WWE Wrestlemania

WrestleMania has always been about making history and giving talent a platform to shine, and it sometimes truly changes WWE. However, the 35th edition of The Show of Shows has the potential to make an indelible mark on a disappointing history of misrepresentation.

Just one week ago, WWE announced officially that Ronda Rousey, Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair would main-event The Grandest Stage of Them All. For the first time in the company's history, women will main-event WrestleMania.

This company has thrown around the term "history-making" too much in recent years. It can be easy to lose perspective of how much this company has evolved in just a few short years to make it to this point.

Much of that is a credit to the talent involved. Rousey, Lynch and Flair have changed the game for the better, becoming some of the biggest stars in the business.

However, talent was not lacking over the years. Before anyone could stand out, the company had to change. The way women were perceived in the wrestling business had to change. Those in charge of the business had to change.

In order to fully understand how far the business has come to finally accept that women's wrestling should be main-eventing The Showcase of the Immortals, it is important to understand how far the company and the talent have come.

WrestleMania is the longest running program in WWE history, and even at its peak, it was not the greatest spotlight for women in the business.

         

The Early Year Attempts

The first-ever WrestleMania included a penultimate match between Wendi Richter and Leilani Kai with Cyndi Lauper and Fabulous Moolah in the respective corners of the participants. The match was working off the back of the incredibly successful Brawl to End It All and allowed a decent spotlight.

What followed grew increasingly more disappointing, though. Moolah got less than two minutes against Velvet McIntyre at WrestleMania 2, with the women's champion only supporting Harley Race from ringside the following year.

With Richter leaving the company and Moolah semi-retired by the time of the fourth Show of Shows, no woman competed in a 'Mania ring again until WrestleMania X when Alundra Blayze successfully defended her title against a returning Kai.

Blayze was set up by WWE as the future of the division, but she ended up choosing to walk out on WWE in the one of the most influential moments of the Monday Night Wars, taking the WWE Women's Championship and throwing it in the trash.

It is possible Vince McMahon never got over the betrayal, and everything quickly turned sour for the division with the championship left vacant for years.

             

Attitude Era Values

The Attitude Era may have been one of the most important eras in WWE history, but it was one of the worst times for women's wrestling.

This was by no fault of the talent but rather a company that was catering to a younger audience by focusing on sex appeal.

For that reason, WWE no longer looked to sign talent first because of athletic prowess. Many with significant talent were completely ignored while others got long runs that could never put it all together.

In this time, some great stars emerged from this mess, yet few were truly allowed to compete to their full potential. Trish Stratus was the most successful especially paired with Lita, and Chyna carved her own niche in the business, making her presence felt at 'Mania by standing in Triple H's corner.

WrestleMania XV was the next event to host a women's wrestling match where Sable and Tori barely managed to put together coherent offense. In response, WWE booked Terri Runnels vs. The Kat in a catfight the next year that was even less of a match.

Luckily, at the same event, Chyna was at least allowed to stand out as she competed in an intergender tag match where she ended up pinning Eddie Guerrero.

One year later, at the most highly acclaimed 'Mania of all time, X-Seven, The Ninth Wonder of the World won the women's championship in a match that did not even last three minutes.

WrestleMania X8 hosted the best women's bout up to that point when Jazz defended her title against Trish and Lita in a match that had to deal with playing cool down to Hulk Hogan vs. The Rock. A year later, Trish and Jazz topped that effort, working with Victoria in another triple threat match.

In the last Show of Shows to truly define this era of women's wrestling, Torrie Wilson, Sable, Miss Jackie and Stacy Keibler had a Playboy Evening Gown match that did not last long, while Victoria and Molly Holly had a fine bout late in a night packed with great matches.

               

Barely Represent At All for a Decade

As WWE moved solidly into the PG Era, the treatment of women's wrestling grew less explicitly sexual though the talent did not get any greater a spotlight.

Trish tried her best with Christy Hemme at WrestleMania 21 and then topped the best the division had ever put on in her match with Mickie James at 22.

However, the WWE Hall of Famer retired shortly thereafter, and no one truly got a chance to take her place for a decade. WrestleMania 23 was the last time the women got a singles match for a decade with a messy Lumberjill match between Melina and Ashley.

WrestleMania XXIV threw the Playboy label back on in a forgettable tag team match with Beth Phoenix and Melina defeating Ashley and Maria. The following year, in the lowest moment in the division's history at 'Mania, Santino Marella dressed up in drag and won the Miss WrestleMania Battle Royal.

Few will remember the embarrassing 10-woman tag match at XXVI while some may remember but want to forget Stratusfaction returning for one night to help Snooki and John Morrison defeat Dolph Ziggler and LayCool.

Continuing to attempt to make women's matches relevant by throwing in celebrities, Maria Menonous teamed up with Kelly Kelly and defeated Phoenix and Eve Torres at XVIII.

By this point, WWE had given up caring about the women's division. At a time when the company was evolving thanks to a few key stars emerging, female wrestlers barely got a shot, with 29 not even featuring a women's wrestling match.

However, this became an important turning point as a few key figures emerged to help slowly take the division to a new level. AJ Lee became a huge name in the business and ended up becoming champion though her WrestleMania 30 was spent defending her title in a disastrous 14-woman invitational.

After winning that night, though, she set the stage for the debut of Paige whose arrival on the main roster—as highlighted in the film Fighting with My Family—was a dramatic turning point for the company.

AJ and Paige never quite got the chance to benefit from the work they did changing the business as their last WrestleMania was spent teaming up in a forgettable tag team match against The Bella Twins.

