WrestleMania 41 predictions and breakdown

Veteran NFL writer and Pat McAfee Show correspondent Mark Kaboly gives his predictions for WrestleMania 41 streaming live from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Saturday and Sunday at 7 ET/4 PT on Peacock in the United States and on Netflix everywhere else.

SATURDAY’S CARD

Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins vs. CM Punk with Paul Heyman

Arguably, the three top stars (four if you consider Heyman, and I do) in the company, in the same ring, at the same time fighting for that top dawg in the company moniker at the industry’s marquee event… wow… and just think, there’s no title on the line or even a stated No. 1 contender carrot dangling for the winner. There is animosity between all parties, and when you throw in Heyman’s certain involvement, expect the unexpected. There are so many layers to this rivalry besides who owes a favor to whom. Is Rollins turning to the dark side like he hinted during Raw? Are Heyman and Reigns in cahoots? Is Punk going to be hung out to dry? Did the Shield-revisited chair strike from Rollins to the back of The OTC mean anything? The only thing you can count on is The Wiseman playing a vital role in the outcome.  

Prediction: Roman Reigns

World Heavyweight Championship Match

Jey Uso vs. Gunther

A two-month buildup has gotten to the point where it needed to be the past couple of weeks with Gunther bludgeoning brother Jimmy Uso, and Jey Uso standing up to The Ring General the following week. Gunther seems to be rattled heading into his third-ever WrestleMania appearance. On paper, Gunther shouldn’t lose. He’s held either the World Heavyweight or Intercontinental titles for 926 of the past 1,044 days (as of April 19). Uso might come out bloody like his brother, but also with the title.

Prediction: Jey Uso

WWE Women’s Championship Match

Tiffany Stratton (C) vs. Charlotte Flair

Business sure picked up after some heated comments and out-of-the-ring beef that definitely added intrigue to an already intriguing matchup. It’s a difficult match to grasp because Stratton is up and coming, and Flair is a bona fide superstar making her return from a serious knee injury. Charlotte is still one of the top stars in the company and should be treated as such until proven otherwise.

Prediction: Charlotte Flair

United States Championship Match

LA Knight (C) vs. Jacob Fatu

Jacob Fatu is a star in the making. He’s passed every test during his journey from Solo Sikoa’s heavy and relegated to making it known that he loves Solo to wrestling for the United States Championship on the industry’s biggest stage. This is going to be the official launch of Fatu being a main-eventer.

Prediction: Jacob Fatu

World Tag Team Championship Match

The War Raiders (C) vs. The New Day

The New Day are looking to make good on their belief that they’re better without Big E after they expelled him from the group during the 10-year anniversary celebration on Raw. This match needs a Big E rebuttal to take it over the edge, but I don’t think that will happen, unfortunately.

Prediction: The New Day

Jade Cargill vs. Naomi

What a low-key show-stopping – and rare — matchup with Cargill and Naomi set for Saturday of WrestleMania. Both women are angry but for different reasons, as Cargill wants payback on the person who put her out of action, and Naomi has dropped the glow for a much darker persona. This could be a match that steals the spotlight.

Prediction: Naomi

Rey Mysterio vs. El Grande Americano

This has the good old bait-and-switch written all over it. Just when you think El Grande Americano is Chad Gable, it’s going to be somebody else. The only question is who?

Prediction: El Grande Americano

SUNDAY’S CARD

WWE Championship Match

Cody Rhodes (C) vs. John Cena with The Final Boss

John Cena’s turning his back on the fans couldn’t have been executed better, but that now needs to be built on. A loss just loses every ounce of momentum Cena’s retirement tour has gained. The interest comes in how Cena and/or The Final Boss are going to cheat Rhodes this time? In the most anticipated match of WrestleMania between two megastars and Cena seeking his 17th world championship, how can it possibly under-deliver?

Prediction: John Cena

Triple Threat Match for the Women’s World Championship

IYO SKY (C) vs. Rhea Ripley vs. Bianca Belair

Rhea Ripley is so popular with the fan base and so versatile that it’s hard to imagine that she wouldn’t regain the Women’s World Championship. IYO SKY seems like an afterthought, but she always seems to deliver her best when she’s counted out. That said, I have it as basically a coin flip between Ripley and Belair.

Prediction: Rhea Ripley

Fatal 4-Way Match for the Intercontinental Championship

Bron Breakker (C) vs. Finn Bálor vs. Dom Mysterio vs. Penta

Breakker has been slow played long enough that he needs to hit the ground running (pun intended) following a big win at WrestleMania. The issue arises with Penta. He has yet to lose a singles match (DQ once and no-contest once) since joining WWE, and it does him no good to lose in his biggest match to date. Bálor and Mysterio are lined up to take out each other.

Prediction: Bron Breakker

AJ Styles vs. Logan Paul

Styles and Paul haven’t interacted a ton, but that won’t make a difference. The bigger the event, the better Paul performs (same goes for Styles), and WrestleMania will prove that once again. Styles vs. Paul might not steal the show on Day 2 because of Cena and Rhodes, but it will be one that you will remember for a long time.

Prediction: Logan Paul

Women’s Tag Team Championship Match

Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez (C) vs. Lyra Valkyria and Bayley

Valkyria and Bayley are developing a nice cohesion, but Morgan and Rodriguez have been really good together. Morgan, actually, is a prisoner of her recent success. There’s an argument that she should be wrestling for a singles title at WrestleMania. Will that eventually cause friction between her and Rodriguez? Not on this night.

Prediction: Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez

Sin City Street Fight

Damian Priest vs. Drew McIntyre

McIntyre has pretty much waited in the wings quietly since that brutal three-match series with Punk over the summer. It’s time for The Scottish Psychopath to regain his main-event footing at Mania. McIntyre is motivated by Priest cashing in his Money in the Bank Contract minutes after McIntyre won it from Rollins and taking the World Heavyweight Title. This one promises to be brutal.

Prediction: Drew McIntyre