Wrestlemania 34 is expected to have 14 matches, the most since wrestlemania 7 which had 15 matches. Right now the card is:
- Universal Title Match: Lesnar vs Reigns
- WWE Championship: AJ Styles vs Nakamura
- IC Title: Miz vs Rollins vs Balor
- US Title: Orton vs Roode vs Jinder vs Rusev
- Raw Women’s Title: Bliss vs Nia Jax
- SD Women’s Title: Charlotte vs Asuka
- Raw Tag Title: The Bar vs Braun and maybe a partner
- SD Tag Title: Usos vs New Day vs Bludgeon Brothers
- HHH & Stephanie vs Angle and Rousey
- Daniel Bryan & Shane vs Owns and Zayn
- Andre the Giant Battle Royal
- Women’s Battle Royal
- Cruiserweight Title: Cedric vs Mustafa
- And probably Cena vs Taker
John and Wai have already been speculating which matches are on the pre-show during their podcasts and I do think it’s a tough choice. In the Network era it seems like the actual Wrestlemania card typically has between 8-10 matches. So I expect between 4-6 matches to be on the pre-show. Which matches do you think make it?
Right now I think the following is on the pre-show
- Definitely the Cruiserweight Championship match
- SD Women’s Championship match between Bliss and Nia
- Andre the Giant Battle Royal
- SD Title match between Usos vs New Day vs Bludegon Bros - which is a shame because of the promo the Usos did about not making the wrestlemania main card.
- IC Title Miz vs Rollins vs Balor - Especially since this isn’t demon Balor.
Cruiserweight title, Andre & Womens battle royals and US Title.
There were three matches last year. I think 2 the year before. There’s no way they put rollins on pre show.
It’ll open with cruiser match, then men’s battle royal and end with us title four way.
If there is a fourth I see the sd tag match over tge ic match all day.
I listed out what I would like the show card to be.
PRESHOW
- Men’s Battle Royal
- Raw Tags (depending on partner)
- Raw Women’s Title (rather feature more Women on main show and give this more time on Preshow)
- CW Title (I wish this was on the main card to give it real importance)
MAIN CARD
- Women’s Battle Royal (I can see them really wanting to shine a light on the Women after this match’s initial setback)
- US Title
- Smackdown Tags
- IC Title
- Mixed Tag - HHH/Steph v Kurt/Rousey
- SD Women’s Title
- Tag - Shane/Bryan v KO/Sami
- Universal Title
- Cena v Taker
- SD Women’s Title
- AJ v Nakamura
Here’s how my lineup would look…
PRESHOW
- ATGMBR(Because who gives a shit about this match)
- US Title(I’m least interested in this match of everything)
- Womens Battle Royal(I dont think these battle royals deserve being on the main show)
- Cruiserweight Title(Give them the final spot, when the fans are almost all in)
MAIN CARD
- SD Tag Titles(Start off the show with what should be a pretty exciting and fun match)
- Raw Womens Title
- IC Title
- Tag- Bryan/Shane v KO/Sami
- WWE Title(I really dont think this should be the main event. I dont think the bulld deserves it and I think the fans will be hotter for it at this point.
- Raw Tag Titles
- Mixed Tag
- Cena v Taker
- SD Womens Title
- Universal Title
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There were only 3 preshow matches last year and two before, but there are one and two more matches this year total which is why I think that at least four will end up on the preshow. It’s also a two hour preshow they have to fill after all and one of those hours is on USA so there’s plenty of time for four matches.
And I agree that Rollins is a star but I think if you had to choose between the IC and US title match being put on the preshow that in WWE’s eyes Orton is the bigger star and will end up on the main show.
If you can’t fit 4 matches in a two hour pre-show than somebody needs to be fired backstage.
Here is a question: which match, if any, gets bumped outright? IF the Miz cannot be at the show due to the birth of his child, I could see Rollins and Finn bumped altogether, and then an epic match the night after on Raw in front of that crowd that is for the vacated IC title. Gosh it would suck for Finn to miss Mania, AGAIN
No matches will be bumped for time in the network era. They can go as long they want.
