Wrestlemania 40 Night 1 Predictions

The speaker talks about their experience attending WrestleMania 28 and how it still gives them a good feeling. They discuss upcoming matches for WrestleMania 40, including the Becky Lynch vs Rhea Ripley match for the WWE Women's World Championship. They predict that Rhea Ripley will win the match. They also discuss a six-pack ladder match for the undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship and predict that Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne will become the Smackdown tag team champions and The Miz and R-Truth will become the Raw tag team champions. I had the privilege to go to WrestleMania 28 with some of my best friends. The theme of that song, that theme of that WrestleMania was good feeling. We were in Miami, Florida and we got a chance to witness one of the most legendary hype matches of all time. The Rock versus John Cena. Here we are 12 years later and we still have that good feeling about this event that we know and we love what we call WrestleMania 40. What's good everyone? It's the Wild Sports Podcast. It's your boy Alvin Spain and all it is that weekend. It is that weekend, not even just that night, but it is that weekend that is simply known as WrestleMania weekend. Brother it is so exciting just to be a wrestling fan at this time and the card itself I've never seen it look so stacked literally from top to bottom. We're gonna go through both nights. We're gonna give you predictions, give you our thoughts on that night, but before we get into that I do want to share some other thoughts I have on other things that are happening WrestleMania weekend. Matches that are not specifically on the WrestleMania card and they actually start on Friday night and with Ring of Honor and I've talked about this in some of my other podcasts. I'm going to watch that for literally one match and that is Jay Briscoe, excuse me not Jay Briscoe, Mark Briscoe against Eddie Kingston for the Ring of Honor World Championship. On April the 5th 2013 Jay Briscoe became the Ring of Honor World Champion defeating somebody you may know and love as Kevin Owens, formerly known as Kevin Steen. And that night in that match Jay Briscoe fought the world to become the champion and it was such a great moment at Ring of Honor and of course Jay Briscoe passed away last year and now his brother Mark, 11 years to the day, will have an opportunity to make history tonight. He has never held a singles championship in Ring of Honor and he's got a chance to do it with one of his best friends and one of their best and one of his one of the best stories in Ring of Honor really in the world of wrestling quite some time in Eddie Kingston. I cannot wait for that match tonight because again you know we believe in sports it's about investment. I got to see the Briscoes all for the longest time all the way back in 2010 and I got to see Jay's rise to greatness with some of his best matches with Jay Lethal and Adam Cole and I cannot wait to see what happens with Mark Briscoe tonight and to see if he actually does fulfill his legacy and becomes the Ring of Honor World Heavyweight Champion. I am looking forward to that. I'm also looking forward to Saturday afternoon NXT Stand and Deliver Carmelo Hayes, Trick Williams. It's probably been NXT's best storytelling since the black and gold days with Ciampa and Gargano. This is going to be one of the best matches. I cannot wait to see it and Trick said it best on NXT. This is the first time two African-American males are headlining any weekend, any match, any night of wrestling during WrestleMania weekend and for that I cannot wait to see what they do. I think they're going to feel the show. NXT Stand and Deliver is shaping up to be a tremendous card. Super Card of Honor for Ring of Honor is standing up to be a tremendous show but today we talk about WrestleMania 40 and this card it looks like this could be the it is shaping up to be at least on paper the greatest WrestleMania of all time and I don't even think we mean that with any hyperbole or anything else like that. So without any further ado let's get started. We're going to we're going to go by what many people believe is the match order for both for both nights so we're going to just kick it off with the match that if this does kick off WrestleMania oh this is going to be a tremendous moment. It's going to be Becky Lynch versus Rhea Ripley for the WWE Women's World Championship. I love Rhea Ripley. She is the Wise Sports Podcast MVP for 2023. I don't know how memorable this championship reign outside of the champion itself and Rhea Ripley is quite frankly probably the best package we have especially in women's wrestling right now. Becky Lynch she is five or was it five years removed from headlining WrestleMania 35 with Charlotte Flair and Ronda Rousey for the WWE Women's Championship and Becky took it home. So what a what an unbelievable past five years takes. I think I've been looking forward to this matchup since