411 PPV Roundtable Preview: WWE WrestleMania XXVI (Part Two)

Stop! Before you continue, go back and read Part One of our action-packed Roundtable!

ShoMiz © vs John Morrison and R-Truth

Stephen Randle: Clearly just a way to get Morrison and Truth on the card after they shockingly were eliminated from MITB contention, the match should be decent, but both men have bigger things in their future and I don’t think it includes winning the titles here.

Winner: ShowMiz…which reminds me, someone teach WWE how normal people spell “showbiz”

Aaron Hubbard: I could go either way on this one. Miz is fine if he loses the belts, he’s got the U.S. Title and his program with Daniel Bryan. Big Show is seven feet tall, they’ll find SOMETHING to do with him. And Morrison and Truth are both talented guys who will do well on Smackdown as a tag-team or in singles competition. However, I think it all boils down to one thing: will Daniel Bryan be at ringside? If he isn’t, then Show Miz will retain the titles. If he is, look for him to cost them the match, distracting Big Show and having Show chase him away from the ring, thus leaving Miz vulnerable to a double-team from “The Palace of Truth” as I’ve dubbed them.

Winner: The Palace of Truth (via pin, Total Elimination variant on Miz)

Chad Nevett: This is a nice match that’s been built to happen at ‘Mania and shouldn’t continue past it, which is fine. I really liked the Big Show on commentary this past week on Raw and have dug the Miz with all of the gold. So far, Morrison and R-Truth have seemed to be getting the upper hand despite the Big Show dominating in one-on-one mathces. I think the point here will be for the Miz to step up and be the guy who wins it for his team, proving himself in the ring.

Winners and STILL WWE Unified Tag Team Champions: ShoMiz

Rob McNew: I’m kind of surprised at the number of people picking Truth and Morrison to win this match. I looked at it as a no brainer honestly. This card will be stacked with babyface winners, and some heel needs to win. Morrison and Truth really seem to be just thrown together for the purpose of getting them on the card, and while ShoMiz is somewhat thrown together too I don’t see the point in taking the straps off them yet.

Winner: STILL Unified Tag Team Champions-ShoMiz

Andy Critchell: What’s really impressed me with this match up is how all four guys have contributed into making this match really interesting. Miz and MORRISON had a really great match on Monday and both Show and Truth have been working well the past few weeks too. It’s clear that WWE realizes both Miz and MORRISON have huge futures ahead of them but I think MORRISON needs the tag gold a little more than Miz does at this point.

Winner: Truth and MORRISON

Robert S. Leighty Jr: This better not be relegated to the dark match before the show like last year’s Tag Title match. I don’t have a real read on this match and could see it going either way. I will go with the champs because Morrison and Truth were just thrown together for this one run, and I don’t know if there is a future with the team. I could be completely wrong though and maybe they have actual plans for Morrison and Truth.

Winner: ShoMiz

Ari Berenstein: On the one hand, this is one thrown together team against a more recently thrown together team. ShoMiz works well as Unified Champions in the same way and for similar reasons as Big Show and Chris Jericho, who were so brilliantly effective for much of 2009. A big tough guy and the small arrogant guy make for a great pair. Meanwhile, “Rock and Rap Connection”, “Truth and Wisdom”, or “Double Trouble Crap on a Stick”, whatever you want to call them, are awkward and have no discernable chemistry together. The teaming of Morrison and Truth makes two men who have a nice, relatively cool babyface aura as singles appear to be the geekiest wrestlers alive and both men seem to be keenly aware of that. What troubles me is that there is a distinct possibility that they will win the titles from ShoMiz, since this is Wrestlemania, the Pay Per View where the good guys win out and the fans go home happy. The Miz still has a feud with Daniel Bryan that can play out in the following months and Big Show is a constant presence in the WWE upper card whether in tags or singles. So I am going to pick Morrison and Truth to win the titles here, but I’m hoping better judgment prevails and WWE keeps the belts on a team that is truly Show Awesome.

Winner: John Morrison and R-Truth to become NEW WWE Unified Tag Team Champions

Steve Cook: I’m surprised to see so many people picking a tag team of two guys that were randomly thrown together, don’t have much chemistry with each other, and are only a team in this match because somebody wanted them to be on the WrestleMania card. ShoMiz isn’t ready to give up the straps yet, because they’re ShoMiz and they’re awesome.

