WrestleMania 34 Preview/Live Thread

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WrestleMania 34 is scheduled to begin at 7:00pm EST! Join us in this live thread for match-by-match updates, analysis, and opinions!

How to watch

Time: The pre-show, which begins at 5:00pm EST, will stream on the WWE Network. ($9.99/month. New subscribers to the WWE Network are eligible for a free month of service). The main show begins at 7:00pm EST, and will also stream on the WWE Network.

Location: New Orleans SuperDome

Tonight’s card:

WWE Universal Championship match: Brock Lesnar (champion) vs Roman Reigns

WWE Championship match: AJ Styles (champion) vs Shinsuke Nakamura

Kurt Angle & Ronda Rousey vs Triple H and Stephanie McMahon (Rousey’s WWE debut match)

Charlotte Flair (champion) vs Asuka (for the Smackdown Women’s Championship)

Daniel Bryan & Shane McMahon vs Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn (Bryan’s first WWE match in more than three years. If Bryan & McMahon win, Owens and Zayn remain fired. If Owens and Zayn win, they get their jobs back)

Triple Threat match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship: The Miz (champion) vs Seth Rollins vs Finn Balor

Fatal Four Way match for the WWE United States Championship: Randy Orton (champion) vs Rusev vs Bobby Roode vs Jinder Mahal

Raw Tag Team Championship match: The Bar (Sheamus & Cesaro, champions) vs Braun Strowman & unnamed partner

Raw Women’s Championship match: Alexa Bliss (champion) vs Nia Jax

WWE Cruiserweight Championship match: Cedric Alexander vs Mustafa Ali

Smackdown Tag Team Championship triple threat match: The Usos (champions) vs The New Day vs The Bludgeon Brothers

Women’s Battle Royal (confirmed participants: Bayley, Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch, Carmella, Lana, Liv Morgan, Mandy Rose, Mickie James, Naomi, Ruby Riott, Sarah Logan)

Andre the Giant Battle Royal (confirmed participants: Baron Corbin, Dash Wilder, Dolph Ziggler, Fandango, Goldust, Heath Slater, Matt Hardy, Mojo Rawley, Primo Colon, Rhyno, Scott Dawson, Tye Dillinger, Tyler Breeze, Zack Ryder)

Rumored match: John Cena vs The Undertaker. (has not been confirmed yet, but all signs indicate that this match will be taking place)

The show is starting! Stay tuned for live updates, thoughts/opinions, and discussion!

First Match: WWE Intercontinental Championship triple threat

The show starts with the triple threat match between The Miz, Seth Rollins, and Finn Balor for the WWE Intercontinental Championship. Rollins beat Balor in one on one action on last week’s edition of Monday Night Raw, while The Miz was on commentary. This should be a great start to the biggest show of the year!

Prediction: The Miz will find a way to win and hold on to his coveted championship. Rollins will hit a stomp on Balor, The Miz will throw him out of the ring, and cover Balor for the win.

How it went down: Miz hits a bulldog from the top rope on Rollins. During a pin attempt from The Miz, Balor hits a Coup de Gras on the back of the Miz. Balor looks for a pin on The Miz, but Rollins hits a stomp on Balor. He follows up by stomping The Miz, and picks up the pin fall victory. Winner and NEW WWE Intercontinental Champion: Seth Rollins

Great match to start this year’s WrestleMania! These three work very well together. I really thought that The Miz would hold on to his title, but now he will likely get some time off to enjoy the beginning of fatherhood. As for Rollins, I fully expect that he and Balor will begin a program together revolving around the Intercontinental Championship. Next up: Charlotte Flair defends her Smackdown women’s championship against Asuka.

Next up: WWE Smackdown Women’s Championship

Champion vs Streak: Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka. Will Asuka’s undefeated streak continue, or will The Queen retain her championship?

Prediction: Asuka can’t lose her first career match during her first WrestleMania, can she!? Nope. Asuka wins via submission, earning her first championship since arriving on the main roster.

