Our 3 Cents - WrestleMania 38
Welcome to the final event of our second year of Our 3 Cents where myself, Jesse, and Lonnie give you our predictions on what's going to go down. We're ending things with the biggest show of the year! Who's going to be our champion? Without further to do......
John: 75-18 (81%)
Lonnie: 68-25 (73%)
Jesse: 66-27 (71%)
Let's take a look at the card:
The New Day vs. Sheamus & Ridge Holland w/ Butch
Jesse: How in the absolute hell does Holland get a match on Mania after what he did to Big E. I get it was an accident, but let’s let him train a little more at the Performance Center. Maybe put the person who they ruined with a name change in the match? Sadly, I still think Sheamus and Holland win.
W: Sheamus & Ridge Holland
Lonnie: Realistically Sheamus & Holland would benefit from a win over arguably the greatest tag team of all time in the New Day, but I just can’t pick them. After what Holland did to Big E, he doesn’t deserve to get a WrestleMania victory. The New Day here wins out of principle.
W: The New Day
John: First, it should be Sheamus and Butch with Holland in their corner. Now that I got that out of the way, The New Day are going to over forever and I feel that works against them sometimes. The New Day doesn't need the win because of this. The new faction gets the win to help establish themselves as Butch will provide an assist. For obvious reasons, hopefully Holland spend the majority of the match on the apron.
W: Sheamus & Ridge Holland
Drew McIntyre vs. Happy Corbin w/ Madcap Moss
Jesse: This feud needs to go away. Both of these guys are big names in WWE, why are they wasting away with this? I get it’s Drew biding time for a feud with Roman, but this is dragging on. And Corbin has proven himself each year, maybe get him into the main event scene? Doesn’t he deserve it? Drew wins and hopefully closes the book on this.
W: Drew McIntyre
Lonnie: Can we all agree that we want this to be the end of the McIntyre and Corbin/Mad Cap feud? I like both McIntyre and Corbin but feel that each man would benefit from moving in to fight someone new. I think McIntyre will win here as there is going to need to be a few guys in position to be challengers for the Unified Championship and I believe he will be one of them.
W: Drew McIntyre
John: I'm so done with this feud. I can see a Corbin/Moss split coming in the future as well. This only ends with a 3....2...1 Claymore! McIntyre moves back to the main event scene after this.
W: Drew McIntyre
Dominik & Rey Mysterio vs. The Miz & Logan Paul
Jesse: This feud has actually been very entertaining, and I don’t care for either Paul brother. One good part that warms my soul is how great it is seeing someone that Lonnie has loved his whole life still be wrestling at this stupendous event. You really can’t dream up something so amazing, so for that I dedicate this pick to Lonnie. Mysterio's win and hopefully continue onto greatness.
W: Dominik & Rey Mysterio
Lonnie: I am by no means a Paul fan, but there is no chance in hell I’m picking the Mysterios at WrestleMania. My usual rule of always picking the celebrity applies here. Here’s to Paul knocking out Rey and getting WWE some free press!!
W: The Miz & Logan Paul
John: I personally feel the Mysterios were put together as a tag team to get them "the first ever father/son champs". They accomplished that. Now I have no interest seeing them as a tag team and they do nothing for me. I've said it for months but Dominik needs to turn on Rey. What better time to do it? Seize your WrestleMania moment Dominik!
W: The Miz & Logan Paul
WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championship Match
The Usos (champs) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Rick Boogs
Jesse: I feel like Nak and Boogs are only around now a days for McAfee’s reaction. Though I find them entertaining outside the ring, they leave a lot to be desired inside the ring. Uso's win to continue the bloodline story.
W: The Usos
Lonnie: I’m so glad this match is night 1 and McAfee should be on commentary. His love of Nakamura & Boogs helps add so much to them as a team. I feel like they would be the perfect team to freshen up the tag team division. Unfortunately, I feel obligated to stick to my pick the Usos and Roman rule until they lose. I think the Usos will win, but I really hope I am wrong.