Winners: ShoMiz

Julian Bond: Back a few months ago, I could have sworn that poor Morrison was going to be in AND win Money In The Bank this year at Mania due to his awesome string of great matches on Smackdown in the last few months. But I guess that the company probably wants to give him a more old school slow push and maybe have him chase after the belt for awhile. So with that and the fact that the semi-underrated but not exactly tag-team bound R-Truth is even in this match indicates the obvious…

Winner and STILL WWE Unified Tag Team Champions: ShoMiz

Len Archibald: Remember when it looked like MVP and Mark Henry were going to be in this spot? Yeah, I don’t either. Look, we all know this is more of a Showcase (haha) of the Miz and The Big Show to basically dominate a team and to give Miz more heel heat on his way up the card. The only way – the ONLY way JoMo and Truth walk away with gold is if Daniel Bryan makes his WM debut by screwing the Miz. I don’t think that scenario happens.

Winner: And STILL WWE Unified Tag Team Champions, ShoMiz

Mathew Sforcina: REALLY? Morrison, a guy who has the safest finisher in the company since he never makes contact, and a near 40 year old acting like a teenager? REALLY? Them? But of course, this is WWE, they often put the tag belts on the wrong guys at this event. So, Truth and Wisdom will… Will… NO! I REJECT YOUR REALITY AND SUBSTITUTE MY OWN! BECAUSE IT’S BETTER DAMMIT!

Winners, and STILL Unified WWE Tag Team Champions: ShowMiz (KO punch to R-Truth)

Andy Clark: Pretty much all four of these men would have been better served in MITB, of ShoMiz could have at least defended against Matt Hardy & Khali. They match has potential to be good but I think R-Truth gets Strike Forced by John Morrison and left to fend for himself, starting the rumored Morrison heel turn.

Winners and STILL Unified Tag Team Champions: ShoMiz

Michael Bauer: Show-Miz has impressed me more than I could have ever imagined. But after this defense, who is left for them to tangle with? I think R-Truth and Morrison winning the gold here has the biggest benefits, being able to face off with the Straight Edge Society or the Hart Dynasty (I wish). Plus it lets The Miz concentrate on Daniel Bryan.

Winners: John Morrison and R-Truth

Jeremy Thomas: I could actually see Morrison & Truth winning here, but it’s not going to happen. The reason for this is that I don’t see them splitting Show and Miz up yet, and they don’t have a lot of reasons to stay together if they lose the belts. I think that this will be a good enough match and Morrison and Truth will bump for Show, then make a big comeback before the Knockout Punch puts them away.

Winner: Show Miz (Knockout Punch)

Michael Weyer: Pretty much filler here although Show and Miz are doing a great job as partners so unlikely they’d lose here to an ad-hoc team like Morrison and Truth. It’ll be a fair match but unlikely anything really special as the champs retain.

Winners and STILL WWE Unified Tag Team Champions: ShoMiz

Shawn Michaels vs The Undertaker
HBK’s Career vs The Streak
Match Can Only End Via Pin or Submission

Stephen Randle: You know, considering his career was “over” twelve years ago, we should consider ourselves lucky he stuck around to give us several dozen classic matches in his second chance. But it’s been eight years since his shocking return, twenty years since the beginning, and I can’t help but feel that Shawn can’t keep dodging the bullet that’s aimed squarely at his surgically repaired back, and he knows it. He got to have his triumphant comeback, he proved he can still be The Showstopper, he got to spend a whole lot of time palling around with his best friend in the whole world on live TV, and he even got to settle things with his greatest foe so that we can all finally move on. Sadly, HBK’s time has come, he has nothing left to prove to anybody, and if it means going out with the greatest match in WrestleMania history, well, there are worse ways to ride off into the sunset.

Winner: The Undertaker

Aaron Hubbard: Quick note: I’ve watched the hype video set to “Running Up That Hill” about a dozen times now and I still get goose bumps. Now, let me state my case for this; if Shawn loses this match, he is done. Shawn is financially secure and mentally and emotionally ready to retire; he has a comfortable life outside of wrestling, having found family and faith. Since 2002, he has been wrestling because that’s what he loves to do. If Shawn loses, that’s it. End of story; it also means that such an occasion is too big for WWE to screw it up with interference. Same goes for the Streak; if Undertaker loses in any fashion except due to a spectacular effort and finale from Michaels and ONLY Michaels, people will riot. Not to mention the end of the Streak is the only way to really end Undertaker’s career, so in my view, this is pretty much Career vs. Career. There will be no shenanigans in this match. It’s Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker, one-on-one, the winner gets one of the biggest accolades ever, the loser finishes their Hall of Fame career in spectacular fashion.

