WWE WrestleMania 36 Preview and Predictions: Goldberg faces monstrous challenger, Cena enters Funhouse, 4-month long rivalry to end?

WrestleMania 36 will take place over two days for the first time ever this year and will take place on 4th and 5th April. The show has reportedly been shot in multiple locations including the WWE Performance Center and had to also be pre-taped because of the situation caused by the coronavirus epidemic.

There are 16 matches on the card. Let's break it down without further ado and take a look at possible winners and losers.

Otis vs Dolph Ziggler

Otis, Dolph and Mandy Rose’s story has been one of the best going on in WWE right now. It started off with Otis trying to romance Mandy Rose and this led to a Valentine’s Day date between the two. After Otis received a mysterious text from Mandy’s phone that night telling him she’d be late, Otis reached the restaurant to see Rose with Dolph Ziggler.

We don’t yet know who sent the text but this incident has led to a heated rivalry between Otis and Ziggler. The two men will now face off in singles action at WrestleMania. It will be interesting to see if Mandy Rose plays any role in this.

Incredibly, in his 15 years in WWE, this will be Ziggler's first singles match at WrestleMania.

PREDICTION: Dolph Ziggler wins

The Kabuki Warriors (C) vs Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross (for the WWE Women’s Tag-Team Championships)

This match was originally rumored to be a triple threat with Natalya and Beth Phoenix also in the mix but it ended up being Asuka and Kairi Sane defending aganist Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross. Bliss and Cross have a tough task ahead of them.

Asuka may have lost to Bliss in singles action recently but she’s still one of the most fearsome strikers in the company and with Sane there to back her up, they will be the favourites here. However, I can see Asuka transitioning back to singles competition soon and putting Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross over could be a way WWE could break The Kabuki Warriors up.

PREDICTION: Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross win

Bobby Lashley vs Aleister Black

Lashley faces Aleister Black in singles action

This match has barely had any build and has seemingly just been thrown together to fill up the card. The match is intriguing nonetheless as it pits the unbridled power of Lashley against Black’s lethal strikes.

While Lashley will probably be the favourite going in on paper because of his big match experience and just the fact that he’s a mountain of a man, Black shouldn’t be taken lightly. I can see Black picking up the win here against the odds. Black is highly rated by Paul Heyman behind the scenes and this could help him have a bright future ahead of him in WWE.

PREDICTION: Aleister Black wins

King Corbin vs Elias

Not many fans are too excited by this match but it could still be entertaining if booked right. The problem with this one is that Elias, who is the de-facto babyface here, works much better as a heel.

We saw Corbin throw Elias off a raised platform in the Performance Center on SmackDown recently. Even though the camera cut was comically bad, at least it brought some sort of heat to this feud.

PREDICTION: Baron Corbin wins

Street Profits (C) vs Angel Garza and Austin Theory (for the RAW Tag-Team Championships)

The RAW Tag-Team Champions will defend their titles against Angel Garza and Austin Theory at WrestleMania. Theory was a late replacement for Andrade, who was pulled from the match after a rib injury. Zelina Vega then announced that Austin Theory was her handpicked replacement.

Street Profits haven’t been champions for too long at this point and I can’t see them losing their titles this soon. We don’t even know if Austin Theory will continue on the main roster after WrestleMania or if he will return to NXT.

PREDICTION: Street Profits win

SmackDown Tag-Team Championship ladder match*

Who will leave Mania as the SD Tag-Team Champions?

This match was originally supposed to be The Miz and John Morrison vs The New Day vs The Usos. However, with The Miz pulling out, this match was turned into a singles match with one member of each team in the match. Apart from John Morrison, we don’t know who else is in the match.

It’s hard to predict a match without knowing who exactly is in it. However, we’ll still go with the Champions to retain their titles.

PREDICTION: John Morrison wins

Kevin Owens vs Seth Rollins

One of the best feuds heading into WrestleMania has been the one between the ‘Monday Night Messiah’ Seth Rollins and Kevin Owens. These two have been feuding for about 4 months at this point, and this rivalry should end on the night.

Rollins probably won’t have AOP and Murphy to back him up at WrestleMania.

KO has had a lot of momentum behind him in recent weeks. His hit and run attacks against Rollins and his boys were getting over with fans before WWE had to start filming behind closed doors in the PC. There’s no reason for Owens not to go over here. A loss would only stall the momentum he has built up.

PREDICTION: Kevin Owens wins

Sami Zayn (C) vs Daniel Bryan (for the WWE Intercontinental Championship)

Sami Zayn won the Intercontinental Championship from Braun Strowman. He will defend his title against Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania. Bryan got the title shot after Drew Gulak beat Shinsuke Nakamura on SmackDown.

With Zayn only recently returning back to wrestling instead of just being a manager, I can see Daniel Bryan putting him over. This match could also be one of the best matches on the card. Both Bryan and Zayn are high-level competitors and will do their best to give fans a match to remember.

PREDICTION: Sami Zayn wins

Becky Lynch (C) vs Shayna Baszler (for the RAW Women’s Championship)

Shayna Baszler and RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch have been feuding since February when Baszler attacked Lynch on RAW, leaving her in a bloody mess. Becky has been champion for almost a full year at the time of writing and can complete the year if she manages to beat Baszler.

