstrating his worth as a main event talent.
On paper, Ryback is a goliath in this mismatch, and will no doubt find hurting his opponent rather easy. But it's likely he'll do the honours for Kalisto, launching the Mexican's career to new heights. We don't think Ryback will lose too much shine either, at least not the kind that he can't get back.
GameSpot Predicts: Kalisto with the upset
Seven-Man Ladder Match - Kevin Owens (c) vs Sami Zayn vs Dolph Ziggler vs Zack Ryder vs Sin Cara vs The Miz vs Stardust
(For the Intercontinental Championship)
This is the easiest match of the night to forecast. A crude process of elimination shows that Kevin Owens is almost certain to retain his title, as it's hard to imagine any of his opponents walking into Monday Night RAW the next day carrying the belt. Dolph Ziggler is perhaps the biggest contender in terms of star power, but his losses are so devastating and frequent that, at this stage, time off TV would be better for his character than the IC belt.
Sami Zayn, another key contender given his unfinished business with Owens, is even less likely to win. He has yet to be established on the main roster, but more importantly, his big day comes on the Friday, at NXT Takeover Dallas, where he will face Shinsuke Nakamura. The other four contenders, some of which are wonderfully talented in the ring, are modern-day enhancement acts.
Every year WrestleMania has to tread an artful line between moments of disappointment and euphoria. At least in a kayfabe sense, Owens's victory will give one result to a heel.
GameSpot Predicts: Owens retains
Chris Jericho vs AJ Styles
As puzzling as this protracted feud has become (their rubber match blow-off occurred weeks ago, and Styles was positioned as a credible contender for the IC title), there is nonetheless a fundamental allure to this bout: a veteran pro working with an indie thoroughbred who is desperate to make an impact on the big stage.
Considering how commendably professional Jericho is in putting younger stars over, coupled with his part-time business terms with WWE, any outcome other than a clean win for Styles would be a shock. Expect his submission move to seal the finish.
GameSpot Predicts: AJ Styles wins clean (again)
The New Day (c) vs The League of Nations - 4 on 3 handicap tag team match
(For the Tag Team Championship)
Granted, The New Day is one of the hottest acts in WWE right now, but this match is more difficult to call that it initially seems. Both teams would benefit tremendously from a win, both are liked internally, and both have ways to handle the loss. If The New Day emerges victorious, it would mark the stable's biggest victory (by far) since it formed, and in fact would be the first major win since turning face. If The League of Nations wins, the group would have a much better chance at generating the kind of heat that WWE wants to engulf them with.
Seeing as The New Day has proven it will run with anything passed to them, it's not hard to imagine the popular trio turning a loss into a series of excellent promos. But even easier to imagine is Wade Barrett taking another pin for the group he's expected to depart when he retires from WWE this summer.
GameSpot Predicts: The New Day Retains (pinning Barrett)
Street Fight - Brock Lesnar vs Dean Ambrose
The biggest mismatch of the night by some distance. Dean Ambrose has only recently managed to escape the WWE's black hole of 50/50 booking, but having said that, it's still the case that every major feud and heavyweight championship match he's been involved with has resulted in his ultimate loss.
What makes booking the outcome even easier for WWE is that Ambrose has grown into one of the most popular stars on the roster despite his string of major losses. The same can't be said for Lesnar, who is portrayed as a monster of mythical proportions, and hasn't lost clean since his bout against Triple H some three years ago.
A loss for the Streak-breaker could damage the attraction of his perceived (and believable) air of invincibility, whereas a loss for Ambrose wouldn't at all derail his long journey to the WWE Championship.
One caveat; this match is a street fight, meaning that a loss for Brock wouldn't be clean. Or at least there would be more ways in portraying it believably without taking the wind out of his sails. And yes, a win for Ambrose would propel him to main event stardom, and it's the smarter long-term bet perhaps. But, come on, it's Brock Lesnar.
GameSpot predicts: Lesnar can't lose
Charlotte (c) vs Sasha Banks vs Becky Lynch
(For the Women's Championship)
Emotions will be high during this defining moment for three passionate NXT breakout stars who have smashed every glass ceiling placed above them so far. Their collective story is one of emancipation in an industry that has for years treated female talent with a pitiful mix of lust and disdain. Granted, the three-of-four-horsewomen's transition to the main roster has hardly been perfect, often ham-fisted in fact, but things are beginning to gel at a time when it matters most.
Charlotte has become an exceptional heel, Becky continues to outperform her position, and Banks adds a spark to matches that her peers do not. Mark our words: One day these remarkably talented performers will headline a main roster pay-per-view. On Sunday they won't, but they have a real chance to be the first women to steal the show at WrestleMania.
