Rumours have been surrounding the wrestling world that something BIG TIME is going to happen this weekend. I am here to tell you that is not true. It will not just be BIG TIME, because it’s on it’s way, it’s making it, it’s gonna make it show, it’s so much larger than life, and we’re going to watch it growing. It’s big, big, big, big, big, big, big, big, big. It’s WrestleMania 22, and here are my predictions.

WWE WrestleMania 22
April 2nd, 2006
Chicago, Illinois

This is all just predictions this time, and I will not only be predicting match-winners, but also my predictions as to whether I think it will be good, bad or ugly. Rest assured that come the GB&U review of WrestleMania 22, the ratings given will be truthful and not doctored to match my predictions. There are also WrestleMania win/loss records after every wrestler. And I will also be predicting the matches in the order I expect them to be on the card, which will make for an interesting choice for the Main Event…

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WWE United States Title Match
Chris Benoit © (2-3) vs. John Bradshaw Layfield (0-6)

I expect this to be up first for two reasons. Firstly, the WWE like to kick things off with a title match, see WrestleMania XX (US Title, Cena v Show) and secondly, despite having a good storyline behind it, the WWE aren’t treating this as a marquee match. And I feel that’s a shame, because I am definitely looking forward to see how this pans out. In fact, I would’ve loved to see this match take place in late 2004 with JBL as WWE Champion and Benoit fresh off his reign as World Champion. On a predictions front, I think it’s going to be smash mouth, physical and entertaining contest. JBL is given far less respect for his in-ring credentials than he deserves, and Chris Benoit is Chris F’N Benoit. I expect Benoit to win and retain, even though I think a JBL US Title reign would be fun.

Match Prediction: Chris Benoit
GBU Prediction: Good

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The Boogeyman (First WM) vs. Booker T (1-2) & Sharmell (First WM)

Personally I don’t really see the need for Sharmell to be inserted into the match. I just don’t see what else she can add as an active participant that she couldn’t whilst standing at ringside screaming. I don’t think anyone, anywhere is expecting this to be an in-ring classic, nor should they be. Whatever they aim to achieve here, be it putting Boogeyman over or putting Booker over, I’m sure it will be achieved. I can’t see past Boogeyman winning at all, mainly because Booker doesn’t really need to win to stay over as a heel, and because losing would kill Boogeyman’s push dead. And I don’t want to see that happen, even if the supposed “real wrestling” fans do. I probably won’t be able to give it any more than a Bad though.

Match Prediction: Boogeyman
GBU Prediction: Bad

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World Tag Team Title Match
Big Show (0-5) & Kane (3-5) © vs. Chris Masters (First WM) and Carlito (First WM match)

I’ve been highly critical of the build-up to this match, mainly because Carlito and Masters have been made to look like jobbers throughout. Sure, there have been humorous moments such as the forklift skit on RAW, but all in all Kane and Show have crushed Mastercool at any given moment. And for that reason and that reason only, I can only imagine it’s a way of building up an eventual way for Masters and Carlito to out-smart or out-manoeuvre Show and Kane and take the tag titles. To be honest, I’d like to see that happen, as I think the ShowKane team has gone past it’s sell-by date now. I’m also not expecting much from the match in-ring wise, but out of all the matches, this seems like the hardest one to judge for the GBU prediction

Match Prediction: Carlito and Masters
GBU Prediction: Bad

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Money in the Bank Ladder Match
Rob Van Dam (2-0) vs. Ric Flair (1-2) vs. Shelton Benjamin (1-2) vs. Finlay (First WM) vs. Matt Hardy (1-3) vs. Lashley (First WM)

I have a feeling this match might go on this early, purely because that’s what happened at WrestleMania 21. They need to have a large degree of separation between this match and the Edge/Foley match because too many hardcore spots in successive matches is going to take away the excitement of it. Although the line-up doesn’t look as strong as last year’s by any stretch of the imagination, I still can see this being an entertaining contest. Everyone’s understandably looking at RVD, Hardy and Shelton for the big spots, but I think Flair and Finlay might surprise some people. Definitely looking forward to this one though, even if the match winner seems so blindingly obvious it’s hard to miss.

Match Prediction: Rob Van Dam
GBU Prediction: Good

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WWE Women’s Title Match
Trish Stratus © (2-1) vs. Mickie James (First WM)

Talking of matches I’m looking forward to, this one is a definite for me. Their only previous match against each other was a great one at New Year’s Revolution, and I’m hoping they will be able to match that standard, maybe even go further, in their WrestleMania match. I maintain my opinion on this being the best feud the women’s division has seen for a long, long time, surpassing the Trish/Lita and Trish/Mickie/Ashley v Vince’s Devils from the last two years. The storyline itself is deserving of a good blow-off match, but to be completely selfish, I hope they have another two matches left in this feud before it’s done. I also see Trish’s 14 month title reign coming to an end, mainly because the title needs a new champion to keep it fresh.

