Brock Lesnar challenges his nemesis Goldberg for Raw's Universal Championship in the main event of WrestleMania 33 on Sunday.
SmackDown's WWE Championship is also on the line as Bray Wyatt defends his title against Randy Orton at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida.
Roman Reigns faces ring legend The Undertaker, Seth Rollins looks to settle his rivalry with Triple H, and former best friends collide when US Champion Chris Jericho meets Kevin Owens.
Four stars will battle it out for Raw's Women's Championship, John Cena and Nikki Bella team up against The Miz and Maryse, and AJ Styles tackles his boss Shane McMahon.
Meanwhile Baron Corbin takes a shot at Dean Ambrose's Intercontinental Championship, while the Raw tag team titles will be decided in a triple threat ladder match.
Here is a match-by-match breakdown of the show.
Six-pack challenge for the WWE SmackDown Women's Championship
Alexa Bliss (c) vs. Becky Lynch vs. Natalya vs. Mickie James vs. Carmella (with James Ellsworth) vs. Naomi
Naomi's victory over Alexa Bliss to win the SmackDown Women's Championship at Elimination Chamber was a long overdue, feel good moment for the former Funkadactyl. But her reign was cruelly cut short when she was forced to vacate the title due to injury and cut a heartfelt promo explaining her disappointment. The vacant gold was seized by Bliss, who defeated Becky Lynch to become a two-time champion, and declared herself the greatest female wrestler on Tuesday nights. That boast came at a cost, as SmackDown general manager Daniel Bryan announced she would defend the belt against all female talents on the roster. The addition of veterans Natalya and Mickie James, NXT graduate Carmella, plus the returning Naomi, has made the contest a six-pack challenge. It may well be the opening bout of the Kickoff pre-show and should be a fast and frantic appetiser, giving each woman the chance to briefly showcase her skills. The obvious winner would be Naomi, especially given the fact WrestleMania is taking place in her home city. There seems no reason not to give the returning star her moment in the sun.
Predicted winner: Naomi
Singles match for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship
Neville (c) vs. Austin Aries
Newcastle's high flyer Neville was truly reinvigorated by his heel turn in December, when he savagely attacked the Cruiserweight Champion Rich Swann and went on to defeat his former friend for the title in a storming encounter at the Royal Rumble. The self-proclaimed King of the Cruiserweights followed that up with an even better match against Jack Gallagher at Fastlane, before suggesting there was no-one on 205 Live worthy of challenging him. Austin Aries, who had been sidelined by injury and was shining on commentary on Raw, obviously felt differently. He attacked Neville before earning the right to face him at WrestleMania. Two of the hottest independent stars of the last decade, who have never previously met in the ring, will now face each other in what is a dream match-up. Not even the news the bout was being moved to the pre-show could dampen Aries' spirits, as he tweeted this week: "I'm never 'relegated' to anything, I'm just who you add to things you need ELEVATED. #WrestleMania Pre-Show is now MUST SEE. #TheElevator" That being said, he may struggle to dethrone the king.
Predicted winner: Neville
Battle royal match for the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal Trophy
2017 André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
When 30 men competing in the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal were revealed, it appeared something of a shame for those hoping an NXT or WWE UK star might make a surprise appearance. However, WWE today announced number 31 - NXT's first Chinese Superstar Tian Bing - which suggests there may be another nine contenders featuring in the match-up. Among the names confirmed so far are SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos - whose belts are the only titles not being defended on Sunday - and the rest of the blue brand's tag division. Other notable entrants include former world champion Dolph Ziggler, his rivals Kalisto and Apollo Crews, and the lean and mean Big Show, who thankfully due to contractual disagreements will not be facing basketball great Shaquille O'Neal, in what was the least anticipated clash of the year.
That being said, the superstar whose presence looms even larger than the giant Big Show over this match is the monstrous Braun Strowman, who will surely eliminate Show, Mark Henry and probably at least 10 other competitors. However, don't be surprised if the apparent favourite falls at the final hurdle thanks to the plucky underdog who has suffered more than anyone at his hands - Sami Zayn. A win for the talented Canadian, who has lost momentum since registering two match of the year efforts in 2016, would be a great way to pump up the crowd for the main spectacle and to reignite his career.
