Wrestlemania 29 Preview

It’s that time of year again where T-Bone packs his suitcase and makes his way over America for the showcase of the immortals, the granddaddy of them all… Wrestlemania!

The 29th annual Wrestlemania takes place in Metlife Stadium, New Jersey on the 7th of April, and it promises to be a cracker. Let’s take a look at the card and what I think we should expect…

WWE Championship

The Rock (c) vs. John Cena

For me, this match was a disappointment last year. Dwanye ‘The Rock’ Johnson returned to the squared circle after a 10-year hiatus to challenge the top-guy in the WWE, John Cena. This match did not live up to the year-long hype that surrounded it and it was at times embarrassing to watch a returning superstar who did not have the fitness levels to go 30 minutes in the ring. This year, Rock goes in as the WWE Champion, and Cena is out for redemption. Cena WILL win this match, let’s just hope that both guys put on a better show than last year.

CM Punk vs. The Undertaker

Undertaker is Mr. Wrestlemania. In 20 Wrestlemania appearances, he has yet to lose a match. “The Streak” has become a part of Wrestlemania folklore, and this year he faces a man who up until recently held the WWE title for 434 days, the longest WWE Championship reign of the modern era. Although CM Punk is a formidable opponent, nobody feels that he will be the one to end the streak, and I agree. He is a made-man in the company already, and frankly he doesn’t need to be the one to end ‘Taker’s unbeaten run at Wrestlemania. Save it for someone who needs the push. Punk and ‘Taker will be happy to steal the show regardless of the predictability of the outcome. If there are two superstars who can suspend our disbelief, even for a minute, it’s these two guys.

No Holds Barred

Triple H vs. Brock Lesnar

*If Triple H loses, his career is over

Triple H has become the heir to Vince McMahon’s empire it seems, and he has switched his spandex and sledgehammer for a suit and tie, doing a lot of corporate work in Stamford HQ as Vince slowly but surely steps back from the day-to-day running of the company. However every 6 months Triple H comes back for another moment in the limelight, and Wrestlemania 29 is no different. On April 7th he will be looking to settle a very personal feud with ex-WWE and UFC Heavyweight Champion, Brock Lesnar. The standard in wrestling is that the good-guy (Triple H) will get his ass handed to him by the bad-guy (Brock Lesnar) in the build up to their big match, which has been the case with these two in the last year (Brock has ‘broken’ Triple H’s arm twice in the last year.) However, the good-guy will overcome the odds and get revenge in the big one. However, on a card that is seemingly very predictable, I think we’ll see an upset in this one. I think Lesnar will get the win and solidify his spot as the most legitimate badass in WWE. So long, Hunter.

World Heavyweight Championship

Alberto del Rio (c) vs. Jack Swagger

Jack Swagger has returned as a xenophobic patriot who is against America allowing foreigners into the country to sponge off the Government. This is as edgy an angle as WWE has done in recent memory, but it sets up an interesting culmination to a feud that has lasted for 6 weeks. Swagger takes on the ‘Mexican Aristocrat’ and World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio and it is a match that I can not see Jack Swagger winning. Reason 1, Swagger was arrested for possession of marijuana shortly after his win at Elimination Chamber, and must attend a court date just two days after Wrestlemania, and number 2, WWE can not be seen to be giving a story-line racist  and real-life drug-user a top spot in the company.

Brodus Clay, Tensai & The Funkadactyls vs. Team Rhodes Scholars & The Bella Twins

I’m not even going to talk about this match. It is there to offer a toilet break so that fans can enjoy the real action. I don’t know who’s going to win, and I don’t care either.

Mark Henry vs. Ryback

Now this has the potential to be a cracker. For me, there is a lot of business that can be done with Ryback and Mark Henry.  Two unstoppable monsters facing off in a massive test of strength, with one man trying to outdo the other. Ryback has been booked pretty badly over the last six months or so. After quickly disposing of anyone in his path over his first six months in the WWE, he hit his first real snag in October 2012 when he suffered his first loss, albeit a dirty one. Unfortunately for Ryback, though, that loss would set in motion a really rough string of losses in major matches that is still going on even to this day. What’s resulted is that Ryback has lost much of the momentum that he had gained over his first several months in the company. But there’s an easy way for him to gain it back: By beating Henry at Wrestlemania 29.

The Shield vs. Randy Orton, Sheamus & Big Show

Against Big Show, Randy Orton and Sheamus, The Shield will add its name to the list of Wrestlemania’s greatest performers. Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose have produced instant classics every time out. The increasing anger and frustration they have stirred up with the fans, the star power of their opponents and the grandeur of Wrestlemania will help create their best work to date. Bringing in those three men from NXT as The Shield to thwart Ryback’s WWE title at Survivor Series 2012 has proven to be one of WWE’s best decisions in recent years. The move has let three little-known guys get the benefit of rumbling momentum right away. WWE gave them distinct ring gear, an interesting visual style to their promos and a compelling narrative. Now, it’s time for The Shield to show what it can do in the hot spotlight that is Wrestlemania. It’s time for The Shield’s Wrestlemania moment.

Intercontinental Championship

Wade Barrett (c) vs. The Miz

Don’t care. Don’t care. Don’t care. Time for a toilet-break I think.

Chris Jericho vs. Fandango

Fannnnnnn….Dannnnnnnn….Goooooooo! At Wrestlemania we will finally see the debut of what is certainly one of the quirkier characters we have seen on WWE in the last two years. This dancing lunatic takes on one of the most well-respected men in the locker room, a guy that has no issues in helping other wrestlers learn the business and move the professional wrestling career-ladder. Since Wrestlemania 28, Chris Jericho has been happy to enter feuds with up-and-comers and allow them to get the rub of a lifetime by beating him, but I think this year will pan out differently. Fandango does not need to win this match to benefit from it, but he does need to be made look good when competing. There’s no better person to bring out the best of your ability than Y2J Chris Jericho, and that it exactly what will happen. Jericho will win, Fandango will get the respect of a tough NY/NJ crowd, and who knows, Fandango might even pick up a  rematch win at Extreme Rules the following month!

WWE Tag Team Championship

Team Hell No (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler & Big E Langston

Don’t particularly care who wins, Dolph Ziggler should be in the main event frame, as with Daniel Bryan, but there’s always next year!