WWE WrestleMania 35 Predictions and Pressing Questions

WrestleMania 35 is finally here, and in the final hours between now and the Kick Off Show it’s the perfect time for some last-minute speculation. WM35 will uncork a whopping 16 matches, guaranteed to give WWE fans a full workday’s worth of wrestling in one show.

Last year, WWE used WrestleMania to swerve fans with heel turns, surprise victories, and end Asuka’s WWE career. This year, it’s all about the women as Charlotte Flair, Ronda Rousey, and Becky Lynch will compete in the first ever all-female WrestleMania main event. On top of that, we’ll be saying goodbye to Triple H or Bautista, potentially crying with Kofi Kingston, and saluting to Seth Rollins. But if WrestleMania 34 taught us anything it’s that WWE may use surprise as a tool, and with an underdeveloped card, WWE may once again feel the need to be sneaky.

How Would You Grade the Build up to WrestleMania 35?

Jack Snodgrass: Whatever your definition of average is. Whether that’s a C or a steak from Applebee’s that’s what this Road to WrestleMania has been. The women making history is cool and so is Kofi’s story, but for the most part, all of these feuds are hollow and needed more time to incubate. 

Ryan Droste: The build for two of the main matches, the Women’s Championships and the WWE Championship, have been very good. The build for Rollins vs. Lesnar has been your typical, playbook Royal Rumble winner challenging champion at WrestleMania, which has been alright but has suffered from the fact that Lesnar (surprise, surprise) is never around. As far as the rest of the card goes, the build does feel a little lackluster, but then again it’s pretty hard to look back on a WrestleMania and find one where every single match had great build. 

Connor Casey: All over the place. The main event was woefully overbooked and Lesnar vs. Rollins was given very little attention, but the Kingston vs. Bryan feud was excellently done. This thing doesn’t need to have 16 matches, but I’ll give them credit for most of them having at least a couple of months of history to work off of.

What’s the Biggest Question WWE Has to Answer on Sunday?

Jack Snodgrass: Whether or not that can make the women’s division bankable. If the triple threat is anything less than spectacular, then this will be the last time they headline ‘Mania for a while. However, if they kill it, WWE may have a lucrative opportunity to grow the division. 

Ryan Droste: Do they truly believe in Kofi Kingston as a singles star? Kingston has proven his worth over the last several weeks in this writer’s opinion and walks into WrestleMania as arguably the most over babyface on the roster. However, looking at the top three matches on the card, it seems like all of the babyfaces are set to prevail (Lynch, Rollins, and Kingston) and that would be a bit unusual for WWE. You can almost feel a surprise finish coming in one of those matches so that it’s not too predictable, and if you had to pick one of those three that is most likely to lose, it would probably be Kingston due to the fact that this singles run is relatively new to him. 

Connor Casey: I’ve got to go with Ryan’s, it’s all about whether or not the WWE truly views Kingston as a world champion. 

Between WM34 and WM 35, Whose Had the Worst Year?

Jack Snodgrass: Could there be another answer other than Shinsuke Nakamura?

Ryan Droste: Yep, easily Nakamura. He’s gone from Rumble winner and WWE Championship challenger to participating in a last minute fatal four-way tag team match. There’s nobody at all that comes close to that free fall down the card. 

Connor Casey: Remember how Braun Strowman went from winning the Raw Tag Titles (goofy antics with Nicholas aside), the Greatest Royal Rumble, the Money in the Bank briefcase and was a No. 1 contender for a world championship multiple times? That man is on the pre-show now feuding with “Weekend Update.” At least Nakamura made it back to the main card. 

Pick One Surprise

Jack Snodgrass: Roman Reigns loses to Drew McIntyre. WWE needs a top heel more than they need Reigns to be hot again — especially if Seth Rollins is Universal Champion.

Ryan Droste: Reigns losing to McIntyre definitely seems like the favorite when it comes to a surprising result and Jack’s rationale is the reason. If I look elsewhere on the card, perhaps Kevin Owens getting involved in the U.S. title match due to Mysterio’s injury. 