W: The Usos
John: Am I more excited for this match or McAfee dancing to Boogs playing guitar? If you said McAfee dancing, you're correct! That there says how well I think this match has been built. I really like Boogs but Nakamura hasn't been interesting in forever. The Usos will remain champs.
W: The Usos
Seth Rollins vs. TBD
Jesse: It is Cody and I’m not wavering on that stance. He will also beat Seth and show up on Raw to start his path as being irreverent in 9 months.
W: TBD
Lonnie: Who will it be? I’m under the assumption that it will be Cody. That being said, if it was him, why didn’t they have him return to help build the match? Seth has been his usual amazing self basically having a storyline by himself to promote this match. If it’s Cody I think he will win, but I just don’t trust WWE. Due to the chance it could be Shane or someone else awful I just don’t think I can risk picking the mystery opponent. Playing it safe and going with Seth here.
W: Seth Rollins
John: There's a zillion rumors on who Rollins opponent will be and most signs point to Cody Rhodes. I could see Cody getting the win if he is the opponent and I could also see someone like Shane McMahon getting his ass kicked. I'd be genuinely surprised if it's anyone other than those two. Against my better judgment, I'll go with the mystery opponent.
W: TBD
WWE Raw Women's Championship Match
Becky Lynch (champ) vs. Bianca Belair
Jesse: This was a great storyline till this past Monday when Bianca cut Becky’s hair. Kind of weird, but it cemented my thoughts that WWE is not ready to make Bianca a champ again. Also, if they were this would be the main event. Becky wins and continues on as The Man with the haircut like the lead singer from Paramore.
W: Becky Lynch
Lonnie: From the moment Becky returned at Summerslam and squashed Bianca we all knew Bianca had to get her retribution. While I hated the squash match, it did cement Becky immediately as a heel and in the end gave Bianca a chance to win on the grandest stage. With a second major championship victory in as many years, is Belair on her way to being Ms. WrestleMania?
W: Bianca Belair
John: I was a fan of this feud up until last Monday. The Belair redemption story has been months in the making but when Belair cut Becky's hair I got heel vibes from the segment. In the moment, it made me want to cheer for Becky instead. Almost making both women tweeners with no definitive face/heel dynamic. I know they've built it up as Belair as the face and Becky the heel but I feel the segment kind of changed the dynamic of the match last minute in my opinion. Regardless, I feel Belair needs the win more and Becky won't be hurt by the loss.
W: Bianca Belair
WWE Smackdown Women's Championship Match
Charlotte Flair (champ) vs. Ronda Rousey
Jesse: This storyline sucks, Ronda’s mic skills suck, Charlotte’s attitude sucks. This will be bad, but Ronda will win.
W: Ronda Rousey
Lonnie: I understand some people aren’t fans of Ronda, but she is so much better than Charlotte. Ronda’s Royal Rumble return was just a few short weeks after having a baby and should be an inspiration for all Moms out there. Ronda was dominant in her last WWE run and if they plan on having her stay around throughout the year she should win here to reassert herself on top of the mountain. Also.......I’m just tired of Charlotte and don’t want her to win.
W: Ronda Rousey
John: I feel Ronda should of really challenged Becky at Mania but Charlotte has a way of getting whatever match she wants. I haven't cared for the build to this match. Ronda still needs some mic work and Charlotte has been in auto pilot forever. Charlotte makes no effort to make her opponent look good and seems to only care about what makes her look good. I'd like to think there's no way Charlotte wins this but I also thought there was no way she would beat an undefeated Asuka at Mania 34. In the end, nothing in the world can make me pick Charlotte here. Here's to hoping Ronda makes her tap!
W: Ronda Rousey
NIGHT TWO
Bobby Lashley vs. Omos
Jesse: Why does Omos have a match? Lashley will put him in the hurt locker within 5 minutes.
W: Bobby Lashley
Lonnie: I understand that they are making Omos a dominant monster and beating Lashley would go a long way into proving his legitimacy. But Omos is just terrible. Lashley is truly a World Champion level talent and I’m not sure Omos should even be employed. Lashley should win here to make him a potential contender for the Unified Championship.
