WrestleMania 37 Night Two: Picks And Predictions

Happy WrestleMania Day, part two!

The Grandest Stage of ’em all, The Showcase of the Immortals, The event where moments are timeless, legends are cemented and boyhood/girlhood dreams come true…surely you’ve heard all of this before, but they all pale in comparison when you hear those monikers again.

This is what pro-wrestling fans of all affiliations, all ethnicities, and walks of life look forward to all year. Since 1985, wrestling’s greatest spectacle, the “Super Bowl” of the sport, and ender to all major feuds usually occur once a year on a one-night-only basis. But since last year, things have been anything but normal from the perspective of a regular ‘Mania period.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic struck down all normalcy (at least, how we know it) on March 10, 2020, there hadn’t been any live fans at a main-roster show in 397 days.

Last night at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, that finally changed.

25,675 eager WWE fans sounded like a sold-out crowd as they packed Raymond James Stadium ahead of night one of WrestleMania 37. (Connor Casey/ComicBook.com)

For the first time in over a year, 25,000+ rowdy members of the WWE Universe rejoiced and filled Raymond James Stadium on the first of two nights at WrestleMania, and the performers backstage couldn’t be more eager to hear their joyous cheers and the ravenous chorus of Boos raining down from their patrons.

Last night’s first half of the pro wrestling’s grandest showcase was as historic as it was awe-inspiring, and hearing 25,000+ scream at the top of their lungs (with masks on, of course) and just enjoy a wrestling show had to be one of the most cathartic processes for fans both in the stands and at home. The card was exceptional from top to bottom, and fans left Raymond James Stadium overtly satisfied with the finish of night one as well.

As we predicted, Bianca Belair walked into RJS as a challenger and walked out as a first-time champion in WWE. From Cesaro and Seth Rollins putting on a technical classic, Bad Bunny putting on what was probably the greatest celebrity match of all time to Bobby Lashley surprisingly defending his WWE Championship by incapacitating Drew McIntyre for the show’s opener, night one was one for the books.

But now for the second and final night of ‘Mania 37. We’ll get into that and more as we break down and give our official SneakerReporter predictions for the second night of pro wrestling’s most grandiose spectacle, kicking off at 8 p.m./7 p.m. ET on the Peacock Network

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Singles Match: Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn (w/ Jake Paul as Manager)

WWE

As for another celebrity-involved match on the card for night two of WrestleMania 37, Kevin Owens battles his best friend of over 20 years in Sami Zayn in what’s sure to be a spot-filled war that touches all levels of technicality, brutality, and a hint of recall from their feuds back to their NXT and Ring Of Honor days.

There aren’t many performers that know each other inside and out like how Zayn and Owens do, and for what’s to be another chapter in the friendship and rivalry between two future Hall of Famers, their first singles match at a WrestleMania against each other will do everything but disappoint.

We live in the age of information, and misinformation, during this upheaval of digital transformation of the world around us, and to some, equality and a world without injustice cannot be reached if there is a clear-cut conspiracy against those who cry out against it. Through near-falls, broken-up pins, and a stolen Intercontinental Championship, Sami Zayn had been left with no other choice but to dismantle the supremacy from orchestrators beyond his control by breaking ground with a controversial documentary to show the truth.

One SmackDown a few weeks ago, Kevin Owens’ signature “KO Show” featured Zayn on the segment, and after an unsuccessful effort to pry Owens’ eyes open to the uncomfortable truth, the rivalry was renewed. Zayn believes he and his old friend could have ruled WWE had they fully grasped the power to change the narrative, but at WrestleMania, where the borderline maniacal Kevin Owens shines, they will settle their long-simmering differences in the ring for yet another time.

This match is going to be a really fun watch and should go around 15-20 minutes. And since Jake Paul is involved in this feud, a bunch of stunners and helluva kicks will be handed out between the two in the ring and Paul on the outside. More than likely, Owens should win this match and cease the conspiracy-spewing that Zayn has done for months.

And maybe, juuuuuuust maybe, Kevin Owens might find a way to dive off the large ship part of the WrestleMania stage.

