Sources have indicated, that as of last Monday (27th Feb), SEVEN Title changes were planned for WrestleMania 33, with Naomi making it eight, should she recover from her current injury and it make on to the show in time.
However, the current instructions given out to the writing staff were to find a way to reduce the number title changes on the card. However, five of the proposed title changes are not subject to change.
WrestleMania 33 is now only four weeks away, however, only one match has been officially announced. The rest of the card can currently only be hypothesised based on strong hints, speculation and unconfirmed rumours.
However, over on “The Dirty Sheets” podcast, we were told the projected card by a major source five weeks ago and we have been reporting it as fact ever since.
Seth Rollins is now said to be likely to be cleared to face Triple H, while the WWE has dropped subtle hints for the Styles vs. Shane match, meaning both matches are likely to feature at WrestleMania 33.
Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton are still likely to face off. Rumours of a triple threat match haven’t been reported to us from any credible sources.
The projected card we were given, is as listed below:
WWE Universal Title Match: Goldberg (Champion) vs. Brock LesnarWWE Title Match: Bray Wyatt (Champion) vs. Randy OrtonThe Undertaker vs. Roman ReignsSeth Rollins vs. Triple HAJ Styles vs. Shane McMahonWWE United States Title: Kevin Owens vs. Chris JerichoJohn Cena & Nikki Bella vs. Miz and MaryseIntercontinental Title: Dean Ambrose vs. Baron Corbin* The Big Show vs. Shaquille O’NealWWE Raw Women’s Title: Charlotte vs. Nia Jax vs. Bayley vs. Sasha BanksWWE SD Live Women’s Title: Bliss vs. Naomi vs. Lynch vs. James vs. Natalya vs. CarmellaThe Andre the Giant Memorial Battle RoyalWWE Raw Tag Team Title Match: Anderson & Gallows vs Cesaro & Sheamus vs Enzo & CassWWE SD Live Tag Team Title Match: American Alpha vs. The UsosCruiserweight Title Match: Neville vs. Austin Aries
* I believe that Shaq vs Big Show is now gone from the card.
However, I think Finn Balor vs Samoa Joe will be added, despite not being a match on the list our source gave us four weeks ago. I would assume Naomi’s involvement in the SD Women’s “six-pack challenge” will depend on her injury status.
Should she not be able to make it, I predict that both Naomi and Carmella will be absent from the SD Women’s Title match, making it a Fatal 4-way, which would match what the Raw brand are doing with their women. However, this is only speculation on my part.
Also read: SK Exclusive: This is how WWE is planning to book Raw after Wrestlemania
As things stand, Brock Lesnar (becoming WWE Universal Champion), Bayley (becoming WWE Raw Women’s Champion), Kevin Owens (becoming WWE US Champion), Baron Corbin (becoming WWE IC Champion) and Randy Orton (becoming WWE World Champion), are not subject to any changes, with all five penciled in to win the championships they are challenging for at WrestleMania 33.
However, the title wins of Naomi, Austin Aries and Enzo & Cass, are still being looked at, with Enzo and Cass possibly held off until the Raw after WrestleMania. Heading into last Monday’s booking meeting, only American Alpha were slated to retain.
WrestleMania 33 will take place on April 2, 2017, at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. It will be the second WrestleMania to be held at this venue (which hosted WrestleMania XXIV in 2008) and the third to be held in the state of Florida.
All 9 of the WWE’s championships will be on the line at the show.
The WWE are also expected to book memorable Raw and SD Live shows straight after Mania. The Raw after Mania is traditionally a loaded show, however, with Raw and SD Live now being equal brands, it’s likely that SD Live will also be a very impactful show.
It’s highly unlikely that the WWE will switch eight championships on a single PPV, even if it is WrestleMania.
I would not be hugely surprised if the total even dropped below the five, which I have been told are guaranteed title changes. Vince McMahon is known for his unpredictable nature.
Last October, Sasha Banks beating Charlotte at Hell in the Cell in Boston and ending her PPV streak was seemingly set in stone, until Vince changed the outcome at the last minute and Charlotte went over.
Vince McMahon is also the same guy who only decided to end The Undertaker’s 23-year WrestleMania undefeated streak, just four hours before the WrestleMania XXX PPV started. The only result I would put my mortgage on at WrestleMania 33 is Brock Lesnar defeating Goldberg.
A third defeat would do irreparable damage to Brock Lesnar, a guy who still has 12 months left on his current WWE deal, which pays him $3.1 million per year.
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