I saw these two ladies staring down each other at Raw in a Raw of 2022 and the fact that we get to see this match between two of the most flamboyant two of the most popular superstars women superstars in the world I cannot wait for this matchup and I think it's so cool that it actually kicks off WrestleMania and a bit of a side note I really do love how opening matches are getting like the value and the treated you know there's a lot of value to kicking off a show like this and I tell you what if that does kick off WrestleMania you're not gonna find too many empty seats at this show because everybody wants to sit and watch this matchup. That being said I think for Rhea Ripley her championship reign has been has been good I don't know about great because it just there hasn't been a lot of people that she's been able to meet at her level. Becky Lynch is really one of those first stars that just feels like okay this is like a real legitimate match this feels like a real matchup for Rhea Ripley something that she quite frankly hasn't had since she defeated Charlotte Flair in WrestleMania 39 last year. My pick today my pick for this match I do pick Rhea Ripley I think they want to start to establish the strength of this women's championship and I think when you get to especially for somebody like Rhea who won it at a WrestleMania and if you can hold on to it and defend it past WrestleMania I think you get to really start to see the value and the true strength of championship reign. You saw Gunter have it last year hell we've seen Roman do it now for the last three years. Bianca Belair did it most recently when she won the championship in 38 against ironically Becky Lynch and defeated Asuka in that same championship reign. I think there's something about Rhea Ripley and as great as she is she needs this match just as much as Becky Lynch does and I think this is going to be a matchup that's going to be amazing. Just one thing about the man Becky Lynch she shows up and she shows out for WrestleMania. I go back to last that the match that she had in 38 against Bianca Belair which was just phenomenal. So all of that said I do pick Rhea Ripley I think she needs this just a little bit more than Becky Lynch but I think there's going to be something about this match that there's a little bit of a vibe of a Bret Hart Stone Cold Steve Austin where we could see a double turn because it's starting to become a little bit more apparent. The end of judgment day is coming sooner rather than later and I think if they want to break Rhea Ripley out to be coming one of the top faces not just in the women's division but of all all of the WWE I think it starts with this match here but I wouldn't be surprised if Becky Lynch kind of turned it up a notch and you know did something to make her self more of a stronger heel because I don't think because ironically enough especially on the Raw roster there's not a lot of matches for Becky Lynch or Rhea Ripley outside of each other so I wonder if they feel like it might be time to do a bit of a double turn double switch that's similar to what to what we saw at WrestleMania 13 but I'm going to be very interested in seeing this match and really the aftermath of this matches too but our official pick is going to be Rhea Ripley to retain and officially have a one-year reign as WWE Women's World Champion. It's ironic when she won the belt it was the Smackdown Women's Championship and now it's progressed to the WWE Women's World Championship. That takes us to the second match and a crazy match this is going to be a six-pack ladder match for the undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship featuring and let me get this out this is going to be a mouthful The Awesome Truth, Miz and R-Truth, The New Day, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods, A-Town Down Under, Austin Theory and Grayson Waller, The New Keck Republic, Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne, DIY, Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano challenging all challenging the Judgment Day who are both the Raw and Smackdown Tag Team Champions Finn Balor and Damian Priest now I think the way they're shaping this up they're going to have this the belt separated so it's not just going to be somebody pulling down all the all the Raw and Smackdown Tag Titles somebody could pull down the Raw Tag Title somebody can pull down the Smackdown Tag Title and I think they'll start to officially break that championship back up again um personally I always love the one champion but I understand especially if the WWE is trying to grow back that tag team division how both shows really do need that but what a great way if that is the case there's going to be a great way for the Unis you know Undisputed Tag Titles to go away in this great six-pack ladder match there's a lot of sentimental favorites to this um if you've got a chance to hear the top ten list Kofi Kingston is one of my favorites um especially from his match at