Predicted winner: Sami Zayn
Triple threat ladder match for the WWE Raw Tag Team Championship
Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson (c) vs. Enzo Amore and Big Cass vs. Cesaro and Sheamus
The oddball pairing of Cesaro and Sheamus clicked better than anyone could have expected following their lengthy feud last summer and they have become one of the most entertaining duos in the company. Their physically intense matches are an example of hard work paying off and Sheamus is now enjoying his best run in years. That being said, former New Japan Pro Wrestling stars Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson needed to win the tag titles in order to boost their flailing reputation, having become directionless over the course of the nine months beforehand. They too love a hard fought scrap and captured the belts thanks to referee bumps and opportunism. They have retained them due to the meddling of loudmouthed Enzo Amore and Big Cass, who cost Cesaro and Sheamus their rematch, then failed to win the titles themselves due to their inevitable retaliation.
The addition of ladders to the equation is interesting, as none of these men have carved their careers in this type of match, although Sheamus was the 2015 Money in the Bank winner. Meanwhile, doubts remain about Amore's ability to cut it at the highest level when he doesn't have a microphone in his hand. He, Cass and Anderson will be desperate to make a statement at their first Mania and Enzo will likely go to extreme lengths to prove he belongs. This should be a wild thriller, which hopefully ends in Cesaro and Sheamus recapturing the gold.
Predicted winners: Cesaro and Sheamus
Singles match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
Dean Ambrose (c) vs. Baron Corbin
The wheels were set in motion for this match at Elimination Chamber, when Dean Ambrose eliminated Baron Corbin with a quick roll-up, only for The Lone Wolf to cost him his chance of winning the WWE Championship by hitting him with End of Days. They will now renew hostilities over Ambrose's Intercontinental Championship, in one of the less heralded matches on the card. Corbin is the rare example of a talent who underwhelmed in WWE's developmental division NXT, but has blossomed into a genuine star on the main roster. He has been well booked until this point and appears a future world champion in the making.
The logical next step therefore is for him to win the traditional 'worker's title' of WWE and to cut his teeth by producing quality matches on a weekly basis. In Ambrose he may have found the perfect opponent to help him make that transition. With the exception of his lacklustre encounter with a seemingly unmotivated Brock Lesnar at Mania last year, he has invariably delivered during his singles career and never fails due to a lack of effort. He may not belong at the top tier in WWE but is more than worthy of a spot just below and will go out of his way to ensure this is a bruising battle that elevates Corbin.
Predicted winner: Baron Corbin
Singles match for the WWE United States Championship
Chris Jericho (c) vs. Kevin Owens
One of the bouts with the most engaging back story sees former 'best friends' Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho duel in a possible match of the night contender. Jericho and Owens' hilarious antics during KO's Universal Championship reign became the highlight of Raw in 2016, as Y2J ensured his pal held onto the title by any means necessary. He also managed to get over a series of ludicrous catchphrases, with audiences going crazy whenever he blasted another 'stupid idiot' or teased adding another name to The List of Jericho. Once again the veteran found himself producing some of the best performances of his career.
Owens however wasn't quite the world champion some hoped, perhaps due to WWE failing to establish a truly popular face to challenge for his title. Nevertheless his matches continued to impress and he seemed unstoppable until Jericho accepted Goldberg's challenge on his behalf for Fastlane. Infuriated, KO brutally attacked his buddy in a glorious segment at the Festival of Friendship, ignoring Jericho's tributes and kind words. In return the wounded Jericho appeared during Fastlane, distracting KO and allowing Goldberg to triumph. Since then Jericho has exposed his fellow Canadian as a childhood Y2J fan, while Kevin has pledged to take his fellow rival's US Championship at 'KO Mania'. The sense of betrayal felt by Y2J is palpable and the ominous influence of Owens' mentor Triple H, whose latest recruit Samoa Joe has bolstered Owen's cause, is intriguing. The crowd will be red-hot for this contest and it could go down as a classic.
