Betting Odds For Wrestlemania 35
- Betting Odds For Wrestlemania 35th
- Betting Odds For Wrestlemania 35 Years
- Betting Odds For Wrestlemania 35 Results
- Betting Odds For Wrestlemania 350
On Sunday, April 7th, the WWE presents their biggest event of the year – WrestleMania 35 live from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. WrestleMania is not only the most popular pro wrestling event in the world, it’s also a largescale extravaganza comparable to the Super Bowl in terms of fans in attendance, global viewership, revenue, and economic impact. In other words, it truly is “the showcase of the Immortals.”
WWE Wrestlemania 35 Betting Odds. Written By Graeme on March 18, 2019. We are just short of three weeks away from the WWE’s biggest event of the year: WrestleMania. This year’s event will take place from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. WWE’s branding of this event is all New York as it’s not too far away, but don’t be.
This year, the WWE has announced a 15-match card that will span across both the WrestleMania Kickoff Show and the PPV/Network event. As always, the card is subject to change and the WWE typically makes last minute adjustments prior to most PPV events.
- WrestleMania 35: Complete Card, Betting Odds and Predictions for the Jostle in Jersey By Kurt Boyer on April 5, 2019 Surprises and new trends in sports have a way of sneaking up on everyone.
- The early betting odds for some of the matches that will take place at the upcoming the WWE WrestleMania 35 event have been released. According to Bet Online, Seth Rollins is the favorite to defeat Brock Lesnar for the Universal Title. Also, Triple H is favored to beat Batista in No Holds Barred Match.
For the first time ever, women wrestlers will compete in the main event of WrestleMania. The headliner match is a triple threat bout for both the RAW and SmackDown Women’s Championship Belts. The competitors are Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, and Ronda Rousey. Additionally, just about every WWE title will be on the line at WM 35.
Let’s check the latest pro wrestling odds from the best WWE betting sites, see if we can find some betting value and RKO our picks.
WrestleMania Kickoff Show Matches
The WrestleMania Kickoff Show is set to begin at 5 PM ET and run for two hours until the main card starts at 7 PM ET. The Kickoff Show is currently scheduled to have three matches. All betting odds are courtesy of 5Dimes:
WWE Cruiserweight Championship Match
- (c)Buddy Murphy (-230)
- Tony Nese (+170)
Buddy Murphy is the most underrated wrestler on the WWE roster. He has carried the cruiserweight division since winning the title in his hometown of Melbourne last year at Super Showdown. Murphy has fought every top cruiserweight on the roster and has successfully defeated them all. I’ve dubbed him “Mr. Kickoff” recently, as he continues to defend the cruiserweight title during the kickoff show for each PPV.
Murphy’s opponent Tony Nese is a former friend and tag-team partner. He’s also just about the only other cruiserweight that fans believe has the potential to beat Murphy. Nese earned the title shot at WM 35 after defeating Cedrick Alexander to win the WWE Cruiserweight Championship Tournament. Following his big win, Murphy congratulated Tony with a boot to the face.
The WWE should seriously consider moving Murphy to RAW or SmackDown. He’s a proven commodity inside the ring and could add depth to either one of the secondary titles Mustafa Ali when from 205 Live to SmackDown and has been successful. I think Murphy could do the same.
For this bet, I really like the value that Nese offers. He’s definitely worthy of a flyer as I believe he could upset Murphy. If WWE decided to move Murphy to one of the main shows then they will take the belt off of him. I believe there really is nothing left for Murphy to accomplish. He will have bigger WM moments down the road when he’s fighting for other titles. I’m taking Nese to win in an upset.
WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal
Currently, as of this writing, only 13 women have been announced as participants in the 2nd annual WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal match. The following is a list of the betting favorites:
- Lacey Evans (-115)
- Asuka (+280)
- Mandy Rose (+600)
- Sonya Deville (+900)
- Nikki Bella (+1000)
- Ruby Riott (+1000)
The 2nd ever WrestleMania Women’s battle royal has very little excitement heading into WM 35. In fact, it’s probably the least intriguing match on the entire card. That’s largely due to the very few names in the match. Currently, only 13 women have been announced for this battle royal. And, none of them have much going for their on-air characters.
The best wrestler already announced is Asuka, but the WWE has proven to be incapable of doing anything with her since she lost last year at WM 34 to Charlotte Flair. Speaking of last year’s WM women’s battle royal, Naomi won the historic first match by eliminating Bayley in the end. Naomi will be in this battle royal, but she’s not even one of the odds on favorites. Bayley is in a tag-team title match this weekend and won’t be in this match.
The one superstar that should be in the match, Nia Jax, is also in the same tag-team title match. So, unlike with the men’s battle royal, there really is no clear-cut favorite. WrestleMania betting sites might have Lacey Evans as the favorite, but she’s done absolutely nothing other than walk around and interrupt matches. Asuka doesn’t need this victory because she’s already been a multi-time champ and the WWE wouldn’t know what to do with her even if she did win.
Nikki Bella is listed as a betting option by WWE betting sites, but she officially retired from wrestling last week. So, even if she surprises us all and shows up, there’s no way she’s winning.
In my opinion, just like with Naomi last year, we need to look at a mid-card wrestler who could use this victory to become a legit upper card contender. With that said, Mandy Rose (+600) and Ruby Riott (+1000) are my two choices to win this battle royal.
