Official WrestleMania 40 Preview & Predictions

This is WWE Superstar Drew McIntyre, and you're listening to the WWE podcast, the show, the one that everybody wants me God sixteen rs is modern. You're gonna acknowledge me. Welcome everybody to the official WrestleMania forty pre Dream Prediction

Show. I've got Anthony Tomorco here pushing our regular show back a few days, but worth it here because we're gonna be talking about WrestleMania forty nine, one night two, potential returns, The weekend is finally here after all of the hype, all the way really from last year's WrestleMania, thinking about this year's and now here we are, and then just a few days it'll all be over and we will be already talking about WrestleMania forty one next year.

But obviously a lots again through tonight, a lot to discuss, a lot of potential great matches, a lot of potential awesome returns coming as well. I think it's going to be a mix of the legends of yesteryear and today's stars. But Anthony, it's WrestleMania forty What do you think I mean? It's kind of crazy. I came home from work earlier today and I looked at my girlfriend and as she pretended to care, I said, can you

believe that WrestleMania is tomorrow? And obviously this is a special one on many fronts. I mean you could look at it from several different angles as to why it's so unique. Obviously a big round zero forty. Every time they hit that ten year milestone, it feels that much more important. The Rocks first match in what eleven years, not counting to Eric Rowan debacle. Obviously from twenty sixteen to Wrestling thirty two? Are we finally going to see the

end of Roman Reins? Is three and a half year championship run. It really does feel like the dawn of a new era in WWE. And I think Cody Roads is actual trademarking the Renaissance era, And as corny as that may sound, and maybe as force as it may sound to some, maybe he has a point. Maybe wrestle Mania forty is the official ushering into this new era, whatever that may be. Yeah, then the problem is we hate anything that comes from Cody, So even if it was a great idea

coming from Cody, it's automatically tainted. But no, that may not be the worst idea, and it is kind of a landmark. It's a reset. It's like you said, these round numbers have a little bit extra special feeling to them, and I'm with you. It doesn't feel like WrestleMania weekend, though. I have to get myself into the mode because both of us have been crazy busy with other things in our lives that you have to get yourself in that focus of in that mindset that it's WrestleMania week and and I

think we'll be able to do that pretty quickly. But yeah, this is a this is a special one and if it's the Renaissance era or whatever they call it or PG plus era, it is, it does feel like there's something that's going to change after this year's WrestleMania, and let's dive into it because there is a lot to get to Night one and night two. We'll get through every single match here of course potential returns and those will come throughout

our predictions. So let's just dive in Night one. We'll start with Ramus Stereo and Dragon Lee, not Carlito to the fans, Dismay Versus Santos Escobar and Dominic Mysterio, So Ray and dom once again facing each other, this

time in a tag team match. Your thoughts and predictions on this one, Well, look, I think it's a way to get Santos, Escobar and Dom on the card, as well as Dragon Lee to but to a lesser extent, and as you mentioned, kind of bizarre because Carlito was the low hanging fruit, has a built in rivalry with Santos, Escobar and the LWO and look out of a del Fantasma. But obviously they view Dragon Lee as like the next coming of raymis Giro and obviously a good worker. But I

think it's gonna be Dom and Santos. I think they have a lot to gain here. I think Raymisdiro already beat Dom, so you don't have to, you know, go back to the well with that. I really think that's To's Escobar in particular could use this big victory. So I'm going with Santos and Dom. I'm gonna echo that. I would agree that at this point we need Dominic to get on some kind of role. I think that

as much as he's hated, I think he still loses too much. So I this time, for me, it's going to be a definitive dominic masterial on Santos Escobar win. I don't care who takes the pinfall here. Ray got his victory over his son last year, so Dominic winning this year makes much more sense. I want dom to get on a role. I want him to be so hated. He already is, but I think he needs

a deeper hatred. And I think that there might be something going on in the judgment day right now with Dominic undermining a lot of the decisions that are happening right now. There's a lot of tension bringing in Santos, bringing in you know, Andrade. I think there's a lot happening that will post May,

post WrestleMania. Really start to see the makings of that, and maybe Dominic ends up, you know, turning on on Priest and turning on turning on Finn Balor and then you have, you know, a new group formed under Dominic mysterio who is the mastermind behind it? I mean really projecting out, but I think this could be the makings of that, and ultimately just

Dominic needs the victory here. They say to Soda, Santos in his you know, for his defense, I think he had an amazing heel turn that really petered out over the last several weeks because they haven't paid attention to it, really, is all it is. So Santos and Dominic need this way more than Ray Mysterio and Ray Masterio Light do. So, like, for you, do you think that it's more because of what Santos and dom need over just Rey Masteriro kind of being the guy of Yesterdayear and dragon Ly not

that being that established yet. Yeah. I mean, plus there's a lot more to do with those. I think they have more plans for Santos and don than they do Ray and dragon Lee. But Dragon Lee is clearly,

like you said, kind of the the replacement for Ray. If maybe that's a little bit too much, but I think he's He's a guy that you know, is going to get the rub from Ray, even though unfortunately he's going to stay under the shadow of Ray Masterio forever because every one that ever comes in as a Lutra door with a mask is going to be compared to

Ray and they will never meet Ray's expectations. So I think it's about giving Dragonly that opportunity, but really more about just Sansos and Dominic moving forward. I think that they could have and have already shown on SmackDown an alliance of sorts that really is going to be the fracturing of the judgment days we currently know it. Yeah, and there's not too much to dissect here. I think it's low hanging through it. I think that's why they were able to

throw this match together with a little build. Everyone knows what the beef is between the four men. Everyone knows what each guy could win from this or pull off of this. Like you know, it's a simple match. It's not going to blow the doors off. It's obviously going to be great from an in ring perspective. But I think it is relatively, at least to us obvious which team needs to walk away with the victory here, and that doesn't need to necessarily make it bad. But to me, it does seem

predictable in a good way. Yeah, I'm cool with it. This is one of those deals. It doesn't need to be unpredictable to be the right decision. The right decision and predictable are often the same. All right, let's move on. We've got the six woman tag team match here, with Bianca, Naomi and Jade Cargill making her in ring debut outside of the Rumble of course against Damage Control. What I mean not Bailey. Bailey's in her

own match, But what do you make of this? And boy is this If there's ever a match to put money on, this one seems to be the one. I don't know anyone that's picking Damage Control, but maybe you'll convince me otherwise. Well, no, not at all, but because I feel like this is almost kind of like the counterpart to the match we just spoke about, but in a more extreme fashion. Ben Like, there's no way Damage Control wins here. We know why this match was put together.

We know probably that it's gonna end with a hot tag to Jade Cargill. Who's gonna get the w over one of the members of Damage Control? If I had to take a guess, probably Dakota Kai. You'll probably see a spurt where Naomi's the babyface trapped in the ring and there's being work put in

on her by Oscar, Kyrie Sane and Dakota Kai. But I mean again, like you cannot have an up and coming star like Jake Cargill making your first in ring debut, or I mean, other than the Royal Rumble, a returning Naomi and Bianca Bellair, who was kind of cast aside on this road to WrestleMania lose to a group that you know, I mean, I don't want to say is boring, but it's stagnant. You know, they've done their job. They are who they are, They're they're the Lackeys to

EO. Sky. They've done a fine job. But there's nothing for damage Control to win out of this. It's all meant to give Naomi and Bianca a proper spotlight and obviously catapult Jake Cargill and show her off in a real match setting other than just the royal rumble that obviously is all over the place. So I mean, again, much like the match we just talked about on the men's side of things, I don't think there's too much to dissect

beneath the surface on this women's six man tag. No, this one, to me is out of every match, and even the Iosky and Bailey, which is heavily favored on Bailey as we all know, this one, to me, out of the whole card, is the most clear that we have. The victors be Naomi Bianca and Jade. And you're right, this is all about really Jade Cargill. If you're going to single it down to one person. It's about Jade Cargill's in ring debut, with the workload being kind

of diversified among the other five women. It's really what it is. I mean, they didn't feel confident in giving her a one on one yet, and that's fine. Ease her in, get her on the WrestleMania stage, and it's going to be about giving her a few minutes here, a few minutes there, giving her the hot tach, giving her the victory, of

course. But you know, the other story is that the fact that you mentioned it is is Bianca bel Air, who has been I mean, she's main evented a couple of WrestleManias on the women's side, winning the championship twice, and yet she has been just as you said, cast aside or given a lesser role. It just is. Now, that doesn't mean that this

isn't supposed to set up a Jade Bianca match at some point. Maybe we'll see some tension in this match between Jade and Bianca which is going to further lead to an eventual match between those two, which which has to happen. So I don't know if those that's Henson will be shown tomorrow night, or if it's just going to be something that eventually they'll get to. Either way,

all three women, all three women really deserve it too. I mean, they're infinitely more interesting than damage controlled Kyrie Saying and Naomi or osca Uh and Dakota Kai. So this one is a slam dunk, closed the door, lock up, you know, lock it up, throw away, the key type of decision for me, and and that's a victory for those three women. So all right, break down. No there's not I mean there's really not, And that's okay this It can be that simple and I'm okay

with it. So all right. Six Pack Challenge the six Pack Tag Team Ladder Match for the Undisputed Tag Team Championship. We have Damian and Finn Our Truth and miz Di i Y with Shampa and Gargano. We have the New Day of Xavier and Kingston, Theory and Waller and then Pete Dunn and Tyler Bait and what is going to be I think a car crash match, and that's in a good way. I hope, I really hope no one dies in this match. I mean, like, really, my concern is the

actual health and safety of the men in this match for real. But let me let me get your thoughts on it. Well. I mean, I don't think I've ever seen a twelve person ladder match. It's going to take a hell of a lot of planning from these guys, you know, like show aside, like from just a real life point of view. They are going to have to really have all their ducks in a row before they go

out there. It is going to be so chaotic. I think the largest Matt ladder match I've ever seen was eight person in money in the bank, and even at that it started out as a six person I believe back in the rest of my twenty one twelve people, I mean, I wish them well, But as far as my con prediction goes, I mean, it's a process of elimination, right Like Newday obviously isn't going to win. I don't think Tyler Bait and Pete Dunn are quite there yet, and then you're

down to four teams was Austin Theory and Grayson Waller. I mean, they certainly have a chance, but are they the ones to really walk away with the tag titles? I don't think so. Obviously, A judgment date could retain, but we've just kind of you alluded to it rather earlier that maybe you are planting the seeds for a dissolution of that group. And I don't think that they really have much more to give to the tag team titles.

