Wrestlemania XXVI Preview

This is going to be a busy weekend. Not only will there be four Elite 8 games in the NCAA Tournament, but wrestling's extravaganza is this weekend. That's right, Wrestlemania 26 is this weekend.

It's Sunday in Glendale, Arizona starting at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT and here's my preview and predictions for the night.

(Note: I'm going to watch Wrestlemania XXVI on a stream and will have a full recap of the night and Jim Ross quotes the following Monday. Also there will be a open thread for anyone who wants to comment.)

Money in the Bank Ladder Match: Christian vs Dolph Ziggler vs. Kane vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Jack Swagger vs. MVP vs. Matt Hardy vs. Evan Bourne vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Kofi Kingston
This match has quickly become my favorite wrestling match every year. A quick recap of how this match works. This is like a traditional ladder match, except there are multiple contestants. There is a briefcase hanging from the rafters over the center of the ring. Whatever contestant grabs the brief case is guaranteed a championship match whenever he wants in any given year. This year's match features multiple high flyers and Kane (Why is Kane in this match every year? He's slow and awkward in normal matches. How does he fit in with this match?) As always I expect Shelton Benjamin to steal the show and not win the match. In the end though, I expect Christian to win this match then challenge either Edge or Chris Jericho for the World Championship at the end of the show. Prediction: Christian



Rey Mysterio vs CM Punk (If Mysterio loses, he must join the Straight Edge Society)
You have to love matches with stipulations! Okay maybe not. I'll be honest, I haven't watched Smackdown in a very long time and haven't watch a single minute of the build up to this match. Apparently Punk turned heel and walks out to the audience and denounces them for not living a straight edge life. Now Punk wants Mysterio to join his Straight Edge Society. Whatever. I'm watching this match because both Punk and Mysterio are highly entertaining to watch in the ring. Prediction: Punk

Triple Threat Match: Randy Orton vs. Cody Rhodes vs Ted DiBiase
I'm just happy Orton isn't in the main event. He's ruined the last two Wrestlemania's for me with his stiff performance with a microphone and in-ring work. This is your classic "We've run out of ideas what to do with this group, so let's turn the other two guys against the leader match." This is a good match to run to the fridge to get something to eat and drink. I couldn't be less interested in this match. Prediction: Orton

WWE Unified Tag Team Championship: ShoMiz (The Big Show and The Miz) (c) vs John Morrison and R-Truth
I still don't get the popularity of The Miz? He was on The Real World and now he one half of the Tag Team champions and the United States Champion? Then you have the Big Show who has always sucked in the ring and has always lack charisma. Then you have John Morrison who can't cut a promo to save him but is one hell of a wrestler. And then you have R-Truth, aka Ron Killings, you has been buried by the WWE since his return. Also the WWE usues R-Truth the only way they know how to use African-American wrestlers, namely having them dance around the ring and rap. I'm surprised a minority wrestler hasn't sued the WWE yet for discrimination. Anyways this is another match I don't give a sh*t about. Prediction: ShoMiz



Triple H vs Sheamus
Another snoozer of a match. At this point unless Triple H is teaming with Shawn Michaels, I don't really care about him and his matches. I guess you can call it Triple H fatigue. This is your typical "WWE needs to push a new star that no one likes so have Triple H lose to him at Wrestlemania to pump up his credentials match." Prediction: Sheamus will be pale and win. Triple H will look sunburn from his trips to the tanning parlor and will lose.

No Holds Barred: Bret Hart vs Vince McMahon
As Good Ole JR would say, "buisness is about to pick up." This is the match everyone has wanted to see for 13 years. Every wrestling fan knows about the Montreal Screwjob, but here's the video in case you didn't know. Of course this match would have been even better if we didn't already know that Bret Hart retired because of post-concussion syndrome. I don't know if I should watch this match or feel depressed. Prediction: Hart

World Heavyweight Championship: Chris Jericho (c) vs Edge
This should be a fun match. Jericho is working as a heel and is at the top of his game promo wise. Edge is working as a babyface, he's much better as a heel, looking for revenge against Jericho for talking so much bleep about him since his injury. Both guys are as good as is gets in-ring wise. Should be a fun match. Prediction: Jericho

WWE Championship: Batista (c) vs John Cena
While Jericho vs. Edge should be a beauty in-ring wise, Batista vs. Cena is anything but beautiful. I used to be a huge John Cena guy, but he's reached Triple H status in "I've seen him so many times that I can't stand watching another one of his matches." The buildup for this match though has been outstanding. Batista works well as a heel and his promo's have been great leading up to this match. Prediction: Cena because McMahon hates us all.

Streak vs Career, No Disqualifation or Count Out: The Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels
Alright another stipulation match! No matter the stipulations it's going to be real hard to live up to the match we saw last year between these two. The match last year at Wrestlemania was an all-time classic. They've both built up this match perfectly so this match should steal the show. Prediction: Undertaker will retrain the streak and Michaels will retire. Michaels has nothing left to prove and I don't see him coming back after this match. Of course this is wrestling, so Michaels will probably be at next year's Wrestlemania fighting Triple H.



Once again there will be an open thread up for Wrestlemania XXVI and a full recap including JR's quotes on Monday.