Prediction: Kevin Owens def. Sami Zayn via pinfall.

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Nigerian Drum Fight For The Intercontinental Championship: Apollo Crews vs. (C) Big E

WWE

From a storytelling standpoint on multiple aspects, this is one of the most developed WrestleMania storylines in recent memory.

It all started with a Lumberjack Match between Big E and “Mr. Conspiracy” himself Sami Zayn, and with the help of a Crews (who was drafted to SmackDown weeks prior to the match), Zayn was picked up by the former champion and thrown back into the ring, not allowed to escape any further as Big E planted Zayn with a Big Ending to win his 2nd Intercontinental Title.

Once friends at one point, Crews attempted to inquire about a potential match against Big E, since he wouldn’t have that title without him. E obliged, and they had a series of matches against each other, in which all wouldn’t go his way at all.

Growing discontent and rejections from wished chances after chances got under the former United States Champion’s skin and following some “advice” from the likes of Roman Reigns and his special counsel of Paul Heyman, the nice guy facade was dropped, and the advantageous side of Apollo Crews came out, first trying to assault E by dropping steel steps on him while he was injured ringside, and in future occasions, try to attack the Intercontinental Champion when he least suspected it.

Now, for their match at Mania. At first, the Intercontinental Champion scored a win over Crews at WWE FastLane, but the former champ unveiled his true Nigerian warrior personality, unleashing not just a new accent but fury on his opponent with a brutal post-match beatdown.

As this feud grew more intense, it was Apollo that came out and proposed a Nigerian Drum Fight, details of which are to be determined tonight.

But per Crews’ words, it is

“An ancient duel created by my ancestors for those that were wronged with the chance to make it right, and it has no rules, no limitations, but just a beating so loud that it sounds like a drum. And there, all of Apollo’s family there with the spirits watching will drum along to the sounds of Big E’s bones cracking from my fists.”

Sounds…interesting.

We’ll know soon enough if Big E can rise to the challenge of the vicious tactics, or succumb to the painful implications of this new match. Seeing as how much creative wants to develop Big E even more into a potential challenger for the Universal Title someday, it makes sense if they see the heel go over at ‘Mania to make his character look even stronger.

Prediction: Apollo Crews def. (C) Big E, wins first ever Intercontinental Championship.

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Singles Match (Or Not?): The Fiend (W/Alexa Bliss as Manager) vs. Randy Orton

WWE

Mind games are the story, and like every ‘Mania that dabbles in the field of the supernatural, the scary vibes return and will play out in front of live fans at a WrestleMania for the first time since 2018.

Randy Orton isn’t happy about the fact that the Fiend basically no-sold being burned alive back in last December’s TLC PPV, as the entity of Bray Wyatt startlingly returned at last month’s FastLane.

And while there was no conceivable way of knowing whether or not he would ever be seen again after The Viper sadistically set him on fire back at WWE TLC. I t was only a matter of time before Alexa Bliss’s forebodings came true as she began to alert Orton of his impending return.

From the demonic, twisted, and possessed mind of Alexa Bliss, to the unsettling unpredictability from the Fiend himself, Randy Orton will be in a battle and war of survival with the reanimated Fiend at The Grandest Stage of them All, pitched forth by the new Fiend at the ensuing Raw after FastLane.

Will Orton fall prey to the ghoulish onslaught from the Fiend inside the squared circle, as Bray Wyatt’s soul will have its vindication from Randy Orton imploding the Wyatt Family and his loss to Orton at WrestleMania 33, or will the Viper finally put this chapter of his illustrious career, and the Fiend itself, to eternal rest?

For the first time in this renewed feud, there won’t be any type of cinematic magic in use popularized by the effects of the ThunderDome, since fans will be present to see every camera change and movement. So, if this becomes a matter of a straight match, it will likely follow the path of Wyatt and Orton’s match at ‘Mania in 2017, which Orton won. The same booking decision won’t happen this time around, however, as the Fiend will likely look like that strong, unstoppable Demigod here and go over. A series of Orton sending RKO’s will be followed by a Sister Abigail and mandible claw from The Fiend, who will win the match by rendering the 14-time champ unconscious.