It's actually felt that they've somewhat kept them hostage. D I Y. I mean, probably a runner up favorite because of their history together in NXT, and I do think they have some kind of a backing. But to me, again, I think this is relatively obvious that's going to be the Miss and Our Truth. Obviously some wind has been taken out of the sales of Our Truth recently, but I still think the Philly crowd is going to be

behind them. It'll give mis a nice thing to do at WrestleMania. The last prominent match he had at Mania, if I'm not mistaken, was against Shane McMahon at WrestleMania thirty five, I want to say, and he lost that match too, So a good win for the MIZ, a good win for Our Truth again, predictable but not necessarily a bad thing Our Truth of the Miss. Oh yeah, yeah, And once again we're in lockstep and we're three for three on that, but this is certainly better for them than

last year is getting knocked out by Snoop Dog Didn't you get knocked out by Snoop DOGG last year with one of the most people. Yeah, so this is gonna be a little bit better for them. But yeah, this is a like, as I mentioned, it's a car crash match, not disrespectfully meaning it that way, but it's going to be. And I don't envy the announcers trying to call this match. It's gonna be really impossible to call this match in a way that's digestible and not fifty five hundred miles an hour.

I mean, this is gonna be a crazy match, a spot after spot. It's gonna be a highlight reel after highlight reel. These guys are gonna be bumped, bruised, maybe accidentally cut, hopefully no broken bones in this match. Because it's WrestleMania, they're hyped up, crowds hyped up, they know what to expect from this, and it's gonna be one of those like oh my god, like you're looking for the X sign from the referee,

Like it's gonna be one of those matches. I just hope that they're all coming out of this walking away from it and not being stretchered out. But ultimately, I'm with you. Our Truth in the Miz I think deserve it, especially our truth. I think that our Truth will be the one to grab the belts. The crowd is going to be with him all the way. Even though he's lost a little momentum over the last several weeks, they'll it'll get right back with him. The crowd will get right back with

him once he ends up climbing that ladder and capturing those championships. Other than that, like you said, Champa and Gargano, they're a mild favorite. Like I said, they're probably the second favorite. And then you have Xavier in Woods who have I mean, they don't need the belts any they haven't needed the belts in about eight years for New Days. So that's really the

only two teams, and it's gotta be our Truth in the Miz. You're not gonna give it to another heel team from a heel team that's already, as you said, held at hostage. So I'm gonna look, I'm looking forward to it, though, I mean, it's gonna be one of those different style twelve people in this match, which is nearly half of a Royal Rumble inside of this match, in the ladder match, it's gonna be wild. So yeah, it's gonna be fun. Probably fifteen minutes or so,

fifteen twenty men and it's I'm just nervous for them. And I actually think this is a big time favorite to open up Night one because historically they've opened up Wrestling Is with these ladder matches. I think thirty one and thirty two opened with the Intercontinental Championship ladder match. Wrestling twenty three open with the Money in the bank, So I think this would be a good option to set

the tone right off the bat for Mania. Yeah, that's a good good point because especially, I mean I'm thinking it's usually a babyface that opens the show. I mean unless they have a host come out or something like Hogan makes out appearance or Undertaker comes out, which I doubt it, but if they did, outside of that, the first match, yeah, you could easily have this be the first one. Set the tone. Crowds hot, they're ready to go. It's going to be maximum energy for this match.

So all right, well on from a twelve person match to a one on one Jimmy versus jay ussof we get twin versus twin, brother versus brother, kind of a civil war hangover match if you will. That they I think have done it is good of a job of getting you interested as you can be. I'm still not particularly loving this because I don't I never really wanted it to begin with, even when things are hot, I didn't really want to see them fight. But here we are, and I'm expecting a very

good match. These two obviously can wrestle their asses off, and my personal pick is I'm choosing jay Us on this to beat Jimmy and the probably a sign of respect after the match, Jimmy maybe starts to see the light. They give each other a handshake or a hug, and that's the way it goes out. That's kind of where I'm going with it with Jayoso victory. Yeah, again, I think it's jau So I did actually think maybe Jimmy would come out with this. I thought about picking him just because of Wrestling

twenty five. Everyone expected Jeff to beat Matt, but Matt actually came out winning, and the Jeff and Matt dynamic was very similar I think to Jay and Jimmy, with Jimmy kind of being the disgruntled older brother living in the shadow of his younger brother who really found superstardom on his own. But I

just think Jay needs this win. I think you need to give him some kind of big payoff for the last, you know, eight months that he's had, how much success he's found on Monday Night Raw the one thing that I hope, hope to God, unless there's a Rakishi special guest referee type of interjection here, I just wanted one on one, no hanky panky, no interference from solo, no Roman. I don't even want Paul Hayman at

ringside. I just want it one on one, clean finish Because I think these guys, based on how well they know each other obviously they're brothers, how long they've been WWE, I would imagine they've been wanting to do this match personally for a very long time. I just want to see what they can do in a classic wrestling match. Mano Amano. No hanky panky, That's the one thing I'm really hoping for. But like you, I'm going with Jay and no tables, no chairs. We're gonna get enough of that

with the six man ladder by six pack challenge. So yeah, I agreed, a straight up wrestling match. The one thing that I meant to ask, what do you think the over under is on the number of superkicks in this match? Oh my god, I mean you would have to set it at what twenty nine and a half. It's like, it's gonna be crazy, and look, it's gonna be. It is what it is. I mean, the build kind of rights itself. They didn't have to dedicate too much one on one time for Jimmy and Jay. But you just have to

hope that the build or the in ring competition steals the spotlight. And you know, I remember AJ Styles versus Sean McMahon. I believe it was Wrestling thirty three. I think that was a wrestling you were in attendance form, and that was I think a build that everyone was just like AJ Vershane,

Like, why would anyone want to see this? It doesn't make sense for a stylistic point of view, But that was one of the best matches of the night on what otherwise was, in my opinion, a very disappointing WrestleMania. So I'm hoping it's something to that effect. Yeah, as I look back, I look back with anger that that was one of the more awful WrestleManias in the last ten years. Though, yeah, it was horrible.

It was bad. It was bad. I'm thinking back, I'm like, what was a memorable mon Okay, the Hardy's returned, and I'm angry because I actually took the one damn bathroom break during that return, so like, out of the one moment that everyone lost their minds, I wasn't there. Undertaker in Roman had a terrible match at the admittance of Undertaker. He hated it too. We all thought that was it for Taker. It wasn't good. I mean, it was just it was awful from top to bottom now

that I think about it. Yeah, even though Bray Wyatt and Randy, I mean, yeah, awful. But all right, let's continue on here. We got so many more matches gun Through versus Sammy z Ain for the Intercontinental Championship. I think we're finally getting into the matches now that aren't so kind of lock it up type of decisions with gun Through versus Sammy. I know a lot of people are thinking Sammy's ain, but there's a lot of argument for Gunther to retain here. Before I give my answer, I'm gonna

hear yours well. For me, I want to know what Chad's Gables involvement is gonna be in all this. Is he gonna be outside, you know, trying to even the odds with Imperium, who we haven't really seen by Gunther's side the last number of week weeks, which I actually think is a

good thing. But I just feel like Sammy needs this moment, and more so than that, I feel like groundwork has been laid between Sammy and Chad Gable to have a really nice run here over the course of probably several pay per views on Monday Night Raw over this championship ultimately culmenting with it going to Chad Gable because to me, Sammy Zane and I hate saying this in a

way, but you need these types of guys. Is the perfect transition champion at this moment to transition it off of Gunther and then go into a sequence with Chad Gable and then ultimately give Chad Gabel his crowning achievement. And even if that's a backlash or extreme rules, it could still be a big moment. And I just think it's time for Gunther to move away from this championship picture. It's time for him to move on to bigger and better things.

