WrestleMania 28 Preview and Predictions

Welcome to my WrestleMania 28 preview. I am going to give my thoughts about all of the scheduled matches and also give my predictions (predicted winners in bold). I will list the matches in the order I think they will occur during the event.

Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus (World Heavyweight Championship Match)

I think this could be a good match. Daniel Bryan is one of my favorite wrestlers in the WWE and Sheamus is very popular right now so I think this could be one of the best matches of the night. I'm not expecting a classic, but it could be better than expected. It has been a long time since a Royal Rumble winner has won at WrestleMania and that streak ends tonight. Daniel Bryan has held the World Heavyweight Championship longer than I thought he would and I think he loses the title to Sheamus.

Cody Rhodes vs. Big Show (Intercontinental Championship Match)

This is another match that could be better than expected, but I don't think this match will be very enjoyable. It probably won't get more than five or six minutes. Cody Rhodes has been the Intercontinental Champion for 236+ days. I would like to see his reign continue. Big Show deserves to finally win at WrestleMania, but Cody Rhodes needs the win more. I'm picking Cody Rhodes to win.

Team Johnny (David Otunga, Drew McIntyre, Mark Henry, The Miz, Jack Swagger and Dolph Ziggler) vs. Team Teddy (Santino Marella, Zack Ryder, R-Truth, Kofi Kingston, The Great Khali and Booker T)

I'm not really excited about this match. I'm really amazed that Drew McIntyre is in this match. A few months ago, he was nowhere to be seen on WWE TV. Now, he is in a WrestleMania match. How did that happen? I'm happy for Drew because I think he could be a big star for the WWE if he ever gets a push. I'm not sure who will win this match. Many people assume it will be Team Johnny, but I'm not so sure. Johnny Ace is more interesting than Teddy Long, but I wonder if Johnny's TV role is interfering too much with his real role as Executive Vice President of Talent Relations. Also, a loss for Team Johnny doesn't mean he will be gone forever. I can see Johnny finding ways to stay on TV even if he isn't the general manager of RAW anymore. I don't want to see more of Teddy Long, but who says Teddy Long will be the GM of both RAW and Smackdown if he wins? Maybe, he will give the RAW GM job to someone else like Triple H or Mick Foley. I'm picking Team Johnny to win, but I won't be surprised at all if Team Teddy wins. I don't expect Team Johnny to win cleanly. I'm expecting a controversial finish.

CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho (WWE Championship Match)

This should be a great match. CM Punk is my favorite WWE Superstar and despite his mediocre return, Chris Jericho is probably my second favorite. I'm very interested in seeing who wins this match because the next Pay-Per-View is Extreme Rules and I will be attending that PPV. I think there's a good chance there will be a rematch at the next PPV but who will be the WWE Champ? It looks like Jericho asked for a WWE Championship match at WrestleMania in his contract, but did he also ask for a WrestleMania win? Jericho has never won the WWE Championship at WrestleMania. He retained the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 26. However, WrestleMania history says that heels don't win World Championship matches at WrestleMania. They are allowed to retain championships, but they never win if they are the challenger. I'm not sure if a heel has ever won a World Championship at WrestleMania. Stone Cold turned heel and won the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 17, but he was a face when the match started and he was in his home state of Texas so nobody booed. Some people think Jericho will win so CM Punk can win the title back at Extreme Rules in his hometown, but Punk has already won the WWE Championship in his hometown (Money in the Bank 2011). I think CM Punk will win and retain his WWE Championship.

Randy Orton vs. Kane

This should be a good match, but I'm not very excited about this match. A recent Extreme Rules commercial I saw suggested that this feud will continue at Extreme Rules. I think Kane wants to defeat Randy Orton and a loss at WrestleMania would mean Kane would want a rematch so I think Randy Orton will win this match.

Triple H vs. The Undertaker w/ Special Guest Referee Shawn Michaels (Hell in a Cell Match)

I wish this match wasn't Hell in a Cell. No one will fall off the cell, there won't be any blood, and it won't be very violent so this match could end up being an epic disappointment. I wish this match was more unpredictable. I want to think that Shawn Michaels will screw The Undertaker so Triple H can win which will led to DX returning but this time as heels. However, I don't think that's going to happen. If anyone ends The Undertaker's undefeated streak at WrestleMania, it shouldn't be Triple H. Most people think there is a 0% chance Triple H wins. I think there is a 10% chance Triple H wins because he's the COO of the company and I think he's a selfish person who cares more about his legacy than what's good for business. I actually wouldn't be upset if Triple H wins, but I think The Undertaker will win.

Beth Phoenix & Eve vs. Kelly Kelly & Maria Menounos

Maria Menounos is 2-0 in the WWE and celebrities usually win at WrestleMania. I think Kelly Kelly and Maria Menounos will win.

The Rock vs. John Cena

Finally...this match is going to happen. This match was announced a year ago, but I have been waiting longer than that for this match. This has been a dream match for me ever since 2008 when I started watching wrestling again. This is another Rock vs. Hogan match. Last time, Hogan was the returning legend and The Rock was the Top Face of the WWE. This time, The Rock is the returning legend and Cena is the Top Face of the WWE. The crowd atmosphere should be amazing and the fact that WrestleMania is in Rock's hometown makes the match even more interesting. I think many people assume Cena will win, but I'm not so sure. This is not exactly the same as Rock vs. Hogan. The Rock was a lot younger than Cena is right now and Hogan was a lot older than The Rock is right now. The Rock is 39 years old and Cena is 34 years old. The Rock looks like he is in great shape. John Cena has won the WWE Championship more times than The Rock, but there was a lot more talent in The Rock's era. There is no guarantee that Cena will win this match just because Cena is the active WWE Superstar and The Rock is the "visitor". When Hulk Hogan made his brief return to the WWE, he defeated Triple H, Randy Orton, and Shawn Michaels. People say Cena will win because Cena will continue to be a full-time WWE Superstar after WrestleMania and The Rock is going back to Hollywood. First of all, I think The Rock will continue to be involved in the WWE after WrestleMania...it just won't be full-time. Second, people have a short memory because CM Punk was leaving the WWE after Money in the Bank 2011 and CM Punk became the WWE Champion after defeating Cena. CM Punk didn't leave, but the fans didn't know that at the time and The Rock isn't leaving either. The Rock will be back and he won't wait seven years this time. I think The Rock and John Cena will face each other again in the future. John Cena will defeat The Rock, but I don't think it will happen tonight. I am picking The Rock to win at WrestleMania 28.

I am going to try to watch WrestleMania live tonight. If I do, it will be the first time I have ever watched an entire WrestleMania live. Assuming I do see WrestleMania tonight, I will try to write a review next week.