By Darren Gutteridge

Can Dot Net contributor Darren Gutteridge predict the outcomes of pay-per-view matches better than the WWE '13 video game simulator? Let's find out together.
 
Predictions for this PPV take longer than usual, because almost every result has to be tempered by what the WrestleMania 29 card will be. And this year, outside of two nailed on matches (HHH vs. Lesnar looks like a lock, alongside Cena vs. Rock/Punk), Mania is completely up in the air. So, these predictions have been made with what I assume will be the Mania card in mind.
 
Last time out, I beat the WWE ’13 games predictions 3-1. If it had correctly called Jinder Mahal winning the Rumble, I may have retired the whole idea, and handed the disc in to the government for research.
 
Brodus Clay and Tensai vs. Team Rhodes Scholars: If a tree falls on the pre-show, does it make a sound? Since this isn’t a "big" match, I am going to go for the newly formed team of Clay/Tensai, as it won’t harm any progress Sandow and Rhodes have made. Rhodes and Sandow are back on the singles path, and I have them both in my multi-man match at Mania. There has been one on each of the past few Mania cards, and all I can’t decide is what would be at steak. A title match perhaps? Maybe six candidates for the Raw GM position will champion a guy to win them the role? Your guess is as good as mine. 
 
Prediction: Brodus Clay and Tensai defeat Team Rhodes Scholars
WWE ’13: Team Rhodes Scholars defeat Clay and Tensai
 
Kaitlyn vs. Tamina for the Divas Title: Nice and easy. With the minimal amount of TV build, I can’t see a title change here. I can’t see a Divas match at Mania either. Kaitlyn retains in the card’s restroom match.
 
Prediction: Kaitlyn defeats Tamina to retain the Divas Title
WWE ’13: Tamina defeats Kaitlyn to win the Divas Title
 
Antonio Cesaro vs. The Miz for the United States Championship: For me, this is another pretty simple guess. Cesaro is so reliant on the US title, it doesn’t make sense to take it away from him unless it’s necessary. Miz is still in a rut, and as opposed to using the title to drag him out of it, I think Miz would drag it down. In my predicted Mania card, I have Cesaro in a tag match with Barrett against Team Hell No, as the two mid card champions combining is the only way WWE could build a team big enough to challenge Kane and Bryan in the time between the two PPVs in my opinion. Miz is in the ‘get everyone on the bill’ match, so both predictions rely on Cesaro retaining here.
 
Prediction: Antonio Cesaro defeats The Miz to retain the United States Championship
WWE ’13: The Miz defeats Cesaro to win the United States Championship
 
Alberto Del Rio vs. Big Show for the World Heavyweight Championship: I, like most, didn’t like the way WWE decided to go slightly campy with the build to this match. Obviously, the best way for Show to get angry is for Del Rio to annoy him, but if the pranks and jokes had all been funny, that would have made for a fine build. The problem is this: Del Rio isn’t Eddie Guerrero. The comparison may be harsh, but when Eddie did the comedy, it tended to be funny. Here is was just silly, and took off some of the cutting edge of the feud. However, their last two matches have been good, and I do think they have one more good match left in them, especially since they are free of the Last Man Standing gimmick here.
 
Having said that, I don’t see either of these guys leaving New Orleans as champion. I know, every prediction, I say "Ziggler will definitely cash in this time!", but with him not appearing on the card, as well as my Chamber prediction, I am positive he’ll cash in here. Del Rio can have his rematch on TV to keep the ratings up during the run to Mania, before Ziggler transitions into his title defence at Mania. I see Show moving into a feud with Ryback in the run up to Mania.
 
Prediction: Alberto Del Rio defeats Big Show to retain the World Heavyweight Championship. Ziggler cashes in his MITB contract after the match and wins
WWE ’13: Del Rio defeats Big Show to retain the World Heavyweight Championship
 
John Cena, Sheamus and Ryback vs. The Shield: Why isn’t this in a Chamber? It’s tailor made for it, so maybe they’ll announce the stipulation on the pre-show. Either way, this should be an entertaining match. We all know where Cena is heading, but the other five men don’t have crystal clear opponents set up for April 7th. The question here is does The Shield make it to that date undefeated?
 
