The best spectacle in sports activities leisure has arrived. After months of buildup and storylines all funneling towards this weekend, it is time to attain a boiling level as WrestleMania 39 kicks off inside SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The 2-night occasion kicks off on Saturday with a slew of intriguing matches.
Evening 1 of WrestleMania 39 is presently set to characteristic seven matches, starting from a conflict between father and son, to a social media celebrity battling probably the greatest wrestlers of his era, to a long-awaited showdown for the undisputed tag staff championships. There’s one thing for wrestling followers of all tastes on the cardboard, together with John Cena’s return to the ring as he takes on Austin Concept for the US championship.
However that is not the match most individuals are tuning in for. That belongs to the epic tag staff title match set between undisputed titleholders The Usos and the staff of Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens. Zayn had been intertwined in The Bloodline story for months as he grew to become an “Honorary Uce” whereas betraying Owens, however issues modified on the Royal Rumble when Zayn lastly turned on Roman Reigns and set off the chain of occasions resulting in this wild matchup between the 4 males.
With such an enormous card forward, CBS Sports activities’ wrestling specialists have taken a glance up and down the cardboard to supply predictions for each match on Saturday’s card. Let’s check out the best way we predict issues will play out at Evening 1 of WrestleMania 39.
WrestleMania 39 Evening 1 predictions
Undisputed Tag Group Championship — The Usos (c) vs. Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn
WWE must be trying to take all titles off The Bloodline at WrestleMania. It makes for one of the best story and rewards the babyfaces who’ve gotten extremely over with followers in latest months. Which means placing Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn over on Evening 1. Zayn has been red-hot due to the thriving story of his involvement with, and eventual break from, The Bloodline. WWE could not pull the set off on placing the undisputed WWE common championship on Zayn proper earlier than WrestleMania, however they’ll reward his work by placing the tag titles on him and his greatest good friend. Hopefully this match is the beginning of WWE shifting to the post-championship stage of The Bloodline story. Choose: Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn win the titles — Brent Brookhouse (additionally Shakiel Mahjouri)
SmackDown Girls’s Championship — Charlotte Aptitude (c) vs. Rhea Ripley
Ripley earned the title shot by successful the Royal Rumble, as was the expectation heading into the occasion. Difficult Aptitude is sensible, given the historical past between the 2, however it’s an odd transfer as Judgement Day has been a Uncooked staple for the reason that group’s inception. The ladies have not gotten a lot of a construct heading into WrestleMania, however the match ought to ship stable motion. The best transfer right here is to place the belt on Ripley and let her have one other go at a run with a significant championship. Choose: Rhea Ripley wins the title — Brookhouse (additionally Mahjouri)
United States Championship — Austin Concept (c) vs. John Cena
The construct to this match has been so poor that I am hesitant to choose Concept, however I am undecided the place you go along with Cena as champion contemplating his hefty Hollywood schedule. This now not appears like a passing of the torch second, so an affordable end in Concept’s favor feels just like the most secure means out. Cena has additionally expressed remorse over derailing the Nexus’ white-hot run in 2010. It is a vastly totally different state of affairs, however I’ve a hunch that Cena would really feel higher elevating superstars at this stage in his profession. Search for Concept to win through shenanigans. Choose: Austin Concept retains the title — Mahjouri (additionally Brookhouse)
Seth Rollins vs. Logan Paul
Paul has confirmed that he will be half of an excellent match given the correct quantity of preparation. There isn’t any cause to assume that will not be the case once more in opposition to Rollins, a confirmed high-level expertise. Rollins ought to get the win right here if for no different cause than it advantages him excess of Paul, who’s a particular attraction no matter wins or losses. Rollins has been on the shedding finish of the build-up to the match, which additionally suggests he ought to get the momentum again by choosing up a win right here and staying a relevent participant on the high finish of the cardboard. Choose: Seth Rollins wins — Brookhouse (additionally Mahjouri)
Trish Stratus, Lita & Becky Lynch vs. Harm CTRL
I’m in favor of the established faction in Harm CTRL getting the win over a made lady in Becky Lynch and two part-time Corridor of Famers. The issue is that Harm CTRL has been booked terribly inconsistently and has typically been on the shedding finish of their exchanges with the tag champs and Stratus. All of which means that Harm CTRL will most certainly win at WrestleMania, however I am pushing again in opposition to that. Until there are concrete, long-term plans to make Harm CTRL a dominant power popping out of WrestleMania, what is the level? Would possibly as effectively put a smile on followers’ faces. Choose: Trish Stratus, Lita & Becky Lynch win — Mahjouri (additionally Brookhouse)
Rey Mysterio vs. Dominik Mysterio
The good choice is Rey successful as he has been pushed too far by his son and can be going to be contemporary off an induction into the WWE Corridor of Fame. However, talking as a father, it is laborious to think about a dad not wanting his child to get a win on a stage this huge. It is also very straightforward to see how a lot the win may benefit Dominik’s character shifting ahead. Rey is bulletproof and shedding to his child for the great of that child’s profession makes an excessive amount of sense. Choose: Dominik Mysterio wins — Brookhouse
It was so satisfying to see Rey lastly clock his bratty, punk child and WrestleMania ought to supply extra of the identical. I used to be initially inclined to provide the youthful Mysterio the rub, particularly contemplating that the masked man’s profession is winding down. Wanting again on the feud, Dominik has gotten the higher of his father so many instances and it simply does not really feel proper to have Rey lose in spite of everything of that. Dominik remains to be very younger and has grown leaps-and-bounds in his new position. A loss to his father, arguably the best luchador in historical past, will not undo his progress. Choose: Rey Mysterio wins — Mahjouri
Braun Strowman & Ricochet vs. The Road Earnings vs. Alpha Academy vs. The Viking Raiders
These groups are in a bizarre predicament. They’ve all been introduced comparatively effectively on tv, maybe except Alpha Academy, however are typically used as fodder to the highest stars. Road Earnings are essentially the most established of the WWE groups, but it surely nonetheless appears like a short lived break up is on the horizon. Strowman and Ricochet have stumbled upon one thing attention-grabbing with their time-tested huge man, small man dynamic. They’ve had persistently sturdy showings on SmackDown. Ricochet is an exceptional expertise between the ropes and Strowman is simply too bodily imposing to undergo frequent losses. Braun Strowman & Ricochet win — Mahjouri (additionally Brookhouse)