On April 3rd, 2011, World Wrestling Entertainment presents the WWE WrestleMania XXVII Pay-Per-View. This will be the twenty-seventh annual WrestleMania event, and is the biggest wrestling pay-per-view of the entire year. WrestleMania has been labeled as wrestling’s marquee event, compared to Baseball’s World Series, Football’s Super Bowl, and Hockey’s Stanley Cup. The Rock has been confirmed as Special Host of this year’s WrestleMania and there are currently five matches announced for the card, including the two World Championship Matches and Undertaker versus Triple H, to name a few. These are my predictions on the matches that will be on the WrestleMania 27 card and who will come out victorious.
Eve (c) vs. Beth Phoenix vs. Layla vs. Michelle McCool for the Divas Championship: Eve became the Divas Champion for the second time at the Royal Rumble event earlier this year, pinning Layla in the fatal four-way match. Like previous WrestleMania mega-events, I expect the blockbuster card to start with a women’s match, and for the Divas Championship to be defended. Since Eve won the title in a fatal four-way match, she should defend it the same way against the three best female challengers on the roster. Prediction: Beth Phoenix wins the Divas Championship, only to be interrupted by the debuting Awesome Kong.
4-on-4 Elimination Match – Team SmackDown (Big Show, Kane, Kofi Kingston, and Christian) vs. The Corre (Wade Barrett, Heath Slater, Justin Gabriel and Ezekiel Jackson): After being kicked out of The Nexus by new leader CM Punk, Wade Barrett came to SmackDown, to start fresh. Barrett did not have to worry about fighting alone, because on his first week of SmackDown, his former Nexus teammates Heath Slater and Justin Gabriel joined him. Ezekiel Jackson later joined the new stable, and they called themselves The Corre. They have been terrorizing the SmackDown roster, and it is likely that the stable will have a match at Mania against four of the top faces on the SmackDown brand. Prediction: Team SmackDown picks up the win when Big Show last eliminates Wade Barrett.
Daniel Bryan (c) vs. King Sheamus vs. John Morrison vs. Dolph Ziggler for the United States Championship: Daniel Bryan has been the United States Champion for the past six months, ever since defeating The Miz for the title at last year’s Night of Champions event. Bryan has been a fighting champion, defending his championship against anyone at nearly every pay-per-view. Bryan has been feuding with the likes of Sheamus for the past month, with Sheamus going after his US belt. John Morrison and Dolph Ziggler will likely be added to this match, since they are some of the best wrestlers on the roster, making it a fatal four-way match. Prediction: John Morrison wins his first United States Championship, pinning Dolph Ziggler after hitting his finisher, Starship Pain.
Randy Orton vs. CM Punk: The feud between Orton and CM Punk goes all the way back to the Unforgiven pay-per-view in 2008 when Orton punted Punk in the skull. CM Punk has not forgotten that moment, and has vowed to get revenge on Orton for that heinous deed. Punk recently replaced Wade Barrett as the leader of the Nexus, recalling it the “New Nexus” and his new stable has targeted Randy Orton as their first victim. Punk has cost Orton the WWE Championship on multiple occasions in the past few months, and has executed 5-on-1 beatdowns on Orton. Randy Orton will finally get a chance to get his hands on CM Punk one-on-one at WrestleMania. Prediction: Without the New Nexus being able to interfere, Orton hits Punk with the RKO, getting the victory at WrestleMania.
Rey Mysterio vs. Cody Rhodes: It was because of an errant kick by Rey Mysterio that began the feud between Mysterio and Cody Rhodes. Rhodes prides himself of having dashing good looks, but that all changed when Mysterio accidently kicked Rhodes in the face, breaking his nose in the process. Rhodes was away for a month because of the injury and when he finally came back, he came back with a clear mask, not looking like his dashing self. Rhodes has vowed to get revenge on Mysterio, and has orchestrated a few sneak attacks on Mysterio, resulting in Rhodes taking off Mysterio’s mask. The two will finally meet at WrestleMania to settle the score. Prediction: Mysterio gets the win by hitting Rhodes with the 619, followed by the splash from the top rope.
Michael Cole (w/ Jack Swagger) vs. Jerry “The King” Lawler – Special Guest Referee: Stone Cold Steve Austin: Michael Cole and Jerry “The King” Lawler are two of the longest active commentators in wrestling today, but it’s what they have done in the ring that has been getting the attention recently. Lawler has been rejuvenated after all those years at the commentating desk, and earned a shot at the WWE Championship against The Miz. Lawler was close to winning his first WWE world title but Cole, who is a big Miz fan, prevented him from achieving his dream. This has led to a feud between the two, and the two will do battle at Mania with Stone Cold Steve Austin being the special guest referee. Prediction: Lawler gets revenge for all the things Cole has done to him over the past few months, hitting him with his famous piledriver, for the win.
No Holds Barred – The Undertaker vs. Triple H: One of the most interesting storylines at WrestleMania every year is The Undertaker and his undefeated streak. The Undertaker made his WWE return on 2/21/11 after a month worth of vignettes hyping up his return, but was upstaged by “The Game” Triple H, who made his anticipated return moments after Taker’s. At the night of their returns, not a word was spoken, but it was clear that a WrestleMania match between the two was going to happen, as both men stared at each other, followed by staring at the WrestleMania sign in the distance. Both Undertaker and Triple H have met before at WrestleMania 17, and this year marks the 10th anniversary of that encounter. Prediction: Undertaker’s streak at WrestleMania goes to 19-0, finally defeating Triple H with a second tombstone piledriver.
Edge (c) vs. Alberto Del Rio for the World Heavyweight Championship: Edge has been the world champion on the SmackDown brand for the better part of the last few months. Edge has taken on all challengers, and defeated every single one of them, but his next challenge could be his toughest one to date. Alberto Del Rio earned the right to face Edge for his World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 27, after winning the 2011 40-man Royal Rumble. Del Rio made his intentions clear when he announced the next night that he will be going after Edge’s belt. Edge and Del Rio have had some confrontations in the past few weeks which have resulted in Del Rio putting Edge into his patented submission hold. Prediction: Alberto Del Rio wins his 1st World Championship at the grandest stage of them all, making Edge submit to the cross arm-breaker.
The Miz (c) vs. John Cena for the WWE Championship: The Miz might be one of the most unlikely WWE Champions in wrestling history, but he is out there to prove his doubters wrong. The Miz has held on to the WWE Championship for over three months now, beating all challengers in his way. The Miz won his first world title on an episode of Monday Night Raw in November of last year by cashing in his Money in the Bank briefcase against Randy Orton. The Miz gets his toughest challenge of his career, when he faces John Cena at WrestleMania 27. Cena won the Raw Elimination Chamber Match in February to guarantee him a shot at the WWE Championship at WrestleMania. Prediction: Cena wins his 10th world title, making The Miz tap out to the STF.
