'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The extraordinary WrestleMania 35 is now in the record books and history was made in what has long been considered WWE's annual reset button. WWE now heads into a brand new era of professional wrestling. What happens next and what does the WWE have in store for us? Only time will tell, but now that WWE has some competition in AEW along with some incredibly deep pockets, truly anything is possible.
WrestleMania 35 ended in a somewhat anticlimactic fashion. The "Irish Lasskicker" Becky Lynch 'pinned' Ronda Rousey to become both the SmackDown and RAW Women's Champion. After further review; however, Rousey's shoulders were not pinned to the mat for the entirety of the three count setting up a potential Ronda Rousey vs Becky Lynch feud heading into the future.
While that bout would undoubtedly be main event caliber, it likely won't happen exactly as planned. Instead, WWE may have something much bigger in store for Lynch, Rousey, and some of the biggest names in the women's division.
We reveal all that and more in our special 5 WWE Dream Matches That May Happen Soon
#5. CM Punk vs Shane McMahon
Impossible, you say? Not quite. While CM Punk has been adamant about never again returning to the squared circle, his business opportunities have become increasingly limited in recent days. After looking subpar in his first two UFC fights, Punk won't receive another huge MMA payday. With his MMA days numbered, the former WWE Superstar will inevitably seek some avenue as a means to satisfy his competitive urges.
The former WWE Superstar has delved into acting and even starred in an independent horror film entitled "Girl On The Third Floor", but CM Punk is no John Cena and not even close to Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. He lacks the blockbuster star power and instant name recognition his predecessors have, which seriously limits his Hollywood opportunities.
CM Punk once stopped talking about wrestling altogether, but inexplicably opened up about WrestleMania 35, praising the Kofi Kingston's WWE Championship victory and the historic all female main event. CM Punk has also been paying attention to Shane McMahon, who began using Punk's 'Best in the World' moniker after winning a tournament at Crown Jewel. Punk told the Sauce & Shram show,
"I think he's been calling himself the 'Best In The World' and this is the funny thing about the company is I could say, 'Yeah, that's a little shot at me.' And it probably is. But they'd deny it until the cows come home."
CM Punk is watching wrestling again and that's progress. He's also very astute. Shane McMahon is using the moniker in an attempt to entice CM Punk out of retirement and into a WWE ring. While that may seem like a stretch, we are closer to that happening today than we have been in years, so a CM Punk vs Shane McMahon match is a real possibility especially with WWE's near limitless supply of capital.
#4. New Day Triple Threat
The New Day are surefire WWE Hall of Famers. The trio have amassed 5 tag team championships and now with Kofi Kingston's historic WrestleMania 35 victory over Daniel Bryan, a WWE championship to add. Furthermore the trio show almost no crack in their close-knit relationship.
As close as ever, Big E recently talked to Gorilla Position about a possible split (via WrestleZone),
"That’s something that we talk about often that we have no desire to do whatsoever, but for people that want something fresh and different, I feel like there’s a lot we haven’t done. We initially wanted to be this Nation of Domination-esque group, very serious and aggressive. That’s a run we never had. We’ve been silly, to some degree, for the last 4 years. That’s something we feel we can do, if that is an option. We never really operated as a true faction. We’ve been a tag team where Kofi got to do Money In The Bank a few years ago while Woods and I did the tag stuff for a little bit, but there’s stuff we can do there."
When Kingston won his first ever WWE Championship at WrestleMania 35, both Big E and Xavier Woods celebrated with the same level of enthusiasm, as if they themselves had been victorious, but astute wrestling fans surely didn't miss the pre-match tease.
When Kingston made his way to the ring, his New Day comrades, Big E and Xavier Woods, brought along a mystery gift which was later revealed to be brand new Kofi Kingston championship tee shirts. For a moment; however, a seed of doubt was planted in what could also be foreshadowing a potential feud. "What was in the gift? Could it be malicious? Would it cost Kingston WWE Championship glory?" To quote the movie Seven, "What's in the box?"
As The New Day celebrated Kingston's historic title victory, wrestling fans were ashamed for having such thoughts, but it isn't our fault. They were planted there and for good reason.
While The New Day share a seemingly inseparable bond, this is professional wrestling. When there's money to be made, even the closest of teams break up and then go on to feud. Woods and Big E might eventually grow tired of Kingston's championship spotlight and inevitably grab the proverbial brass ring for themselves. Their WrestleMania 35 embrace might one day turn to something more insidious ala Marty Jannetty being hurled into the Barbershop Window by Rockers tag team partner Shawn Michaels.
Prepare yourselves. One day The New Day will break our collective hearts and when they do, WWE will surely reap the financial benefits.
#3. 4 Horsewomen vs 4 Horsewomen
While conventional wisdom may dictate that Ronda Rousey will return to wrestling for a showdown against Becky Lynch, WWE may have something much bigger in store.