Prediction: The Fiend (W/ Alexa Bliss as Manager) def. Randy Orton via submission.

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Raw Women’s Championship Singles Match: Rhea Ripley vs. (C) Asuka

WWE

Talk about a battle of NXT Legends!

And on the Grandest Stage of Them All, The Empress vs. The Nightmare? Take my money!

Rhea Ripley finally turned up on Raw to make a comment by challenging Asuka to a match for the Raw Women’s Championship at WrestleMania after weeks of videos announcing her arrival, and after a series of challengers stepped up and were told to step aside due to circumstances out of their control, here we are. It will be the former NXT Champion and breakout star, the Nightmare Rhea Ripley, doing battle with the current Raw Women’s Champion and The Empress of Tomorrow Asuka for the second of three women’s title matches at the Showcase of the Immortals.

Following Charlotte Flair and Lacey Evans’ self-imposed disqualification from the Women’s title picture at ‘Mania, in came the new Raw call-up from Full Sail’s NXT in Ripley, who on her first night on the main roster, proposed the challenge of a title shot at WrestleMania, the second time she’d do so in her career — the first being her challenging Charlotte Flair as the then NXT Women’s Champion and subsequently losing to the Queen during last year’s fanless Wrestlemania 36.

Now, a stronger and more experienced Ripley is calling her shot at the indomitable Asuka, who much like Ripley, has an extensive track record from her days as an undefeated champion at NXT but has yet to win at ‘Mania. Ripley, on the other hand, will contend for the Raw Women’s Championship against Asuka inside Raymond James Stadium, as she was scheduled to do so against Charlotte Flair this time last year.

One question remains though: since we know the Nightmare to be as dominant as they come…is she ready for Asuka?

Short answer – yes.

Though Asuka is looking for her first win at the show of shows, she’s getting older and is more dead-set on putting over younger stars so they can get their shine in front of thousands in stadium seats and millions at home. Therefore, this match will feature a blend of two different styles – that being Ripley using her size to her advantage and Asuka using high-flying mechanics and speed. Knowing how professional they both work, they’ll make this look seamless for what should be a good 15-minute battle. But ultimately, Rhea Ripley will win her second piece of championship gold by hitting Asuka with a RipTide in the middle of the ring, rolling Asuka over, and getting the three-count.

Prediction: Rhea Ripley def. (C) Asuka via pinfall, wins first ever Raw Women’s Championship.

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United States Championship – Singles Match: Sheamus vs. (C) Riddle

WWE

On recurring episodes of Monday Night Raw, Riddle’s calm and joyful championship vibes collided with Sheamus’ volatile anger, and the two in-ring brawlers will fight for the United States Championship at WrestleMania in what should be one of the cleanest matches on the card.

Following his successful win of the US title in, first a triple-threat No. 1 contender’s match with John Morrison and Mustafa Ali and then a massive victory over Bobby Lashley at February’s Elimination Chamber PPV, Riddle has been living the “High Life”, if you will, in his first singles title reign in WWE. The King of Bros trots his flip-flops, giving virtual fist-pounds to the onlookers inside the ThunderDome, and often pops into conversations between other superstars and factions to talk about his many stories and friends not involved in the business. Did I mention he even named the Eagle on the US Title “Travis”?

An easy-going fellow that Riddle is, while his opponent tonight is anything but. The Celtic Warrior Sheamus is fuming after a brutal loss to former best friend Drew McIntyre at last month’s FastLane in a destructive Falls Count Anywhere match that literally made the ThunderDome look as if a bomb went off in the building. He wasn’t in the best of moods following his loss, and after the scooter-ing Riddle plucked the wrong feathers with his naturally playful persona, the feud between both strikers was born.

The Celtic Warrior’s United States Title intentions were made clear after a vicious beatdown of The Original Bro with his own scooter on Raw, and a punishing victory over the champion on the subsequent episode a week later made them even clearer. Sheamus wants to become a three-time United States Champion, while Riddle wants to cement his place on Raw by defeating one of the show’s most experienced Superstars.

