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With WrestleMania 32 all set to invade AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas this coming Sun., April 3, 2016, live on pay-per-view (PPV) and the WWE Network, it's time to go about making predictions for the biggest show of the year. The match card is filled out and our staff of learned blowhards will give their best guess on who is going to emerge victorious this weekend.
But instead of doing this all in one post and giving you a wall of text and 3,000 words to read through, we'll give the top five matches their own post then cover the undercard.
Got it? Good. Up next:
Brock Lesnar vs. Dean Ambrose
(Street Fight)
Geno Mrosko: The Wyatt Family is probably going to go sticking their nose where it doesn't belong... actually, it probably does belong, I just don't want them involved in this. The story is too pure. This is the basic storytelling we should long for. A man, who has hit rock bottom, who has stared death in the face and didn't let it change him, is going to enter the cage with a ferocious beast in a vain attempt to prove he can do the impossible. He can't. We know he can't. But damn it, we want to believe he can, because he has hit rock bottom, because he has stared death in the face, and he's still standing, he's still pushing forward. WIN DEAN WIN.
Pick: Dean Ambrose
Sean Rueter: If ain't broke, don't fix it. And this story has been as solid as it's been basic for months now. Force of nature vs. man too tough/crazy to care he's gonna get chewed up and spit out by said force of nature. The trick will be to make it something other than a carbon copy of Brock's match with Roman at 31, but I think that's the right formula... except with lots of plunder to make up for the fact Dean's not the athlete Reigns or Lesnar is. This is one match I could see ending inconclusively, as they've made a point of reminding us of each man's history with the Wyatts, but I hope not. Either man winning via Bray-ference or a non-finish with both guys uniting to stop the Family does a disservice to how Lesnar and Ambrose have gotten their beef over with fans. Go crazy, have Dean pass out rather than tap out and let Brock lift his arm in a show of respect. Solid, and basic.
Pick: Brock Lesnar
Bill Hanstock: The backstory for this match has been nearly flawless. Ambrose wants to prove he has what it takes (and prove how insane he is) by taking on the beast incarnate. He's been visited by the ghosts of hardcore legends past, who have bestowed upon him their familiars. The only problem with this is, Dean definitely has to use a chainsaw in this match now, right? You can't introduce an actual, literal chainsaw and then not pay it off. Pray for everyone involved in this match. This is going to be one of the wildest brawls we've ever seen. And considering the brawls that both Lesnar and Ambrose have been involved in the past few years, that's really saying something. Ultimately, I believe this might end up being the match of the night. I also think it's going to have a bit of an unsatisfying finish, as I expect Bray Wyatt and/or the Wyatt Family to get involved, pick a fight with Lesnar and ultimately (perhaps without Dean's knowledge) help Ambrose pick up the win.
Pick: Dean Ambrose
Cain A. Knight: So WWE sort of has to follow through and give us that moment where Dean Ambrose looks under the ring for a weapon and pulls out a chainsaw, right? This is a very intriguing match because Dean Ambrose is the hottest star on the roster right now yet he never wins the big match. A big win over Lesnar could wipe away the reputation of Dean Ambrose as the Cincinnati Bengals. But Brock Lesnar is always protected in defeat; he has never been pinned since conquering Undertaker's streak two years ago. Is Dean Ambrose the right guy to give that pin to? I don't know the answer to that question, but this match looks like it could be a hell of a fun time regardless of the who wins. This is a street fight so I hope Brock Lesnar is wearing street fight jeans. The no-DQ nature of the rules also means that Bray Wyatt could show up to play a significant role in the finish, as he probably has some unfinished business with Lesnar. But for now WWE seems pretty happy building Dean up as the next Mick Foley or Terry Funk type of character, and that probably means they think he retains his momentum even in defeat.
Pick: Brock Lesnar
Kyle Decker: I really really wanted to pick Dean Ambrose. I even had it half written out. But I just couldn't convince myself. I wanted to believe that they were ready to cement Ambrose as a main event player and what better way to make him by putting him over Lesnar in a barbaric match. Being realistic stopped me though. In the end, it's Lesnar and he just doesn't lose. If they want to make Dean Ambrose a major main eventer, they could that even if Ambrose doesn't win. Dean can look like a superstar despite losing. However, any loss for Brock will slightly weaken his stature as a beast. And WWE has no desire to weaken Brock Lesnar in order to keep him as the special attraction he is. I'd love to be wrong here though.
Pick: Brock Lesnar
That's what we think. How about you?
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Previous predictions
- Intercontinental championship ladder match
- Triple H vs. Roman Reigns
- Undertaker vs. Shane McMahon