Undoubtedly, it would be a bigger event if their first loss came at Mania, but how could you top this match and their TLC clash with Ryback and Team Hell No? With that in mind, as far as Mania is concerned, I’ll make two guesses. If The Shield win here (which I think is more likely), I’ll take a punt on them featuring in the usual No-DQ match at Mania against Sheamus, Orton and Del Rio (with Ryback taking on Show). If they lose, I don’t see them featuring on the bill, with WWE instead going for Orton vs. Sheamus and Del Rio vs. Henry. 
 
Prediction: The Shield defeats John Cena, Sheamus and Ryback
WWE ’13: The Shield defeats Cena, Sheamus and Ryback
 
Elimination Chamber: Here are my confidence picks for the #1 Contender Elimination Chamber –
 
Joint 5th Choice – Kane and Daniel Bryan: It would feel slightly anti-climactic if Team Hell No don’t make it to Mania as champions, or at least in a match against each other, so I really can’t see them winning here. But Mania should definitely be the beginning of the end of the pairing, a guess encouraged by Bryan’s slightly increased heel mannerisms in his match with Jericho.
 
4th  Choice – Randy Orton: I guessed Orton would win the Rumble, launching him back into the main event picture, but since that didn’t happen, I don’t imagine he’ll win here. Orton’s rebuilding can’t start a month and a bit shy of the biggest show of the year, so I’ll stick to my idea of him being involved in the six man match with Sheamus and Del Rio taking on the Shield.
 
3rd Choice – Jack Swagger: He’s showed new fire since coming back, and a big tweak to his "Real American" gimmick has helped re-establish him, but for similar reasons to Orton, I don’t see him winning. A heel winning here would rely on Del Rio retaining, and does Swagger vs. Del Rio sound like a Mania title match to you? It seems we’ll get the feud down the line, but not here.
 
2nd Choice – Mark Henry: Does Del Rio vs. Mark Henry sound like a main event either? Del Rio’s not over enough to warrant the match in my opinion, so Henry is only second because of the push he has received since returning. He also ranks quite high because it’s difficult to place him at Mania unless he wins here. If they don’t go for a triple threat in the WWE Title match, I could see Henry being involved in a three-way for the World Title, if not he’s a candidate for the multi-man match.
 
1st Choice – Chris Jericho: He’s looked sharp since returning, and has a built in feud with Ziggler ready to go for Mania. This may be partially selfish, because I would love to see Ziggler vs. Jericho in the atmosphere of a hardcore fan-filled MetLife Stadium, but it is also, to me, the most logical match based on all the different factors surrounding the World Title.
 
Prediction: Chris Jericho pins Mark Henry to win the Elimination Chamber
WWE ’13: Orton wins
 
The Rock vs. CM Punk for the WWE Title: I think this is just as easy to predict as the Divas match in all honesty. Rock/Cena 2 is something even the most novice of fan can see coming, so I’ll pick the Rock so we get there in the simplest way. I still expect a high quality match, which will use the added stip of Rock losing the title if he’s disqualified to it’s fullest. The only spanner I’ll throw in the works is what to do with Punk at Mania.
 
If Taker and Austin aren’t ready to go, and Lesnar is busy with HHH, they could easily go with a triple threat, which would be a huge match and could get them out of the ‘Once in a Lifetime’ tagline from last year. That could mean Punk has a shot at winning here, but I still think the triple threat carries more impact if Rock remains champion. Here’s hoping though that either Taker or Austin is good to go, and we get an unexpected treat at WrestleMania 29.
 
Prediction: The Rock defeats CM Punk to retain the WWE Title
WWE ’13: Rock defeats Punk to retain the WWE Title
 
Bonus Prediction: Here’s my pencilled in WrestleMania 29 Card:
 
Cena vs Rock vs Punk for the WWE Title
HHH vs Lesnar
Jericho vs Ziggler for the WHC
Show vs Ryback
Kane and Bryan vs Cesaro and Barrett with all four titles on the line
Sheamus, Del Rio and Orton vs The Shield in a No DQ match
Henry vs. Kingston vs. Mysterio (or Sin Cara) vs. Sandow vs. Rhodes vs. The Miz
 
Thanks for reading. If you had any comments or thoughts on the show or this review, add me on Twitter via @Dazatheg , where tonight I’ll be live tweeting the PPV

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