WrestleMania 36 is giving fans a two-night show for the first time ever. There were eight matches aired on Saturday’s card, and eight more plus a pre-show match on Sunday. The events were too big for just one night.
Below are predictions for how things will unfold in the second day of WrestleMania 36. I do not know the outcomes of these matches. This is strictly how I would book Night 2 of WrestleMania 36.
Pre Show Match on FS1 -Natalya vs Liv Morgan
This will be Liv Morgan’s first WrestleMania match. I see her coming out victorious as she has the look of a future champion. Natalya, a true veteran, will carry Liv Morgan in this match and teach her some technicality. Natalya is a great competitor. Let’s hope this match delivers on FS1.
Winner: Liv Morgan 3 Stars (short match, let’s hope for some technical wrestling).
1st Match – The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) (c) vs. Austin Theory and Angel Garza (with Zelina Vega) for the RAW Tag Team Championship
The fact that they are going to showcase some NXT talent at WrestleMania has Triple H written all over it. He is the Executive VP of Talent and Strategy and the creator of NXT. There is no surprise that he wants the future to be showcased, and this has the makings of being the most athletic match. Montez Ford took a nasty bump on the RAW go-home show by doing a sunset front flip over the top rope and landing on his back. We will see how he recovers. Angel Garza has the look and charisma to be the next great Latin star the WWE desperately needs. Rey Mysterio is down to his last two years in the company, and WWE needs to establish the next great Latin star that brings international appeal (think: Eddie Guerrero and Alberto Del Rio). Bringing in Austin Theory was a nice surprise. A former Evolve Heavyweight Champion and the newest NXT star, this is Austin Theory’s time to showcase why he is the future of the WWE. If given time, this match might steal the show.
Winner: Street Profits retain 3.75-4 stars (Garza and Theory will look great in a losing effort. No need to put the title on a fresh team with no chemistry. Let Garza and Theory team up more if Andrade is out for a long period of time. Had Andrade been medically cleared, Garza and Andrade would have been my prediction to take the gold)
2nd Match – Otis vs. Dolph Ziggler (with Mandy Rose)
We now know why the whole Mand/Sonya/Dolph Ziggler story happened. The so-called “hacker” of the WWE has been glitching Smackdown for months. Who knows who this “hacker” may be (Ali or Shorty G), but it’s an impressive storyline that is keeping the audience intrigued. This match should be quick and easy. I believe it’s Dolph’s first singles match at WrestleMania, which is crazy to think about! Dolph is now considered a veteran, and I’m happy he is getting a singles match at WrestleMania. The real story is Otis, who is quickly becoming a fan-favorite. It’s a shame that he did not get to date Mandy Rose due to soap opera shenanigans. Sonya is now involved in the storyline, and we may get a mixed-tag match out of this whole thing. This storyline will continue past WrestleMania as the comic/relief portion of the show.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler 2.5 stars (Dolph gets the win in a mediocre match. Both are solid workers.)
3rd Match – Bayley (c) vs. Lacey Evans vs. Naomi vs. Sasha Banks vs. Tamina Fatal 5-Way for the SmackDown Women’s Championship
Unfortunately for Bayley, she has been the victim of bad booking ever since she won the Smackdown title from Charlotte late last year. The audience is not invested in Bayley’s new look, but she tries her best to be a heel champion. If she pulls off the victory here, then she might solidify for reign and start to gain momentum. This match is unpredictable, but I see Bayley and Sasha being the last superstars standing.
Winner: Sasha Banks 3 Stars (I think it’s time to put the belt on Sasha, but I could also see Naomi or Bayley winning making this match. It will be interesting to see if Sasha continue to not successfully defend the title if she wins. Sasha has a streak of losing the title at her first title defense).
4th Match – Aleister Black vs. Bobby Lashley (with Lana)
Since his return, Bobby Lashley has not had a memorable run with the company. He has not progressed and is stuck in mid-card purgatory. Aleister Black will most likely win in record fashion with his Black Mass finisher. As of April 2018, Lashley is still under a Bellator/MMA contract, so he should go and fight for Bellator after WrestleMania and come back rejuvenated
Winner: Aleister Black 1.5 stars (Easy winner. Looking to book Black properly as Paul Heyman, Monday Night Raw Director, is a big fan of Aleister.)