Since I can only pick one superstar, I’m going with Mandy Rose. I like Ruby Riott and think she’s talented enough, but with the way the WWE buried the Riott Squad these last few weeks on RAW, I just can’t see Riott winning this. So, I’m taking Mandy Rose to win the battle royal. However, you can certainly bet on both wrestlers as they each offer solid betting value.
Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
For the 6th year in a row, all of the male superstars who aren’t scheduled in other WrestleMania matches will be competing in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. Currently, 28 male superstars have been entered into this match. The following is a list of the odds on favorites to win:
- Braun Strowman (+120)
- Curt Hawkins (+540)
- Rob Gronkowski (+950)
- Rye Mysterio (+1500)
- Mustafa Ali (+2500)
Andre the Giant is one of the most recognized names in the history of professional wrestling. He was a larger than life character that transcended the industry and became a global phenomenon. Andre has also become a cult icon with the legendary tales of his drinking adventures. Nobody has ever come close to filling Andre’s shoes and nobody ever will. But, the WWE does have an opportunity here to do the obvious thing and get Braun Strowman back on the right path.
Strowman was the hottest thing going in late-2017 through the first half of 2018. Other than Becky Lynch, he was the hottest homegrown star in the last two years. But, by late-2018, the WWE bungled most of his storylines and he became irrelevant once again. However, this match with Andre’s namesake could help Strowman return to monster status and put him back on the path toward the Universal Title. Or they can move him to SmackDown and have him dominate over there.
The following wrestlers have won the previous 5 editions of the Andre the Giant battle royal:
- Cesaro won the inaugural battle royal in 2014 after eliminating the Big Show with his superhuman strength.
- Big Show improved on his runner up status in 2014 to win the 2015 match.
- Baron Corbin took a big step up the ladder with a win in 2016.
- Mojo Rawley got a nice push after winning the 2017 edition of this match.
- Last year, Matt Hardy won and the WWE Universe was “awoken.”
This year, there is only one legitimate choice and that’s Braun Strowman. At +120 odds I also like his betting value. If you want a longshot pick for this match, Rob Gronkowski is a good one to watch. The recently retired NFL star could return to the WWE and make a huge splash by winning this match.
WrestleMania 35 Main Card Matches
As of now, there are 12 matches scheduled for the Main Card portion of WM 35, which is set to begin at 7 PM ET. All betting odds are courtesy of 5Dimes.
SmackDown Tag Team Championship Fatal 4-Way Match
In typical WWE fashion, the creative team decided to make this WM 35 match after an 8-man tag match went haywire on SmackDown this week. So, all four teams that were in that match will now fight for the tag titles on Sunday. With that said, the WWE has a decision to make: keep the belts on The Usos or put them on Ricochet and Black.
The Usos are the most credible tag team on either show. And, if they keep the belts after Mania I think it’s just to drop them at the next PPV. Out of all four teams, the former NXT duo could use this win the most. And, by the way the WWE has been pushing these two wrestlers, I wouldn’t be surprised if they did win on Sunday.
However, the smart play for this match is the Usos despite not offering any betting value. If the WWE really wants to make the fans happy then they would put the belts on Ricochet and Black. With that said, I’m going with the Usos to retain the belts and hold on to them for at least another month.
Kurt Angle’s Farewell Match
- Kurt Angle (-165)
- Baron Corbin (+125)
Kurt Angle will go down as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all-time. And, if he had the same longevity as Ric Flair or Hulk Hogan then Angle could’ve been the best to ever step inside a squared circle. Keep in mind, he did it all with a “broken freakin’ neck”. Nevertheless, the 1996 Olympic Gold Medalist is leaving the business better off than how he found it.
Angle technically spent half his career in TNA due to issues with the WWE. But, he will always be considered one of WWE’s best. Angle won the TNA world title 6 times, the WCW world title 1 time, and the WWE title 4 times. He’s also held just about every other belt in both promotions. His pro wrestling accolades have already earned Angle an entry into the WWE HOF in 2017. Which, ironically, brought him back to wrestling part time.
Baron Corbin made Angle’s life very difficult last year and even took the RAW GM position from Kurt. For the sake of concluding their WWE storyline, a farewell match against Corbin was booked. Unfortunately, WWE fans would’ve preferred a better opponent than Baron. That’s why the WWE tried to make farewell matches on RAW and SmackDown for Angle to take on guys like Samoa Joe and AJ Styles one last time. Remember, Angle’s feuds with Joe and Styles in TNA is what helped to make that company a legitimate #2 wrestling promotion.
As for this match, it’s hard to imagine that the WWE will have Corbin win it. Although, previous retirement matches didn’t go well for the retirees. Ric Flair and Undertaker both lost their final matches at the time. With that said, I’m going with Kurt Angle to win. The Olympic hero will execute his “three I’s,” an Angle slam, and his ankle lock to win this match.
Intercontinental Championship Match
- (c)Bobby Lashley (+500)
- “The Demon” Finn Balor (-900)
Here’s another match that nobody other than “the Balor club” cares about. In reality, the WWE has done neither man justice by putting them in this match. Additionally, neither wrestler needs the Intercontinental title or can even bring a steady interest to it after it’s become a prop for matches rather than continuing the shine that Seth Rollins brought back to it in 2018.
