Being billed as the most “stupendous” 2 nights in sports entertainment, WrestleMania 38 is just 6 days away and The CTJ Report will talk about the matches that will emanate from Dallas, TX.
Build Up
Fans of WWE typically get riled up for WrestleMania season in January when the Royal Rumble PPV happens. It’s supposed to be a 3 month build that gets you excited for the Show of Shows however this year just hasn’t been that. Outside of the buildup between Roman Reigns & Brock Lesnar, everything else has felt secondary. It’s an indictment on a company that willingly chooses to focus on so few wrestlers. Contrast that with AEW’s most recent PPV, Revolution, that made every match feel important and main event worthy. Here’s what’s on tap for WrestleMania so far:
The Matches(so far)
- Rey & Dominik Mysterio vs. The Miz & Logan Paul
- Drew McIntyre vs. Baron Corbin
- The Usos(s) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Rick Boogs – SmackDown Tag Team Championship
- The KO Show featuring Kevin Owens & “Stone Cold” Steve Austin
- Edge vs. AJ Styles
- Becky Lynch(c) vs. Bianca Belair – RAW Women’s Championship
- Charlotte Flair(c) vs. Ronda Rousey – SmackDown Women’s Championship
- Pat McAfee vs. Austin Theory
- Sami Zayn vs. Johnny Knoxville
- RK-Bro(c) vs. The Street Profits vs. Alpha Academy – RAW Tag Team Championship
- Queen Zelina & Carmella(c) vs. Sasha Banks & Naomi vs. Rhea Ripley & Liv Morgan vs. Natalya & Shayna Baszler – WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship
- (Rumored) Seth Rollins vs. Cody Rhodes
- WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. WWE Champion Brock Lesnar – Unification Championship
I understand that WrestleMania is about the spectacle and the “mania” but for the wrestling fan it should be first & foremost about the wrestling. This is the one time a year where every single match should be must watch and let’s face it – it isn’t. That we’re 6 days out and there is no U.S. Title or Intercontinental Title match is jarring. The IC Title match at WrestleMania has given up some classic matches(think Savage/Steamboat, Shawn Michaels/Razor Ramon, Seth Rollins/Finn Balor/The Miz, WM31 Ladder Match). I’m also not enamored with Johnny Knoxville & Logan Paul taking up spots. Entertainers have always had a place at WrestleMania but it seems WWE is relying too much on gimmicks and not focusing on the tremendous wrestlers they actually do have. I will enjoy the Pat McAfee match though because Pat has shown himself as very capable inside the ropes.
The Matches I Want To See
RAW Women’s Championship – Becky Lynch(c) vs. Bianca Belair
This feud has been months in the making since Becky Lynch returned in surprising fashion at last year’s SummerSlam and shocked the world by beating then SmackDown Women’s Champion Bianca Belair in 26 seconds. Belair has been on a mission to exact revenge and that quest has seen her be the Lone Survivor at last year’s Survivor Series and then outlast 5 other women to win last month’s Elimination Chamber match to earn her rematch with Lynch. This is a main event caliber match that will feature the only two women to have won a Main Event match at WrestleMania. This match should not disappoint… and I expect The EST of WWE to emerge victorious.
Edge vs. AJ Styles
This is a dream match between two of the industry’s most beloved, respected and decorated wrestlers of this or any generation. The storyline here is simple – Edge demanded a challenge at The Showcase of the Immortals and felt that he didn’t need WrestleMania but rather WrestleMania needed The Rated R Superstar. Edge called out the locker room… and AJ Styles responded. Ever the Ultimate Opportunist, Edge gained the early momentum with a low blow and then two sickening Con-Chair-Tos. Both men have a laundry list of accolades. Both men have put on wrestling classics and both men are hellbent on proving to one another just who the better man is. This is a match between two icons that threatens to steal the show. Who wins is anyone guess… but if I were a betting man I would cash my chips on The Phenomenal One.
Women’s Tag Team Champioship – Carmella & Queen Zelina(c) vs. Sasha Banks & Naomi vs. Rhea Ripley & Liv Morgan vs. Natalya & Shayna Baszler
WWE has done a horrendous job with tag team wrestling in general and the women’s tag team division in particular. The tag team titles haven’t been contested on a PPV since WrestleMania 37 and haven’t been defended at any point since January 3rd when the current champions, Queen Zelina & Carmella defeated Rhea Ripley & Nikki Cross on RAW. Since then the tag champs have virtually been on radio silence until 4 weeks ago when Naomi announced that she & Sasha Banks would be going after the titles. Since that announcement Rhea Ripley has been thrown into a tag team with Liv Morgan. The same goes for Natalya who is now teaming with Shayna Baszler. All four of these teams were thrown together so these talented wrestlers could have something to do. It’s better than sitting in catering but I just feel Ripley, Banks, Naomi and Baszler should be contending for singles gold. With that said, it should be a fun match and if all goes right Sasha & Naomi should emerge victorious. When that happens it will be the 1st WrestleMania win in the illustrious career of Sasha Banks.
(Rumored) Seth Rollins vs. Cody Rhodes
Seth Rollins has seen opportunity after opportunity escape him to earn a spot at The Show of Shows. The latest chance came when he lost to AJ Styles in an effort to replace Styles in his match against Edge. Edge caused the DQ by hitting Styles with a chair and at that point Rollins erupted and tore the place apart. Now Rollins has a meeting with WWE CEO Vince McMahon to determine what will happen with The Visionary of Drip. All signs point to Seth interrupting WrestleMania and demanding a match against anyone. It’s at that point where fans expect Cody Rhodes to enter and challenge Seth to an impromptu match. Rhodes has been a blazing hot topic since his shocking departure from AEW in February. Rumors have been flying that he would eventually return to the company he spent 3 years criticizing and apparently the deal with WWE was reportedly signed earlier this month. Rhodes has become a polarizing figure so it will be interesting to see how he will be received the WWE Universe.
Unification Match: WWE Champion Brock Lesnar vs. Universal Champion Roman Reigns
This is the one story that WWE has been laser focused on and also the one story they’ve gotten mostly right if you don’t look at the convoluted way Brock Lesnar won, lost and won the WWE title in a span of 7 weeks. Roman Reigns is THE face of WWE and the Tribal Chief is dead set on making The Beast Incarnate acknowledge him. WWE is billing this match as the biggest WrestleMania main event of all-time… but this will be the 5th time these two men have main-evented a PPV(they previously main-evented WM31 and WM34). The stakes do feel different with Paul Heyman caught in between both wrestlers and the fact that both titles are on the line. Whoever wins will be crowned the WWE World Heavyweight Champion. The possible new belt design was leaked on social media earlier this month. Despite the build and star power the problem with this match is not only the unification of the belts but the lack of contenders who await the winner of this match. WWE has spent the last two years making everyone look pathetic against either Reigns or Lesnar. There simply has been no real effort put into making worthy challengers for the two top dogs. As big as this match is the true money match won’t be until WrestleMania 39 when it appears that The Tribal Chief will have to face off against The Rock. Whether Reigns is still the champion when that happens is anyone’s guess.
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