This match will be hard-hitting and expect a flurry of stiffs to be thrown out occasionally. The best part about this match is that it feels like a knockdown, drag-out fight, and Sheamus and Riddle cannot wait to tell a story of ferocity and who can outlast the other. Sheamus has had a reputation of giving a lot of top guys their matches of the year as the self-proclaimed ThunderDome MVP”, and quite honestly, he’s not wrong. The Irish brawler is the more experienced one here, and though it makes sense for Riddle to get the nod, Sheamus deserves to have gold around his waist and have his hand raised at yet another WrestleMania.

Prediction: Sheamus def. (C) Riddle, becomes three-time United States Champion.

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Women’s Tag Team Championship – Tag Match: Natalya/Tamina Snuka vs (C) Nia Jax/Shayna Baszler

WWE

As a result of last night’s Tag Team Turmoil match, Natalya and Tamina outlasted four other teams and advanced to Night Two of WrestleMania 37 to face the Tag Team Champions of the Irresistible Force Nia Jax and the Queen of Spades and Submission Magician Shayna Baszler.

The “BOAT” herself, Natalya, and the daughter of the great Jimmy “Superfly Snuka, Tamina, earned the right to challenge Shayna Baszler & Nia Jax for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships after defeating Naomi & Lana, Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke, The Riott Squad, and Carmella & Billie Kay in a Tag Team Turmoil Match on Night 1 of WrestleMania. Fresh off their momentum that’s been built for the last few weeks, Natalya and Tamina were easily the most dominant Tag Team in that match last night, and they’re looking to bring that same intensity tonight against a team they know all too well.

Two cousins in Tamina and Nia Jax will be squaring off tonight, while Natalya and Shayna Baszler have individually held singles gold at one point in their time with WWE. Natalya, a former SmackDown Women’s Champion back in 2017, and Baszler, a former NXT Women’s Champion in 2018.

However, with all the accolades that all four women have acquired in the WWE, Natalya and Tamina have recently taken their relationship to a new level, believing they do not get the respect they deserve. Natalya is technically the winningest woman’s performer in the company’s history, and Snuka has been an overwhelming threat that’s never gotten her just due.

But do they, on the other hand, have what it takes to defeat the dominant duo of The Queen of Spades and The Irresistible Force? That answer will be found out, though, in the necessity of building up both shows’ Women’s division and the tag teams within them, Jax and Baszler could likely be heading toward a feud after this match concludes.

This could mean that some wacky ending with Carmella’s former Sommelier Reginald could make a critical error and cost them the titles, or, potentially by either Shayna or Nia’s own doing, the Tag Titles could be dropped with their somewhat volatile pairing reaching its breaking point at the Showcase of the Immortals. But, the underlying main point here would be to give the tenured duo of Natalya and Tamina their own WrestleMania moment by either of them pinning the champs for the Tag Titles.

Prediction: Natalya and Tamina def. (C) Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler, win first ever Tag Team Championship.

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WWE Universal Championship – Triple Threat Match: Daniel Bryan vs. Edge vs. (C) Roman Reigns

WWE

It’s time for the main event of WrestleMania 37.

Had you asked any fan of WWE that if they could fathom the mere thought of a man who had triple-fusion neck surgery with the rest of his career in doubt, another man with concussion history so disheartening and capable of ending his livelihood had he competed in another match, and a man who had to battle leukemia and essentially be told his chances of returning to the ring being slim to none, that all three of those men would be headlining WrestleMania 37 in arguably the most anticipated title match in the past decade…you’d think of that question as hogwash.

In the words of the great Muhammad Ali, Impossible is nothing.

This road to WrestleMania for three surefire Hall of Famers started way before the clock struck 12 on New Year’s Day. It’s been a bumpy one where there wasn’t quite an end to an extensive tunnel, but that light was reached by the likes of the Tribal Chief Roman Reigns, the leader of the Yes! Movement Daniel Bryan, and the 2021 Men’s Royal Rumble winner and the Rated-R Superstar Edge, as all three will participate in the most epic three-way battle of the year.