In reality, Lashley should’ve been in the Andre the Giant battle royal and Balor could’ve been in it as well. Furthermore, this match should’ve been on the Kickoff Show instead of Murphy vs Nese, which might steal the show.
For this WWE wager, Balor is one of the biggest betting favorites of the entire event. He will bust out his “demon” ring gear and face paint for this match as well. That’s pretty much a guarantee for Balor to win. Lashley isn’t even worthy of a flyer.
United States Championship Match
- (c)Samoa Joe (-260)
- Rey Mysterio (+180)
Unlike the Intercontinental title match, the US title match should actually be more interesting due to the wrestlers involved. However, it should also be early on the Kickoff Show because it’s not a match that will leave any memorable moments. More than anything, this match will be Samoa Joe’s WrestleMania moment and that’s about it. I also wouldn’t be surprised if the WWE decided to add another superstar to this match since it doesn’t really have much interest from the fans.
Both wrestlers are “over” with the fans in their own way, but the build-up for this contest was lackluster and it doesn’t do much for the show. Both men could’ve been in the battle royal as well.
Samoa Joe is the betting favorite, and rightfully so. He’s the champ and has a little momentum going. Rey Mysterio has really nothing going for him other than his past accomplishments. With that in mind, I’m taking Samoa Joe to win and retain the title.
WWE Grudge Match
- AJ Styles (-110)
- Randy Orton (-130)
Rumors of this match could be heard back in late-December to early-January. At the time, most fans and pundits weren’t thrilled about this feud. Many within the WWE Universe wanted to see AJ Styles in a more prolific bout on the “grandest stage of them all.” Unfortunately, the WWE brain trust couldn’t come up with anything better and we’re stuck with this feud.
In classic WWE fashion, they waited until last month to even get this storyline going despite neither wrestler having any clear feud or direction at the time. Both Styles and Orton did their best to make the fans care, in spite of the WWE’s lack of vision.
We’ve had a few weeks of sneak attacks and insults to really get fans invested. I would say it’s about 50/50 on the WWE Universe caring or not.
When it comes to the in-ring product, both wrestlers are veterans and very capable of putting together a solid outing. It really comes down to how long they get inside the ring to tell a story. If the WWE gives them enough time, then this match could be one of the best on the show. If they’re rushed or held to less than that then this match will end up being a waste of both men’s talents.
As for the bet, it’s a tossup. And, that’s why WrestleMania betting sites have the odds so close. Between the two, the WWE Universe is more invested in AJ Styles than Randy Orton. And, I think that’s going to be the difference. AJ Styles will get the win because nobody would care if Orton wins, but they wouldn’t be pleased if AJ loses.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Fatal 4-Way Match
- (c)Bayley & Sasha Banks (-335)
- Beth Phoenix & Natalya (+1150)
- The IIconics (+400)
- Nia Jax & Tamina (+850)
The women’s tag team match has some buzz heading into it. For starters, the champs have been seen on both RAW and SmackDown defending the titles. Furthermore, this match helped to boost the relevancy of the IIconics once again. Additionally, it kept Jax and Tamina as the top heel duo for the women’s roster. But, the biggest thing that this match did was bring Beth Phoenix out of retirement and back into the ring. How long she plans on wrestling is anyone’s guess.
Beth and Natalya come in as the biggest underdogs of this tag team title match. The champs are a big favorite to retain their titles while the IIconics are the second favorites. The heel monsters of Tamina and Nia are also a significant underdog.
If you recall, I said that Jax and Tamina should’ve been the champs first and then have Bayler and Banks win the titles at WM 35. Well, the WWE decided to do it differently and we now have a match where it makes no sense to keep the belts on the champs.
The best outcome for this match is having the belts go on a tag team that can really benefit from them like the IIconics. However, I think this weekend could see the belts go to Natalya and Beth Phoenix. With the Hart Foundation being inducted into the WWE HOF on Saturday night, it would be an emotional and enjoyable moment to see Natalya win the tag belts in honor of her late father who was the powerhouse of the Hart Foundation. And, if Brett Hart was still in attendance, he could come out and celebrate. It would also be cool to see Beth’s real life husband, and former WWE superstar, Edge come out and celebrate as well.
So, I’m hoping for the best and taking the biggest underdog of this match as I’m picking Natalya and Beth Phoenix to win the tag titles.
WWE Singles Match
- Roman Reigns (-305)
- Drew McIntyre (+225)
Let’s start by saying that the return of Roman Reigns from leukemia is still a heartwarming story. With that said, I feel that the WWE rushed him into a storyline just to have him in a match at WrestleMania 35. And, they’re putting him up against McIntyre who should be getting a push right now, not being set up to lose on the biggest stage.
McIntyre has world champion and face of the company written all over him. He has the look, skills, and personality to carry RAW into the future. Yet, the WWE continues to delay his run at a title shot. And, now, they are risking his momentum by putting him in the ring with Roman Reigns.
I would love nothing more than to see Drew win this match because he deserves it, not because of any anti-Reigns sentiment. However, I just don’t see it happening. “The Big Dog” is back and he will reclaim his yard this weekend. I expect Reigns and McIntyre to have a solid match. In fact, it will probably be a top 5 match of the night out of the 15 scheduled matches.
For this wager, Reigns doesn’t offer any betting value as the favorite. And, since he’s going to win, I don’t see McIntyre being worth a flyer. If Drew was facing Rollins or Ambrose in this match then I would pick McIntyre. Unfortunately for fans of the “Scottish psychopath,” he’s going to get the loss at WM 35.