For years, the company has been building a 4 Horsewomen vs 4 Horsewoman match and the WWE Universe may finally see the rewards of that extensive build.
While Becky Lynch, Bayley, Charlotte Flair, and Sasha Banks were calling themselves the 4 Horsewomen as an homage to Ric Flair's legendary 4 Horsemen stable, another group of women were doing the same thing, only in an entirely different sport. Ronda Rousey, Shayna Baszler, Jessamyn Duke, and Marina Shafir are the MMA's version of the 4 Horsewomen. Only now each woman has chosen a different course and signed with WWE.
While Lynch and Flair have been feuding with Rousey for quite sometime, Duke, Shafir, and Baszler have been perfecting their newfound craft in NXT. The match had once been planned for Survivor Series 2017, however was ultimately pulled due to Duke and Shafir's lack of in-ring experience. WWE were well aware of Duke and Shafir's intention to seriously pursue professional wrestling and that the two would one day be much better in the ring. That day is coming quickly.
Things came to a head between the two factions at the 2017 Mae Young Classic when Duke, Rousey, and Shafir were in attendance to support Shayna Baszler. The trio were confronted by Bayley, Lynch, and Flair. A stare down ensued and Rousey stepped up, "You name the place."
The WWE's 4 Horsewomen may soon name that place. With Shafir, Duke, and Baszler's main roster debuts imminent, the incident could prove to be the first major foreshadowing of a main event three years in the making.
#2. Roman Reigns vs The Rock
There were rumoured plans for this bout at WrestleMania 35, but with Reigns' leukemia diagnosis WWE was unable to engage in any major build. With uncertainty ruling the day, Reigns instead ended up feuding with Drew McIntyre, whom he vanquished in his emotional WrestleMania 35 return.
Reigns and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson will forever be connected. As real-life cousins, their ties run deep. Johnson has given Reigns his personal stamp of approval, which carries an extraordinary amount of weight in WWE and with wrestling fans.
After Reigns won the 2015 Royal Rumble, the merciless Philadelphia, PA crowd turned on him. As deafening boos could be heard throughout the Wells Fargo Center, it was Johnson who made his way to the ring to support his cousin. In an attempt to salvage Reigns' moment, the ever beloved Rock embraced Reigns and hoisted his arm up in victory.
Johnson also extended his hand of friendship to Reigns while recovering from leukemia. The two would film the Hobbs and Shaw movie together and bonded further on set.
Johnson, who has the utmost respect for his cousin wrote,
"His perseverance and humility battling this challenge has inspired our entire family as well as millions around the world in our beloved WWE."
Would Johnson return to put Reigns over? Would he engage in a feud that the 46 year old would be in serious jeopardy of losing? Ever the family man, the answer is a resounding yes and while it's much too early to speculate about WrestleMania 36, the event does take place in both Reigns' and Johnson's home state of Florida.
#1. The Undertaker vs Sting
Before the masses take to their torches and pitchforks for merely mentioning such a bout, I am very much aware that Sting is officially retired from professional wrestling. I am also aware that the combined age of these two legendary performers is 114 years old, however I am also aware of the following. The Undertaker has recommitted himself to physical fitness and after making an appearance, on the RAW after WrestleMania 35, he looks to be in the best physical condition of his career.
The 60 year old Sting, who also looks to be in ring shape, recently revealed the following to Wrestling Travel,
"I mean everyone knows who it would be [who I'd come out of retirement for].Taker, he's the only guy I'd come out of retirement for now. No one else. We could just never get it together to make it happen. When I started talking to WWE, he was booked with Brock [Lesnar] and then I did the deal with Triple H and he had another feud going on at the time, so it was just one of those things we couldn't make happen....the only person I'm getting back in the ring for is 'Taker"
Sounds like the Stinger has a major itch to scratch and so much so that he recently took to The Apter Chat to reveal what a feud between WCW's most enigmatic performer and WWE's most macabre Superstar may have looked like (via WrestleZone),
"I had so many ideas that developed over a couple of decades based on his character and my character and some of the ideas I had in my head, someday somebody’s gonna do cool stuff like that with characters that are similar and it all has to do with slight of hand and special effects and holograms and oh man, I had some ideas that would have rocked everybody. It would have matched his character and mine. I believe it would have left people with their jaws open and they would have been very entertained. Let’s just say disappearing acts. You remember years ago with the whole Sting thing with all the portals in the arenas? You’d see Sting come out of the portal over there on the north side of the arena. No, there he is on the east. No there’s another one. There were a whole bunch of Stings, you know? This kind of stuff; but, possibly with the real Sting at one point where it’s most definitely me. Let’s just say disappearing acts. That’s all I want to say."
Could we see The Undertaker vs Sting? Sting certainly believes it's possible and that's enough for me.