Predicted winner: Kevin Owens
Mixed tag team match
John Cena and Nikki Bella vs. The Miz and Maryse
Nikki Bella and Maryse clashed backstage at Elimination Chamber, before John Cena eliminated The Miz in the main event. The two couples continued their spat in the ring before taking it to Miz TV and Talking Smack, where Miz branded Cena a hypocrite for criticising The Rock for leaving WWE and going to Hollywood, then doing the same thing. Referring to the pain of losing the WWE Championship to Cena in 2011, the war of words became increasingly personal, as Miz suggested Cena's relationship with Nikki was fake, her career success was down to his politicking, and if he really cared about her, they would be married. After months of provoking Nikki's brother-in-law Daniel Bryan, who cannot compete due to injuries, it seemed Miz had found the next best thing.
Cena responded by saying if he was a backstage politician, he'd be facing The Undertaker rather than The Miz on Sunday. Miz and Maryse then mocked their opponents by impersonating them, along with Nikki's sister Brie and Bryan, in a series of hilarious parodies of the reality show Total Bellas. All of this has made what initially felt like a waste of Cena and Miz's talents (after their stellar efforts in 2016) a match which should actually be loads of fun. All four play their roles to perfection - there are few better heels than The Miz and Cena is still the company's top face - and it shouldn't be forgotten that Nikki is no slouch in the ring, while ex-Divas Champion Maryse is more than capable, even if she hasn't competed since 2011. A shock win for Miz and Maryse is a possibility, but they will probably get their comeuppance here.
Predicted winners: John Cena and Nikki Bella
Singles match
Shane McMahon vs. AJ Styles
One of the most intriguing matches on Sunday sees AJ Styles face SmackDown commissioner Shane McMahon. Over the past 12 months Styles has cemented his reputation as the best wrestler in the world by producing a series of fantastic performances in his debut year with WWE. The Phenomenal One cleanly defeated John Cena, became WWE Champion by dethroning Dean Ambrose and went on to play a pivotal role in SmackDown overtaking Raw as WWE's top show. However, when he lost the title to Cena, he was infuriated by Shane failing to grant him a one-on-one rematch. After weeks of jumping through hoops but being denied a spot at Mania, he flipped, attacked his boss and threw him through a car window - clearly reason enough for Shane to want to skin him alive.
The frustration felt by some fans is that rather than facing one of WWE's best talents, AJ is scheduled to work a 47-year-old 'non-wrestler', whose ability (at least to throw a convincing punch) is limited. Another concern is that at 39-years-old himself and with plenty of miles on the clock, how many more WrestleManias does AJ have ahead of him in which to register a classic? The counter argument is that Shane, as evidenced by his death defying leap off Hell in a Cell last April, is a dedicated performer always willing to make up for any shortfalls by putting his body on the line. His match against The Undertaker at WrestleMania 32 may have been underwhelming, but it was definitely memorable due to its finish. Being placed in a match with Shane shows Vince McMahon's faith in Styles, means the bout will be given prominence, and suggests WWE's owner wants to see whether AJ can establish himself as an attraction with casual fans. Ultimately Styles is so good in the ring, he could lead Shane to a great match. If he does, a main event spot should be his reward at WrestleMania 34.
Predicted winner: AJ Styles
Non-sanctioned match
Seth Rollins vs. Triple H
The encounter with the longest story arc is the grudge match between Seth Rollins and Triple H. Together they ruled Raw after Rollins turned on his friends in The Shield and joined forces with The Authority in June 2014. HHH's protégé went on to capture the WWE World Heavyweight Championship after cashing in his Money in the Bank contract at WrestleMania 31. Everything seemed to be going perfectly - his matches were top notch and his promos getting better by the month. Yet Seth was forced to vacate the title in November 2015 thanks to serious injuries to his right knee.
Upon his return last summer, he unsuccessfully faced Finn Bálor for the Universal Championship at SummerSlam. Afterwards Bálor was forced to give up the belt due to an injury of his own, meaning a fatal 4-way was held for the vacant title. Triple H emerged and helped eliminate Roman Reigns, before preparing to hand the title to Seth. However, in the most shocking moment of 2016, he gave his ally a Pedigree and instead crowned Kevin Owens champion.
