WrestleMania 35: Ranking the 9 most likely title changes

A total of 16 matches have been announced for WWE WrestleMania 35, with nine of those encounters set to include a title on the line.

Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch (Raw and SmackDown Women’s Championships) will headline the event, while Brock Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins (Universal Championship) and Daniel Bryan vs. Kofi Kingston (WWE Championship) are among the most anticipated matches of the night.

In the tag divisions, Sasha Banks & Bayley will face Beth Phoenix & Natalya, The IIconics and Nia Jax & Tamina (Women’s Tag Team Championship), Zack Ryder & Curt Hawkins will challenge The Revival (Raw Tag Team Championship), and The Usos will defend against The Bar, Rusev & Shinsuke Nakamura and Aleister Black & Ricochet (SmackDown Tag Team Championship).

Elsewhere, “Demon” Finn Balor will challenge Bobby Lashley (Intercontinental Championship) and Samoa Joe will take on Rey Mysterio (United States Championship), while Buddy Murphy vs. Tony Nese (Cruiserweight Championship) is scheduled for the kickoff show.

In this article, let’s take a look at the most probable title changes on April 7, from least likely to most likely.

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#9 Sasha Banks & Bayley vs. Beth Phoenix & Natalya vs. The IIconics vs. Nia Jax & Tamina (Women’s Tag Team Championship)

Sasha Banks & Bayley outlasted five other teams to win the newly introduced Women’s Tag Team Championship at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view in February.

Since then, they have defended the titles against Nia Jax & Tamina at Fastlane – a match which resulted in a brawl between the two teams, as well as Beth Phoenix & Natalya. The IIconics have now been added to the mix, setting up a Fatal 4-Way for the titles at WrestleMania 35.

Without trying to be too negative, it is fair to say that The Boss ‘n’ Hug Connection’s title reign has not exactly got off to the best of starts. Granted, they retained at Fastlane, but these new titles felt like a big deal when they were introduced earlier this year. Now? Not so much.

WWE titles have been changing hands more than ever over the last year, but it seems way too early for Banks & Bayley to lose when they have only had one successful defence as champions. The smart money is on them to retain.

#8 Buddy Murphy vs. Tony Nese (Cruiserweight Championship)

Buddy Murphy has been the Cruiserweight champion since defeating Cedric Alexander in his hometown of Melbourne, Australia at Super Show-Down in October 2018, while Tony Nese won a month-long tournament to become the #1 contender for his former ally’s title.

A title change in this kickoff show match cannot be completely ruled out, mostly due to the lack of babyface opponents who Murphy has left to face on 205 Live, but the Aussie is the more established Superstar out of these two, so he is the clear favourite to leave MetLife Stadium as champion.

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#7 The Usos vs. The Bar vs. Rusev & Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Aleister Black & Ricochet (SmackDown Tag Team Championship)

Many people expected The Usos to face The Hardy Boyz at WrestleMania 35. However, the multiple social media teases about a match between the duos never transitioned into anything on SmackDown Live, and it has since been announced that The Bar, Rusev & Shinsuke Nakamura and Aleister Black & Ricochet will be the ones to face Jimmy & Jey at ‘Mania.

The Bar are an accomplished duo, but do they need another title reign? Not really. And when you consider that the other teams, Rusev & Nakamura and Black & Ricochet, have only recently been put together, everything points to The Usos retaining.

#6 Samoa Joe vs. Rey Mysterio (United States Championship)

The United States Championship has changed hands a staggering 18 times since WrestleMania 33, so it is difficult to predict whether Samoa Joe is simply the latest in a long line of holders or whether he is the man to finally make the title relevant again.

His opponent, Rey Mysterio, has had injury concerns ahead of Sunday’s event, so it remains to be seen if this encounter will even go ahead. If it does, Joe will enter as the favourite, not only because he is only just starting his title reign but also due to Mysterio’s injury. That said, you just never know with this flip-flop US title.

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#5 Brock Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins (Universal Championship)

Two months ago, following Seth Rollins’ Royal Rumble triumph, it seemed inevitable that he would go on to “Slay the Beast”, Brock Lesnar, at WrestleMania 35. However, with three babyfaces (Rollins, Becky Lynch and Kofi Kingston) attempting to dethrone heels this Sunday, it wouldn’t be a very WWE thing to do if all three emerged with the gold.

For that reason, and because speculation is mounting again that Lesnar could sign another new WWE contract, Rollins’ title chances seem slimmer now than at any stage of the last few weeks.

#4 Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch (Raw and SmackDown Women’s Championships)

Like Seth Rollins’ attempt to win the Universal Championship from Brock Lesnar, Becky Lynch’s potential title victory does not seem as obvious now as it previously did. Why? Because Ronda Rousey’s heel turn – and promise to disrespect the industry that WWE fans love so much – seems to suggest that she could take on a Lesnar-esque persona where she works part-time and keeps the title(s) away from WWE television.

Lynch is still the favourite to emerge from WrestleMania as Raw and SmackDown Women’s champions, but it would not be a total shock if Rousey were to win. As for Flair… well, if she wins, WWE can expect a huge backlash from fans!

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#3 The Revival vs. Zack Ryder & Curt Hawkins (Raw Tag Team Championship)

The Revival defeated Aleister Black & Ricochet to retain the Raw Tag Team Championship on Monday’s episode of Raw. It looked as though a rematch between the teams could be set up for WrestleMania, but WWE has instead decided to give Zack Ryder & Curt Hawkins a title opportunity in New Jersey, close to where they grew up.

With a home crowd behind them, the logical explanation for this match taking place (it makes ZERO sense from a storyline perspective!) is that Ryder & Hawkins are going to get their first win back together as a duo, ending Hawkins’ 269-match losing streak in the process.

#2 Bobby Lashley vs. “Demon” Finn Balor (Intercontinental Championship)

Bobby Lashley regained the Intercontinental Championship from Finn Balor on the March 11 episode of Raw, three weeks after Lio Rush cost “The All Mighty” his title at Elimination Chamber.

With the rematch scheduled for WrestleMania 35, and with Balor set to don his “Demon” attire for the first time since he defeated Baron Corbin at SummerSlam 2018, everything here points to a victory for the Irishman’s alter-ego.

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#1 Daniel Bryan vs. Kofi Kingston (WWE Championship)

Nobody has more momentum and support from fans heading into WrestleMania 35 than Kofi Kingston. The New Day member finally earned a WWE Championship opportunity against Daniel Bryan at MetLife Stadium on the March 26 episode of SmackDown Live, courtesy of Big E & Xavier Woods winning a tag team gauntlet match.

Plenty of fans are speculating that Big E & Woods might betray their fellow New Day member at ‘Mania, allowing Bryan to retain, but it seems much more likely that this ‘KofiMania’ phenomenon results in Kingston winning the WWE Championship.