W: Bobby Lashley
John: This better be short. That's all I got to say. The Omos experiment needs to be over.
W: Bobby Lashley
Fatal Four Way Match for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships
Liv Morgan & Rhea Ripley vs. Queen Zelina & Carmella (champs) vs. Sasha Banks & Naomi vs. Natalya & Shayna Baszler
Jesse: The woman’s tag division confuses me greatly. It seems they just put teams together of women the fans like but they don’t want to push. I feel Rhea and Liv will win this as a thank you for the storylines they have had over the last year and getting beat by Becky and Charlotte.
W: Liv Morgan & Rhea Ripley
Lonnie: I am as big of a Queen Zelina fan as you will find so it really pains me to say I think she will lose her championship here. It’s not her fault!!! Carmella has been distracted with Corey and is going to cost the Queen. After much grieving and having to accept that we will have new champs, I have landed on Naomi and Sasha as the next champions. I think them winning serves many purposes. 1. WWE has tried to be better with diversity lately. 2. This is a major step up for Naomi from feuding with Sonya. 3. It keeps Sasha doing something useful while also keeping her out of the title picture for a while.
W: Sasha Banks & Naomi
John: I can honestly say that I think the champs have the worst chance of winning. It's been teased for weeks that they'll lose thanks to Carmella/Graves. I think it's between Liv/Rhea and Sasha/Naomi as to who wins. For me personally, I'd like to see Liv finally win gold because they didn't pull the trigger on her feud with Becky and she never got a tag title run with the Riott Squad.
W: Liv Morgan & Rhea Ripley
Triple Threat Match for the WWE Raw Tag Team Championships
The Street Profits vs. RK-Bro (champs) vs. Alpha Academy
Jesse: The American Alpha title run was short lived but entertaining, RK-Bro should have broken up by now and SP’s are just as mediocre as ever. I don’t think RK-Bro retains due to hopefully them starting to turn on each other, and SP is overdue for another reign. So therefore, SP wins and entertaining match.
W: The Street Profits
Lonnie: Along with the Usos, these are the best teams in WWE right now. I have to admit that I was very skeptical when RK-Bro and Alpha Academy both started out as to whether or not they would work as tag teams. Both teams have proven to be way better than I ever expected. When you take those two teams and add the Profits athleticism, it’s sure to be a good match. Any of the three teams could win, but I think it makes the most sense to keep the championships on RK-Bro since they just recently reclaimed them.
W: RK-Bro
John: I'd honestly be good with any of these teams winning. It's crazy that Randy Orton is entering this match as Raw Tag Champion. Now, he's entered WM holding every title in the business. I think it's between the Profits and RK-Bro as to who comes out as the winners. The Profits seem to be making a heel turn and I would of thought that RK-Bro would of broken up by now. It's a toss up by I say RK-Bro keeps the gold for a bit.
W: RK-Bro
Anything Goes Match
Sami Zayn vs. Johnny Knoxville
Jesse: Sami has giving his all for this feud and I appreciate it. Using social media has worked wonders for the both of them and this should be a fun break during the night. I think in the end Johnny wins and Sami can continue his “WWE has is out to get him” mindset.
W: Johnny Knoxville
Lonnie: Sami Zayn is amazing. When given the chance he can be serious and a legitimate title contender. When given no storyline by creative, he can still use his talents on the mic and in the ring to get over. Due to the nature of Sami’s character a loss won’t hurt him here and as I said earlier, always pick the celebrity to win. Hopefully this match has Jackass type shenanigans to add entertainment value.
W: Johnny Knoxville
John: How freaking awesome is Sami Zayn?! He's been incredible through all of this and made this one of the most entertaining things in WWE. Thank goodness they made this anything goes though. I expect some wild shenanigans and Knoxville's Jackass crew to get involved to help him get the win.
