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April 5, 2009

WrestleMania XXV preview

Predictions for Sunday night’s WWE pay-per-view:

WWE champion Triple H vs. Randy Orton: I keep going back and forth on this one. Triple H as a babyface seeking revenge seems like the logical choice to go over. That would allow for the traditional babyface confetti celebration to close WrestleMania, and Orton could always win the title at a future pay-per-view. Orton is so hot right now, however, that I think WWE will break with the norm and book Orton to stand triumphant with the belt at the end of the show. No matter the result, this feud is only just beginning.

World heavyweight champion Edge vs. John Cena vs. The Big Show: I think everyone is ruling out Big Show, which makes me wonder if WWE will have him go over as a swerve. I don’t think so. I’m going with Cena.

Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker: As is usually the case with a Michaels match at WrestleMania, expectations are high. I’m betting that the match delivers, and not just because of Michaels. Undertaker can still go in the ring despite all the years of abuse his body has taken. It makes no sense for The Streak to end this year and for Michaels to be the one who ends it. Undertaker goes 17-0 and Michaels perhaps gets another Match of the Year award on his resume.

Jeff Hardy vs. Matt Hardy in an extreme rules match: If these two are given time, this should be quite a spectacle. I think Matt will win, which allows the feud to continue beyond WrestleMania.

Chris Jericho vs. Roddy Piper, Ricky Steamboat and Jimmy Snuka: While this match is not what most of us were hoping for with Jericho, I do think it will be entertaining on some level. It could be ugly when Piper and Snuka are in there, but I’m betting that Steamboat can still work a decent short match. Jericho will win and then continue assaulting the legends until Ric Flair and Mickey Rourke make the save. The post-match climax sees all of the legends landing their finishers on Jericho, and then Rourke channeling his character from The Wrestler and hitting the “Ram Jam” on Jericho. The actor then takes a bow with the legends as the flashbulbs go wild.

Money in the Bank ladder match (Shelton Benjamin, Christian, Finlay, Mark Henry, Kane, Kofi Kingston, MVP and CM Punk): I wouldn’t be surprised if Christian won, but I’m picking MVP, although that might just be wishful thinking. I don’t think it will happen, but it would make story line sense if Kingston won and then cashed in at some point down the line if/when Edge is champion as payback for Edge taking him out of the elimination chamber match at No Way Out.

Intercontinental champion JBL vs. Rey Mysterio: This match reportedly is opening the show. That leads me to believe that JBL will win the match (by cheating, of course) and then announce that he is retiring to become the new Smackdown color commentator. He’ll then take a seat at the announce table and become the first man to retire as IC champ and the first to wrestle and announce at WrestleMania. I am not the first to suggest this scenario, but I think it makes a lot of sense.

Carlito and Primo Colon vs. John Morrison and The Miz in a tag team title unification lumberjack match: Not sure exactly how the lumberjacks will come into play, but I see Morrison and The Miz emerging as the undisputed champs.

25 divas battle royal: Santino Marella will end up in the match and probably be either the first or next-to-last person eliminated. If Mae Young is involved, she’ll have to win because she should not be taking a bump over or through the ropes. If Mae isn’t participating, I’m going with Gail Kim. Hopefully the fact that she was the top female star in TNA won’t be held against her by the WWE booking team.

Posted by baltimoresun.com at 2:34 PM | | Comments (16)
        

Comments

Kev, this years WrestleMania ain't forth $55.00 espcially in these tough financial times ... I'm not sure it's even worth $39.95. I'll wait to read about it's the same ole cast. WOOOO

jbl weasels his way into mitb and becomes the 1st reigning ic champ to win mitb. ya heard it here 1st eck

Triple H
John Cena
Undertaker
Jeff Hardy
Y2J
Shelton Benjamin
JBL
Miz and Morrison
Mickey James

As it now stands, there are five babyfaces and three heels in the Money-in-the-Bank ladder match. I hope that one of the babyfaces doesn't suffer a beatdown so that WWE can insert another heel into the match. Changes like that irritate me even though I don't watch the pay-per-views!

Batista might make a surprise splash at WM.

Miss Wrestlemania is going to be on a full time female wrestler who needs a push. Won't be Mae Young or the Glamazon.

Undertaker wins and will only lose to someone who would need a big push (notice my theme)

Colon's win with Miz/Morrison split with Morrison taking off in singles career.

Agree with Eck on IC belt, except that JBL might become the new GM instead of the new announcer.

MiTB winner cashes in tonight if Big Show wins the belt.

Another scenerio, Show gets pinned by both Cena and Edge, leaving the decision to Vicki to award the belt to Edge. Major heat.

Hardy vs Hardy will have a match on Monday's Raw where they make up.

Stephanie screws over her husband HHH and helps Orton win.