Falls Count Anywhere Match
- Shane McMahon (+280)
- The Miz (-400)
For many of us, we saw this feud coming a mile away. It was clear that the WWE was going to split them up after they became an “odd couple” tag-team. The only question was who would turn heel. I had suggested that it should be Shane because that would make things more interesting and then we could possibly see a heel Daniel Bryan vs a baby face Miz by the summer. Well, Kofi Kingston might derail that idea, but the face Miz has done well so far.
I prefer The Miz being a heel always, but we needed something different and Shane turning on The Miz was much more entertaining. Additionally, Shane going after The Miz’s dad made this feud more interesting. With the evil McMahon harassing The Miz each and every week, there’s really only one outcome for this match – The Miz winning.
The WWE betting sites feel that The Miz is going to win as they have him as a huge betting favorite. And, can anyone remember the last time Shane won a match in a significant feud?
Because this is a falls count anywhere match, I expect outside interference and The Miz to win probably due to his father helping out.
No Holds Barred Match
- Triple H (-300)
- Batista (+220)
In this no holds barred match, Triple H will be putting his career on the line against the returning Hollywood star – Batista. These two have done most of their interactions via promos and in interviews after Batista beat up Ric Flair on his 70th birthday. This feud has been simmering over the last few weeks and could explode on Sunday. But, who will win?
For Batista, one has to wonder how committed the 50-year-old is going to be. He’s got plenty of acting roles lined up and he doesn’t need wrestling anymore. Having him win makes little sense. But, adding Triple H’s career on the line made this match more intriguing because he will also be 50 in a few months.
Additionally, most people think that Triple H’s in-ring time should come to an end. He has a successful career ahead of him as the COO and being in charge of the exciting NXT brand. Furthermore, he suffered another serious injury last year in his last match and his body isn’t capable of handling much more in-ring wear and tear. With that said, I don’t know if that time is now for Triple H to retire.
Having Batista win makes absolutely no sense, but neither does a Triple H win. Really, the WWE decided to add more name power to WM 35 without any long term thought to this match.
The smart money is on Triple H as the betting favorite to win this match. I’m going to take Mr. Stephanie McMahon to win this bout.
Universal Championship Match
- (c)Brock Lesnar (-125)
- Seth Rollins (-115)
The WWE has been grooming Seth Rollins for this very moment. He was the workhorse in 2018 and became the top face after Reigns left due to his fight with Leukemia. Rollins carried WWE RAW every time he stepped into the ring.
Brock Lesnar has become the top attraction in the WWE, but he’s held the Universal title hostage and other wrestlers need it more. Lesnar can continue to have high profile matches or even go to SmackDown and hold that title for a while, but he doesn’t need the Universal championship anymore. Brock brought prestige back to the title and he can now pass it on to Rollins.
I believe that it’s going to be Rollins’ time to shine as the champ once again. From there, we can see more exciting feuds for the title and eventually Rollins can drop the belt this summer to a worthy foe. With that said, I’m taking Rollins to slay the beast and win the Universal belt this Sunday.
WWE Championship Match
- (c) Daniel Bryan (+245)
- Kofi Kingston (-335)
A handful of years ago, the WWE Universe willed Daniel Bryan to winning the world title. It was an exciting time to be a Bryan fan and great to see the talented worker make it to the top of the mountain. Fast forward to 2019, and we have a similar opportunity. Kofi Kingston earned the love and support of the fans with his in-ring efforts over the last few months. In fact, the WWE Universe’s support for Kofi completely changed the WWE’s plans for WM 35 and the world title.
It would truly be a monumental moment if Kofi can actually win the world championship belt. Some believe that Kofi will win the title and New Day will turn on him. There are also rumors that New Day will cost him the title. Rumors or not, I don’t see Kofi winning the belt at WM 35. I believe Kofi is a very talented worker, but his fairytale run is going to come to an end at WM 35.
I believe the belt will remain around Bryan’s waist. The WWE always throws a few curveballs at WM and this will be one of them. I think there’s a better chance of New Day turning on Kofi than Kingston actually winning the title. It will be a great match, but Kofi will once again come up short.
WWE Women’s Triple Threat Title Match
- (c)Ronda Rousey (+430)
- (c)Charlotte Flair (+1300)
- Becky Lynch (-490)
For the first time ever, the women superstars are in the main event of WrestleMania. And, this is the biggest match that the WWE could come up with. Additionally, other than the Kingston vs Bryan storyline, this is the only match with a storyline that has been compelling, crazy, baffling at times, and entertaining for the last 6+ months.
With Charlotte winning the SmackDown title last week, the belt will also be on the line in this match. That means the winner will end up having all of the gold in the women’s division.
Rousey has held the RAW women’s title for almost a year and has been a force on Monday nights. The fans turned her heel because of the success of Becky Lynch and it has worked out well. Rousey is a better heel inside the WWE ring than she ever was or ever will be as a face.
For Becky, she’s the betting favorite and the one star with all of the momentum right now. Since last fall, she has been on fire within the WWE Universe. It seems like everything that’s happened up until now, has been to get Becky to WM 35 and winning the title. But, like with Kofi, the WWE could very well delay that glorious moment by not allowing Lynch to win.