Maybe he goes into a program with Imperium some way. I think he's already bordering on a babyface. I think him coming out in street clothes and a T shirt and justin suits, I think that's really broadened his character, humanized him from just kind of like a war general flashback. So for me, I think that there's more to do with Gunther without the championship right now, and you've laid groundwork for Sammy and Chad Gabel beyond wrestling, and so for

me, I'm going with Sammy Zaane. But it's anything but a guarantee. Yeah. No, that's exactly the argument that anyone would say, not anyone smart people would say to make it that Sammy Zane wins this match. And it makes sense. You have a very very believable guy to beat Gunther. You have a guy that the fans do love, you have a guy that is established, he has written name recognition, and it makes sense if you're going to transition, and it's WrestleMania forty, which is a very pivotal event

and all of those are ring very true. On the other side of it, Gunther could also continue his run people thought it would end just like with Roman last year, and continue the He'll run for Gunther again. I know he doesn't have much left to prove, but what if he wins Sammy Zaane loses because Chad Gable, you would think he's out there to help Sammy with imperium. He ends up screwing Sammy for the championship, Gunther retains and then

Guntherer either on WrestleMania Night after the match or the Mondonnet. Rothter WrestleMania claims there's no one left and out comes brock Lesner, who's floating around. I mean, so if the brock Lesner factor is gonna happen, I understand that him challenging for the Intercontinental Championship seems beneath Brock. I get it, but you know what, Gunther has added so much value to the IC title. Is there any chance of Brock winning it? No, but the match of

Gunther and Brock could include the IC title. As weird as that is. So, do you think brock Lesner could play a role at WrestleMania or the Mondayette raw after or maybe way down the line. Sorry say that again? You cut out quickly. I said, do you think that the brock Lesner factor could come into play at WrestleMania after the match Monday at Raw, after WrestleMania, or do you think it could happen way down the road with Gunther.

I don't think. I don't think a WrestleMania just because of Chad Gable's involvement, because at this point Chad Gable's not involved here, but you clearly see that they want him to play some kind of a big factor, and brock Lesner would overshadow Chad Gable, who in turn is kind of overshadowing Sammy z Ain, who could quite possibly be the man to dethrone the longest ring Interconnel champion in history. So there's a lot of ode foreshadowing going on,

and with Chad Gable. I think it's rightfully so. And you know, you can make the argument that should be Chad Gable, but I just think that if you bring in brock Lesner, then Chad and Sammy's Ain, and by correlation, the inter Connell Championship title Swaying would kind of be overshadowed completely. All right, Well, then in that case, I mean I've been I haven't made by this up until this moment. I'm gonna go I originally was going with Gunther, and I'm not just gonna do it to be contrarian.

I'm gonna do it because I think it's the right call, and I think sammy's Ain is probably the right guy because, as you mentioned, you could have Chad versus Sammy for the intercontinental title. Well, Gunther moves on to bigger and better things, which I think he should at this point, and that doesn't mean immediately into the world title picture. It just means he could work with different guys number one contenders for the title. He doesn't have

to immediately get into it. But with Sammy Zain and Chad, we know what they're capable of. Hell with the Gauntlet match a few weeks ago when they ended it an amazing finish. I mean, these two are gonna have classic matches. So one way or the other, we're gonna get Sammy z Ain versus Chad Gable. And I'll agree with you on this one. I wasn't originally because of my convictions for Gunther retaining, But the more I think about it and talk about it. This is the kind of the right time

to do it. He's broken every record you can break, and it's time for Gunther to move on and Sammy to continue to work with Chad Gable and you're gonna get great matches out of that. And it's believable and there's nobody really better on the roster right now. So all right, any final thoughts are you want to continue on to the women's world title here? No, let's get to the women's world title. This be interesting Becky versus Rhea.

You know, this one seems like a lock, right, Ria Ripley should win, and that's my pick, by the way, but there is a case to be made for Becky to win. Not as strong, but Becky Lynch has gotten some momentum over the last several weeks. She's still not as interesting as she should be, not anywhere near it, but she's she has tried to feel different with her promos, her look a little bit. She's still leaning on WrestleMania thirty five's momentum, which has long passed her by from

five years ago with Rondon and Charlotte. So I still don't think that Ria Ripley is going to lose. I think Becky Lynch is I don't think Becky Lynch is going to win, but I don't think it's absolutely overwhelming. Ria Ripley wins. The crowd's going to be with Rhea. The crowd reaction is going to be interesting to see if they actually boo Becky Lynch. I'm interested on that end, But ultimately, I think the man is going to be

really good. I have no concerns about the quality of this match. Is going to be kickouts, the finishes all over the place as always, so this is gonna be a lot of fun if they get enough time. I just don't think it's Becky lynch'sn't It wouldn't help Becky Lynch. I actually think

if you're trying to keep her baby face, it would hurt her. I think the fans would feel like they've been kind of screwed out of a proper Ria Ripley run, which I feel like over only the last few months has started to gain momentum, and the crowd's going to be with Ria the whole time here. So for me, it's Ria Ripley. What do you think? Yeah, And I'll give them credit. They've made me care about this

more with the build. I think they've had a pretty good build after several weeks of you know, Live being involved and Naya being involved, and you haven't seen Naya and Live on Monday Night rot for several weeks here, and while they were doing their parts well and hats off to Live in Naya, you really need to make this about Riha and Becky. And they had a nice touch by Becky showing up at the MMA hour when Rio was doing your

interview with Ariel Helwani and the pull apart brawls. You know, I still despise the Becky Lynch character. The leather tracksuit with the leather baseball cap, like just everything about her makes my stomach turn. But in terms of the build, they've made me care. They've made me care in the way that I want to see real Ripley squasher, but they're still making me care. Still think it was the wrong decision. I still think it should have been

Beyonce bell Air. I still think that this is them doing you know, Rihea versus Charlotte two point zero. I think that they've already done her beating the gatekeeper of the women's division. But I understand it for a lot of people. Becky Lynch is probably the biggest star than Charlotte Flair. And if you think about it, this is very akin to John Cena going back to back with Triple H and Sewn Michaels at twenty two and twenty three with Ria

going back to back against Charlotte and Becky Lynch. So I mean, good on them for making me care, but I do think that Ria is gonna win. She has to win, and for me, much like Seth Rawlins her husband, I think Becky should take some time I'm off and just go away for a bit. I think yes, time will be her best friend.

If they don't want the fans to start to organically despise and resent her, I think it should be the best course of action, especially if I mean if Becky Lynch wins, I will say, I don't think the fans are going to take kindly to Becky Lynch. I think if Becky Lynch wins, there's gonna be some some very negative reaction, a lot of negative reaction to her, especially on the Monday night rafter wrestlemanting, and the fans are not going to be kind because it just it doesn't feel right. I mean

again, Ry Ripley's just getting going here. Fans have really been behind her since the get go. She's a baby face even though she's in a heel group. I think that Becky Lynch though again the match quality is going to be really what I'm looking at here. But ultimately I don't need any outside interference. Like with a lot of these other matches, It's not the time of the place for outside interference, so I don't need anybody trying to help

Becky or help Riha. This should be just woman versus woman here, who's the better one? You know, there's no questionable victories here, even though I know Rea is the heel. You don't give even for heels, you really shouldn't typically as a general rule, outside of last year's match with Roman and Cody, you don't want a weird wonky finish that you could do and

make an excuse for any other pay per view. So I'm for Rihea Ripley just getting a hard fought you absolutely brought to the brink of of her ability. Ria Ripley victory. You know, Becky takes her to the absolute limit, as they say, and then Ria Ripley gets the victory, and I think the crowd will love it. It's the right decision. I don't think we're ready for Riha to to enter her rain yet, So all right,

you ready for the main event of Night one. Here we go Rock the Rock, the Final Boss and Roman Reigns versus Cody Rhodes and Seth Freaking Rollins. And I don't have my prediction yet. I'm still on the edge of both of this because you could make an argument either way with interference. Does the interference happen in this match? Does it happen on Night two? Are is it bloodline rules? But if it's blood like, there's so many it's a spider web of possibilities here. I'm gonna just give it to you to

give your thoughts and predictions on this. Well. For me, I don't think this is going to be the ending of I think a lot of people are calling it like the Avengers end game type of ending that we're kind of expecting for Night two. I think this is mainly going to be just a straight tag team match. I do imagine Solo getting involved in some way. I think The Rock and Roman Reigns are going to come out with the win

here. I think that it's set up to be Bloodline Rules the second night, and I think that you have to send seth Rawlins looking in weak for his match against Drew McIntyre to kind of save phase because I believe Drew McIntyre is going to beat seth Rawlins clean or spoiler alert, but I think it's

kind of needed to give him what to properly explain my reasoning here. And so, as I mentioned on the last show we did Current State, I think that they may have planted some seeds for a double turn, and seth going into Night two with a loss would certainly enforce that and at least keep that thought lingering. So I don't know how much involvement there will be. I think it will mostly just be a clean match. I imagine Solo will

be involved in some capacity. But I see the Rock and Roman coming out with victorious because of making a Bloodline rules, opening up the door for Night two to be the Avengers endgame and for seth Rawlins to carry that loss into Night two against Drew McIntyre. That's a very very logical reason for why the Rock and Rollman could win and why Cody and Seth should lose. And I mean Honestly, it doesn't really matter because I think the end of Roman Reigns

and Cody Rhodes is probably what we all think it's going to be. So this really doesn't matter as far as the outcome of the match, I believe, But it's about the entertainment factor and the possibility of overbooking that we've talked about so many times. Do I think there's gonna be interference? Yeah, I think, like you said, Solo so CoA is probably gonna get himself involved. Maybe even Paul Hayman to some limited degree, could get involved in

this matchup. So ultimately, what do I think I want? Bloodline rules?