Match Prediction: Mickie James
GBU Prediction: Good

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Casket Match
The Undertaker (13-0) vs. Mark Henry (0-1)

So, so many people have written this off as a car wreck already. Quite a lot of people, maybe even the majority of wrestling fans, seem to believe that Mark Henry sucks. I certainly don’t think he’s that bad, but I must admit to having my doubts about whether I will enjoy this or not. Looking back at a similar casket match, Taker vs. Heidenreich, I didn’t mind that as much as most people did, and I prefer Henry to Heidenreich. I think the intangible difference-maker here is The Undertaker, and his willingness to compete at a high level. He proved he could do it against Kurt Angle, yet somehow I can’t see a similar thing happening with Henry. And I also can’t see any undefeated streaks being ended.

Match Prediction: The Undertaker
GBU Prediction: Bad

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Hardcore Match
Edge (4-0) vs. Mick Foley (2-2-1)

I was deliberating between this match and Vince/HBK as for which would go in this spot, so I chose this based on my belief that Vince wants to make his match into a “Main Event” type deal. This match is the match I am looking forward to seeing more than any other, and it’s a testament to the work of both Edge and Foley over the last few weeks to turn a short feud into a match that so many people want to see, and possibly one of the true WrestleMania-calibre matches on the card. We’ve already seen a few previews of what we can hope to expect, flaming tables, chairs, thumbtacks and barbed wire. If this match is anything like the Foley/Orton match from Backlash 2004, we’re going to be in for a treat. Although the winner is a sure thing, the match is still going to be great to watch.

Match Prediction: Edge
GBU Prediction: Good

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Playboy Pillow Fight
Torrie Wilson (1-0) vs. Candice Michelle (First WM Match)

And now comes the match where things start to take a downward turn. I’m sure the WWE have a reason as to why this match is on the card and MNM don’t get to defend their titles, but I’m not sure I want to know it. If there is one, I’m sure it’s based around the attention Candice has attracted for posing in Playboy. Whatever the purpose of this is, I’m fairly confident it won’t be a MOTY candidate. But of course, my rule about half-naked women not being ugly will bring it slightly forward. I expect Torrie to win because she normally does in these kind of things. Yes, that’s right, I’m looking at previous form for my decision as to who wins a pillow fight.

Match Prediction: Torrie Wilson
GBU Prediction: Bad

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No Holds Barred
Shawn Michaels (4-7) vs. Vince McMahon (0-2)

With HBK scheduled to take some time off after this match, the curious part of me is wondering whether he might go all-out and make this a memorable match by performing one big stunt. But then you look at the jacked-up 60 year old grandfather he’s facing, and you wonder whether Vince wants to risk himself. Whilst many are saying that Vince normally manages to put on a good spectacle at WrestleMania despite his severely limited wrestling ability, such as WMX7 against Shane and WM19 against Hogan. But this is 2006, and Vince has recovered from a double quad tear, he’s 3 years older, and despite how hard he will probably try, I can’t really see this match being all that good. The match winner is obvious, and to me, so will the match rating. However, there is a strong chance I will be proved wrong.

Match Prediction: Shawn Michaels
GBU Prediction: Bad

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World Heavyweight Title Match
Kurt Angle © (3-3) vs. Rey Mysterio (1-2) vs. Randy Orton (1-1)

Yes, that’s right, I predict that the Royal Rumble winner (Rey or Randy depending on whether you think Orton “won” the WrestleMania clause) will NOT be in the “main” main event of the evening. Call it SmackDown! bias, call it not having faith in the three participants, or call it HHH and his stroke, but I believe this is what will happen. I also believe that this match will be a good one, as the weaknesses that Orton has will be countered by the strengths of Angle and Rey. But this match also leaves me with one of my hardest predictions, who will walk out as the champion? I can safely eliminate Angle from my choice, but Rey and Randy are difficult to judge. Will they go the “Eddie” route and have Rey win the title, or will they surprise us by having Orton take the gold? I’m going to go with Rey, and it’s down to my prediction in the next match.

Match Prediction: Rey Mysterio
GBU Prediction: Good

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WWE Heavyweight Title Match
John Cena © vs. Triple H

Never before has one match caught me between a rock and a hard place like this one. In one corner you have the champ, the person who tends to bore me to tears because his gimmick is long past it’s shelf life, and who is getting booed as a result of his staleness and overpushing. In the other corner you have Triple H, a man who is largely considered to be the most selfish man in wrestling, and appears to be hunting after 17 World Title reigns to make himself seem the greatest of all time ahead of Ric Flair. Whoever wins the title will NOT improve RAW in the slightest, and anyone who believes that changing the title to anyone except Cena is wrong, it needs to be someone COMPLETELY different, not HHH. People seem to think that ratings will rise, but I would like to point out that for the entire time HHH has been champion since the brand split, ratings have been LOW, and I can’t see that changing. Also, if this IS the main event, I will be even more angry. This feud has bored me, and I’m sure this match will too, probably because I will not allow myself to find any form of entertainment in it. And I also think HHH will win and take his 11th title. Just six left Paul.

Match Prediction: Triple H
GBU Prediction: Ugly

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So, there’s your WrestleMania predictions. I am looking forward to the show, at least the majority of it, and I definitely think my reaction to it will be positive, no matter how much the ending of the show spoils it for me. If you’ve got any comments on WrestleMania, e-mail me at:

[chris@wrestling101.com]

And I will see you very soon for the SmackDown! review. Take care amigos.

Chris Dewing