As for who wins? There’s two ways this goes. For Michaels, he’s going to have to go further than he’s ever gone, to a place he probably doesn’t want to go. They’ve been teasing his snap forever, not just since this feud with Undertaker, but going back to Unforgiven with Chris Jericho, where Michaels got his revenge and fell apart afterward. At some point in this match, he will lose it; whether that carries him to victory or not is the question. In my opinion, Shawn’s going to try everything; multiple elbow drops, a chairshot, Sweet Chin Music with a chair, a moonsault into the table, a piledriver on the steps. You name it, he’ll do it. And it still won’t work. He’ll kick out of a Tombstone. Probably two. But he will fall. And it will be over. He’ll curl up in the fetal position, say a prayer, point to the heavens, blow kisses at the audience, and take a long walk to the back after one of his greatest performances ever.

Winner: The Undertaker (via pinfall, Three Tombstone Piledrivers, last one on a chair)

Chad Nevett: When they began teasing this rematch, I was worried since last year’s match was fantastic and I’m not sure the Undertaker is capable of performing at that level, but the build has been very, very strong. This one will make it through on the story alone regardless of what happens in the ring, which I imagine will still be 3 1/2 stars at least. Really, looking at this, I don’t think the Undertaker’s streak will end. Michaels has, apparently, spoke of retiring for years only to be talked back into returning to the ring and this looks like a way to go out in a big, memorable fashion ala Ric Flair retiring two years ago. Whether or not that sticks is a whole other story, but I see the Dead Man going to 18-0 and the Show Stopper going home for good.

Winner: The Undertaker

Rob McNew: I really can’t get a good feel on this one. I’m definitely in the camp of Team Shawn as I’m not ready for him to retire, and think the streak is silly and overrated. By the same token the streak is a big deal in Wrestlemania lore and I’m not sure they want to end it. Its just too tough to call. I have a scenario envisioned where Shawn wins and they do a rubber match next year with both careers on the line, and that’s what I’m sticking with but I say that with no confidence whatsoever. I’m definitely picking this one with my heart rather than my head.

Winner: Shawn Michaels

Andy Critchell: I am looking for HBK to pull out some old school heel chicanery and yes, end the deadman’s streak.

Winner: HBK

Robert S. Leighty Jr: I was there in Houston for the match last year and it was the greatest match I have ever seen in person. I expect this year can top that just due to the added drama of Shawn’s career being on the line. The expectations for this match are off the chart, but this is Shawn and Taker we are talking about. They will deliver, and while I would not be shocked to see Shawn’s career “end”, I think it just may be time for this streak to come to an end. This probably should close the show, and if not I feel bad for whatever has to follow these two tearing the house down.

Winner: Shawn Michaels

Ari Berenstein: It will be very difficult for them to top last year’s epic encounter, whether judging it from the hype or by the actual match. There are a lot of unknown factors regarding that—will the fans be “up” enough after a night of big matches and big moments in order to give the match that “it” factor that pushes it over the top? Can Undertaker and Michaels give them what they expect physically, or has one more year been one too many for their health and conditioning? It’s definitely possible that Michaels and Undertaker can equal or reach beyond what they’ve already accomplished from last year, but until then I can safely say that I have thoroughly enjoyed the road towards getting there. The promos have been excellent and the video packages are career-defining for both the wrestlers and the production team that created them. Shawn Michaels never ceases to amaze me how he can continue to progress his character, walk the fine line between face and heel against Undertaker and also continue to define his legacy post his 2002 comeback. It’s expected that regardless of the outcome neither man will be wrestling for quite a few months, as like last year both men will take time off to heal wounds and rest bodies. However, I cannot believe that either man is truly done with their career after this match and for that reason I expect The Undertaker to win this match and continue “The Streak”. Taker’s Streak is either meant to last forever or to end at the hands of a younger talent like who will be in the main event for years-to-come. Like John Cena?

Winner: The Undertaker goes 18-0 at Wrestlemania.

Steve Cook: It’s Shawn Michaels, it’s The Undertaker, and it’s WrestleMania. That forces me to ignore all outside factors and say that this match is going to be really, really good. Lots of pressure here, but these two veterans of the ring wars will be more than ready to live up to it. As for who wins? I think Shawn Michaels is ready to go home to his family. He deserves it.