So I'm gonna say bloodline rules. But you could also, again, if Cody and Seth win, then the blood line's banned from ringside, but that doesn't mean somebody who's not in the Bloodline can't interfere in the match where they kind of find a loophole to have somebody help out Roman Reigns in Night two that's not in the blood Line and they're not contractually banned from ringside, so there's weird things that they could do to kind of have their cake and

eat it too or Okay, there's no bloodline rules, but people outside the bloodline are gonna screw Cody. I mean, but who would that be. I don't know. I've heard anything from Seth Rollins too, I mean, who knows. So ultimately, no, my prediction is with yours, it's going to be the Rock and Roman reigns winning because again they want to stack the deck as high against Code as possible. He's beat down. It looks like no one's gonna be able to save him. Rock and Roman are standing

tall, maybe even maybe even Cody Rhodes is busted open. Maybe we're Seth Rollins gets busted open. Into the end of that match, both men are bleeding left laying the Rock and Roman are standing tall, and it looks like, you know, Cody has no shot next the next night. I think that's a better story to tell, honestly, because one way or the other, I think Roman's gonna have interference on his behalf. But you could also say Rock and Roman ends up having some tension, maybe they start to show

some cracks that eventually lead to a match in a year. So there's ways to go here. This is not a match I would put money on, and I'd stay the hell away from this match, for sure, but I think more fun. The more fun part is okay, blood eine rules, let's see who gets involved, does Austin come out, all that stuff.

So I'm with you, Rock and Roman likely win this match, making it look like Cody is screwed for Night two, and you want to save that massive rejoicement in the crowd for night too, if in fact you think Cody's gonna win. You don't want to have everyone exhaust their energy by rejoicing to Cody's seth victory on night one and then night two. It's not like a letdown. Obviously won't be a letdown, but you want to maybe continue that

build. You know, Cody's been destroyed for back to back weeks leading into this. They've gone everyone behind Cody because of how weak he's looked and how much the upper hand has gone in the direction of the Rock and Roman reigns, and just that one final step the night before, stacking the deck completely against him to the nth degree and keeping it open for interference to get that.

I know I'm kind of overusing this, but that Avengers endgame type of finish, I just think it makes more sense even on the Seth side of things, I think that Seth Drew McIntyre match is a lot more compelling with Seth going in coming off of a loss, and it opens up more doors, gives him and out as to why he can maybe lose clean and again, if you want to do that double turn, that's also a door that

you can keep open. I just think that when you wait both sides, it makes more sense for the Rock and Roman Rains to come out on the upper end on this one, right, and it's it's the Rocks match first match back in I said twelve years. I don't count what Michael Cole said of eight years. That's ridiculous. We don't count that stupid Eric Rowan match. I'm not gonna call it Aaron Eric Groan rock Bottom is what it was.

So no, I mean, the Rock is back, He's wrestling a real match here, and I think that The Rock's probably not gonna lose his first match back on top of it, you know, I think the crowd is gonna be behind the Rock up until the point that you know, they start getting vicious on Cody Rhodes and beating him down, and it's really uncomfortable on all that, So, yeah, this is gonna be a lot of

fun. I think the match is not gonna be any more than fifteen minutes, but hey, you know, maybe it's maybe it's a lot longer. They want to string this one out, but with the rock in there in Roman reigns, you don't want to You don't want to go too long else you don't. You don't also want to risk injury here because they both have matches, massive matches. Three out of the four men have matches the next

night that are arguably more important than the first night. So you're gonna wanna I know it's Wrestlmania, but you're gonna want to take that into consideration. There's the longer they're in there, the higher risk of injury, and you know you gotta be careful. So any final thoughts on main events Night one match or are you ready for Night two? I think I'm ready for night

too well. Coming from a super high to a super low and just kind of way that is here Bobby Lashley in the Street Profits versus the Final Testament and a six man tag team Philadelphia Street Fight, which is another name to say no d Q or false kN anywhere or bloodline rules. It's all the same, no rules in this matchup. Do you have a vested interest in this one? What do you think? You know what? I'm probably in like that one percent? Who does? Because I really like Carrying Cross and

the Final Testament. I don't know what it is. I think there's something there with them. I think that this program specifically has been the most affected by the Rock and Roman reigns and Cody Rhoads and Seth rawlins eating up so much of SmackDown's time and the last SmackDown, and they shifted this storyline of

you know, bloodline and Cody and Seth primarily to Monday Night Raw. I think you saw this program, specifically, among others, get more traction than they ever had before, in addition to the US title match, and in addition to La Night and AJ Styles. And I think that if this program had been given fifteen to twenty minutes a week on SmackDown for four or five weeks, people would be caring about this because look at the talent involved,

the author's of pain. If you rewind five six years ago, they were a damn good up and coming tag team. We know what the street profits are, we know what Bobby Lashley is I think Carrying Cross and I think you shared this testament no pun intended, is a very untapped potential type of

guy. I think that this match has the potential to steal the show, and maybe not steal the show, maybe that I'm over I'm exaggerating a little bit, but has the potential for a lot of people to come away saying like, oh my God, like they really went above and beyond here, especially with them towing the line of PG. Fourteen. If they get blood involved and this gets really vicious, I think this has the opportunity to be

the biggest overachieving match. Now, as for who's gonna win, I think you have to go with Bobby Lashley in the Street Profits just because of merit. I don't think you've built up Carrying Cross and the Authors of Pain enough to give them that victory yet, even though I really do like that group,

just because stylistically I think they're very intriguing. But I just think that given where it's come or where we've gotten to, based on the lack of time, you have to go with Lashley in the Street Profits based on merit. But overall, I think this is a big match for an opportunity to really overachieve. Yeah, I think that. While I don't think it'd be matched of the night, I think it would be. Like you said, the bar in expectation for this match is not high, so it's easy to

exceed it. So if you even to have a good to like a decent into a good match, people are gonna go, wow, that was better than I thought, you know, So like if the bars low, people are going to be happy when it exceeds that expectation. I'm fine with the

quality of the match. You know what you're getting here. I would agree that the Final Testament has been under utilized, specifically carrying Across, who just wwe cannot be consistent with him, and like you said, it is a lot of the Rock Roman Seth Cody thing that has been going on the last couple of months that has taken away. So I feel for them here. They are clearly the number one victim of being neglected or pushed aside for the whole program of the main event. So this to me is a match that

is low expectation, but I could come along where they are. So all six of these men are so talented they're able to bring in the crowd. While while may not be a whole lot of initial reaction for their entrances, they may get the crowd involved in a surprising way. By the end of it. People are very invested in who they want to win. Now. As I said, or you said, who do I want to win? I actually I want the Final test to win. Do I think they're gonna

win? No, I think it would probably go to Bobby Lashley in the Street Profits. But I'm gonna pick the Final Testament because while Bobby Lashley and the Street Profits have been together a little longer and they haven't got a whole lot of consistency, that is actually, to me an argument to break them up and just not They don't have to fight me to be a match,

but together they clearly haven't done anything with them. The focus I think should be on the Final Testament, that I think is a longer term plan than Bobby Lashley in the Street Profits. They just don't know what to do with that group. They don't know what to call them. They don't even have

a name for them yet. I've heard the Pride, I've heard all this, but it's nothing official to me. When they have an an unfocused group and they are at WrestleMania, then why would you give them the victory when you could establish another heel faction that has a lot more potential than I think a lot of the casual fans realized. So to me, the Final Testament needs the victory more than Bobby and the Street Profits do. It's a more

valuable win for the Final Testament. And I think ultimately very is. This is tough, but I do think it's going to be the Final Testament that that gets the victory here in a h in the Street fight. But I don't know. Again, I'm probably wrong, but I'm gonna go Final Testament. Well, I'm hoping you're right. I'm hoping you're right. My prediction I'm sticking with the Pride is that their name is it the Pride? Is it? Not? The Pride is I've heard it, but they don't use

it on TV. I've just heard it floating throughout social media. But yeah, well, I hope that you're right. I'm just guessing that they'll go with Lashley on the Street Profits. But I mean, I think the Final Testament is the right call. I'm with you that I'm I'm cheering for them. I think they have more of a ceiling because you haven't really tried with them. You've tried with the Lashley in the Street profits, but you don't know what you have with the Final Testament. So I'm still sticking with my

pick, my pick. Though, No, it's it's good. I think again, this is a tougher match than people realize. I really, I really think it is. So all right l A Night and AJ Styles, I'll give you my prediction run off the bat. It's gotta be l A. Knight right like it's gotta be this match. While some people wanted in an La Night US title match, I'd rather have him been a one on one than in a multi person even if it's a US title match. I'd

rather have one on one. There's more focus on you. It's it's showing the fans that they have more trust in you than having you in a tag team match or a six person tag team match where you have to you get to kind of share the workload with other guys. This is a lot of trust in La Night to have this match with AJ Styles, But you're working

with one of the best in the world. LA Night and AJ could have a match that people come out of there going wow, you know this was this was a match that you know, on paper seem good, but this was great. The build has been fine to me. I haven't I haven't hated it. You know, AJ Styles playing the cowardly heel La Knight coming into AJ styles home and then a La Night being arrested when we've seen something like this before, I believe with the Orton in Triple H a dozen years

ago. But it's something that I think has been fine. The build has been fine. I haven't loved it. I haven't hated it. It's been as It's been acceptable to me, and I think ultimately this this could be a statement victory for La Knight's career. I know' listen overuse statement but or overuse phrase, but I think La Knight could really use this to push his career to the next level and eventually get into world title or undisputed title contention

again. But I hope it's not one of those La Knight wins and then it goes back to being a ghost on SmackDown. So La Night, to me, gets the victory. Yeah, I'm with you here. I mean, I think it's relatively predictable. I just like we we know what AJ Styles is and he is arguably the best in ring performer WWE has right now and of the last eight years, you could make the case that he's a

top five wrestler at least on the men's side in WWE. Like in sixteen seventeen eighteen, you would have been hard pressed to find a better, more popular star than AJ Styles when he was you know, the guy who the house that AJ Styles built was SmackDown Live. But you know, we're several years removed here from AJ Styles being a prominent player as far as the main

event scene goes. And that's okay, and him in his current version of himself is a breath of fresh air in my opinion, with the black coat, the heel version a more vicious version because past heal versions were more goofy and comedic. But La Knight needs this victory. He is certainly cooled off from where he was last summer, and you know that's okay. But to your point, I think a win like this it will be more meaningful than you know, winning the US title in a fatal four a match or whatever,

or a ladder match or what have you. I think this could be a massive statement win because AJ Sells is one of the best wrestlers even outside of WWE, of the last twenty years. He has that much cachet in the professional wrestling scene. And again, this is a match that has the potential to steal the show when you really look at these guys and what they're capable of in the ring. And another match that probably suffered a bit on

