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Its no secret that the WWE works on a WrestleMania to WrestleMania basis. Its the success of WrestleMania that decides how well the company performed in that particular year and 2015 wont be any different.Some might say that its too early to think about the granddaddy of them all but in the professional wrestling business, there is nothing like too early.The smoke is clearing out as we move closer and closer towards the pay-per-view and some of the superstars are almost sure to get some big push during that time. With just five months left for the pay-per-view, here are some early predictions for the WrestleMania 31 match card.
#10 AJ Lee vs. Stephanie McMahon
After delivering a stunning performance at SummerSlam, Stephanie McMahon is sure to make another in ring performance at WrestleMania. She looked in shape to deliver more matches after the Summer’s biggest party and the company should utilize this.
Another angle with Brie Bella wouldn’t make the fans happy as Brie has her limitations. However, AJ Lee would be an entirely different story.
AJ is a gem both inside and outside the squared circle and with a brilliant opponent like Stephanie against her, AJ is sure to flourish. The feud would lift the divas division and give a program for two of the most decorated women in the roster.
#9 Paige vs. Charlotte (Divas Championship)
While AJ and Stephanie would be running a main event level feud on one side, there is a certain need for representing the divas championship on the other.
In the absence of AJ, Paige is sure to stamp her place as the Divas champion and the best competitor that she could have at WrestleMania is Charlotte. The current NXT women’s champion gave a match of the year performance against Natalya earlier this year and she could do the same with Paige.
Paige and Charlotte both know how to perform between the ropes and that would be enough to keep the fans rooted to their seats for this one.
#8 Usos vs. Hideo Itami and Finn Balor (Tag Team Championship)
WWE Universe had high expectations when WWE signed the lights of Kenta and Prince Devitt. However, their debuts suggest that the duo would be pushed as a tag team initially rather than having a singles run.
Booking Kenta and Devitt as a tag team would be an ideal way for the introduction ceremony as there are a portion that aren’t aware of what they achieved in the independent scene.
A match at WrestleMania against the Usos for the tag titles would be a good booking decision to wrap up their tag team career and embark on a much more exciting singles run.
#7 Dolph Ziggler vs. Sheamus vs. Cesaro vs. Bad News Barrett (Unified Championship)
It would only be a matter of time before the company unifies their mid card championships. There is a certain lack of talent to carry two titles around in the depleted midcard and this would serve as the motivation for unification.
Sheamus is the favorite to be going into WrestleMania as the Unified Champion as he has managed to establish himself as the top dog in midcard.
Names like Cesaro, Ziggler and Bad News Barrett could not be invested at the main event scene making a fatal four way the best option for all four men. Having four worthy winners makes the match unpredictable and in ring action would be nothing less than solid.
#6 Daniel Bryan vs. Rusev
Daniel Bryan’s return dates are still up in the air but he is expected to be back in time for the biggest pay-per-view of the year. Last year Bryan headlined WrestleMania but this time around he wouldn’t have enough time to build up a similar storyline.
Instead, WrestleMania might prove to be a returning ground for the flying goat after a long injury lay off. Coming off a career threatening injury, the best kind of opponent that Bryan could have is a monster.
And who better to play the role than The Bulgarian Brute himself. The recent segment with Rock has sky rocketed the stock of Rusev in WWE and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he is booked with a big superstar like Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania.
#5 Triple H vs. Batista (Retirement match for Batista)
Batista’s ‘big’ return to WWE didn’t work out as the company would’ve liked it and he was tagged as one of the most hated superstars before he went to film ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’.
However, the success of the film made Batista a different man who has found a good place in Hollywood. Batista has a lot of film offers in his hand at the moment and coupled with the bad booking decisions from WWE, the animal’s wrestling career is at its twilight at the moment.
There are rumors making the rounds suggesting that Batista will only wrestle his farewell match next and the best opponent to end his career would be Triple H. Hunter has never won a match against Batista and since it would be his last chance, it provides a good storyline as well.
#4 Randy Orton vs. Bray Wyatt
Both Orton and Bray are heels at the moment but before WrestleMania arrives one of them or both of them would turn face.
No matter who turns, Bray and Orton and two wrestlers that could give a good storyline. Orton in his glory days used to be the vicious viper that everyone wanted to avoid and he could dig out the character by breaking apart from the Authority.
Bray going up against a vicious viper with his usual mind games will give the fans some good exciting build up segments. Orton being a ring general would make sure that the match lives up to the hype as well.
#3 Seth Rollins vs. Dean Ambrose
Many might doubt whether the WWE would stretch this feud all the way to WrestleMania but Ambrose and Rollins has that chemistry to make that happen.
A match between these two is worthy of finding a slot in the WrestleMania match card. WWE need not to push the feud forward on one single stretch as they could take a pause somewhere in between and provide a buffer feud for the two.
Adding some kind of stipulation would raise the already high bar and no matter who wins the match, it would go down in history as one of the greatest matches in WrestleMania history.
#2 John Cena vs. Steve Austin
This will definetly look like a dream fantasy booking but the truth is: this could happen at WrestleMania. Austin recently confirmed about having one more match in the WWE and he has been hitting the gym to be fit for the same.
Cena is rumored to be the planned opponent for the Texas Rattle Snake and the fans have all the right to dream about this bout.
Cena is a straight laced baby face in the WWE who has been the centre pillar for more than a decade now while Austin is the rebellious anti – hero that carried WWE through the Attitude Era. It would be a collision of epic proportions and one that would sell out arenas.
#1 Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar (WWE Championship)
Lesnar looks set to hold the title all the way to WrestleMania despite his part – time schedule. This means that the ‘chosen one’ that beats the Beast would end up being the next big thing in the company.
There is no one more suited than Roman Reigns in the current roster that could topple the slay the beast and end up being the new champion.
Ascension of Reigns has been well placed and solid till now and by the time of WrestleMania he will be built up as a main event star.
The matchup between two power houses would prove to be a good main event and WWE could let Reigns win the Royal Rumble and get the match rather than randomly booking.