Winner: Undertaker

Julian Bond: Damn…do I even need to say any words here? The storyline here was been unbelievably great with Michaels’ obsession with ending Taker’s Mania streak in the last few months. I’m thinking that this match here may automatically exceed the hype from last year’s bout just based on the “career vs streak” stipulation. I thought that Taker’s streak would only be over once the dude reached like 20-0 or something…or when Taker’s about to retire, which from his last few significantly slower performances as of late (sadly looked like he barely made during his Hell In A Cell with CM Punk) looks like it may be the case soon. So as soon as they announced the “career” aspect of this and with Michaels looking like he’s still running strong, I think the writing’s on the wall with the streak finally ending here…but in style.

Winner: Shawn Michaels

Len Archibald: Oh, this is going to be glorious. I know people around here like to use the word “overrated” like it is going out of style (with 95% of people using it in the incorrect context anyways) so no matter what, this match will have its share of haters right off the bat. I think this is going to be a eulogy and tribute to both men’s careers as we see them pull out all the stops that brought them to the pinnacle of their careers. I think we will see call backs to last years match as well as callbacks to past WrestleMania matches they’ve had in the past with other opponents. I *could* see HBK winning to end the streak, as really – there are only a select handful of people that could realistically end it (no, not a young guy to put “over” – Orton was the best bet, and now “The Streak” is too big in its own mythos to be used on someone who’s been around for a year) but I think HBK goes down and taps to Hell’s Gate after being in the hold for like 10 minutes. HBK retires – and we lead ourselves down the path of next years’ main event…

Winner: The Undertaker

Mathew Sforcina: Remember that episode of the Simpsons where it seems like it’s going to be about Lisa playing football until she finds out that there’s already a bunch of girls on the team, then she tries to make it anti-football, then runs off crying? This is sort of the same thing, as I came in here, ready to be daring and suggest that Shawn would win, and end the Streak, and yet half the bloody roundtable’s taking it. So while I probably should pick Taker since, put a gun to my head and I’ll think he’ll win… Ah screw it.

Winner: Shawn Michaels (5 Superkicks, 1 Crucifix Pillmanization, A Tombstone Piledriver and then the Christian Crossface for the KO.)

Andy Clark: While I don’t think this match will be technically as good as last year’s, I think this should tell a great story (a la HBK-Flair). This will probably be dependent on how much Taker can perform, hopefully he has enough gas in the tank for one last awesome match. I think the HBK retirement rumors are smoke to be put out there, because the ONLY way Michaels loses is with a Triple H heel turn (which is certainly possible). As much as I’ll hate to see it, the Streak ends this year.

Winner: Shawn Michaels

Michael Bauer: Meehan made the absolute best analysis of this match in his news article on Friday. Both Shawn and the Dead Man will bring out their A games and try to find a way to top last year’s match. The stakes are so much higher this year and you could make a case for either the streak being over or Michaels’ career. I can’t imagine HBK retiring, but everything has to end some time. And if he truly was to be the man to break the streak, he would have done it last year. If this isn’t the match of the night, then this match will be a disappointment.

Winner: The Undertaker

Jeremy Thomas: Ahh, yes. The big question…does Taker give the Streak-Breaking accolade to Shawn, or does Shawn finally hang up the boots? I said around the time of the Elimination Chamber that I was perfectly fine with this match and now, I’m flat-out jazzed for it. Shawn and Taker gave us the match of the year last year, and while there is some question of whether they can repeat it I have no doubt they will pull of a fantastic match even if it’s not better than the first one. The result? I’ve gone back and forth in my mind on this, but I can’t see Shawn breaking the streak. We’ve heard too many rumors throughout the years of the Streak being given to an up-and-comer to put them over, and either way I think Shawn and Taker both know Shawn doesn’t need this one. It’s also a great chance for Shawn to receive what he gave Flair a couple years ago…a fitting send-off match that he can be proud of. I love me some Shawn Michaels and I’ll be sad if he goes, but that’s how I see it playing out.

Winner: The Undertaker (Tombstone)

Michael Weyer: I know people say HBK is winning to get the win back from last year and unlikely he’ll retire and I agree with that. But it’s hard to see WWE really going ahead and breaking the Streak after so long. I may be wrong but I still can’t believe Taker is finally going down after all this time but it should be a great match either way.