In that context, the winner here is somewhat inconsequential. For what it's worth, the build-up hasn't quite established that this is Banks' moment, and maybe it is a little too early for her to carry the Championship. Or, perhaps more to the point, Charlotte has far more left in her run as a dominant heel.
The flexibility of a triple-threat match suggests that a bigger one-on-one feud with Banks and Charlotte looms. Those wanting to see Banks crowned may have to wait until SummerSlam.
GameSpot predicts: Charlotte retains (pinning Lynch)
Triple H (c) vs Roman Reigns
(For the WWE Heavyweight Championship)
One mustn't fall into the trap of over-analysing. The basics tell the story: Triple H is too busy to be champion. WWE is obsessed with getting Reigns over. The Rock, who is Reigns' cousin, is in town.
But if you were to indulge in some over-analysis, Triple H is arguably (and almost implausibly) in the best form of his career. His expertise in ring psychology has continued to mature in the past several years and now borders on perfection. Meanwhile, WWE's best attempts to make fans dislike him have failed (a worthless endeavour given that Triple H is the face of NXT), and he can still draw a crowd better than most on the current roster.
Reigns' career, meanwhile, has stuttered despite some excellent ideas from WWE's booking team to win him sympathy. The divisive young Anoa'i star has been on a 12-month journey since WrestleMania 31, having been (meta-kayfabe) buried in the hope it would generate grassroots support the same way Daniel Bryan had. But fans simply haven't accepted him as a babyface champion, whether or not the Rock intervenes (again) to give him some shine.
But back to basics. Triple-H has lost 10 of his 20 appearances at WrestleMania, and the man behind the suit is probably as eager as his father-in-law to propel Reigns to the spot John Cena will likely depart over the next several years.
GameSpot predicts: Reigns wins
The Undertaker vs Shane McMahon - Hell in a Cell
For a WrestleMania that has been plagued by injuries, and one that only weeks ago seemed like it wasn't going to carry an essential match, from his back pocket Vince McMahon has presented a star attraction of staggering potential and mystery.
This Hell in a Cell bout is simply too close to call, with the stakes pushed to an all-time high. Shane McMahon will take control of RAW if victorious, while the Undertaker is fighting for the chance to compete at WrestleMania 33.
Clairvoyants and punters alike will find numerous reasons to argue either outcome, but will not find anything concrete. There are no backstage rumors of Shane working full-time with WWE, nor is there talk (at least internally) of The Undertaker retiring within the next 12 months.
WWE's producers have kept a tight lid on this, which is one of many reasons why it's a can't miss match. If forced to make a choice, we think The Undertaker will retire at SummerSlam, or perhaps Survivor Series, when a fuller card of worthy opponents will be his to decide from.
GameSpot predicts: Shane narrowly edges it.
More...
WWE is transitioning from a pay-per-view mindset, where it promised the world to would-be buyers, to a network based one, where satisfying locked-in subscribers has taken priority.
That's one charitable explanation as to why WWE's major shows in recent times have tended to outperform expectations and build-up. In other words, WWE's desire to surprise its fans has become greater than its desire to advertise its attractions.
At WM30 the Rock-Austin-Hogan triumvirate was the big shock, while a year later Ronda Rousey dropped jaws as she stepped into the squared circle for the first time.
With that in mind, come Sunday, don't be surprised if you're surprised.
Over the next 11 pages, we offer our WrestleMania 32 match predictions, featuring all pre-show, undercard, and main event matches. On Sunday we'll post the results, along with a review.
Click on the next image to begin...
The Usos vs The Dudley Boyz
Although it wouldn't be an outrageous decision to give The Dudley Boyz one more notch at WrestleMania, here the odds favour The Usos. The Anoa'i brothers were just 15 years old when The Dudley Boyz made their debut on Monday Night Raw in 1999, and evidently they have a bigger future to build upon.
Despite their youth and relative experience as WWE Tag Team Champions, the Usos have for a year lost momentum since WrestleMania 31 due to a major shoulder injury that put Jay Uso on the bench for seven months.
A victory here against one of the most respected teams that helped shape The Attitude Era could serve as the launch pad for a new push.
GameSpot predicts: A clean Uso victory
10-Diva tag-team match - The Total Divas vs Team B.A.D. & Blonde
With so many moving parts and characters in this five-on-five match, it's hard to safely predict a clear outcome. But one scenario springs to mind more than any other: If WWE wants Lana to wrestle full-time, then her debut here could be a victory which lays the foundations for a longer feud with Brie Bella.