However, that looks like an uphill task. Baszler will be the stiffest test in Lynch’s title reign so far. I can only see Shayna Baszler winning this one.

PREDICTION: Shayna Baszler wins

Bayley (C) vs Sasha Banks vs Tamina vs Naomi vs Lacey Evans (for the SmackDown Women’s Championship)

Could we see tension between Bayley and Sasha Banks?

This match was originally supposed to be a six-pack match but Dana Brooke pulled out to go into self-isolation because of the coronavirus pandemic. The big story to look at in this match will be the dynamic between the champion Bayley and Sasha Banks.

We know that WWE are looking to build towards a feud between Bayley and Sasha in the future and this could be the match to start it.

PREDICTION: Sasha Banks wins

Rhea Ripley (C) vs Charlotte Flair (for the NXT Women’s Championship)

Rhea Ripley defends the NXT Women's Championship against Charlotte

Charlotte Flair won the 2020 Women’s Royal Rumble match and went on to surprise everyone by challenging Rhea Ripley for the NXT Women’s Championship. Both Ripley and Charlotte have made appearances on RAW and NXT respectively since, to build this match.

The build was hurt a little due to the restrictions from the coronavirus outbreak but these two ladies have the technical ability to shine even in an empty area. Both women are very evenly matched based on physicality, although, Charlotte is a seasoned veteran at this point. I don’t see Charlotte going back to NXT full time and this would be a great chance to put over Ripley strong, so I see the Australian retaining her title.

PREDICTION: Rhea Ripley wins

John Cena vs ‘The Fiend’ Bray Wyatt (Firefly Fun House match)

This was one of the matches shot in a closed set and not in the Performance Center. According to reports, WWE are going for a cinematic feel to the match. Most of the ideas in the match are supposed to be Bray’s, and Cena himself is said to be backing Wyatt’s ideas.

Wyatt challenged Cena to a match after losing his title to Goldberg at Super Showdown. In the last few weeks, Wyatt has been calling out Cena in the Firefly Fun House segment. I can only see one winner in this match and that’s Bray Wyatt. Cena is a part-timer now and would be more than glad to give Wyatt the rub at WrestleMania.

PREDICTION: Bray Wyatt wins

Edge vs Randy Orton

Edge will finally have a shot at revenge

Edge and Randy Orton’s feud has been the most heated heading into Mania. Edge made a surprise return to the ring after 9 years in the men’s Royal Rumble match. He was then laid out by Orton the following night on RAW in a heinous attack. Orton’s done some of his best work in the year during this feud and took it to the next level after laying out Edge’s wife Beth Phoenix with an RKO.

Edge will finally get his hands on Orton at WrestleMania. With the match being a Last Man Standing match we can expect these two to throw everything they have at each other. However, there can only be one winner in this match and it’s Edge.

PREDICTION: Edge wins

The Undertaker vs AJ Styles (Boneyard match)

The Undertaker will face AJ Styles at WrestleMania in a Boneyard match. Styles is the perfect opponent for Taker at this stage of the game. Styles can help hide Taker’s physical limitations and will be able to bump around like a Boss for him.

Undertaker cut one of the best promos of his career earlier this week on RAW, calling out Styles for everything he’d been saying in recent weeks. The Deadman also invited Styles to bring his buddies Gallows and Anderson to the match with him.

From what we know, the match will most likely take place in some sort of graveyard setting and could feature a Buried Alive stipulation. It’s tough to call this one but my gut says Styles could be winning this one.

PREDICTION: AJ Styles wins

DISCLAIMER: There is a change to the WrestleMania match card on the next slide that hasn’t been announced by WWE officially yet.

Goldberg (C) vs Braun Strowman (for the WWE Universal Championship)

Goldberg was originally supposed to defend his title against Roman Reigns. However, Reigns pulled out of the match later on because of the coronavirus outbreak. Goldberg will now face Braun Strowman at WrestleMania 36 and despite not being an ideal situation, this is probably the best WWE could do in the given circumstances.

It’s unlikely we will see Strowman win the title without any build or momentum and in an empty arena. The best thing to do here would be to have Goldberg retain until we return to normalcy, whenever that may be.

PREDICTION: Goldberg wins

Brock Lesnar (C) vs Drew McIntyre (for the WWE Universal Championship)

Brock Lesnar will defend his title against Drew McIntyre

Brock Lesnar and Drew McIntyre’s feud has been building from the Royal Rumble where McIntyre eliminated Lesnar from the men’s Rumble before going on to win it. Lesnar and McIntyre have been going back and forth since and it’s unfortunate that McIntyre’s crowning moment will take place in front of an empty arena.

It’s hard to call this match as I can see WWE choosing to keep Lesnar as champ before having McIntyre going on to beat him at a later date after shows can be held in front of fans again. However, if I had to choose a winner, I’d still go with McIntyre winning.

PREDICTION: Drew McIntyre wins

Meet Randy Orton's lovely wife HERE