Winner: Undertaker goes 18-0

Chris Jericho © vs Edge

Stephen Randle: Could anyone believe that two lanky Canadian kids would be headlining this WrestleMania card? Sure, this probably will not be the last match of the night, but it’s one of only three title matches, for the World Heavyweight championship, and the result of a feud that has been brewing since Edge’s injury six months ago. I honestly never thought they’d let them wrestle for the big belt, given all the other potential matchups, but here we are. And because the matches will be great, but this one will be overshadowed by at least two or three other ones on this card, I sense they’ll let this feud simmer until at least Extreme Rules next month, when Edge can have his triumphant moment in “his” match: one of the ladder variety.

Winner: Chris Jericho

Aaron Hubbard: This is the biggest Wrestlemania card in quite some time. With Bret Hart’s return, the end of the Streak or Michaels’ career, and Batista vs. John Cena, this is a big stage. And on this big stage, you can be sure of two things. 1) The wrestlers involved are going to do what they do best. In this case, it means Edge and Jericho are going to have a great wrestling match and may even steal the show. 2) WWE is going to take advantage of the hype to showcase their biggest stars. And no offense to Jericho, who is awesome, but Edge looks to be the face of Smackdown! in the coming months and I just can’t see them picking Jericho over Edge. This will be a killer match that I’m looking forward to. That said, this HAS to go on before Undertaker and Shawn or it will die a slow, painful death. Cena and Batista can get the fans back in. These two, while being great workers, won’t be able to.

Winner: Edge (via pin, SPEAR SPEAR SPEAR)

Chad Nevett: A definite match of the night candidate. Ever since Jericho was drafted to Smackdown last year, I’ve wanted to see these two feud. Even in their first confrontations, you could see that the crowd wanted to get behind Edge, because they hated Jericho more, and it’s played out well despite Edge’s injury derailing things for a while. I haven’t minded the SPEAR SPEAR SPEAR thing at all and have a feeling that that could come back to bite Edge in the ass. It hasn’t happened yet, but I’ve been waiting for Jericho to simply spear Edge himself and that looks like a good way to end the match. Edge spears Jericho once, Jericho manages to kick out, Edge lines up for another, Jericho dodges causing Edge to hit the ringpost, and, when Edge recovers and turns around, SPEAR! Jericho retains only to gloat with one word…

Winner and STILL World Heavyweight Champion: Chris Jericho

Rob McNew: Booking 101 actually would indicate that Jericho wins. Edge has had the upper hand the entire feud, so typically that means Jericho retains. Throw that out the window. This was set up for Edge to return as the conquering babyface and shut up Jericho once and for all. That trumps the way they’ve played this out on television since the Rumble. Edge wins with, you guessed it, a spear.

Winner: NEW World Heavyweight Champion: Edge

Andy Critchell: In what I expect to be a fitting end to his big comeback, look for Edge to capture the title here in what could easily be the MOTN.

Winner: Edge

Robert S. Leighty Jr: I love having Edge back, but I miss the old, Rated R Superstar Egde. This should be a classic match between two guys that haven’t had a run against each other on PPV. This match has a great story with these two being partners last year before Edge’s injury and big ups for the WWE for delivering on something that most people were hoping for. I can’t see any scenario where Edge doesn’t win the title, but with 2 World Championship Matches, the WWE can easily send the crowd home happy with the other one. Jericho as champion is always awesome and it’s nice to see him carrying the title into Mania, but I look for him to drop the title like he did 8 years earlier.

Winner and New World Heavyweight Champion: Edge

Ari Berenstein: Unlike some, I enjoyed the build of this title match around the “Spear”—it’s a smart strategy not only to give something easy the fans to chant but also to set the psychology of what we’ll see come match time. Edge will attempt the Spear and Jericho will find ways to avoid or counter the move. Plus, there is plenty more to the feud than that—which both men have explained well. Edge and Jericho were supposed to be a team, but Edge was injured and Jericho harbored a grudge against him for that despite the fact that he continued to be successful while Edge was out of action. These men are top-notch talent, so we’re guaranteed a good match, but it’s a wait-and-see if it will be a great match, much less an all-time legendary Wrestlemania title bout. As for a winner, it seems to me that with one exception Edge had the physical and psychological “edge” on Jericho throughout the past five weeks. Therefore it makes sense for Jericho to go over and retain here, but keep the door open for future rematches between the two in the months to come, where eventually Edge would go over. So my call is that Jericho counters the Spear with the Codebreaker and rolls up the tights for the win.