All of the buzz and rumors have been about Rousey taking time off after WM 35 to have a family. If that’s truly the case then she will lose on Sunday. However, the one superstar that is an afterthought with the oddsmakers is Charlotte Flair.
The Queen is a massive underdog. In fact, out of all the wrestlers that aren’t in either battle royal, Charlotte is the biggest underdog of the night. But, if you are going to make history and put both titles on one woman then it has to be Charlotte.
I’m taking The Queen to walk away with all of the gold and I believe she will pin Ronda Rousey to make this happen. That will allow Charlotte and Becky to continue a feud and for Lynch to eventually win both titles.
The safe play is taking Becky Lynch. However, if you are a risk taker then go with Charlotte and her betting odds.
WrestleMania 35 Betting Value and Upsets
The following wrestlers offer betting value based on their current WrestleMania betting odds and TV storylines:
- Tony Nese (+170)
- Mandy Rose (+600)
- Braun Strowman (+120)
- Beth Phoenix & Natalya (+1150)
- Daniel Bryan (+245)
- Charlotte Flair (+1300)
Is challenging Buddy Murphy for the Cruiserweight Title. He’s a big underdog in this match and I think he will pull off the upset. Murphy has dominated the division for 6 months now and it’s time for Buddy to move on to a main show, preferably SmackDown. With that said, the WWE will need to put a title on a suitable replacement and Nese is the best of the rest.
is my pick to win the women’s battle royal. Her odds would return a nice payout if she does win. Another competitor that I also feel offers value in this match is Ruby Riott at +1000 odds. I’m going with Rose to eliminate Riott in the end.
is the clear choice to win the men’s battle royal. He’s not only the consensus pick to win, but he’s also the betting favorite. So, it’s a bit surprising that he has positive odds considering how the majority of pundits, fans, and oddsmakers think he will win.
are the biggest underdogs of the women’s tag team match. But, I believe there’s a strong chance that the WWE can put the titles on Natalya the same weekend her late father is inducted into the WWE HOF. That would be a sweet WrestleMania moment.
is the underdog in his match against Kofi Mania, but I think that the WWE will swerve its fans and have Kingston lose the match due to New Day costing him the belt. There’s a chance for Kofi to win the title this summer, but I believe that McMahon and the WWE will keep the belt on Bryan at WM 35.
is the biggest underdog of the night and that’s part of the reason why I think she will win. It’s a swerve to all of the fans that want Lynch to win. Additionally, I believe Charlotte is the only female superstar worthy of this historic “champ champ” accomplishment.
Final Thoughts on WrestleMania 35
WrestleMania is always an exciting time. Ever since I was a kid, WM has been a special occasion. From watching Hogan vs Andre when I was 10 to the rise of Stone Cold and Daniel Bryan, WM has delivered some memorable moments in my lifetime.
This year, there’s potential for history to be made with Kofi Kingston winning and Becky Lynch capturing all of the gold. There’s also the potential for the WWE to swerve the fans and not give them what they want. That’s always the thin line that they walk each year.
With that in mind, WM 35 has some exciting matches and some duds on their lineup. It will be at least 5 hours long, so make sure you have plenty of food, drinks, and a strong internet connection because there will be some lags with the live feed. Let’s hope that the WWE delivers a solid show and a new direction with storylines that will satisfy even the most critical of fans.
As for those of you placing WrestleMania bets, there’s plenty of betting value and some potential upsets that could make you some money.
WM 35 Betting Recap
- Tony Nese (+170)
- Mandy Rose (+600)
- Braun Strowman (+120)
- The Usos (-200)
- Kurt Angle (-165)
- Finn Balor (-900)
- Samoa Joe (-260
- AJ Styles (-110)
- Beth Phoenix & Natalya (+1150)
- Roman Reigns (-305)
- The Miz (-400)
- Triple H (-300)
- Seth Rollins (-115)
- Daniel Bryan (+245)
- Charlotte Flair (+1300)
Surprises and new trends in sports have a way of sneaking up on everyone.
WrestleMania is always criticized. Fans of World Wrestling Entertainment are notorious for, as grappler Chris Jericho once put it, “never liking anything we give them.”
This year feels a little different. WrestleMania 35 has not happened yet. But it’s already being criticized in very harsh terms.
Roman Reigns, a main-event WWE wrestler, is getting torched once again. Except it’s not really the former Georgia Tech athlete named Leati Joseph Anoaʻi who is taking heat. “Roman Reigns” is taking the heat. Wrestling is weird that way. People aren’t criticizing the actor playing the role, just the role itself.
That doesn’t make the carping any less vicious. In fact, many commentators feel free “reign” to bash the WWE because we don’t always get to know the people in the circus. Vince McMahon’s promotional machine turns athletes into action figures, and it’s easy to forget that they’re not made of plastic.
John Oliver excoriated McMahon (and Reigns) in a monologue this week. Then again, Oliver is a mainstream Democrat and the McMahons are famously Republican, so he’s coming from a biased POV. Former WWE announcer Jim Ross has no such axe to grind, but even J.R. is in a bad mood about the upcoming WrestleMania in East Rutherford on Sunday night.
Ross believes that too many matches are being thrown together quickly, with grapplers focused on showing-off their aerial skills instead of giving the fans a personal drama to care about, or maybe even, you know, applying some wrestling holds.
“The announcers sound like bad porno,” J.R. said on a recent podcast.