5th Match – Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Charlotte Flair for the NXT Women’s Championship
I am so happy that an NXT Title will be defended at the grandest stage. Unfortunately, Adam Cole is not on the card, BayBay. Rhea Ripley had an amazing 2019 and looks to continue her 2020 campaign with a solid victory over Charlotte Flair. A victory over the Queen will solidify Rhea and a possible main roster promotion. Not one wrestler has skyrocketed through the ranks of NXT UK and NXT, and she’s only 23! The future is bright for Rhea, and her brutality begins at WrestleMania.
Winner: Rhea Ripley 3.5 Stars (15-20 minute match, there shouldn’t be any botches as these women can wrestle really well.)
6th Match – John Cena vs. “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt in a Firefly Funhouse Match
It seems that WrestleMania will have at least one match recorded in a different setting each night. This is the gimmick match of the night. Let’s hope it is the same as the Boneyard match from the first night. I hope the Fiend character gets used properly here. If it’s a happy Bray Wyatt fighting John Cena, there is no contest, as Cena will win. This match can go either way. Cena will look to push Wyatt to the limit and make Bray look great. Cena is entering Rock and Batista-like success in Hollywood and will not be wrestling full-time. With his latest movie being delayed, he may stick around for a short period, entering a brief feud with Bray Wyatt.
Winner: Bray Wyatt 3 Stars (Full of edits and gimmick objects, I can see Bray transform mid-match into the Fiend, which will make the WWE Universe happy. Bray had great momentum until they took the Universal title off of him. Let’s hope Bray Wyatt gets back into the title picture sooner rather than later.)
7th Match – Edge vs. Randy Orton in a Last Man Standing Match
The true main event of WrestleMania. This has been the best build-up to a match in a while. The story makes sense and it provides realism. The last time a non-title match closed the show was between The Rock and John Cena at WrestleMania 28. At the Royal Rumble, Edge made his return after being forced to retire. Now with a new 3-year contract, Edge will be participating at the big pay-per-views for years to come. This match will be Sunday’s best attractions. These are two solid workers who know each other very well and will bring a lot of stiff action using weapons in an empty arena. If done right, they can utilize the weight room inside the Performance Center just like NXT did a few weeks ago. We could see Beth Phoenix interfere in this match by slapping Randy Orton to get revenge. This match will be brutal, and we might see some blood, which is rare in WWE these days.
Winner: Edge 4.5-5 Stars (Edge came back for a reason. He will not lose here. Randy is the perfect opponent for Edge. They are both great workers and will deliver as the closers of the show. With no fans, this may be difficult, but I trust the former Rated-RKO with their strong work ethic. When motivated, Randy delivers at the biggest stage. He’ll be the ring general of the match to make sure Edge is safe due to his history of neck issues.)
8th Match – Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Drew McIntyre for the WWE Championship
The main event of the evening! It’s a shame that the international audience will not be in attendance. The UK crowd would have been on fire in Tampa, plus the possibility of Drew McIntyre’s old theme song would’ve brought back memories of the “Chosen One” gimmick. Drew has been training like “Braveheart”, and we know Brock Lesnar is a beast! I really hope this match is not short. Drew deserves this moment as he’s been portraying himself as a true superstar. If given time, this could be Lesnar’s best match since his battle with AJ Styles at Survivor Series 2017. A solid 10-15 minute match with multiple Claymore kicks to the head should be enough to conquer the beast. In a perfect world, this would be a 30-45 minute match. Knowing the way Brock has been wrestling lately, this match will not go over 20 minutes.
Winner: Drew McIntyre 3.75 Stars (I can see Lesnar taking his usual time off after this match. Lesnar does not need the title to be a special attraction. He is the best draw in WWE, but with rumors circulating of a one month offseason, Brock does not need to be in the title picture. If Lesnar loses, he’ll take his usual hiatus until SummerSlam. But if Lesnar wins, the WWE will most likely have Drew chase the title for a few more months.
Esto Alvarado has been following wrestling for 25 years and is the commissioner of a fantasy wrestling league he created. You can follow him on Twitter @EstoAlvarado