Winner: Chris Jericho retains the WWE Word Heavyweight Championship

Steve Cook: These two guys are more than capable of stealing the show, and it’s odd that a World title match is in a position where it would have to steal a show. But many of us aren’t really digging Babyface Edge and the whole SPEAR thing. Maybe this will be a turning point for it, and it’s usually foolish to pick against Royal Rumble winners at WrestleMania.

Winner and new champeen: Edge

Julian Bond: Awesome, AWESOME feud here. At first I was guessing that Jericho would retain it here to help drag out this feud so that Edge can “continue” the chase for the belt…BUT if you look at my Money In The Bank prediction with Drew McIntyre, I thinks that Edge actually takes the belt here…

Winner and NEW World Heavyweight Champion: Edge

…only to have it immediately taken away from him with McIntyre cashing in his case for the quick win and maybe a three-way feud with Jericho, Edge, and McIntyre down the line. Who knows.

Winner and NEW World Heavyweight Champion: Drew McIntyre

Len Archibald: I will give credit to my fellow Torontonian – he has effectively gotten over “spear” as an effective chant to make his fans froth at the mouth. This could go one of two ways: Edge wins here and we get the finality of his comeback story from his achilles’ injury, or Jericho somehow weasles his way with a victory and Edge gets his revenge come…crap, it’s no longer called “Backlash” anymore, is it? I think the outcome of this match is dependent on who wins MitB. If Christian wins, I think Edge wins – but I don’t think Christian wins MitB, so…

Winner: And STILL World Heavyweight Champion, Chris Jericho

Mathew Sforcina: So, if Jericho’s the heel, and we want to start bring Edge back to heeldom since, frankly, he don’t work well as a face, and Christian’s going to cash in and win regardless, and he’s the face in all this…

Winner, and STILL World Heavyweight Champion: Chris Jericho (ShowMiz interference into Jeri-Spear.)

GO! If you close your eyes…

Winner, and NEW World Heavyweight Champion: Christian (Killswitch X2)

Andy Clark: This feud could have been so much more. They will probably have a fine match but their best stuff will probably be at Extreme Rules next month. With Cena definitely going over in the other title match I see Jericho winning here, somehow countering the spear in some dastardly way, either wearing a plate or injuring Edge’s shoulder. A conceivable MITB cash in by Christian could occur after this, setting up a Triple Threat Ladder Match next month.

Winner and STILL World Heavyweight Champion: Chris Jericho

Michael Bauer: This match is the year in the making match, which needed the World Title involved to make it even bigger. Then again, it wouldn’t if Edge didn’t win the Royal Rumble, but looking back, it seemed like a much better option then having The Undertaker walking into Wrestlemania as champion. Or having Cena win the Rumble again. I can’t see Chris Jericho walking as champion, but I don’t feel like his reign should be a one month deal either. Edge has dominated most of the past two months and I wouldn’t be surprised to see one heel champion retain here, leading into the Money in the Bank winner coming into play later.

Winner: Chris Jericho

Jeremy Thomas: It’s really hard to bet against the Royal Rumble winner, especially since Orton failed to win last year. They’ll want to build up the Rumble win significance a bit, and for that reason, I think Edge wins. This of course should be a great match, and outside of the stupid “SPEAR SPEAR SPEAR” crap, I have been digging this feud. I expect this will be a few matches down from the main event and it will feature Jericho and Edge working their asses off, and then perhaps have to deal with the Money in the Bank winner.

Winner: Edge (SPEAR SPEAR SPEAR SPEAR; New World Heavyweight Champion)

Michael Weyer: For a short build, it’s been pretty good as these two do click well together in the ring. The angle with the Spear is a nice touch as we’ll get a more interesting battle on the big stage. It’d be nice to see Jericho retain as WWE may be wary about Edge given his injury history. But it’s likely once more the Rumble winner gets the belt and Edge should be good in that role.

Winner and NEW World Champion: The Rated R Superstar

Batista © vs John Cena

Stephen Randle: Good lord, how I wish WWE hadn’t blown their load on this match back at SummerSlam 2008, because this could be even more epic if it were “First Time Ever”. However, Cena and Batista have done their parts to make this match seem just as important, and the hype is off the charts. Batista has been eating it up as the heel character he probably should have gone to long before this, but whatever, better late than never. This match is nothing less than a representation of the two men who were “chosen” way back at WrestleMania 21, to carry the brands of WWE into the future. They were mostly kept separate over the years, only really meeting for the one match at SummerSlam, and moving apart again immediately thereafter (mostly thanks to well-timed injuries, but whatever works). The match should be awesome, and in the end, Batista has had the upper hand the entire time, with Cena getting absolutely nothing, so this is the point where Cena gets his.