“All they can do is react to the high spots, ‘Oh, yeah, oh, yeah.’ The performers are not giving them anything else to talk about.”
As a fan of old-time TV wrestling and (some) current TV wrestling, I share J.R.’s frustrations. If punching, kicking, and jumping off the top rope were prohibited as they once were, some of 2019’s so-called “Superstars” would have 90-second matches because they’d have no idea what else to do.
But not all is lost. In fact, the men of World Wrestling Entertainment could be about to take part in a watershed WrestleMania.
And they’ll have the women of the company to thank for it.
WrestleMania 35: History for Real in the Main Event
The WWE loves to tell its fans how every main event is “making history” even when the matches are routine and unremarkable.
On Sunday night in New Jersey, the announcers can say it and mean it.
Betting Odds For Wrestlemania 35th
WrestleMania 35 will feature women in the main event for the first time ever. Former MMA world champion Ronda Rousey will compete against Charlotte Flair (woo!) and Becky Lynch for an “undisputed” or “double” women’s title in both the Raw and Smackdown brands.
McMahon usually dips his toes in the water before diving into a brave new genre. For years, female Superstars (or “WWE Divas”) were degraded by half-naked stunts and touchy-feely matches meant to entertain with sex appeal only. Meanwhile, any serious women’s bouts were given so little airtime that the wrestlers appeared to be performing in fast-forward.
Excellent wrestlers like Mickey James and Paige have toiled for decades to earn respect for the women’s division. But when Rousey signed a contract with WWE in 2018, the Divas got a shot in the arm like none other. The former UFC Bantamweight champ brought an element of genuine sports-athleticism into the promotion, and despite her inexperience working “fixed” bouts, put on a classic tag team match at WrestleMania 34 with the help of Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, and Kurt Angle.
Rumor has it “Rowdy” was roughly reprimanded for doing more than punch and kick at WrestleMania, and promised to forget all of her scientific holds and do better next time.
Just kidding.
The best match at WrestleMania 34 involved only women. In fact, the bout between Charlotte Flair and the Japanese wrestler Asuka may have quietly revolutionized sports-entertainment.
“Quietly” refers to the media’s reaction and not the crowd in New Orleans, who went bonkers from start to finish.
Charlotte Flair is a kingly physical specimen known as “The Queen.” She inherits her father Ric Flair’s unique ability to create comedy and drama in the ring. Asuka is simply one of the world’s most talented and polished athletes. But the match wasn’t just special because of what the Divas could do. The bout was also noteworthy for what they didn’t do.
Flair and Asuka didn’t throw one punch. They rarely kicked. Outside of a few MMA-style forearm strikes, the women wrestled for 20 straight minutes and brought the house down. That wasn’t thought to be possible with a modern WWE audience…at least not as of 13 months ago.
One of Ric Flair’s favorite slogans has always been “the name on the marquee says ‘wrestling.’” It sounds like his daughter got the message.
WrestleMania: Bet on the Match Booker, Not the Superstar
Long-shot gamblers were also thrilled by the outcome. The amazing women’s match in the Big Easy turned into the best underdog pick of the night, as (predicted here at LegitGamblingSites.com) Flair defended her title belt on a (+700) moneyline, winning a 7-to-1 payoff for happy speculators.
Why did online betting sites offer such a payoff on The Queen to remain champion? Mostly because Asuka was booked as an “unstoppable” master of submission holds and enjoyed a long unbeaten streak headed into the April gala.
Flair, according to standard handicapping logic, would be used to “job out,” or lose to the Rising Sun phenom in such as way as to build the latter’s reputation.
My prediction of Flair in an upset was based on a few factors, not the least of which is knowing the wares of Vince, Stephanie, and Triple H.
The WWE has gotten better over the years at not “burying” new talent imported from other promotions.. But as wonderful as Asuka is in the ring, she doesn’t speak fluent English (or at least her character pretends to not speak fluent English) and her interviews at the time consisted of tiny catch-phrases.
WWE wants WrestleMania champions who can cut promos. Full promos. In English. I’m absolutely sure there was no racial or promotion-prejudice involved in letting Flair keep her belt. It was just the most practical and wise decision the WWE could have made at the time, and so it happened.
WrestleMania betting can play tricks on the mind. Bookers rarely make a decision based on athletic talent alone. Chris Jericho might feel like a great wager in a particular match because he’s so good at wrestling. But if the company happened to decide that a stick figure with zero skills could somehow out-draw Jericho as a champion, then a title-holding Y2J would be obliged to job-out at a Pay-Per-View.
Finally, remember that a “DQ” finish in which the disqualified wrestler puts a bloody beating on the “winner” still counts as a betting outcome in favor of the “unconscious” grappler.
When King Kong Bundy famously crushed Hulk Hogan’s ribs (or pretended to crush Hulk Hogan’s ribs) on Saturday Night’s Main Event after cheating through outside interference, gamblers who had picked Hogan won their bets on the “DQ,” even as Hulk was hauled off in an ambulance.
Let’s examine the WrestleMania 35 card along with the gambling odds at MyBookie. Maybe there’s another terrific underdog pick hiding in the weeds…or under the ring with a crowbar.
Smackdown Singles Match: Randy Orton (-160) vs A.J. Styles (+120)
The son of old-time wrestler “Cowboy” Bob Orton, Randy Orton is an oft-pushed WWE veteran who has been booked to “go over,” or defeat A.J. Styles in the recent past.