WrestleMania 35 so I'll always think about The New Day in these type of situations I think I've got DIY this is their first WrestleMania and I didn't realize they've been in the company for over 10 years that that to me is almost astonishing to think that as well um the awesome truth our truth has been oh my god he's been as quiet as quiet as our truth can be of an MVP on Raw that could ever be so I think my official picks for this is I think we're going to see new tag team champions I think Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne will become the Smackdown tag team champions and I think the Miz and the awesome truth Miz and our truth become the WWE Raw tag team champions and please WWE if you're going to split these belts can we stop calling them the Raw tag team championship and the Smackdown tag team championship all that is that is so annoying if the belt split fine but please give them new nomenclatures because that Raw Smackdown thing is not going for me and plus and I don't think I really need to say this but change the belt design for the love of God if there's been nothing more simple more basic more ugly than the Raw and Smackdown tag team championship and somebody called out it looks like literally nickels on a blue strap and a red strap so Triple H you've been killing it lately and I believe I know you're going to do the right thing change the belt change the nomenclature of the belt and let us really kick off a new era in the tag division in the WWE with with proper championships so we believe the awesome truth will take the Raw Smack the Raw tag titles and we think the New Cash Republic of Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate they will become the Smackdown tag team and I hope so because I think boy what a refresh for them now that being said if you told me DIY wins this match I will be cool with that too so we go through that and I think that match is going to be crazy and it's going to be also interesting to see what happens to Damien Priest more on that thought a little bit later let's go to match three that takes us to Dragon Lee and Rey Mysterio and they will go against Santos Escobar and Dominic Mysterio this match kind of came out of nowhere um where did you see Dominic back on Smackdown and starting to expand this rivalry between not just Rey and Dominic but Legado del Fantasma led by Santos Escobar and the LWO and Rey Mysterio now I'm all about Dragon Lee I can't wait to see him in his Wrestlemania debut I'm sorry that Carlito won't be there because I feel like he's been more invested in the LWO since the beginning it feels like this should have been Rey and Carlito versus Santos and Dominic but I understand why Dragon is here we got to put a new light on this guy that being said it would be interesting to see Dragon Lee and Rey Mysterio get this victory but I do believe this is about Dominic Mysterio I think as great as Dominic has been as far as the character goes he still needs a big win and you remember last year's Wrestlemania I thought he was gonna win last year's match with his father I think he finds a way to pin his dad at Wrestlemania because I think he needs it I think Santos needs it as they look to move move along I think Rey's a Hall of Famer he's gonna be fine I think Dragon Lee this will this will be the first of many Wrestlemanias for him but I think if there's anybody who needs this and again as we talked about earlier Judgment Day hoops is ironically if this match order is corrected being the first three matches all Wrestlemania but I think Dominic needs this especially if he's going to move away from Judgment Day and establish his own establish his own star in the WWE and especially if he's going to be more having more of a leadership role with Santos Escobar and Legado Del Fantasma I think for Dominic this is going to be probably the biggest night for him I think he could be a big winner and I think he finds a way to not pin Dragon Lee no I think he pins his father I think he pins Rey Mysterio at Wrestlemania. Speaking about families that takes us to match number four and this is personally one of my favorite matches on the card it is Jey Uso versus Jimmy Uso um 30 years ago one of the greatest opening matches took place it was between brothers Brett and Owen Hart and if you go back to my countdown it was number seven I love everything about that matchup and how it became a story throughout the night I think this too will be a story throughout the night especially as it comes to the main event of night one and as well how it could affect night two of Wrestlemania. Usually when it comes to these matches there have been two brother matches at a Wrestlemania Brett and Owen Matt and Jeff at Wrestlemania 25 and it's usually been the brother that's kind of not as popular that comes away with this matchup at 25 it was Matt beating Jeff at Wrestlemania 10 it was Owen beating Brett this year it is Jimmy defeating Jey. Jimmy needs this. Jey is a star. I would almost go and