The build up for this ppv has been piss poor. This show doesn't feel that special due to the weak build and we've seen many of these matches a million times. The whole Jericho angle has turned out to be a disappointment. The Mitb match has too many guys that don't add anything to the match for it to be up to it's usual standards. Considering how Raw's ratings have been going down the last month to six weeks I suspect the buyrate for WM25 will be lower than it's been in a long time. I have zero interest in Cena-Edge-Show match and I dread HHH going over Orton.

Are you there for the weekend by yourself or are you with other writers and/or always kept in a group with other reporters? Do you get special privileges or just take everything in as a fan and report your observations? Do you get to share information or writing ideas with other bloggers or columnists? Does the WWE give you any special insights or things they would like you to write about? Where are your seats for the show? Tell us about that whole experience when you get some time please.

Calll me crazy but TNA has done a better jobbing in it's build for Lockdown than the WWE has with with WM25. I can see this ppv for free but I mayt still pass.

I've seen better house show lineups. I mean seriously who booked this crap?

I reckon the bog turn will be in the Triple H v Orton match. H has the match won, Orton down and out. Stephanie comes out to praise her hero who has regained her honour. As she raises the chair he gives her to smash Orton, she turns and KO's Triple H, enabling Orton to once again finish victorious.

I think the Cena / Show / Edge match will close the show. Cena wins.

Orton over HHH.

Matt Hardy over Jeff Hardy thanks to interference from Jeff's longtime stalker (not Matt, obviously).

Undertaker over Michaels (the only 'gimmie' on the card).

Mark Henry will win the MIB Ladder match. Why? Because no one expects him. But he's got Tony Atlas @ his side and he's still got great mic skills. Add a briefcase by Atlas' side and you've given Henry a refresher. Also, Henry's played out on ECW and he's still a great monster heel. He and Cena would have a great program for at least two PPV's and it would help quash the Cena boos (Who would ever cheer for Mark Henry?).

Kevin, I like your prediction with the JBL / Mysterio match and keeping with that theme, I foresee the WWE staging an IC Tournament over the next few weeks (and thus putting some shine back on a long forgotten title belt). I'd expect all of the other MIB Ladder Match participants to play a part in the IC tournament chase.

The tag match should be well worked but honestly, these belts have been tarnished even more than the IC Belt. I don't think many people care what happens here.

I have zero interest in the Divas match and the Jericho match.

Here's hoping they add a surprise jack Swagger title defense. He's completely deserving of a spot on the main card (not the dark match, please).

Ok, so the best team the WWE has had for years not only gets bumped off the PPV (for Kid Rock and a Diva battle royal) but lose the titles in a match lasting less than ten minutes? No one can make that make sense to me.

They are shoving Punk down our throats and it's going to eventually back fire. Why not Christian or Benjamin? Both deserve the push and Punk doesn't need it.

**Diva match-who cares, but Santino is FUNNY!

Jericho destroys FOUR legends and gets his butt kicked by an actor...great.

So the guy who's jealous and full of envy wins? The guy who is way more over loses? Awesome idea! The only match they decide to do a swerve in and it's a bad one.

JBL/Mysterio was POINTLESS

HBK/Taker- Awesome as expected but should have been the main event and NOT worth 55-65 freaking bucks!

Big Show was pushed for weeks as a scary, scary force even PINNING Cena on Smackdown a week ago. Here Cena lifts him like a rag doll along with Edge. Cena is NOT a new Hulk Hogan and trying to make him one is pretty lame imo. Show should have won with Cena chasing him eventually figuring out a way to beat him.

The ONLY reason to have HHH go over here would be to blow the feud off. If they are going to continue to feud then Orton should win here appearing to be dominant and thwarting HHH and the McMahons seeming unstoppable until EVERYONE believes that's the case and then HHH finds a way to win and secure revenge.

One awesome match, no matter how incredible, does not make a solid PPV, especially Wrestlemania.

I called the three main events.

TOTALLY agree with graves9. This Wrestlemania was PATHETIC.

Ben in Las Vegas had some great logic with his MITB prediction! I know there are enough fans that cannot see past Mark Henry's history to view him as a viable challenger, but I have been impressed with him ever since his 2005 return to beatdown Batista.

In the end, CM Punk won the briefcase last year, cashed in to hold the title for about 10 weeks, and then he still couldn't get voted onto the Cyber Sunday card, so obviously, he is not a headliner yet. Maybe he will be elevated this time (plus, he can get revenge on Randy Orton for costing him the World title last Sept).

Kevin I really wish the Jericho match had have gone down the way you predicted!! That would have been awesome.

Such a let down.

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About Kevin Eck
The Baltimore Sun's Kevin Eck blogs about professional wrestling.
E-mail Kevin.
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