McMahon’s office won’t sit on Styles’ talent forever. “The Phenomenal” is indeed a phenomenal performer who captivates adult fans, and it’s hard for young boys to relate to Orton has he grows older. That could make a Styles upset the proper booking as he’s more likely to get over (while “go over” means win, “get over” means to please the audience) in the long run.
Raw Intercontinental Championship: Finn Balor (-500) vs Bobby Lashley (+350)
I recall reading a funny bit in a wrestling magazine about the origin of the “Intercontinental” championship. If the word Intercontinental means “champion on more than one continent,” then what’s the difference between a World title and an Intercontinental title?
Finn Balor is the challenger for the belt, but insiders expect the “Demon” to beat Lashley anyway.
Remember, if Lashley cheats and is disqualified, therefore keeping the Intercontinental title, the favorite’s moneyline still wins even if Balor is bailed into a roll of hay and dumped into the nearby Atlantic Ocean. No championship belt – but still a payoff good on multiple continents.
Raw Singles Match: Kurt Angle (-200) vs Baron Corbin (+280)
The aging veteran and former Olympic gold medalist Angle is expected to go over against Corbin, a rival whom Angle requested for his “farewell match” at WrestleMania.
Corbin is a popular talent and could potentially be booked to win or DQ in a surprise. However, there is more than one dynamic at work in handicapping this one.
Wrestlers usually don’t retire on-screen. When a WWE Superstar fights in a so-called retirement bout, it’s often just a gimmick to give him or her time off or to pivot to the next storyline.
If Kurt Angle was really, truly wrestling his last match of all time, there’s no way WWE bookers wouldn’t give him the clean pinfall or submission victory. The gaps between what fans are told on TV, what wrestlers say in interviews, and what actually happens backstage are yawning.
No one in the New Jersey crowd will be yawning on Sunday night when Angle locks-in his patented “Ankle lock” though.
By the way, “Baron” Corbin is misspelled “Aron” Corbin on MyBookie’s moneyline board for WrestleMania 35.
John Cena has also been rumored to take Corbin’s place in a plot twist during the show. That would make every bet on the match a “push,” so we’ll see.
Falls Count Anywhere Match: The Miz (-400) vs Shane McMahon (+250)
2 of my favorite modern wrestlers prepare for a jostle that could end in a Jack in the Box.
Shane McMahon’s specialty is getting his butt kicked in an exciting fashion. He’s fought violent gimmick matches against The Undertaker and Kurt Angle, and can perform a high spot like nobody’s business.
Shane’s “money” dance – bound to hilariously pop up in the middle of his regular stride – reminds a few viewers of Shemp Howard from The Three Stooges.
The Miz is another “high spot” wrestler whose grappling skills are sound, and in my opinion, vastly underrated along with his vibrant interviews. But as we talked about earlier, the WWE is not a purely athletic competition, and the better technical hand doesn’t always get booked to win.
We have to think like promoters and not sports handicappers.
Shane is always a good candidate to “job out” because his status with fans is stitched in stone. He can lose at WrestleMania and come back just as strong next year. The Miz, on the other hand, has run the gamut from announcer to comedy wrestler to mid-carder to main event and back again.
If the company has any serious plans for Miz in the ring in 2019, they’re wise to let him win this time. It won’t hurt the McMahon brand at all.
Too bad MyBookie doesn’t have a prop betting line on how many different rooms, buildings, bars and junkyards the match could wind up taking place in. There likely won’t be an upset victory, but it will be a lot of fun to watch.
Smackdown United States Championship: Samoa Joe (-260) vs Rey Mysterio (+180)
Another meeting of outstanding veterans. This match is my “moneyline favorite lock” of the evening, since Rey Mysterio has traditionally been booked to lose big title matches on marquee cards.
Triple H and Stephanie are often as old-fashioned as her father is. WWE has never been comfortable putting Heavyweight title belts on smaller wrestlers.
Why? Because they don’t think it’s “realistic” enough. Yep.
Samoa Joe can match Mysterio hold-for-hold and spot-for-spot. But Joe is a much bigger wrestler and a more-believable champion for casual fans to buy into, meaning that he’ll almost certainly hold on to the United States title against the high-flying Luchador.
Raw Singles Match: Roman Reigns (-400) vs Drew McIntyre (+250)
Roman Reigns is the “John Cena of 2019.” Cena’s career has gone through phases in which the Superstar simply couldn’t get the fans to cheer and boo when he wanted them to, but the McMahons liked him and kept pushing him.
Reigns is promoted as a fan favorite and gets booed out of half the arenas he wrestles in. He’s still booed despite coming back from leukemia to wrestle in WWE. That’s serious heat…and not the “good” kind of heat that “heel” wrestlers relish.
Mainstream opinion has it that the former gridiron standout is another failed WWE project that the company just won’t give up on. David Shoemaker of The Ringer argues that the promotion doesn’t care if people like or dislike Roman Reigns as long as they keep watching and rooting for an outcome. “WWE has harnessed fan angst into a potent drug,” writes Shoemaker. “People’s complaints are based on the fear that the story won’t go the way they want. That’s exactly what pro wrestling is built on.”
Yeah – but the promoters used to essentially tell the fans where they wanted the story to go. It’s a free-for-all now.