Connor Casey: Kurt Angle beats Baron Corbin in a matter of seconds, says he wants a real challenge for his final WWE match. “Basic Thuganomics” hits, and out comes John Cena. Angle asks why Cena wants to face him, and Cena gives the same answer he gave in 2002 — “Ruthless Aggression!” 

What Match Will Steal the Show?

Jack Snodgrass: Orton vs. Styles. I’ve been waiting for this one for a while, so I’m just trying to fulfill my own expectations. 

Ryan Droste: Bryan vs. Kofi. 

Connor Casey: Bryan vs. Kofi. That promo package alone should be the highlight of the night. 

A. What Will John Cena Be Doing on Sunday? B. Does WWE Need Him Back Full Time?

Jack Snodgrass: Turning heel. After Angle’s match. And yes, they need him back on a full schedule. 

Ryan Droste: He will interrupt Elias and defeat him in a quick match. No, they don’t need him as a full timer. It’s great to have him come back for short runs and definitely a positive, but having him on the road again full time isn’t make or break for the WWE at this point. 

Connor Casey: Facing Angle. They don’t necessarily need him, but it’d be nice to have him on television on a somewhat consistent basis. 

More Likely to Show Up: The Rock, Hulk Hogan, or The Undertaker?

Jack Snodgrass: Hulk Hogan, by a mile. I’ll guess he gets involved with Elias. 

Ryan Droste: Hogan since we know for sure he will be in town for the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony. 

Connor Casey: Well somebody has to interrupt Elias during his concert, and I think this year it’s The Rock. 

Give One Reason Why Seth Rollins Won’t Become Universal Champion at WM35

Jack Snodgrass: Eh, I can’t find a good one. This is a title change that needs to happen. I think WWE knows this and Rollins is a lock to leave WM 35 with the big red belt.  

Ryan Droste: Predictability? Sometimes WWE likes to throw a curve ball and this feels like one everyone sees coming from a mile away. That being said, Reigns defeating Lesnar seemed inevitable and plans changed at the last minute. I can’t see it happening again. 

Connor Casey: Because WWE has taken the laziest route when it comes to the Universal Championship since Reigns’ sudden departure in October. Why establish a new main event player when you can keep the title on Lesnar and let him be off television for months at a time? 

What Will Brock Lesnar Be Doing at WrestleMania 36?

Jack Snodgrass: He’ll be in a triple threat match for the WWE Championship. 

Ryan Droste: Wrestling in a non-title match. 

Connor Casey: Something involving a world championship.

What Would Be More Surprising: Becky Lynch Loses, or Daniel Bryan Wins?

Jack Snodgrass: Daniel Bryan winning seems impossible at this point. Kofi Kingston has so much momentum and denying him seems counterproductive. 

Ryan Droste: Becky Lynch losing would be more surprising. It’s the main event slot and Becky’s rise has solidified that match as the biggest on the card. After months and months of build, having her come up short in the final moments of WrestleMania with a heel standing victorious to close out the show? Not impossible but certainly surprising. 

Connor Casey: Bryan winning, only because I can easily see WWE wanting to keep Lynch’s title chase going a few more months and both Rousey and Flair are viable options as a double champion.

Who Will Earn a Shot at the Universal Championship Next: Roman Reigns or Drew McIntyre?

Jack Snodgrass: McIntyre, 100%. I’ll bet WWE take it easy with Reigns this year. But McIntyre seems ready for the promotion. I have him and Rollins duking it out through SummerSlam. 

Ryan Droste: McIntyre, probably in relatively short order as Rollins (if he wins) would need a top heel to work against. If Rollins is holding the title for a long run, they’re going to hold off on that Rollins/Reigns match as long as possible because it’s one of the true aces up their sleeve when it comes to prospective title matches down the line. 

Connor Casey: They’ll keep Reigns away from a world title until SummerSlam, but McIntyre is ready to face either Rollins or Kingston (remember the Superstar Shake-up is next week) right away.