Winner: John Cena

Aaron Hubbard: My bet is that this will close the show. I think WWE wanted to do this match last year, but Batista’s injuries prevented that from happening. It all worked out for the better though: on a card featuring Bret vs. Vince and the Streak vs. The Career of arguably the Best of All Time, this will likely be the main event. That’s an awful lot of pressure on these two: hopefully they rise to the occasion and aren’t crushed by the weight. Batista usually brings the goods when he’s on a big stage, and it doesn’t get much bigger than facing Cena at Wrestlemania. Cena always brings his A-Game to Mania. This won’t be the kind of great wrestling match that Jericho-Edge or Punk-Mysterio can be, but it does have the chance to be an epic main event style match in the vein of Hogan-Warrior and Austin-Rock. The winner is pretty obvious; this match pretty much determines who the top star of the last five years is; we all know who that is, but will WWE book it as such or swerve us?

Winner: John Cena (via Submission, STF-U)

Chad Nevett: I’m surprised by how much I’m looking forward to this match. While it probably won’t be amazing in the ring, it’s got a nice big WrestleMania feel to it. I wish the WWE hadn’t shown clips of their SummerSlam match in the build up since that takes away from the idea that it’s two guys who got their big breaks at the same time finally meeting, which, despite that match, still exists. Batista’s heel turn has been fantastic for him and Cena is coming in looking like the underdog, shaken by how dominant Batista is. This being ‘Mania and since I predicted Jericho to keep the World belt, Cena needs to overcome the odds and walk out champion, sending the crowd home pleased.

Winner and NEW WWE Champion: John Cena

Rob McNew: This is pretty much the exact opposite of the Edge-Jericho feud. Cena has been made out to be Batista’s bitch for the last five weeks and has not once gotten the upper hand. It has been booked to prediction with Batista as the cocky and confident heel. Batista has never been as entertaining as he has been in this feud, and that’s why it pains me that his run as Champion is going to be so short. Cena overcomes the odds to once again stand tall as WWE Champion.

Winner: NEW WWE Champion: John Cena

Andy Critchell: This one is a bit more complicated. Cena was screwed in his last title run and now he’s got a chance to get the belt back. Seems pretty cut and dried, right? Well, it would be if Big Dave hadn’t been so awesome in his role of prick heel. I really don’t think anyone expected Dave to be this good and it has thrown conventional wisdom for a loop. Look for Batista to continue his awesomeness here.

Winner: Big Dave

Robert S. Leighty Jr: Many feel this is the last money dream match for the WWE and it was given away 18 months earlier at SummerSlam. Thankfully that was the only match between these two and this still seems very fresh. Heel Batista has been awesome, and it makes you wonder why he wasn’t turned sooner. They are playing up the fact that bad things happen to Cena when he is around Batista way too much not to think that Cena isn’t going over here. The last match between these two was very good and I expect the same here. This should be action packed with both guys just hitting big move after big move before getting to a dramatic finish. Batista won the match at SummerSlam, so Cena gets his win here.

Winner and New WWE Champion: John Cena

Ari Berenstein: This one is giving me flashbacks to “era-defining” Wrestlemania main-events such as Rock vs. Austin at X-7 or Hogan vs. Warrior from ‘Mania VI. I definitely liked how this match was an out-growth of the McMahon vs. Hart issue, which was done in an organic and logical way that helped put over both men. Batista has been golden in his promos and Cena has held his own as well. He hasn’t been too out of his wheelhouse as the mega-face who overcomes-the-odds, but then again, he doesn’t have to be anything more than that for the younger fans who have followed him and accepted him as their wrestling hero. This isn’t going to be a five-star affair, but again, it doesn’t have to be that to find its place in Wrestlemania history. Though I actually expect it to be a great match, because Cena and Batista both love to go full-tilt during Wrestlemania. They both know they need to create a great match, but that pressure to live up to and surpass expectations has spurred both on in previous years (Cena vs. Triple H at ‘Mania 22 and Batista vs. Undertaker at ‘Mania 23). So who wins this major event? I already have one heel retaining a World Title, so on this night John Cena proves that he can defeat Batista after all.