Our money is on Brie though, who is at the top of her game ahead of her impending retirement. With all the anguish suffered by her sister Nikki and husband Daniel Bryan in recent months, we think the booking team will want to close her chapter on a high at the grandest stage.
GameSpot predicts: Victory for the Total Divas
Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royale
The Wyatt family, which is now at its nadir in terms of the stable's positioning in the WWE, will certainly carry the prominent story in the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royale.
How the ending is booked is a little complicated: It's likely either going to be Bray or his monstrous protégé, Braun Strowman. An unconfirmed back injury to Bray is one reason why the relatively green Strowman could take the trophy, while his obvious size advantage could give him a moment to establish himself as dangerous force in WWE.
But how WWE can show Bray losing whilst retaining his shine is the big question here, especially if management wants to keep the Wyatt stable together and strong. But there's a clear will to establish Strowman, and it's likely that the show's producers can find a way.
GameSpot predicts: Strowman the winner
Kalisto (c) vs Ryback
(For the United States Championship)
Rey Mysterio's triumph at WrestleMania 22 represents the defining moment for Luchador wrestling in WWE. 10 years since, such a feat seems unlikely to be surpassed, but welterweight upstart Kalisto is a gripping daredevil performer whose career trajectory shows enough promise to reach similar heights.
His stardom is far from guaranteed, however, especially in today's age of over-exposed performers and 50/50 booking. But Kalisto, having emerged victorious after a bruising feud with Alberto Del Rio, with each match proving to be better than the last, is demonstrating his worth as a main event talent.
On paper, Ryback is a goliath in this mismatch, and will no doubt find hurting his opponent rather easy. But it's likely he'll do the honours for Kalisto, launching the Mexican's career to new heights. We don't think Ryback will lose too much shine either, at least not the kind that he can't get back.
GameSpot Predicts: Kalisto with the upset
Seven-Man Ladder Match - Kevin Owens (c) vs Sami Zayn vs Dolph Ziggler vs Zack Ryder vs Sin Cara vs The Miz vs Stardust
(For the Intercontinental Championship)
This is the easiest match of the night to forecast. A crude process of elimination shows that Kevin Owens is almost certain to retain his title, as it's hard to imagine any of his opponents walking into Monday Night RAW the next day carrying the belt. Dolph Ziggler is perhaps the biggest contender in terms of star power, but his losses are so devastating and frequent that, at this stage, time off TV would be better for his character than the IC belt.
Sami Zayn, another key contender given his unfinished business with Owens, is even less likely to win. He has yet to be established on the main roster, but more importantly, his big day comes on the Friday, at NXT Takeover Dallas, where he will face Shinsuke Nakamura. The other four contenders, some of which are wonderfully talented in the ring, are modern-day enhancement acts.
Every year WrestleMania has to tread an artful line between moments of disappointment and euphoria. At least in a kayfabe sense, Owens's victory will give one result to a heel.
GameSpot Predicts: Owens retains
Chris Jericho vs AJ Styles
As puzzling as this protracted feud has become (their rubber match blow-off occurred weeks ago, and Styles was positioned as a credible contender for the IC title), there is nonetheless a fundamental allure to this bout: a veteran pro working with an indie thoroughbred who is desperate to make an impact on the big stage.
Considering how commendably professional Jericho is in putting younger stars over, coupled with his part-time business terms with WWE, any outcome other than a clean win for Styles would be a shock. Expect his submission move to seal the finish.
GameSpot Predicts: AJ Styles wins clean (again)
The New Day (c) vs The League of Nations - 4 on 3 handicap tag team match
(For the Tag Team Championship)
Granted, The New Day is one of the hottest acts in WWE right now, but this match is more difficult to call that it initially seems. Both teams would benefit tremendously from a win, both are liked internally, and both have ways to handle the loss. If The New Day emerges victorious, it would mark the stable's biggest victory (by far) since it formed, and in fact would be the first major win since turning face. If The League of Nations wins, the group would have a much better chance at generating the kind of heat that WWE wants to engulf them with.
Seeing as The New Day has proven it will run with anything passed to them, it's not hard to imagine the popular trio turning a loss into a series of excellent promos. But even easier to imagine is Wade Barrett taking another pin for the group he's expected to depart when he retires from WWE this summer.
GameSpot Predicts: The New Day Retains (pinning Barrett)
Street Fight - Brock Lesnar vs Dean Ambrose
The biggest mismatch of the night by some distance. Dean Ambrose has only recently managed to escape the WWE's black hole of 50/50 booking, but having said that, it's still the case that every major feud and heavyweight championship match he's been involved with has resulted in his ultimate loss.