How it went down: Charlotte locks in the figure four, bridges up into the figure eight. Asuka fights it off as long as she can, but ultimately taps out. Asuka’s streak is over, and Charlotte is still the Smackdown women’s champion. Winner and STILL Smackdown women’s champion: Charlotte Flair

Well, I’m 0-2 on predictions. This was a very physical match, which we expected it to be. I didn’t see any way that Asuka would lose this match, and figured her streak would continue for quite a long time. After the match, Asuka got on the mic and gave Charlotte props for her victory.

As Charlotte is walking up the stage to the back, John Cena is shown in the crowd getting word from a WWE official that The Undertaker is in the building! Cena runs to the back, and it seems that the match is on! Next up: Fatal Four Way for the United States Championship

United States Championship Fatal Four Way

Another good one coming up here. United States Champion Randy Orton defends his championship against Rusev, Bobby Roode, and Jinder Mahal.

Prediction: Happy Rusev Day! Rusev gets gold around his waist again, picking up the submission victory over Bobby Roode.

How it went down: After slight interference from his body guard, Jinder Mahal hits the Khallas on Rusev, and pins him for the victory. The modern day maharaja has struck WWE gold again. Winner and NEW United States Champion: Jinder Mahal

Well, make it 0-3 for me. Mahal has been quite the underdog for quite some time now, despite a WWE Championship run last year. Now, he gets a run with the United States Championship. Next up: Ronda Rousey makes her WWE debut, teaming with Kurt Angle against Triple H and Stephanie McMahon.

Tag Team match: Kurt Angle & Ronda Rousey vs Triple H and Stephanie McMahon

We’ve been waiting for this day for about a month, and now it’s time to see how Ronda Rousey performs in a WWE ring.

Prediction: Rousey and Angle win, no doubt about it. I’m guessing we see a Rousey armbar paired with an Angle ankle lock, with a simultaneous tap out from Triple H and Stephanie.

How it went down: Rousey and Angle had their chance at a double tap out, applying their submission moves simultaneously towards the end of the match. It was not meant to be at that point though. After some back and forth, HHH and Angle ended up on the outside of the ring. Rousey applied the armbar to Stephanie, getting an instant tap out victory. Winners: Kurt Angle and Rondy Rousey

That’s a little better. I finally got one right, even if it was a lay up. 1-4 on the night now. Dana White was shown in the crowd as well, sporting a Rousey t-shirt. Ronda looked spectacular in her in-ring debut, even picking Triple H up on her shoulders at one point, as well as throwing hands at The Game for a bit. From here, it will be interesting to see where the company goes with her character. Next up: Smackdown Tag Team Championship

WWE Smackdown Triple Threat Tag Team Championship match

The Usos have been riding a year long hot streak, while the New Day haven’t seen gold in quite a while. The Bludgeon Brothers have changed the face of the tag team division on Smackdown lately as well. This should be interesting.

Prediction: It seems that the Bludgeon Brothers are destined for a tag team championship run, but not yet. The Usos get the pinfall victory over the New Day.

How it went down: The Bludgeon Brothers dominated a good portion of this match, earning the win with a powerbomb on Kofi Kingston from the turnbuckle. Winners and NEW Smackdown Tag Team Champions: The Bludgeon Brothers

That means I’m 1-5, and quickly losing hope for any kind of future in wrestling prognostication (if that’s even a word). Still, the show has been highly entertaining to this point, as we close in on the halfway mark.

JOHN CENA IS ON HIS WAY TO THE RING, and is being announced as a competitor!

The lights dimmed on Cena as he stood in the ring, and out came…. Elias. After a quick beatdown on Elias, Cena began to make his way to the back, when the lights went dark again. Lightning struck, and The Undertaker’s jacket was shown in the ring. The lights went out again, and upon coming back on, the ring was completely empty again. Next, the unmistakable “ding” sounded, and The Undertaker rose to the stage! Here… we… go!

John Cena vs. The Undertaker

Prediction: Undertaker wins in what is likely his last WrestleMania moment.