Reigns is likely to beat McIntyre and might even get a few limp cheers as a cancer survivor in 2019.
Smackdown WWE Championship: Kofi Kingston (-320) vs Daniel Bryan (+240)
Bryan is the “anti-Roman Reigns,” a wrestler whom fans adore but WWE has failed to push with victories key moments.
Meanwhile, Kofi Kingston has spent much of his career as a one-dimensional acrobatic flyer, the type Jim Ross criticized as putting announcers in the “bad porno” mold while failing to tell fans a story.
So why would Kingston be booked to go over, as Las Vegas clearly expects?
For one, the Jamaican grappler has improved leaps and bounds. He has wrestled 60-minute matches and fought in well-reviewed singles and tag-team storylines over the past few years.
Second, and probably more importantly, the kids love him. Kingston has become one of the most popular fan favorites in the industry, and Bryan has been at-least-temporarily turned into a heel title-holder whom “Mr. McMahon” (Vince’s on-screen character and usually a real jerk) favors.
I wonder if WWE won’t throw yet another curve-ball at Bryan and Kingston fans alike with this finish.
Raw Singles Match: Triple H (-300) vs Batista (+220)
Dave Batista is a fine bodybuilder and a veteran grappler who has often been booked into main events only to lose to a brand-name Superstar.
His match against The Undertaker at WrestleMania 23 is a good example. Batista received a huge TV push from the company, arrived in Detroit like a house afire, and stormed to the ring with an intensity never before seen. Ring introductions are often an important clue as to who is booked to win the bout, for instance when Glen “Kane” Jacobs calls for pyrotechnics before a match, he’s planning to lose. Batista did not appear to be planning to lose.
Then the lights in the venue went out. Lines of chanting Pagan druids formed out of nowhere.
Bettors were under the impression that Batista was going to fight an aging Superstar in a trench coat.
But from a WWE-universe point of view, he was fighting God.
Triple H is not God, though he might as well be, given his power in the WWE office. But what long-term good would really come from having Hunter Hearst Helmsley go over in a non-title match? Fans will always buy Triple H as a contender, but Batista has just come back to the fold after a long absence and would benefit from a win or suffer from a loss.
Raw WWE Universal Championship: Seth Rollins (-160) vs Brock Lesnar (+120)
We’ll keep this prediction short and sweet. Former freestyle wrestler Lesnar is a solid underdog pick, not because he’s incredibly over with the fans, not because he’s supremely talented, and certainly not because he’s always loyal to WWE.
Lesnar will be booked to win because none of those factors ever seem to matter to the McMahons. They think a card grows more believable or exciting when Lesnar wins his match. He was even booked to end The Undertaker’s legendary winning streak at WrestleMania.
There’s every logical reason why Rollins should be booked to win. I’m going with the historical trend in saying that the McMahons will stupidly push a bodybuilder with weak microphone skills on the viewing public, all over again.
Main Event: Becky Lynch (-260) vs Ronda Rousey (+300) vs Charlotte Flair (+1000)
The news story is that Vince McMahon (likely with Steph and HHH’s prodding) chose to schedule the first women’s main event in the history of WrestleMania.
The wrestling storyline? It’s a little more complicated.
Betting Odds For Wrestlemania 35 Years
Gone are the days of White Hat vs Black Hat. Each of the 3 Diva/Superstars have taken turns thrilling and upsetting fans on the road to WrestleMania. Lynch sneak-attacked Flair after a title match on Smackdown in 2018. That would usually make The Queen into a “face” in the story, but she cheated with foreign objects in a follow-up match against Rousey. “Rowdy” Ronda will always draw cheers because of her real-life-sports accomplishments and popularity in the Octagon. But she interfered with a Flair-Lynch match in December, attacking an injured Lynch in a fashion associated with heels.
The lack of a clear-cut morality play might suggest an anything-goes booking scenario. But handicappers seem convinced Lynch has already been booked win both belts.
Flair is expected to be a wild-card, affecting the outcome without scoring a pinfall or submission to win the titles herself. Lynch is a strong and balanced grappler who fans can buy as an athletic competitor against Rousey, and her popularity is reaching a Flair-like level. (Shoemaker writes in The Ringer that there will be a riot at MetLife Stadium if “The Man” (Becky) loses the match.)
Could there be another swerve? What if Ronda Rousey – the grappler who doesn’t need to cheat, ever, given her immense skill-set – finally breaks from the frustration and clobbers Lynch with one of Triple H’s sledgehammers that always seem to wind up around the ring?
A cheat-and-win for Rowdy would make her the top heel in the business, and turn The Man into a no-grey-area face who’s over like a Zeppelin for the next 6-12 months.
It’s the “logical” booking vs a potentially even more-lucrative surprise. Money and drawing power is the name of the game. I’m taking Ronda Rousey to pull off a devilish upset win.
WrestleMania 35: Best Picks and Moneyline Bets
I’m given readers a lot to chew on here, so let’s be concise and recap leans and predictions for MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.
Ronda Rousey and Dave Batista are terrific underdog bets.
Betting Odds For Wrestlemania 35 Results
So is Brock Lesnar…for all the wrong reasons.
Betting Odds For Wrestlemania 350
Kurt Angle could lose or be cheated out of a clean win, only to return at a later date and beat the heck out of Baron Corbin.
Samoa Joe is the moneyline lock among the favorites.