That marked the beginning of Rollins' slowly turning face, a move which struggled to gain momentum at first, as he repeatedly called out The Game, only for his requests to go unanswered. Aided by his wife Stephanie McMahon, Triple H then ensured Rollins did not participate in the Royal Rumble, which provoked him into gatecrashing NXT TakeOver: San Antonio. That led HHH to finally give his reasons for the betrayal - namely that Rollins failed him by getting injured. It seemed a weak explanation, especially given the fact The Game has suffered long lay-offs in the past. Fortunately the feud stepped up a gear when he enlisted Samoa Joe to take out Rollins, when his dodgy knee was apparently re-injured for real.
Seth has since battled against the advice of doctors to be ready for WrestleMania and despite HHH repeatedly targeting his knee, agreed to a non-sanctioned match. The stage is finally set for Rollins to get his revenge in what should be an intense and emotional brawl, with HHH using every trick in the book to thwart Rollins, before eventually falling to his apprentice. Handled right, this could establish Rollins as the top face Raw so desperately needs at present.
Predicted winner: Seth Rollins
Fatal 4-Way elimination match for the WWE Raw Women's Championship
Bayley (c) vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Sasha Banks vs. Nia Jax
When Charlotte Flair won the final match of her epic feud with Sasha Banks over the Raw Women's Championship at Roadblock: End of the Line in December, her victory came with the stipulation that Banks could no longer challenge for the title as long as she was champion. It was therefore in the best interests of Sasha that she helped her long time friend Bayley capture the belt from Charlotte on an episode of Raw in February, even if she was ostensibly intervening simply because of their friendship. Stephanie McMahon granted Flair her rematch at Fastlane, after Bayley refused to relinquish her title. Against the odds the fan favourite defeated Charlotte and ended her undefeated pay-per-view streak, again due to interference by Banks.
Afterwards, Sasha suggested she and Bayley face each other at WrestleMania, in keeping with their dream when they were in NXT together. However, Stephanie insisted Charlotte would face Bayley and Banks would only join the contest if she beat her friend, which she duly did. The formidable Nia Jax, who terrorised Sasha earlier this year, then earned a spot by beating the champion, leading to the bout becoming a fatal 4-way elimination match. All of this must be leading to Sasha betraying Bayley and turning heel in Orlando, in which case she has to be the favourite to clinch the title. A scenario where she initially helps Bayley dispatch Jax, but then turns on her friend to set up a final showdown with Charlotte, seems most likely.
Predicted winner: Sasha Banks
Singles match
The Undertaker vs. Roman Reigns
From the moment Roman Reigns eliminated The Undertaker from the Royal Rumble match and brazenly told the Phenom "this is my yard now" it was clear his boast would be tested. So it came to pass on Raw at the start of this month, when Taker was confronted by Reigns, who again claimed the ring was his yard now, before receiving a chokeslam for his impudence. Undeterred, Roman told Shawn Michaels the following week that he would retire the Deadman, just as Undertaker retired Michaels at WrestleMania 26. Since then he has delivered an almighty spear to Undertaker during a match with Braun Strowman and shows no sign of being intimidated by the legend.
Undertaker meanwhile is reportedly suffering from serious hip problems which require surgery. Having retired then changed his mind following last year's WrestleMania, it's not clear how many matches he has left in the tank. The concern going into this weekend is that Taker simply won't be able to perform at the level he has in the past, especially when truth be told, he hasn't had a great bout since his Hell in a Cell battle with Brock Lesnar in October 2015. One solution would have been to find an opponent such as AJ Styles who could fly around the ring and bring the requisite pace to the contest. Instead, WWE officials have opted for the much maligned Reigns, whose matches are far better than some suggest, but who tends to take a slower, more methodical approach in the ring.