SmackDown with the lack of time. But the last few weeks, I think they've done a really nice job of getting people stoked for this match, and it has been a long build since aj Styles return in what was it was it December? I believe when they really started this when AJ Steles returned to SmackDown right after Survivor Series. So for me, I think that this is going to be a great match. I think it's one that should get a lot of time. But like you, I'm going with late Night. Yeah.

I mean, I'm what more to say about it than that it's it's a match that I don't think it's talked about enough, and I think fans are going to come away going, yeah, this was a this was one that was worth watching. It's worth it was worth your time in the build, or rather the match exceeded to build. I think that's probably how most fans are going to feel coming out of this. I hope my fear is that they run out of time or have to cut this match, or they

only get eight minutes or something odd. This needs to go, you know, ten, twelve, fifteen minutes in the you know, to really be able to tell their story and with aj styles in the match, I'm not concerned about match quality at all. So all right, US Title Triple Threat match. Logan Paul Randy Orton Kevin Owens my pick on the boy. This is another It gets tougher and tougher here. I mean there's a lot of people picking Kevin Owens in this match. I don't think Kevin Owens wins here.

I think logan Paul continues, logan Paul has could done nothing but impressed. Love him or hate him. The fact of the matter is he has exceeded all expectations. He's fit right in immediately. Yes, he's kind of an absentee champion. We have enough of those so we know all that. But every time he's in the ring, he delivers on a massive level. I mean, we are getting a guy that is. It's a rarity to have anybody, especially somebody coming from an outside sport like boxing or MMA,

to come in and just pick things up so quickly. There's a handful of people who have done that, and Logan Paul, who's so young, has so many years ahead of him, where Orton and Owens would not be hurt at all by losing this. I think you could make an argument, a strong argument for Logan Paul to retain. I think he's actually the right call. I know Kevin Owens hasn't done a whole lot as of late in getting big victories, but I believe that Logan Paul needs this, and I think

Logan Paul probably does win this. It's not a no DQ, which means brass knucks are in effect, and I think they'll be behind the referees back. Now. How he does it or where he does it, I don't know against two, but I think Logan Paul capitalizes on either brass knucks or an RKO, and it's Randy Orton's finish that ends up like Logan Paul takes advantage and Logan Paul retains. I'm not confident, though, I'm not over

confident at all on this. That's just my take. You know, I'm going back and forth too, even up until you start giving your answer, because I was a leaning Kevin Owens. But one thing that stops me with it is that if the crowd is going to see a babyface win, don't you think they'd wanta see Randy win? And as much as I love Kevin Owens, is as much as the fans like Kevin Owens, I feel like that would be kind of a letdown. Now. Personally, I think Kevin

Owens needs this more than a one else. He hasn't held a singles championship since twenty seventeen. Ironically enough, for coincidentally enough, it was the United States Championship that he dropped to. I believe it his AJ styles. He needs this, but I don't think the time is right. And to your point, you know, Logan Paula has done an awesome job. I wish to God that he was there more often. I wish that he wasn't so part time. But when he's there, he's an awesome United States Champion.

And to be honest, that was a championship that floundered for the better part of a year under Austin Theory and then Ray Mysterio and it feels legitimate on his shoulder or around his waist. And since he's come into WWE, I don't think he's really gotten that major pay per view victory like I mean, I guess you could say he got it over Ray Mysterio in Saudi Arabia to win the United States Championship, but that still doesn't feel big. You know,

he lost the Big One to seth Rawlins at Wrestling last year. He lost the Big One to Roman Reigns in Saudi Arabia year and a half half ago. I believe he lost at SummerSlam that year. Was it to the mizz or maybe he won, But I mean, that's not a huge victory. This is the biggest match aside from the two I just mentioned. I think he needs this. I don't think he should hold it for much longer beyond this, But I do think if you want to legitimize Logan Paul,

and he is certainly a badass, he certainly is legitimate. This is a good victory to put his way it is. It's one that I think he'll be able to brag about forever. I think the victory by Orton or Owens doesn't really help them in any way. I mean, again, Kevin Owens is not winning a singles championship in that long it's pretty that's a striking statistic. In what seven years he hasn't won. That's a lot of time.

But at the same time, he's been He main evented WrestleMania last year, he won the tag titles in the main event of nine, won last year with Sammy's Ain. He does and has had main event match after main event match. Yes, he hasn't won a singles title, but it still feels like he's a big time player. And I don't know if he would be

helped by winning the US title. To me, Logan Paul, who's got a lot more work to do than Kevin Owens or or you know, rock solid established in the business, and they're kind of teflon at this point. Logan Paul, you again, you could use this to have him brag I beat these two clowns on the biggest stage of them all. You could really do a lot with the Logan Paul victory. And again, it's not to

say this is a lock either. Kevin Owens is easily a guy that you could look to and crazily enough, as big of a stars Orton is, no one's even giving Orton a chance. I mean, I'm and I'm not. I'm not saying it's impossible, but what is Orton going to do? At how old he is, like forty seven years old? You know, even though he's in amazing shape, he's got a few years left in him. Just what is Orton going to do as US champion? I mean, it just doesn't make sense, but there'll be some fun. RKO's in there,

and Logan Paul I think is the favorite. Yep, same here, and it's probably the right call. I mean, I do think Kevin Owens should eventually get a United States championship, Like it's crazy that he hasn't held a singles title in almost seven years, but the time and place just doesn't feel right. And to be honest, I've actually like the build of this match. I think the chemistry with Kevin and and Randy has been funny at

times. I think that their chemistry with Logan has been good. I think all in all, this build has been really really good for all three men. And my pick, like you, is Logan Paul coming out retain the championship, and that's you know, also another point like you made, It's not that Kevin Owens can ever be US Champion again. Maybe in a few

months. It's just it has to be retained at forty. I don't even care if they give it to him a backlash, but the fact that he can brag that at WrestleMania forty, the biggest WrestleMania of all time, Logan Paul defeated Randy Orton and Kevin Owens at the same time, which he'll claim, you know something wild, That to me is a bigger statement of bigger There's more value in Logan Paul winning than any value being added to Kevin Owns or Randy Orton. So again, yeah, sure, Kevin Owns can absolutely

be US Champion, it's just not yet. Maybe in like a couple of months even I'd be fine with it. But this, this to me, is a way to really establish Logan Paul and put him on the map in an even bigger way. So all right, onto this next match here, and this may be out side of the damage control Naomi Cargill bell Air match, the most predictable and really there's no other way to go here, guys, with Bailey versus Eosky for the WWE Women's Championship, there's just no way

to go. You can't keep EO champion. You just can't do it. Sure, she's gotten a little more interesting over the last few weeks, but only because they had to make her more interesting because it's WrestleMania and she hasn't cut a promo yet. I mean, she's been invisible as the Women's champion up until the last month. I mean, she just has the Bailey World Rumble victory has been overshadowed by so much other stuff, and I feel bad

for Bailey on that. But the build has been good and I've enjoyed it, and Bailey's attack on EO during the pre taped interview is unexpected and fun. But there's just you can't have EO Sky retain, even if it's for the simple fact of well, doing it for unpredictability for unpredictability's sake is a bad strategy. So I would not implement that. Bailey has to win here, And I say that with one confidence. Do I think that's one hundred

percent that the shall win? No, I think it's like about ninety five from w we's perspective. But I'm picking Bailey. It's not even a it's not even a thought for me. What about you? Yeah, yeah, I'm going with Bailey. I mean, the build hasn't been grate to this. It certainly is kind of crappy given the fact that Bailey won the Royal Rumble and she has kind of taken a backseat to not only the other women's Championship match, but the six the Six Women tag team match involving her her

her opponent's faction. But again, this is a This is a potential for a match that could steal the I say that a lot, and you can't have like eighty show stealers. But I mean, I do think that you have the potential for a lot of matches to make up for the lack of build. And I think that has kind of been a hallmark under the Triple Ah era. Is when a bill doesn't feel up to par going into a pay per view, the matches and the inn rink performance can outshine that and

make up for it. I think this is one of those instances. And look, people inherently like Bailey. They organically wanted to to see her turn babyface, and they're gonna get that, And I really do think Bailey walks

out as Women's champion here. There is no option but this. She hasn't been Women's champions since I believe the end of twenty twenty when she dropped it to Sasha Banks inside Hell on the Cell. So I'm just hoping that they could put on a performance like we know that they can that will make up for the bill that was very lackluster. Yeah, definitely there's gonna be.