W: Johnny Knoxville
Pat McAfee vs. Austin Theory
Jesse: Another fun feud in the same night. Theory has actually really surprised me since his call up to the main roster. I thought that it was too soon, but he has proven me wrong especially taking and F5 off the chamber. McAfee has also been a breath of fresh air at the announcer table. I am worried with this match though; Adam Cole was able to carry the match with McAfee and make him look like a star. I don’t think Theory can do that, but I do think McAfee wins so he can bring it up to Michael Cole that they both have Mania wins.
W: Pat McAfee
Lonnie: I’m actually really excited about this match. McAfee is great in everything he does and really impressed me in his NXT matches last year. I think he is more than capable of pulling off a good match. WWE has shown they view Theory as a future star and I think this match is the perfect spot to get Theory a high profile win. I expect this match to have McAfee try to hit high risks spots but in the end losing and then hating on Theory on commentary for the foreseeable future.
W: Austin Theory
John: This one is tough. I'd love to see McAfee get the win. On the other hand, what's that mean for Theory and his relationship with Vince if he can't even beat McAfee? If Theory is indeed the future, he probably shouldn't take a loss to McAfee. My brain says Theory but my heart says McAfee. I'll go with my heart on this one.
W: Pat McAfee
Edge vs. AJ Styles
Jesse: I am a fan of this match, but not the storyline. They are absolutely going to bring the place to the ground and I am excited about it. Though AJ has been stuck in tag team hell the past few months, this is a perfect feud for him to come back to and he will be able to help Edge look like the star he is. Edge wins and hopefully catapults to either the WWE or Universal title scene because he deserves one last run.
W: Edge
Lonnie: This may be the toughest match for me to pick. A loss hurts neither man and both men are basically part time wrestlers. Edge shows up for big time matches and Styles is one of the most consistently awesome wrestlers ever. I expect them to tear the house down here. My only fear is that it could go a little too long. This could go either way, but I feel Styles could use a big win here as I feel he hasn’t had a major moment recently.
W: AJ Styles
John: This is the match I'm most looking forward to on the card. It's almost a given that these guys will deliver something special. I feel neither man necessarily needs a win but the winner could enter the main event picture. I think this steals the show and Edge pulls out the win via some shenanigans. I don't think this necessarily ends the feud though.
W: Edge
Champion vs. Champion - Unification Match
Brock Lesnar (WWE Champion) vs. Roman Reigns (WWE Universal Champion)
Jesse: I was thinking today how this feud has been really enjoyable, but then I remember we have seen this match over and over again in the past years. The only thing memorable about their matches is Seth freaking cashing in and winning the title. So therefore, I am worried this match is going to end up being a dud with Roman winning and continuing on to somehow still be champ in a year to face the Rock.
W: Roman Reigns
Lonnie: The build to this match has been amazing. I was skeptical how it all would play out after Roman missed Day 1 with Covid, but they hit it out of the park. Heel Roman with Heyman at his side against a face Brock who is clearly having a great time is perfect. I won’t say it’s quite at Rock vs. Austin level but I feel this main event comes the closest to that big match feel that we have had in years. I’m hoping this is a clean match (with maybe a little bit of Heyman involvement). I’d be happy with either guy winning, but at the end of the day Roman is the full time guy and WWE’s main star.
W: Roman Reigns
John: For a match that's been done a bunch, I'm still looking forward to this match. I think that says a lot about those involved. Brock is doing some of the better character work of his career in my opinion and Reigns is still so locked into his character. I could be in the minority but I'm still not tired of the Tribal Chief/Bloodline story. They've built Reigns championship reign (no pun intended) up so well that someone like Brock Lesnar doesn't need to end to be over. In my opinion, ending Reigns' reign needs to help launch someone to superstardom and Lesnar doesn't need that. I think Reigns retains and we can continue to ACKNOWLEDGE HIM!!!
W: Roman Reigns
That does it for this edition of Our 3 Cents!! Check back for a full review of the event to see how we did!
Follow us on Facebook at John's Wrestling Guide