How it went down: Undertaker beats Cena down for about five minutes, hits a chokeslam and Tombstone Piledriver, gets the win. Winner: The Undertaker

After weeks of the world knowing this match was going to happen, it is now quite apparent why it was not advertised leading up to the event. While The Undertaker is undeniably a legend, this was simply a quick beatdown. Cena likely takes more time off for his next movie now, and The Deadman heads back home. Good for him! It’s always great to see The Undertaker at WrestleMania.

Tag Team Match

Shane O’Mac team with Daniel Bryan in what is Bryan’s first match in more than three years, as they take on the team of Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. Owens and Zayns’ careers depend on this match, as they are currently fired. A win here gets them back on the payroll, while a loss means that they remain fired.

Prediction: Bryan and Shane O’Mac win.

How it went down: Bryan picks up the victory for his team with a “yes lock” on Zayn.

Quite a predictable match, with a very high level of crowd participation. It was GREAT to see DB put on a show after such a long layoff. Next up: Raw Women’s Championship between Nia Jax and Alexa Bliss.

WWE Raw Women’s Championship

Prediction: Jax is a force, and Bliss stands very little chance in this one, with or without the help of Mickie James. Jax wins easily and quickly.

How it went down: It wasn’t as easy or quick as I had thought it’d be, but Jax still pulled it off. After dismantling Mickie James before the match, Jax had her hands full with a feisty Alexa Bliss. It took a second rope samoan drop to finally put her away. Winner and NEW WWE Raw Women’s Champion: Nia Jax 

WWE Championship match

Prediction: Probably a match that could be main event. After years of anticipation, we finally get to see Shinsuke Nakamura and AJ Styles go head to head in a WWE ring! I’ll take Shinsuke in an absolute thriller.

How it went down: A good match, but not the all-time classic that it could have been. Styles picks up the win in the end. Winner and STILL WWE Champion: AJ Styles

In shocking fashion, Nakamura hit Styles with a low blow after presenting him with the championship belt. He proceeded to beat Styles down a bit, and walked off the stage.

Next up: The Bar defends their Raw tag team championships against Braun Strowman and an unknown partner.

WWE Raw Tag Team Championship match

The Bar makes their way out to the ring in rather New Orleans fashion, with a jazz band and a float. The early celebration was quickly put to an end when Strowman came out, as he destroyed the float. Big surprise. But, when he finally started to answer the question regarding who his partner would be, the real surprise was revealed. Strowman announced that his partner was going to be a member of the WWE Universe. After walking through the crowd for a moment, he chose…. a child. Nicholas, to be exact.

Prediction: 10 year old partner or not, Strowman just simply can’t lose. Strowman picks up the win.

How it went down: As per usual, Strowman laid waste to everything he came in contact with. He did quickly tag Nicholas in to the match, but immediately tagged himself back in. Running powerslam on Cesaro, and Strowman wins the match. Winners and NEW WWE Raw Tag Team Champions: Braun Strowman and…. Nicholas.

Well, that was interesting. I have no idea how this can possibly play out on Raw tomorrow night, but as it stands right now, Nicholas is a tag team champion. Now, the main event.

WWE Universal Championship match

Prediction: Brock Lesnar is leaving for the UFC. We know this. Roman Reigns is Vince McMahon’s golden boy. We know this as well. Reigns wins in what is probably a very physical, but short match.

How it went down: Two spears from Reigns, a Lesnar kick out. A little brutality on the outside from Lesnar, then a couple F-5’s, and a Reigns kick out. A couple more F-5’s, a couple more kick outs from Reigns. Now there’s blood coming from Reigns’ forehead. How about another F-5 and kick out!? Sure, why not! A couple more spears from Reigns, and a kick out from Lesnar. Now Reigns is mad. An attempted super-spear is met by another F-5, this time followed by a pinfall victory for Lesnar. Winner and STILL WWE Universal Champion: Brock Lesnar

I don’t think anybody saw Lesnar winning. Does this mean that he is staying with the WWE? I don’t think so. Dana White went on record earlier this week saying that Lesnar was going back to the UFC. But, it will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Thanks for joining in what was a rather exciting night! Until next year, folks.