In his triumphant return back to the ring in last year’s Rumble on January 26, 2020, it was beyond belief that Edge, one of the most decorated and prolific superstars in all of pro wrestling’s long history, was ever to return to a wrestling ring. Until his music hit and he did.

After eliminating a litany of superstars and Randy Orton included, Edge finalized the last chapter between he and Orton at last year’s WrestleMania and BackLash PPVs. The Rated-R Superstar split the series against Orton and didn’t see a ring until the Royal Rumble of this year due to a torn tricep. But after entering No. 1 and outlasting 29 other worthy men, the Ultimate Opportunist and co-creator of the Five-second pose kicked adversity in the rear and won his second Royal Rumble, earning him a title shot of his choice at WrestleMania, where he’s only lost twice in his career.

The man he initially thought he was going to face was none other than The Tribal Chief and Head of the Table Roman Reigns, no longer under the babyface moniker of “The Big Dog.” Now more focused and intent on supplanting his rightful place atop the hierarchy of the WWE food chain, he sought the counsel of the always insidious-but-genius Paul Heyman and got a Universal Title out of it, which has been on his waist since SummerSlam of 2020.

And then came along a little Daniel Bryan, with that big old heart of a lion he has. Daniel knows that Father Time isn’t on his side when it comes to staying competitive, for more reasons than just his health.

As a matter of fact, today is his and Brie Bella’s seventh anniversary, and as his two kids get older and his age increases, his time in the ring decrease by the day, hour, and minute. There is a serious possibility that this could be Daniel Bryan’s last WrestleMania…ever.

But as the saying goes, if you’re going to go out, at least go down swinging. But in the eyes of a man who’s already 1.) defied every doctor that said he’d never compete again, 2.) outlast the entire locker room during a gauntlet match on SmackDown and five other men inside the unforgiving chain mail of the Elimination Chamber to earn a title shot on the same night, and 3.) scratch, claw, and fight to get his one final WrestleMania moment.

The last time he had one of those, you ask? Try the main event of WrestleMania 30, where he not only loosened the goliath-like grip of the Authority but defeated both Randy Orton and Batista to become the WWE World Heavyweight Champion on the magical night of April 6, 2014.

The stories told in this gargantuan main event exclaim themselves. From Edge literally competing for the Universal Championship on the exact day of when he had to retire in front of 30,000+ 10 years ago, to the tale of Roman Reigns, who couldn’t compete at last year’s Mania as a health precaution, considering he was high-risk as a patient that was still finishing up his chemotherapy treatment, and to Edge, who a few years ago was one back bump away from paralysis…it is simply phenomenal what these titans of the sports entertainment business have overcome on their roads back to the Grandaddy of ’em All.

So as this match goes, it’s too hard to even predict the “right” finish, because not one man can really afford to lose with all of the hype and momentum built up for each participant.

Roman is on the best run of his career since his return to WWE last summer, and the Tribal Chief character is beyond over. For the first time in over seven years, Roman is getting constant praise and cheers for his best character work yet.

Daniel Bryan is, arguably, the most beloved babyface ever, and for returning fans who would love to leave ‘Mania happy and see Bryan pull off yet another heroic feat before he rides off into the sunset.

And then there’s Edge, one of the greatest workers, most recognizable faces, and in-depth characters to ever set foot inside a ring. And he’d like nothing more than to recapture his 12th world title on the 10-year anniversary of his retirement.

You simply cannot go wrong with whatever you pick, but our job is to pick a winner, and that man will be…

*drumroll*

None other than the Tribal Chief Roman Reigns, who is the youngest guy that’s here for the long run as both Edge and Bryan are counting down the months and maybe years until permanent retirement. After a wild sequence filled with spears and yes locks, Daniel Bryan will be the one to take the fall, but by an intimidating guillotine at the hands of Reigns.

Prediction: (C) Roman Reigns def. Daniel Bryan, Edge, retains Universal Championship.

(Photo Source: WrestlingNews.co)