say within the next three to four months Jey will find his way to an Intercontinental or United States Championship that's how I think people are loving and feeling Jey Uso but I think for this story to kind of continue I think it's Jimmy that needs this win over Jey. I think this matchup has the potential being absolutely amazing I cannot wait to see it it's interesting the fact that it's like smack dab in the middle of night one because I my personal thought is I thought this was going to open Wrestlemania but if not if you tell me it's right here I am totally fine with this as well but I I think the match will be great but I think Jimmy Uso finds his way to defeat Jey Uso and I guess again history tells us it's the brother that is not as popular that finds his way to win this match and continues this story because Jeyvon and Jey this is not the first time this will not be let me rephrase that this will not be the last time they meet this will be the first of what I think will be matches that will take us through the summer. Match number five goes Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill, and Naomi versus Damage Control of the W consisting of the WWE Women's Tag Team Champions Asuka and Kairi Sane and Dakota Kai. Now personally I think this is one of the matches my wife is looking forward to because she loves seeing Jade Cargill last week on Smackdown she's like oh my god that's a strong woman. I you know personally for me I'm looking forward to this match one of my favorite female competitors of all time is Asuka she I still does not have a Wrestlemania win which absolutely befuddles me which absolutely is still like wow I can't believe that's right but it is I would love to see her find a way to get victory tonight but Jade Cargill ain't losing at Wrestlemania no no no if this is her she's not losing at Wrestlemania and I think it's pretty cool that she's right there next to another established superstar like Bianca Belair who has had Wrestlemania just tremendous matches left and right again watch the list now Bianca's match number five with Sasha Banks from Wrestlemania 37 and a returning Naomi who's going to have a special moment in her own right at Wrestlemania 40 but I Jade Cargill don't lose this match Jade Cargill I think finds a way to pin the match I think she'll get the hot tag from one of either but Bianca and Naomi and Jade, Jade just does Jade things somebody's gonna get jaded at Wrestlemania Asuka's gonna have to find another year to win at Wrestlemania but um yeah I think Bianca Jade and Naomi wins this matchup and it'll be interesting to see what happens with Jade Cargill from here. Match six at Wrestlemania takes us to one of the most anticipated matchups in quite some time it is the semi main event of night one it is Sami Zayn versus Gunta for the WWE Intercontinental Championship. Sami Zayn last year against Matt or one of my top 10 favorite Wrestlemania matches it was match number 10 along with Kevin Owens against the Usos for the WWE Undisputed Tag Team Championship it was a match of fire and Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens won that night and it was ironic because they kind of felt lost after that because they weren't that they weren't the people chasing anymore they were being chased and the tag title runner wasn't uh but they found a way to build Sami back up for this matchup now a lot of people thought it should have been Chad Gable add me to that list but I'm so glad it is Sami Zayn to get this opportunity because again just to imagine two years ago Sami Zayn was trapped in a in a rat trap and a mouse trap against Johnny Knoxville at Wrestlemania 38 oh wow it's amazing how time flies it's amazing how far two years can take us um Gunta is the greatest Intercontinental Champion of all time and I always thought that was going to be the Macho Man Randy Savage but it is Gunta he has made this championship so valuable so special because quite frankly it's him I mean any championship he touches may it be the WWE UK championship may it be I'm even going independent that may be the progress championship any championship he touches it's going to be special and it's going to take a special athlete to knock and take it off him I mean that's that's who he is he's already defended this championship in and during the during this reign at one Wrestlemania match number 10 tied for 10th on my favorite list with Sheamus and Drew McIntyre I think this matchup has the potential being something so special because again Sami Zayn can work with anybody Gunta can work with anybody it's going to be a valuable matchup Sami is looking for his third Intercontinental Championship I want to say Sami Zayn wins this I really want to say Sami Zayn this match but I'm not I am going to pick Gunta I think I don't know when it will happen Gunta should be in the World Heavyweight Championship picture very soon I my original thought for Wrestlemania 40 it was him and Seth and him and Seth Rollins found a way