Winner: John Cena to become the NEW WWE Champion

Steve Cook: This is a match I really don’t have a solid choice on. I can see Cena winning because he’s Mr. WWE and they like to end their WrestleManias with their biggest star celebrating a title win. I can also see Batista retaining the title either fair and square or by nefarious means, causing the feud to continue on to Extreme Rules…a show which will need a match like Batista vs. Cena to draw a good buyrate. The money is in the chase, and John Cena’s one of the best chasers in the business. Probably the best, even though fans say he can’t wrestle. Whatever. I’m going to flip a coin.

Winner and still champeen: Batista

Julian Bond: After months and months and months of predicting this match-up in my roundtable predicts and even my 2010 overall predictions, here it is. While I think that the company maybe should have hyped this match-up a little bit better (i.e. some crazy stunts ala Orton being thrown through a house window by HHH), this should still be a good bout here and probably the main event to close the show. And since McMahon seems to like sending people home happy from Mania’, I see Cena once again carrying the belt high in the air with fireworks in the background.

Winner and NEW WWE Champion: John Cena

Len Archibald: Remember what I said about next year’s WrestleMania when discussing HBK/Taker? The seeds are planted here. There is no doubt that John Cena is walking away with this title. The story has been that Cena has been doubting himself with whether or not he can defeat Batista. He will slay the giant, win another championship and run rampant as champ in the WWE again. Whether or not he holds the belt for the entire year is another matter – but if I was a booker (IF) – this is how I would create this storyline:

John Cena comes out on RAW the next night, talks about how proud he is to be champion again, but he is humbled by two men who did more than he could. He congratulates HBK and Taker for stepping up once again and inspiring him. In fact, Cena is so inspired, that he makes a challenge to the WWE lockerroom, himself…And the Undertaker. It’s simple. He doesn’t want to go HBK’s route and superkick his way into goading a WrestleMania match with The Undertaker – he wants to earn it. How’s the only way to do that?

“Taker, you’ve never lost at WrestleMania. Not many people have earned the right to take down ‘The Streak’. But what if I create a streak of my own? What if I keep this title for an entire year? What if I want to prove that I truly deserve this honor? What if no one else can defeat me? I hope at that moment, you give me the honor of facing you. Your streak vs. my streak – AND my title.”

WrestleMania in Atlanta and an entire years’ worth of storylines are already set. I don’t think EXACTLY this is gonna happen, but I think that’s where we’re heading. Sorry, I went on a tangent.

Winner: And NEW WWE Champion, John Cena

Mathew Sforcina: YOUR main event, YOUR Wrestlemania moment, and YOUR forgone conclusion…

Winner, and NEW WWE Champion: John Cena (Sharpshooter as Bret cuts off Vince’s interference)

Andy Clark: I think this is the easiest match to predict. Parity booking says Cena goes over. The fact that Cena is the biggest star in the company at WrestleMania says Cena goes over. The fact that Batista has owned Cena at every point in this feud says Cena goes over. Guess what? Cena goes over.

Winner and NEW WWE Champion: John Cena

Michael Bauer: Like the above match, Batista has totally dominated this feud. I don’t Cena has gotten the edge once and all logic says that Cena wins. So, we will add yet another title reign to John Cena and he world will continue to be dominated by worthless numbers, unlike the sixteen Ric Flair reigns, which actually has some weight behind it.

Winner: John Cena

Jeremy Thomas: Another one that can go either way. Cena and Batista’s feud has been great. I expected a good feud, but not one this good. I’ve enjoyed the story of Cena not believing he can beat the Manimal, and Dave’s been phenomenal in his role. This is rumored to close the show and while the “Go home happy” rule would seem to apply, they haven’t always gone that route at ‘Mania (Austin’s heel turn, for example). In fact, it’s been a long while and I think that they’ll go that route here so that they can extend the feud out to Extreme Rules. I think Cena puts up a very valiant fight but Big Dave proves too much this time around and walks away with the title.

Winner: Batista (Batista Bomb; STLL WWE Heavyweight Champion)

Michael Weyer: Given how these two really haven’t met up a lot of times before, hard to say how they’ll click in the ring. Batista will be slowed by injury but Cena should be able to give well with his selling ability and I see a lot of brawling here. It’s pretty much certain Cena wins and gets a great ovation after a fun match that’ll be a great capper to the show.

Winner and NEW WWE Champion: John Cena

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