What makes booking the outcome even easier for WWE is that Ambrose has grown into one of the most popular stars on the roster despite his string of major losses. The same can't be said for Lesnar, who is portrayed as a monster of mythical proportions, and hasn't lost clean since his bout against Triple H some three years ago.
A loss for the Streak-breaker could damage the attraction of his perceived (and believable) air of invincibility, whereas a loss for Ambrose wouldn't at all derail his long journey to the WWE Championship.
One caveat; this match is a street fight, meaning that a loss for Brock wouldn't be clean. Or at least there would be more ways in portraying it believably without taking the wind out of his sails. And yes, a win for Ambrose would propel him to main event stardom, and it's the smarter long-term bet perhaps. But, come on, it's Brock Lesnar.
GameSpot predicts: Lesnar can't lose
Charlotte (c) vs Sasha Banks vs Becky Lynch
(For the Women's Championship)
Emotions will be high during this defining moment for three passionate NXT breakout stars who have smashed every glass ceiling placed above them so far. Their collective story is one of emancipation in an industry that has for years treated female talent with a pitiful mix of lust and disdain. Granted, the three-of-four-horsewomen's transition to the main roster has hardly been perfect, often ham-fisted in fact, but things are beginning to gel at a time when it matters most.
Charlotte has become an exceptional heel, Becky continues to outperform her position, and Banks adds a spark to matches that her peers do not. Mark our words: One day these remarkably talented performers will headline a main roster pay-per-view. On Sunday they won't, but they have a real chance to be the first women to steal the show at WrestleMania.
In that context, the winner here is somewhat inconsequential. For what it's worth, the build-up hasn't quite established that this is Banks' moment, and maybe it is a little too early for her to carry the Championship. Or, perhaps more to the point, Charlotte has far more left in her run as a dominant heel.
The flexibility of a triple-threat match suggests that a bigger one-on-one feud with Banks and Charlotte looms. Those wanting to see Banks crowned may have to wait until SummerSlam.
GameSpot predicts: Charlotte retains (pinning Lynch)
Triple H (c) vs Roman Reigns
(For the WWE Heavyweight Championship)
One mustn't fall into the trap of over-analysing. The basics tell the story: Triple H is too busy to be champion. WWE is obsessed with getting Reigns over. The Rock, who is Reigns' cousin, is in town.
But if you were to indulge in some over-analysis, Triple H is arguably (and almost implausibly) in the best form of his career. His expertise in ring psychology has continued to mature in the past several years and now borders on perfection. Meanwhile, WWE's best attempts to make fans dislike him have failed (a worthless endeavour given that Triple H is the face of NXT), and he can still draw a crowd better than most on the current roster.
Reigns' career, meanwhile, has stuttered despite some excellent ideas from WWE's booking team to win him sympathy. The divisive young Anoa'i star has been on a 12-month journey since WrestleMania 31, having been (meta-kayfabe) buried in the hope it would generate grassroots support the same way Daniel Bryan had. But fans simply haven't accepted him as a babyface champion, whether or not the Rock intervenes (again) to give him some shine.
But back to basics. Triple-H has lost 10 of his 20 appearances at WrestleMania, and the man behind the suit is probably as eager as his father-in-law to propel Reigns to the spot John Cena will likely depart over the next several years.
GameSpot predicts: Reigns wins
The Undertaker vs Shane McMahon - Hell in a Cell
- (Shane takes control of Monday Night RAW if victorious)
- (Undertaker will not compete at WrestleMania again unless victorious)
For a WrestleMania that has been plagued by injuries, and one that only weeks ago seemed like it wasn't going to carry an essential match, from his back pocket Vince McMahon has presented a star attraction of staggering potential and mystery.
This Hell in a Cell bout is simply too close to call, with the stakes pushed to an all-time high. Shane McMahon will take control of RAW if victorious, while the Undertaker is fighting for the chance to compete at WrestleMania 33.
Clairvoyants and punters alike will find numerous reasons to argue either outcome, but will not find anything concrete. There are no backstage rumors of Shane working full-time with WWE, nor is there talk (at least internally) of The Undertaker retiring within the next 12 months.
WWE's producers have kept a tight lid on this, which is one of many reasons why it's a can't miss match. If forced to make a choice, we think The Undertaker will retire at SummerSlam, or perhaps Survivor Series, when a fuller card of worthy opponents will be his to decide from.
GameSpot predicts: Shane narrowly edges it.
More...