After a long 12 months, WrestleMania weekend is finally here!
Daniel Bryan vs. Edge vs. Roman Reigns appears to be the main event for Night 2, but Night 1 is a little more up in the air. Which match should close Sunday’s broadcast?
Bad Bunny becomes the latest in a long line of celebrities to step in the ring at WrestleMania. Do we have high hopes for the Grammy award-winning artist?
And, with so many to choose from, which WrestleMania stands out to our contributors as the all-time best?
Join us as we answer these—and more—questions in a special WrestleMania edition of Gimme Five…
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1. The main event for Night 2 of WrestleMania 37 seems locked in but Night 1 is much more fluid. Which match should close Sunday’s broadcast?
AJ Murtagh (@AJMurtagh):
I think that having a women’s match main event one of the nights is a no-brainer and would set a positive precedent; having two African American women headline. I also think the Royal Rumble winners should go on last.
Grady Hooker (@GradyHooker):
I think that they will want to open big and put Lashley vs. McIntyre on as the very first WWE match back in front of a live crowd. That leaves the main event spot open for Banks vs. Belair and gives the women a spot to shine in.
Mister J (@misterjcomics):
Banks vs. Belair should be the main event, and anyone who says different really should know better.
Sammy G (@RealSammyG):
I always liked the idea that the Royal Rumble winner headlines WrestleMania—so Banks vs. Belair and Reigns vs. Bryan vs. Edge make sense.
Steve McCleary (@SJMcCleary):
It’ll most likely be Lashley vs. McIntyre, which is an interesting clash to be sure, but I’d rather Banks vs. Belair, as that’s a more intriguing match that we haven’t seen. Let them tear down the house with no restrictions.
2. Bad Bunny becomes the latest in a long line of celebrities to step into the ring at WrestleMania 37. How do you think he’ll do in his match with Damian Priest against John Morrison and The Miz? And who has set the bar for best celebrity debut?
AJ:
Honestly, I think Bad Bunny will do fine. I’m not expecting Flair vs. Steamboat but I’m okay with that. As for who set the bar, I think Cyndi Lauper working with the company for a year shows the most dedication from a celebrity, and I have a soft spot for Mike Tyson’s involvement in 1998.
Grady:
I really like the fact that Bad Bunny is working hard and I think that his match should be a good one. I always look back at Stephen Amell in recent memory as a guy who was willing to put in the effort for wrestling.
Mister J:
I think Bad Bunny has been amazing in appearances thus far, and if anything I expect WrestleMania to up the game even further. Stephen Amell, Shaq, and various MMA fighters have set the bar quite high in recent years, but I think there is every chance Bad Bunny may come close.
Sammy:
We’ve seen Bad Bunny fly, and throw down with Miz. I think he’ll do fine. As for best celebrity debut: Snoo– Stephen Amell against Stardust. The fact he’s gone on to continue wrestling is also pretty special. Honourable mention to David Arquette!
Steve:
I assume he’ll do okay, as he’s been training every day, although working hard doesn’t mean it’s a lock to pick it up. I think the celebrity nod has to go to Pat McAfee, with my personal favourite Stephen Amell coming second.
3. There are so many ways to watch WrestleMania 37, from Sky Arena and WWE Network to selected Event Cinemas! How are you taking in the Show of Shows?
AJ:
I’m tossing up between watching on WWE Network at home or going to an Event Cinema screening, mostly for the novelty. I think watching wrestling on the big screen would be an awesome experience!
Grady:
I am already down in Hamilton, to avoid any lockdowns that may happen, to spend the time with my grandfather watching on WWE Network. It is my yearly pilgrimage and more important than Easter.
Mister J:
No doubt I will be a multimedia hub during WrestleMania, watching and following across numerous devices and social media.
Sammy:
I think Night 1 might be a relaxed one at home with WWE Network, then Night 2 I’d like to see on the big screen at Event Cinema! Pay-per-views in cinemas are something that North America has done for years so I’m glad to see it come to New Zealand! Shoutout to The Hudson in Wellington too!
Steve:
I wish I could be free to see it in the cinemas, which is an awesome option that I hope people jump on. I’ll be trying to get some extra work done over the next few days so I can take some longer breaks and catch it live from my office.
4. WrestleMania has played host to so many dream matches over the years… what’s the one that got away?
AJ:
So, I would have to say Sting vs. Undertaker. But to make things interesting, I would have liked to have seen Austin vs. Hogan, and I’m gutted we never got an Austin-Rock-Triple H triangle match.
Grady:
I’m going to go off the wall and just take a classic favourite of mine in Stone Cold and put him up against a current favourite of mine in Sheamus. I reckon those two could brawl around for an hour and then have a beer together afterwards.
Mister J:
Hogan vs. Flair. It’s a match that happened, and happened again years later… but all were missing that WrestleMania shine. Something that would have made the meeting of arguably the two biggest stars of the 80s mean that much more, and likely made both men give that much more.
Sammy:
Many would expect me to say ‘Taker vs. Sting here, and as grand as that idea is, since Sting debuted in WWE I see that as a Survivor Series match now. These days for me it’s ‘Taker vs. The Fiend, purely as a “pass the torch” moment for Wyatt.
Steve:
Apart from the obvious Sting-Undertaker, it’s Austin-Hogan, Michaels-Rock, Angle-Hart… still so many clashes that would have been amazing to witness.
5. With 37 events to choose from, WrestleMania has created an unparalleled legacy. Which is your all-time favourite WrestleMania?
AJ:
I have very fond memories of renting the VHS tapes of early ‘Manias (4, 5, and 6 in particular) but I can’t go past WrestleMania 14 in 1998. It was my first WrestleMania as a fan and I remember the hype in the lead up with Mike Tyson coming in vividly, it seemed like such a spectacle to 14-year-old me and still gets me all nostalgic!
Grady:
I have no favourites—this is my cop-out answer—but if you force my hand I’ll throw out WrestleMania 25 and then slink away.
Mister J:
WrestleMania 1. It wasn’t the best show, but it was the one that sucked me in to the world of US professional wrestling. It was ahead of its time, and the “show” aspect still holds up well today.
Sammy:
WrestleMania 15 was the first I ever saw, so it will always have a special place in history for me. WrestleMania 17 is definitely number one, followed closely by WrestleMania 21.
Steve:
Probably never going to budge from WrestleMania 17, although 30 is the top contender given its overall story.
WrestleMania 37 streams live from 12pm (NZST) Sunday, April 11 and Monday, April 12 on Sky Arena & WWE Network.