You know, again, the quality of the match I haven't eve early talked about, but I think that that isn't Again, honestly, if I'm not worried about any of the match qualities on any really any of the card here. These are all professionals that are capable of extraordinary matches. But you know, these two women I haven't really seen in a long form yet. Do I think that it's going to be a blowaway match, But I think it's gonna be match of the night. I don't. But my other thought is

this, you know, Bailey's probably gonna win. Eosky has been underwhelming, to say the least as Women's champion, and that's not a slight on eo It's more of a kind of a knock on creative. But you know, two things with the Triple H regime. You like you said some of the hallmarks of Triple H's regime. I think one of them has been long title reigns. But the long title reigns have a purpose, and that is when

a title changes hands, it actually means something. There's a reason, there's a long term idea, there's a there's a there's like a thought behind it, there's logic behind it. Whereas when Vince McMahon was in charge forever, especially towards the end, it was kind of like, yo, let's just change it. To change it and change things up. It feels stale, so just giving it to this person with no real idea or plan, and

it oftentimes crashed and burned. Well. With Triple H, it seems he's very methodical and very conscious of title changes, and when he does it, it's supposed to mean something. Not every single time has been a success. But Triple H has not done a tunnel title changes. I mean he hasn't done none. He's done I don't, I don't know them, but under the it feels like almost none. Because of under Vince, it felt like

every other week. But so that's one thing. The other thing is I'm thinking, you know, Charlotte Flair, as I've been watching her over the last several months, has really been busting her ass in the gym. It looks like when I look at her, that she's not has didn't even have knee surgery, and she looks like she could, at least if possible, do something limited to distract Eosky. And if I recall, I could be wrong when the injury happened, it was actually Oscar right that accidentally injured her.

So there's something to be said for maybe Charlotte making an appearance, not not doing anything wild, but she could do something limited safely and and you kind of even things out there and make an appearance. I think the crowd would go crazy for Charlotte if she came out at the right time where it looks like, oh my god, damage Control is gonna screw Bailey again, and here comes Charlotte Flair and in maybe some way somehow she helps Bailey.

Makes sense, I don't know, no for sure, I think so like I would prefer it there to be no hanky panky. I think a lot of these championship matches should be resolved with no outside interference and no tomfoolery. And I think this match because theoretically the goons of Damage Control should be neutralized on night one. I would like it to just be woman on woman.

I think we saw how significant that could be with Rhea versus Charlotte last year in which was my in my opinion, the best match of both nights. So I'm hoping it's just Bailey versus EO. But to your point, I think Charlotte's impending return presents another option to go up against Bailey, because I don't remember the last time we had any type of Bailey Charlotte long term one on one rivalry. And then you also have Jay Cargill. You also have

Bianca bell Air. Who knows what's gonna happen if they do the WWE draft. I just think that it's run its course with EO Sky, and it's been lacklustered, hasn't been great. I still think that they pulled the trigger way too early on her cashing and the money in the bank, but it's been okay. They've done the long term storytelling. I think they tried to

emulate kind of like the Evolution Batista stuff from two thousand and five. But I just hope that there will be this match with no I guess monkey business from outside interference, just because I think a Wrestlmanium most title matches should have

that type of finish. Yeah. No, I'm with totally with you, just from from history, from you know, the way that they've acted, the group acts it just it seems possible that you have one or two or three members of Damage Control try to help Bailey, and if they do, I could see a scenario where, you know, Charlotte does make a cameo appearance. Not that she's making a full return yet, but you want if

she's close. I mean, I'd be advocating for her as well. If I was Charlotte, I'd be trying to find a way to at least make an appearance. I'm sure she wants to. There's that desire, I'm sure. So all right, Well, now we get to the final two matches. We get to the ones here. Seth Rollins Drew McIntyre World Heavyweight Championship. I know you kind of tipped your hand a little bit already, but

it hasn't been a secret for weeks. I kind of think the listening audience knows kind of where we both land here, and my thoughts haven't really changed. And that's that Drew McIntyre captures the world title. But I guess add to that, how does that happen? Do you think? Do you think it happens because he lucks into it, like he's been lucking into so many of his victories. Do you think it's clean? How do you think this

match goes? I think it will be clean technically speaking. I don't think he's going to hit a low blow or have someone interfere on his behalf or

use a weapon to help him secure the victory. But I think they're going to play on the fact that Seth Throngs wrestled the night before and he is beaten down, kind of like what they've done with Shinski Nakamora or and what they've been playing on for the better part of the year and during his World Championship reign, that he is beaten down and he does need a break and his back might give out on him, and he is coming off of a

knee injury that he suffered against Ginger Mahaal and that he hasn't had a one on one match saved for his match against Solo this past week, since that match against Gingder in late January, and I just think they're going to present Drew McIntyre as what he's been, just an opportunistic guy that will do anything to walk away the World Heavyweight Championship. And I think that's how it's going to go. And I think that it's something that we're ready to see.

I think Drew McIntyre has been groomed into one of the more significant faces, not baby faces, but faces of the brand of not just the Raw brand, but WWE brand in general, despite being overshadowed at times by Roman and

Cody and Seth and Rock and whoever. And I think it's a testament to what kind of work they've done with his character, the long term storytelling they've done going back to early last fall, and I think that it presents a whole new crop of main event talent for him to feud with Planted Seeds, going back to Survivor Series season with Damian Prize, what's going to happen with that money in the bank briefcase, you have the Clash of the Castle in

Scotland coming this summer. I imagine Drew McIntyre's going to play a significant role in that, given the fact that he's from there. I just think it's a perfect storm for Drew to get his moment four years in the making after he won his first ever world championship in front of No. One due to

the COVID nineteen pandemic at Wrestling thirty six against Brock Lesner. So that's how I think it's going to go. I really think that it's going to be Drew McIntyre just exploiting seth rawlins weaknesses, but not necessarily doing anything by Hooker Crook. That's the way it should be in this one. I understand he's a heel. I get it. And honestly, most of his victories have just been his opponents taking their eyes off off of him and that's their paul,

that's their problem. And he's been Yes, he's gotten lucky in some of his victories, but he hasn't done anything like he said, low blows behind the referees back. He's won, but it's been because of the lack of intelligence of his opponents, and that's not his fault. So I think that, Yeah, on top of the fact that Seth is going to be wrestling the night before, and if he gets beat down at the end of that match, there's even more ways or reasons to have Drew win that match.

But it also just feels right. It's time for Drew. And you know, the biggest reason for me if I was booking this would be the fact that, you know, the human being Drew McIntyre. The human being Drew mcatyre, to me, deserves this. I don't care what role he's playing, good guy, bad guy. He deserves this moment after being screwed out of it four years ago with the pandemic, I mean, and I

felt. I still think of that and how uncomfortable it was, and how angry he must be and frustrated he must be that he gets it finally and no one's there in some unprecedented event across the world happens. So I think he deserves it. I think the fans will actually be receptive to this. I really don't believe the fans are going to boot the hell out of Drew mcatyre because they understand on a human level, like a real person level,

this is bigger than who we're supposed to cheer or boo. I think the fans in the moment will get caught up in the moment and cheer Drew McIntyre when he wins this, when he wins the belt on the other side, And by the way, that's my pick too, if he doesn't win, If he doesn't win, I mean to me, I just I think that that could really hurt Drew. There's no reason, no, no explanations you can give me for Drew to not win this, because it would hurt It

would hurt Drew. It also hurts Seth because the fans would, I think, start to really turn on Seth when they have been ready to embrace the Drew McIntyre of a title reign for a long time. Now. Well that's

the other thing, like, how would you come back from that? You couldn't because this is, you know, his third crack at this and he's I just think that given where Seth is coming from, in the fact that he has had the you know, well documented several injuries and he is going to be distracted with the Bloodline match the night before and he will likely be

you know, feeling some bumps and bruises from that match. If you make Drew lose, then what can you do to bring back the Drew McIntire character with any type of legitimacy or credibility, And for me, the answer is

nothing. And they've been planting seeds for this that Seth will take Drew for granted, and he is at the bottom of his I guess radar, and he does have bigger fish to fry, and to me, they're positioning this entire match for Seth to take Drew lightly, Seth to come in not at one hundred percent, and for Drew to do what he's been doing for months,

and that is to take advantage of other people's weaknesses or distractions. And maybe it's not the most I guess upstanding way to go about your business, but from a pure competition point of view, I think it's like what anyone would do if you were on a hockey team or a football team. You

would exploit your opposition's weakness. It's just I guess human nature. And I think that's why this Drew McIntyre character, while predominantly a heel, has a very big part of him that you can relate to because he's doing things that the average person would do. And that is why I believe when this match is over, you'll probably see seth Rawlins shake his hand and do somewhat not

a passing of the torch, but they will embrace in some way. Maybe then you could officially, you know, move seth Rawlins to the disabled list, but you know, move him into the background for a bit, maybe take a few months off. I think it's well needed, and then you will maybe have a confrontation, a stare down between Drew and CM Punk who Cmpunk will probably be a commentary, I just think again, not to say it's predictable, but I think the right path is relatively obvious and it's one

that I think most people would be on board with. Yeah, I don't think Punk is going to have a massive say in this. I know he's going to be a commentary. It's just to keep his presence on WrestleMania, and I respect that. I get it. He'll be find a commentary. He's good at commentary, so I have no issue with that whatsoever. But yeah, he could have a stare down. I don't know what physical thing

he could do, if at all. I keep him kind of out of that and just build towards when he can come back and actually get physical with Drew. But yeah, this is to me Drew's moment. It's time and honestly, to be honest, it's kind of funny both Seth and Becky are in the same place in their careers where they both kind of need some time off. They both kind of need to recharge. They both feel the same way, and you know Becky more so, but even Seth, who if

he's injured, give him time off to get him self prepared. No better time, There's no better time than after right after WrestleMania to go away, either just to recharge your batteries or to go get surgery and fix whatever problems you have. And let me ask you that time. If you look at the outlook of Raw's main events scene beyond and this isn't taking the draft into consideration, but beyond WrestleMania, right up until Survivors Series, you can survive

without Seth rawlins. I mean, let's just for a second assume Cody's gonna go to SmackDown as the champion. You could get a lot of months out of Drew and Damian Priest with the cash in. Maybe they trade the title back and forth. Sometimes you planted seats there if the judgment day is gonna break up, then you could move Finn Balor into that role. Gunter's voting around, sorry j jay Uso. Whenever Sampunk returns right around Clash at the