It appears WWE see this as a potential 'passing of the torch moment', but even a heel as accomplished as Triple H wasn't able to get fans behind the deeply unpopular Reigns at WrestleMania last year, so there is no chance a crowd will cheer him against The Undertaker. The smart move following the inevitable slugfest and near falls would be to have a disrespectful Reigns take a shortcut to victory and turn heel. Yet the nagging feeling remains that fans will be expected to swallow him going over clean against one of their all-time favourites.
Predicted winner: Roman Reigns
Singles match for the WWE Championship
Bray Wyatt (c) vs. Randy Orton
Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton's fascinating journey dates back to last August, when Wyatt said the 12-time world champion was "damaged" and challenged him to a match at Backlash, only to ambush his foe beforehand. Winning by forfeit, he then defeated Orton at No Mercy, thanks to the help of the returning Luke Harper - a loss which prompted Randy to join forces with his tormentor. Orton proved his loyalty by saving Wyatt and helping him win a traditional 5-on-5 Survivor Series elimination match for Team SmackDown against Team Raw. Together they dominated Tuesday nights, winning the SmackDown Tag Team Championship from Heath Slater and Rhyno at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs.
Dissent between Orton and Harper soon cost the Wyatt Family the tag titles, but it was Randy who remained part of the faction, as Harper was expelled by Bray. The duo then reached the climax of the Royal Rumble, when Randy earned a title opportunity at WrestleMania by toppling Roman Reigns, after he eliminated Wyatt. Initially The Viper promised not to challenge his master, but he soon revealed his true colours by torching the Wyatt Family compound, where supposedly 'the spirit of Sister Abigail' resided, in one of the best promos of his career.
It has been great to see this story unfold and credit must go to WWE's writing team. As far back as September, Orton told the metaphorical tale of a man and a snake chasing a rabbit, explaining how the rabbit was caught by the man, who planned to eat it while the snake lurked behind him. He said: "The snake never stopped wanting that rabbit, but when he saw the man, he knew he could have them both. He just had to lie there patiently, waiting for the man's over-confidence to be his undoing." The parallels are clear - now is the time for the Apex Predator to devour Wyatt and become WWE Champion in one fell swoop.
Predicted winner: Randy Orton
Singles match for the WWE Universal Championship
Goldberg (c) vs. Brock Lesnar (with Paul Heyman)
Brock Lesnar destroyed everyone in his path when he returned to WWE in 2012, obliterating Triple H and The Undertaker, then John Cena and Randy Orton. As the man who ended Taker's undefeated streak at WrestleMania, the former UFC heavyweight champion was booked as an all-conquering monster. The Beast Incarnate hadn't been pinned or submitted cleanly since WrestleMania 29 and anyone who dared oppose him went straight to Suplex City, or in Orton's case, the hospital.
That all changed when the WCW icon Goldberg (who previously defeated Lesnar in an infamous match at WrestleMania 20, when fans booed both men as it was common knowledge they were leaving the company) made his own comeback. He received a hero's welcome from fans and a match that started off as a way to promote the WWE 2K17 video game became far more important than anyone anticipated. At Survivor Series, Goldberg stunned the world by crushing Lesnar with two spears and a Jackhammer in one minute and 24 seconds.
That humiliation was followed up by another as he eliminated Brock in quick fashion from the Royal Rumble. The 50-year-old then agreed to one last match versus Lesnar at WrestleMania, which soon took on even greater significance when he beat Kevin Owens to become Universal Champion, in the anti-climatic main event of Fastlane. Since then Lesnar has cowardly attacked Goldberg with an F-5, but this week he took another huge spear from the champion on Raw.
In short, Goldberg has become Lesnar's Kryptonite - the one competitor who has got his number. Some fans growing tired of Goldberg's smash and grab raids and part-timers dominating WrestleMania have suggested this shouldn't be the main event, but casual viewers across the globe will be abuzz and hardcore fanatics in the Camping World Stadium alike will find themselves drawn in when these two giants of the industry square off. For all the question marks surrounding this contest, don't underestimate their ability to work a gripping, ultra brutal, shoot-style fight, which after around 10 minutes of action will end with Lesnar downing his nemesis and gaining his redemption.
Predicted winner: Brock Lesnar. mirrownews.co
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