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With Survivor Series now over and Royal Rumble approaching fast, it’s that time of the year once more when we start predicting all the possible combination of matches which may shape up the card for WrestleMania.
Since WWE likes to go all out with its most prestigious event of the year, this year will be no exception as seeds for potential clashes and mega-matches are being sown, and rumors and speculations have started to run wild.
With that said, while the card may end up entirely different than this, here’s an early prediction of some of the feature matches we most likely will see at WrestleMania come April 2019.
#3 Seth Rollins vs. Brock Lesnar
Kicking things off with the most recent plans surfacing the dirt sheets, it was reported by Dave Meltzer in his Wrestling Observer Newsletter a few weeks ago that the current plan is to have the current WWE Intercontinental Champion, Seth Rollins, go up against the WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar, at The Show of Shows.
While it was never confirmed whether both will be champions by that time or not, it’s safe to say that Rollins will likely drop his IC title to Dean Ambrose in the coming weeks (possibly at TLC this month). The news, if true, also confirms several other things.
For starters, Lesnar is going nowhere (at least for the time being). In addition, it sets up Braun Strowman to lose yet another high profile match at the Royal Rumble (if he’s back on time) considering that Rollins will most likely challenge Lesnar for the Universal title.
Last but not the least, it puts Rollins as the front-runner to win the 2019 Royal Rumble match. For Rollins, 2018 was one of the best in-ring years any superstar has had in the WWE, starting from his cracking performance in the RAW gauntlet, his WrestleMania match against The Miz and Finn Balor, to the series of matches against Dolph Ziggler and most recently with Shinsuke Nakamura.
If there’s anyone who has earned the spotlight coming their way this year, it’s Seth Rollins. Besides how many more times do we need to sit through more painfully awful Lesnar matches against either Strowman or Roman Reigns (prayers with him). The RAW main event scene needs a drastic boost of energy and The Architect is the perfect man for the job.
#2 Randy Orton vs. Batista
It was the 1000th episode of Smackdown Live where Batista made his WWE return and teased a match against Triple H. The match, which Batista has openly wanted for years now, had to be shelved due to a pectoral muscle injury his reported WrestleMania opponent suffered at the Crown Jewel event last month.
It’s again speculated that Orton is all set to replace Triple H for the match if Batista has the dates available. While Orton vs. Batista does not yell "dream match" or "first-ever clash" by any stretch of the imagination, it doesn’t need to.
Both guys have a ton of history together to possibly make this the biggest match heading into the upcoming WrestleMania.
The clash between The Viper and The Animal will be that one icon vs. icon match, WWE likes promoting every year (just like Cena vs. Undertaker last year and Goldberg vs. Lesnar before that). Besides, the story writes itself too.
With Orton out to assault each and every fan favourite he could find on Smackdown with his new attitude, it’s only fitting that his former Evolution teammate stands in his way, who happens to be a beloved Marvel superhero as well.
#1 Becky Lynch vs. Ronda Rousey
It won’t be wrong to say that the women’s division on both the main roster brands have thrived this year and is currently the best part on both the weekly shows. For once, the women’s evolution feels like a genuine phenomenon rather than an agenda to paint WWE in a positive light.
While most of the performers had vital parts to play in this success, there was no other woman in wrestling this year, who made her presence felt more than the two top reigning champions in WWE, Ronda Rousey and Becky Lynch.
Since making the jump from UFC to WWE, Rousey has been part of some of the best matches and storylines of the year. She is one of the few genuine stars in WWE, which the company heavily lacks otherwise. In addition, is there anything left to say about Becky Lynch that has not already been said?
I mean the woman was forgettably eliminated from the forgettable battle royal at the last WrestleMania, and here we are, just under 8 months from that, talking about the same woman main-eventing the next edition of the show.
Lynch not only took the ball, she snatched the ball and ran with it. She’s the biggest WWE success story of 2018 and the fan support confirms that. Ronda Rousey vs. Becky Lynch is by far the biggest match at the company's disposal, more so than any match featuring Charlotte Flair (even with her new attitude).
Lynch vs. Rousey will mark the beginning of a new era in women's wrestling, an era which is far away from the "bra-and-panties-matches", an era which is based solely on the performers rather than the authority and an era which can compete with the men's division at any given time.
All WWE needs to do is to control its temptation to insert Flair in that dynamic in some form or another, because as good as she is, now is the time for Lynch and Rousey only!