Not how i would book the show but how i think wwe will.
Pre Show. ( I Believe the 2 hour kick offs the big 4 only have 3 pre show matches 4 tops wont be any more then that)
1, Counterweight Championship
2. Man’s Battle Royal (however this might be a good break between two big matches later on and as much as we hate it we are going to get a 10 min to 15 min kid rock concert on the main show might use that as a ring entrance for everyone at least can’t do it with women again.)
2.5 IC title match (this is if don’t do battle royal i know Rollins on preshow but vince don’t care he will want Orton on the main show or Orton throws a stink)
3, Tag titles (I say Raw but depends who the partner is I guess)
Main Show
4, AJ Styles v. Nakamura (I know how can this be first typically WWE opens with the best hands and in brand split era a world champion has kicked off the show. Plus AJ injury might be too risky to end the show.)
5. US Title
6. Raw Women’s Title.
7, Tag Title (whatevers left over i am guessing Smackdown)
8. Daniel Bryan match
HOF break
9. Charlotte vs Asuka
Kid Rock Concert
10. Mans Battle Royal or IC title (whatever wasn’t used as the second pre show match)
11. Cena vs Taker
12. Womens Battle Royal
13. Universal Title
Attendance announcement thing thats 30 minutes long
14. hhh/steph vs. Rhonda angle (this match either will happen early on or will be the Main Event and it does have clout with the main stream I wouldn’t have it as the main event but with this as the Main Event WWE can say Women Have ended the show at mania. and oh look Steph was in it i doubt they will pass this opportunity up.
estimated time of show 7hr 49 min
Raw has to start at some point?!?!?
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The pre show is not really a pre show or like UFC Prelims it is like a UFC Countdown smushed with Prelims they will break down at least 11 main card matches show video packages usually the exact same ones that air on the ppv and then the panel discusses each match. I guess it will be different with the one hour being on the USA network that will be more match based or back stage promos. At least 2 matches will go on USA. Rollins vs Balor and hopefully the miz be big enough stars for USA but not big enough to hurt Mania.
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I watch with casual fans who get together for Mania Rumble and Summer Slam and occasionally pop in for any other show with a good match on the card (usually Brock or something of interest to them)
Last year 2 of the 5 guys l watch with left immediately after Brock and Goldberg and one didn’t even make it til then (he watches the Battle Royal as he had money on Mojo per my suggestion). For common fans or Mania only fans 2/3 hours of matches is too long! I don’t blame them although it bums me out in a way I’m disappointed in WWE for not fixing this problem. Give me a two day event, idc, but asking fans to sit 4-7 hours is brutal. If this was a Live show in TV the ratings decline would be worse than a 3 hour Raw heading into the Main Event
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Okay, so… If I were booking the show the US title four-way would absolutely be on the kickoff but I’m not and there’s no single possible way that Randy Orton ends up not on the main card. I also think that the women’s battle royal will be used to break up big matches later on the card and given as it’s the first year they’ve done it it’ll end up on the main card like the men’s one did. The men’s one is definitely on the kickoff, in the USA hour, being used to promote the HBO Andre doc - that’s a no brainer.
I also agree that there’s likely to be at least four matches on the preshow this year and having eliminated two of the most likely candidates that means that the cruisers will at least get thrown the bone of “main eventing” the kickoff on the USA hour to get the (by that time, pretty close to full) crowd warmed up for the opening match.
Fingers crossed the Usos don’t get put on the kickoff this year, especially after they made a point of saying they’ve never been on the main card but if Vince has a choice between the SmackDown tag and the RAW one ending up on the preshow, it’s the Usos doing that duty.
Looking at the full card now, I hate to say it (because it should be on the main card) but I can see the Bliss vs. Jax match being on there too.
There’s literally no version of this that makes me happy without Orton and Braun ending up on the kickoff because I don’t care about either of those matches and would be fine with them filling the first hour of the show while people very slowly file into the stadium.