to do a championship unification match and that was all before the CM Punk stuff happened and you know we were going to move away from that match so my official pick is I think they gonna I as much as my I want to pick Sami Zayn I really want to pick Sami Zayn especially when I look at what the main event is the next match we're picking after this and I think you would want the crowd to have a great moment to I I honestly think this is Gunta I think Gunta retains I I think Gunta retains and I you know I would have thought a little bit different and this is where match placement becomes a little bit of a factor too I thought if this matchup was going to be a night two I think you could have put it there but I think you know as I have my my predictions maybe the crowd would might have been a little bit worn out but I think this is gonna be a great match I think it's a great match for prior to the main event on it I just think Gunta is too much on a roll and I think as special as Sami is I think Gunta is just that much more special he'll retain the Intercontinental Championship and that takes us to the night one main event of Wrestlemania 40 it is Cody Rhodes and the WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins versus Roman Reigns and The Rock you know I have it this tag match when I first saw it from the press conference last month to what we have now I wasn't sure how The Rock was gonna go into this but quite frankly The Rock is The Rock and has been fantastic in this and I think in some ways it's overshadowed Roman Reigns and I where I think that is I think it's awesome because you know The Rock is like my favorite wrestler of all time I think it's been a little bit of a hampering to this match that being said oh he and Cody Rhodes they're going to have they've had the moment that this is this matchup has been more so about Cody and The Rock than it has been more about all four people in this match personally I think you in night one with the bloodline winning I and people are wondering who takes the fall I think I think it's The Rock pinning Cody Rhodes I think it's The Rock at the end of night one going to Mama Rhodes with the belt and see look at your loser son now and I can't wait to come back here tomorrow night and confirm to you why he is such a loser and just look at Mama Rhodes that I can almost see that's how night one ending Rock pinning Cody Rock finding Mama Rhodes and just and just saying that's one I'll get him again tomorrow night and so a lot of people kind of use the the that analogy of Infinity War versus Endgame night one feels like the is going to be Infinity War Thanos winning you know and that just makes it all that much better for night two I don't think you can pin Seth in this because I think I think he's gonna take a fall we'll talk about that and when we talk about night two but I think this is going to be one of the best matches it's going to be one of the best matches in WrestleMania I think there's going to be so many things happening about this and kudos to both Cody to all Cody Seth and Roman who are going to be working double duty tomorrow night but I think this is about The Rock I think he gets his win I think he gets his win over Cody Rhodes because I think when they go into night two that's the story's gonna be can Cody pick himself up can Cody can Cody actually realize his dream he's already faced the mat once if he does it again tonight what happens to him there and I think you build that story and I think you set up that anticipation and that expectation for night two I think again if you Cody is the ultimate baby face he's got to keep being down and I think this is another step down and then I think somewhere in night two somebody's going to inspire him and pick him up so he can finish the story at night two so that those are our night one picks for WrestleMania Rhea retaining the women's low WWE Women's World Championship night two takes us to I'm sorry the match the second match we think the New Testament Republic will win the SmackDown Tag Team Championship the awesome truth will win the world the Raw Tag Team Championship Dominic Mysterio and Santos Escobar will defeat Dragon Lee and Rey Mysterio Jimmy Uso defeats Jey Uso Bianca Belair Jake Cargill and Naomi they defeat Damage Control Guto retains the Intercontinental Championship and then Cody Rhodes will be defeated by The Rock that's how we call it The Rock pins Cody to close out night one and that is how infinity war are in on our next recording we'll talk about the end game we'll talk about night two of WrestleMania 40 where we look at of the main event of WrestleMania 40 Cody Rhodes versus Roman Reigns for the WWE Championship we'll take a look at Bayley and El Sky and along with the rest of the night two matches so stay close we're going to we're going to put this back on the B side and we're going to talk about night two next on the Y Sports Podcast this your boy out of Spain stay tuned and we'll talk to you soon bye bye