Castle, you can send him into that role. You do not need seth Rawlins right now. And even on the SmackDown side of things, you're gonna have Cody Rhodes presumably there. Randy Orton's still kicking around. You could flex Kevin Owens into that role as well. Bobby Lashley is more than capable of being a main event player for at least a few months. You do not need seth Rawlins for at least six months, if not longer. This is a stud filled roster. Not to mention bron Breaker, who I imagine will

go full time to SmackDown beyond WrestleMania. They have so much talent at their disposal that if they need to give seth Rawlins time off, and I think the fans needed, I think he needs it both personally and character wise, then why not do it? You have the luxury to do so right now. You do. And the other item that we haven't even talked about is

Damian Priest cash, in which I would argue highly against. The only thing I could see them doing is if somehow Dom ends up accidentally quote unquote screwing Damian Priest's cash in up, which further cements the cracks and the foundation of the judgment day where you know, Dom looks like he did it on purpose or by accident, but it's really on purpose. So I don't know about

you, but I don't want a Damien Priese cash in here. I mean, there's still some time, but it's just the more I think about it, the more I don't want a Damian Priest to get involved at all. Well, I just think that Drew deserves this and the fans want it. I don't think people want a priest cash in more than a Drew win. And I'm not saying Drew has to have a seventh month long title reign.

I fully expect Drew to lose that championship before Clash at the Castle. You know, I'm fantasy booking, or not even fantasy booking, just predicting three months in advance here, But I fully expect Drew to lose the championship to a cash in a from Damian Priest before, maybe by June, and then that sets up a Drew McIntyre potentially positioned at the babyface going in to regain

his championship at Clash at the Castle in Scotland. Like, you don't need to give Drew or anyone for that matter, automatically a seventh, eight or ten month long title reign. There are such things, as you know, short month title reigns that could be impactful. And I think, like, imagine what he would do for like an Extreme Rules pay per view if you got up money in the bank cash in there. I think that would be major to kind of promote a B level pay per view that have otherwise at

times not featured world title. So you could do something like that. And I don't think much to what you just said, this is the right time to have him Damien Prize cash in. No, And that's assuming Damian Prize isn't cash in on the Icy title or whatever if he goes after the world title. Yeah, it's just I know we talked about it for several weeks months here on the show and everybody else as well. But the more I think about it, you don't want right now. It's not the time.

He still has until July to cash it in. That's several months. You can still milk it and like you said, give Drew at least three four month run hand it off to somebody. I mean, yeah, So all right, let's get to it. The main event. It's here, It's finally here. In two nights, we will know exactly what all of this was leading to, what the finishes. We no longer have to pretend to know or project out Roman Reigns versus Cody Roads for the undisputed Universal Championship.

Man, oh man, do you want to take this first? Yeah, I'll take it. I'm going with Cody Rhodes. Much like what we just talked about with Drew McIntyre. I don't know how you come back with a Cody character if he loses and back to back years, it would be really tough to build him back up, which I personally wouldn't care about. I want to make that perfectly clear. If his character crash and burdened and I never saw main event of Paper View again, it would be way too soon,

way too late, however you want to put it. I would not give half of you know what, but objectively speaking and speaking for the masses, and I know that we are vastly outweighed in our opinion of Cody Rhodes. I think he has to win. They've really stacked the deck against him. He's been beaten down in back to back Monday Night raws, looking very weak. I think he's going to be coming off of a loss on Wrestlemany Night one, and I think they've positioned us in a way to brace for

Roman Regins' run to come to an end. And I don't think that the release of his A and E doc was a coincidence by any stretch. I think it was maybe a wink and a nod to like, yeah, you guys have hated on us for maybe almost two years now. That's been going on too long, But maybe you don't know what you have until it's gone. And I'll tell you After watching that documentary, I've thought like, man, have we taken it for granted? And on a side note, I

think that we haven't take it for granted when he's there. It's only been when he's not there. If he was full time, I would be okay with him going maybe another year, because he is that damn good. But I digress. I just think that they've done everything to position a new era, ushering in a new generation in WWE, and Cody Rhodes, for me, begrudgingly to admit it is the face of that, and objectively speaking and taking my personal bias out of it, is probably the right guy for that.

And I don't know how you position him in any big on any bigger of a stage than on Sunday Night at wrestle Air forty. The stars are aligning for him. You can have him lose back to back matches in consecutive years against Rowan Rains in the main event of WrestleMania, like I just outlined, all the weeks of him being having the stacked against him. I think this is going to be a very overbooked match, But at the same time,

I think we've were kind of preparing for that. I think we see maybe Austin maybe, like I said, an Avengers endgame type of story here, but I think it will all end with Cody Rhodes having his hand raised as the new undisputed champion. So is it sad that the most the thing I'm looking forward to most in this match is a stunt around the rock.

I mean, like I mean, I just I keep fantasizing about it, and it's a real possibility, as we've talked about, and really, WWE has provided Easter eggs for us throughout the weeks, especially the one with the parking lot beat down on Cody where the background had the two faces of Sena and Austin lit up purposefully in the background of the rock. I don't think that's by accident. So there is a very real possibility, which to me is just so nostalgic. It makes me all feel warm and fuzzy fuzzy inside,

So I really am. But honestly, it is I think it is Cody's time. I begrudgingly it is it is time for him to win. Could he come back from this? Sure would? I love, love love to see how the fans react on Twitter and in person for a Cody Rhodes loss. Yes, to me, the more interesting finish is Cody losing. To me, that's way more interesting because once again, where we thought it was a foregone conclusion that Cody wins for the second year in a row,

he doesn't. And I think the heat would be all over the company. But you know what, as many fans that they say would stop done watching nonsense, you would tune in the next night the second they go on the air, because you'd be so angry that once you're that angry, you are now emotionally invested in Anger is a hell of an emotion. When you're that angry at the company to see what they do, you would not stop watching. In fact, I think the opposite would happen. You'd get more viewership

because the social media hashtags would blow off the charts. You would have an uprising that we've never seen in wrestling. There is a strong case to be made for Roman to continue if you want to go on that bandwagon. On top of the fact you have Hogan's record this far away and officials in WWE realize they are not in their lifetime is going to have an opportunity again to have a champion that you think you could hang on to that has to be

a heel. You can't have a babyface do this as a heel champion for a four year rain. You're not gonna have another opportunity literally in our lifetime to do that. I don't see anyone on the roster who would do it, nor do I think they would even try to do it again. So does a case to be made there's a case to be made for Roman Reigns to retain. The people think it doesn't exist. It does that Hogan record. We're gonna find out how much they value that Sunday Night. Yes.

Do I think it's gonna be overbooked. Yes, Like you said, if we expect it, then it's not as bad. I guess. I think Austin will be there. I think Sena will be there. I think jay Usa will be there. And it's gonna be some stunners, some fews or rather attitude adjustments, gonna you're gonna it's gonna be fun, and then it's gonna be a you know, a three crossroads in a row victory one two

three. So yes, do I think Cody's gonna win? I do, But I just want people to at least have that small, small little seed of doubt. I want to plant that in your brain and water it because it's possible. It's possible that Roman Reigns does retain. No, I I think it is as well, and I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing.

