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.
 
I can’t help but feel I’m missing something about this PPV. The general consensus seems to be that people are excited for this one, but I felt what little interest I had go away when Dolph Ziggler got injured. While the Shield title matches are something I would like to catch, almost everything else on the card has me feeling apathetic. So although I won’t be ordering this one, here's my ideas on what may go down.
 
Last time out, I. . . I lost?! I actually lost? Well, this just got real. Yes, a video game correctly guessed 6 matches, beating my 5 correct predictions. There is a first time for everything. I now lead the machine 3-1.
 
Pre-show: The Miz vs. Cody Rhodes. So much for WrestleMania being the start of a new kind of pre-show. While we may still get a similar discussion panel before this match, a trend I really wanted to see continue because it made Wrestlemania seem all the more legitimate, this pairing doesn’t hold any appeal because it’s been so quickly thrown together. Miz could have easily resumed his feud with Wade Barrett, but instead will just get an inconsequential 1-2-3 win over Rhodes.
 
Prediction: The Miz defeats Cody Rhodes
WWE ’13: Miz defeats Rhodes
 
Chris Jericho vs. Fandango: As with Mania, Jericho gains nothing from this win, so I’ll go with Fandango. But two straight losses to Fandango is something WWE will have to address with Jericho, after the way they played up how big an upset the result at Mania was. I think it will open the door to either another WWE exit for Y2J, or perhaps a heel turn, ala his “Save.Us.Y2J” comeback, where he also returned with all his old Jericho mannerism, before switching to the serious, suit wearing heel.
 
Prediction: Fandango defeats Chris Jericho
WWE ’13: Jericho defeats Fandango
 
Sheamus vs. Mark Henry in a Strap match. The first of my ‘don’t care’ matches. If you read the feud on paper, and didn’t know heel/face allegiances, I think you would have a hard time figuring out who the good guy was. Sheamus has tanked hard this past 12 months, showing similar signs of stagnation as his best buddy Randy Orton.
 
I’ll go for a Sheamus win here, just because I think they’ll want Sheamus to pull off the impressive feat of dragging Henry around the ring. And what the hell was with the Henry pulling trucks stunt on SD? It was hugely impressive, and yet put no heat on Henry. He even got cheered! Do you see what I mean about “who is actually the good guy here”?
 
Prediction: Sheamus defeats Mark Henry
WWE ’13: Sheamus defeats Henry
 
Randy Orton vs. Big Show in an Extreme Rules match. Indulge me for a second. I want you to try and describe Randy Orton in one word, and make it seem like a good babyface quality. He’s serious, dour, aggressive, mean, deranged etc. Does he sound like the guy you want to cheer? He seems only to be a face because he’s always fighting heels. While the same could be said of Austin, at least Austin was all that and entertaining. He won’t lose in his home town, so Show is going to be doing the job here, and hopefully this boring feud will go away.
 
Prediction: Randy Orton defeats Big Show
WWE ’13: Orton defeats Show
 
Kofi Kingston vs. Dean Ambrose for the United States Championship. Now this, this I want to see. Kofi has been going through the motions, but has shown good fire against the Shield in recent weeks. They took steps towards making Ambrose seem like the Shield’s singles guy, and he excelled. So everything is set up for a great match in prospect. I see no reason why Ambrose won’t be walking away with the gold here, and it would explain the sudden title change to Kingston.
 
Prediction: Dean Ambrose defeats Kofi Kingston to win the US Title
WWE ’13: Ambrose defeats Kingston
 
Team Hell No vs. Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns in a Tornado Tag Match for the WWE Tag Team Titles. Again, I’m annoyed I won’t see this match. It looked like we would be getting Undertaker and Team Hell No vs. The Shield, but what we have ended up with isn’t a bad alternative. Again, The Shield has all the momentum in the world, so winning the titles seems a forgone conclusion.
 
Prediction: The Shield defeats Team Hell No to win the WWE Tag Team Titles
WWE ’13: Rollins pins Kane
 
Alberto Del Rio vs. Jack Swagger in an I Quit match for the No. 1 Contendership. It’s such a shame we aren’t going to get treated to the triple threat ladder match. But accidents happen, and this match was the logical ‘Plan B’, if not a fantastic looking match in comparison. Del Rio’s last match of this type, where he beat Show in a Last Man Standing match, was surprisingly good, so there is hope, but I don’t anticipate a good match, because these two have yet to click in the ring. I don’t think a Dolph face turn is imminent, so I’ll go with Del Rio.
 
Prediction: Alberto Del Rio defeats Jack Swagger
WWE ’13: Del Rio defeats Swagger
 
Triple H vs. Brock Lesnar in a Steel Cage match. As with Mania, this is a dark horse match that has enjoyed a solid build up. Lesnar had a fantastic match with Cena last year at Extreme Rules, so it may be hard for him to match it, but I think both men will go all out to top their good Mania match, as I suspect this will be the start of Lesnar’s monster push. All logic dictates Lesnar wins this, because he really will be damaged goods on the other side of this match if he loses. I expect to see HHH give a tearful “This may be the end” speech on Raw, and then we all have to look surprised when he comes back again.
 
Prediction: Brock Lesnar defeats Triple H
WWE ’13: Triple H defeats Lesnar
 
John Cena vs. Ryback in a Last Man Standing match for the WWE Title. I really don’t understand the way they have chosen to build this match. Give me five seconds, and I could do a better job – have Ryback be a silent monster, destroying everybody he faces, and have Cena look legit worried. Money. I wouldn’t, for example, have Ryback bitch out every chance I got, and I wouldn’t have Cena show any “happy-go-lucky” tendencies. WWE chose to do those things, and now we arrive at a match that, instead of looking like it could go either way, looks nailed on to be a “Cena overcomes the odds” win. Different month, same story.
 
Prediction: John Cena defeats Ryback
WWE ’13: Cena defeats Ryback
 
Thanks for reading. If you had any comments or thoughts on the show or this preview, add me on Twitter via @Dazatheg

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