And to be honest with you, Matt, if he was full time, if we could get Roman Reigns there, not wrestling every week, but there for every pay per view, and let's say there every second SmackDown. I would be okay with him going another year. I'm being honest, because it has been a brilliant run, and personally speaking, I think the main bripe I've had with it, if not the only major one, has been the fact that he's not there enough, and the championship has felt like it's

been held hostage. That's the only reason why I think so many people have, I guess vocally been so against Roman Reigns continuing its title run. And I do think that a lot of us are gonna rue the day when we begg WWE to take the title off of him, And I think that was kind of a wink win nod nod by WWE saying that to us when they released the A and E doc, Like, Okay, you're getting what you

want, but this is what we're going to be losing. And I do think that the Cody Rhodes fire is gonna burn out quicker than people think, because once he conquers his stupid story and it's all you know, hunky dory and farts and rainbows, than what then how you know how dull is it

gonna be weak to week. It's gonna be nice having an undisputed champion there every week, for sure, But then what is the next step for Cody Rhods, Because as much as people don't want to admit it, he has been very, very, very one dimensional since coming back to w W two years ago. He has it's been fishing his story. Dusty Roads is my dad? Oh you know whoa fireworks? You know, my hair is blonde, my dog like, it's very shallow and it's one dimensional. And once

he gets to finishing his dumb story, then what so I mean? I'm with you. I think that in a world where Roman Reigns was at least semi full time, it'd be the much better option. But I just think that given the circumstances of roman schedule and how they've positioned everything, we have to brace for it. Yeah. I think again the argument as we're making, I think it's it's possible, and it is. There is a case to me made, as we just said, But Cody seems to be the

right guy, as you just mentioned. With Roman Reigns prepared to take time off after WrestleMania. The only thing I have to say about that is you know, well, it's kind of like every other year. It's just kind of business as usual. Then. I mean, Roman Rains does disappear after WrestleMania, so like it's not different than the last four years. So I mean that that, to me, isn't really evidence that he's dropping it and taking time off because he's dropping it. It could just be he's doing what

he normally does every year after WrestleMania. So again, I think that this is gonna be the match. Quality is gonna be, I think even better

than last year. There's gonna be some awesome false finishes. The only thing I'm looking forward to less than the Cody Roads victory is Cody Roads the next night on Raw opening the show and him like probably like shedding tears and bringing his dog into the ring, and his mom is there and he's presenting the championship to his mommy, and we're all supposed to just cry in unison with Cody Rhodess tears of joy. I'm not even that sounds like an exaggeration,

but I can. I can imagine this happening Monnette Raw Wrestle many of him opening the show as the champion and we're all supposed to just you know, weep uncontrollably and sob for Cody Rhodes as he stands there and he tears up, and you know, he tells us, well, I hope you guys are entertained, you know, like come on. I mean so, that to me is when I'm looking forward to the least out of all of this is how we're supposed to feel the next guy on Raw, with Cody Rhoads

coming out and probably crying like a child in front of us. No, it's gonna be awful, and be careful what you wish for. People, Be careful what you wish for, because once Roman reigns, f's off and his title reign is done. And hey, I'm not you know, walking back what I've said. I've been very vocal that I want the title rain to end, but I rather but you know, and as much as I you know, despise Cody Rhodes, I'm okay with him getting the title back

and keeping it relevant week over week. That doesn't mean that I like it. I just think it's the lesser of two evils. But if Roman reigns was full time, or like I said, even semi full time, even if he had the Brock schedule from you know, fifteen sixteen seventeen. I think I'd be okay with this because if you were there every pay per view and you were there, you know, every second SmackDown, that's enough.

And I actually think that, as we've seen on Monday Night, Row was set at times there is like, you know, you get to a point of dimishing returns. There has to be a separation between the World Champion and the rest of the roster, and a perk to being the World Champions not

having to fight on free TV or be there every week. But it's just gone to such a point with Roman that I think twenty twenty three was really like the straw that broke the camel's back with the gap between WrestleMania and SummerSlam. But as as much as I want Cody Rhodes to win just to get the title there every week, I'm fully expecting myself to not be okay with it and absolutely hate the run and probably two out of SmackDown more than I

ever have since twenty twenty when Roman first started this run. Yeah, it's gonna be interesting to see what the ratings say after all this, and and one little final point on this before we kind of wrap it up is if anyone didn't see, The Rock had an interview just to I think it was today with the Will Kaine Show, and he admitted that this wasn't the original plan. So I think we can put it to rest for all the people that still care, well, did wwe do this on purpose? Was it

supposed to be? He actually admitted it. Yes, it's it's a wrestle Lamey Wrestle Lamia dot Com. Uh, it's on their Twitter feed. It's about a fifty second clip. He admitted it's. It's on air. So we can put that to rest that if it was by design or not, it was not by design according to the Rock that it was. Suppose they're supposed to be rocking Roman one on one for the championship. Uh. You know, the question, of course is now because the opponent's different, does

the outcome of that match change? You know, Like, were they planning on dropping the belt to Rock and if so, they're going to still drop the belt to Cody. And conversely, if the idea was to have Rock loose to Roman for the championship, would they still do that for Cody? I mean that that's a question. I mean, I don't know. I mean kind of an interesting one, you know, just because now we have

a different person facing Roman. Is the booking changed, you know? But well, any final thoughts on this because I have two very quick well, one follow up question regarding returns, and then we'll wrap it up. Any final thoughts on this though, No, I think I've given my state of the opinion and off on this. Say, I don't want to go down to Cody Ran, which I feel is coming if I go any further,

well, wait till tomorrow, Monday night. Raw, Oh my god, it's gonna be bring the statue of his dad and put the belt on the statue. I don't know crap. I forgot the name. Was he a wrestler? No, there's I don't think Wait a minute, I'll have to google it. Somebody needs to tell me, some listener out there. I can't remember the name of Cody's dad. I forget what profession he was in though, If somebody can email me, please, because I'm I I just

it's it's being a race from in my mind. But that said, okay, so we'll wrapped up on that. As far as Cody and Roman goes. We both believe Cody's gonna win, but there's a chance Roman still remains and they want to take Cocan's record out that bad and also the internet would blow up, which is so interesting to me. I will pop out of my mind if Roman reigns retained in a good way. All right, So

the last question I have for you is regarding returns. Of course, we talked about Austin, we talked about Seena, which we believe might get involved on Night two. What do you think about Undertaker? Do you think he'll make an appearance as far as like maybe just coming into choke slam somebody and like a you know, some heel runs his mouth on in some promo and then Undertaker comes out and choke slam somebody. I think that you're going to

see a Bo Dallas appearance in some way there. Question. Yeah, yeah, I think that you have to Again, I I don't think it's coincidental that they dropped that documentary when they did. Obviously Austin Sena, we've already touched on that. The Undertaker, I hope to god not. I don't want to see him do anything physical. I think he's found a nice kind of niche as like being involved in every single documentary that WWE drops and even

narrating some now with the bray Wyatt one. I just leave Undertaker out of the ring. The last few times we saw him it was pretty tragic and they don't want to see him get hurt. Aside from that, I mean maybe the Hardy boys, I think their contract is up. But again, I think you kind of already went down that path at the Wrestle May you were at in Orlando. So I think that the big like, to be honest, I don't think you need it. I think you have enough star

power here. So aside from Austin and Sena and Bo Dallas, I don't think that we're gonna see any big returns. Yeah, I think that's fair. I mean again, if the Undertaker, if I hear the gong, I'm not gonna I'm not gonna not watch, you know. But I don't want Undertaker in a match. If he comes out, The most I want him to do is just hit a choke slamon leave and then that's it, you know. But I'm not asking for it. But if it happens,

I'd watch and be like, Okay, cool, nostalgia. But I think more importantly, like you said, Bo Dallas, what would be cool is if he comes out as a tribute to his brother and comes out, you know, in the fiend mask, or comes out holding the lantern and giving the entrance of Bray Wyatt and just you know, maybe saying a few words, just putting the lantern in the middle of the ring with fog and stuff as a distribute to to bray Wyatt or for Wyndham Rotunda. I think that

to me would be a cool moment. I think they will do something tributary to Bray through Bo Dallas during that during that segment, if it happens. But yeah, that I would agree with that. So all right, I think we'll conclude there. Ris ran a lot longer, but it was needed. It's WrestleMania forty. No bigger WrestleMania than obviously tomorrow night, which begins night one, seven o'clock Eastern time. Guys, you know, probably a three and a half hour night. One three and a half hour night too.

It's typically about what it is sometimes four hours, so about eight hours of wrestling is coming your way in the next couple of days. And so final thoughts before we finally say goodbye before Mania. I just think it's going to be a really awesome Mania. To be honest with you, I really really think that this is going to be a great WrestleMania and one that is going to stand the test of time. I think that recent years we've seen

good WrestleMania's. I think Wrestling thirty eight was really good, aside from the main event, thirty seven and thirty six kind of affected by COVID, certainly more so thirty six, But you know, the last one that in my opinion, stood the test of time was Wrestling A thirty one with the Ice of the Century staying versus Triple H and despite there being bad booking on that

end, I think the DXNWO stuff was really cool to see. I think WrestleMania forty is going to be the next one that goes into that level of staying the test of time that to me, I haven't seen since twenty fifteen. So that's how I think optimistic I am for this WrestleMania. I agree, I haven't been this excited for WrestleMania in recent memories, so this one's

going to be a definitive turning point for I think the company. I think you're going to see a lot of names being made, a lot of I don't know if a lot of title changes is really the theme here, but I think match quality, I think star power is going to be the name of the game here. And I'm looking for the hell out of this. And I've really enjoyed the two night format. I don't think there's any going

back at this point. A two night event is much more enjoyable. You get to think about two nights separately, it's easier to digest everything's not eight hours long, you know. I think that this is a forever format and it's been it's been awesome, So all right, well, I think we'll stop there. You enjoy WrestleMania and we'll be chatting on Monday with a lot to talk about. Looking forward to it. Man, enjoy this weekend,

you too. Thanks for listening to the WWE podcast. Don't forget to subscribe on your favorite podcast app so you don't miss a show, or head to WWE podcast dot com and for all of these shows add free head over to Patreon dot com slash WWE podcast. Until then, we'll see you next time.