                 

The Importance of Making History

Before even discussing the last three 'Manias, it is important to reiterate that all this history shows how few genuine chances there were to succeed for women in WWE. It is not that female competitors never got a chance, but WrestleMania was never the moment for that opportunity.

In 31 years, a solid match between Trish and Mickie was all that fans were given to remember. Even the better matches in this history are completely forgotten, certainly not helped by a whole decade where the women could not get one singles match on a giant card.

WrestleMania 32 was not an obvious turning point for the company going in, but it did feel important. It was the first legitimate opportunity women had had to shine in years, coming off the back of months of changes that all started with a single crowd chant "Give Divas a Chance."

Ahead of the show, Lita made the announcement that the Divas Championship would be replaced by the Women's Championship. What followed was arguably not just the best women's match in the event's history, but also the best match on the entire card.

Charlotte, Sasha Banks and Lynch put their all into a match that was high octane and maximized its minutes. In doing so, they showed on The Grandest Stage of Them All why the women deserved this chance.

WrestleMania 33 included two women's matches with Bayley and Naomi winning multi-woman matches to walk out as champions of their respective brands. Neither match was quite the grand follow-up many were hoping for, but they were far better than what fans had been given before 32.

WrestleMania 34 did not disappoint, though, and raised the bar again as Charlotte and Asuka put on the first women's singles match in over a decade and arguably outshined the field except for perhaps Rousey's debut in a mixed tag with Kurt Angle against Stephanie McMahon and Triple H.

The show also included a solid contest between Alexa Bliss and Nia Jax to round out a trio of matches that made the event feel like it was defined by the women on the card as much as, if not more so, than the men. The rest of the division also got an opportunity with the inaugural WrestleMania Women's Battle Royal.

Each of these shows set a new standard that should continue to rise over the years. There is no reason anymore for the women's division to ever be seen as lesser to the men's.

                    

Final Words on the WrestleMania 35 Main Event

Before looking back over this story, even I had forgotten how far the company had come in such a short time. It really wasn't that long ago that women were mostly being thrown on the 'Mania card as a courtesy.

So many of the women competing on Sunday have been an integral participant in forcing WWE's perspective to shift. It was no longer fine for the company to play lip service to having a women's division. The business has changed and certainly for the better in this regard.

What makes the Triple Threat special is not just that it will be the main event, but also that it earned that spot. Rousey vs. Lynch vs. Charlotte is the biggest match in the company with the highest ceiling for success. A few bouts could have fought for top spot, but none hold nearly as much importance.

Meanwhile, Banks and Bayley are helping create a niche all their own with the newly established women's tag team division alongside one of the stalwarts of an age when no one got a chance, The Glamazon, returning to get her legitimate 'Mania spotlight.

Even now, though, there is room to grow. With the SmackDown Women's Championship changing hands last week, only two women's matches will likely make the main card with a Battle Royal without stakes on the Kickoff.

Much like the Triple Threat at WrestleMania 32 and The Queen vs. The Empress two years later, this match must succeed to set a new standard, forcing a company that has a tendency to push back rather than press forward to accept women's wrestling as an integral part of the future of this business.

While spouting off all the history makes a point, none of the women set to compete on The Show of Shows need any reminder about the situation they are in. They have battled for this spot with every small opportunity they were presented.

They have earned this main event and everything good that hopefully comes afterward. Perhaps in one year's time, it won't even need to be noted as historic if the women once again main-event WrestleMania.

WrestleMania 35 will emanate from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sunday, and it boasts a robust card with 15 matches, many of which have titles on the line.

Headlined by the first-ever women's main event in the form of Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch, this year's marquee show will also feature a WWE Championship match between Daniel Bryan and Kofi Kingston and a Universal Championship match between Brock Lesnar and Seth Rollins.

That is merely the tip of the iceberg, as nearly every WWE main roster title will be defended, and several grudge matches will take place as well.

Here is a full rundown of the WrestleMania 35 card along with odds and predictions for every single match that will be contested on The Grandest Stage of Them All.

             

WrestleMania 35 Match Card

Raw and SmackDown Women's Championship: Ronda Rousey (c) vs. Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Becky Lynch

WWE Championship: Daniel Bryan (c) vs. Kofi Kingston

Universal Championship: Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Seth Rollins

No Holds Barred (If Triple H loses, he must retire): Triple H vs. Batista

Falls Count Anywhere: The Miz vs. Shane McMahon

Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre

WWE Women's Tag Team Championship: Sasha Banks & Bayley (c) vs. Beth Phoenix & Natalya vs. Nia Jax & Tamina vs. The IIconics

AJ Styles vs. Randy Orton

United States Championship: Samoa Joe (c) vs. Rey Mysterio

Kurt Angle vs. Baron Corbin

Cruiserweight Championship: Buddy Murphy (c) vs. Tony Nese

Intercontinental Championship: Bobby Lashley (c) vs. Finn Balor

SmackDown Tag Team Championships: The Usos (c) vs. Aleister Black & Ricochet vs. The Bar vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Rusev

Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal

WrestleMania Women's Battle Royal

              

WrestleMania 35 Odds and Predictions

Ronda Rousey (4-1) vs. Charlotte Flair (27-2) vs. Becky Lynch (11-50)

Both the Raw and SmackDown women's titles will be on the line in the main event of WrestleMania, making it a winner-takes-all match.

Lynch is the only person entering the match without a championship in tow, but given how she has been pushed to the moon and developed into arguably WWE's top babyface, it is difficult to envision anyone other than her leaving with both titles.

            

Daniel Bryan (5-2) vs. Kofi Kingston (29-100)

After weeks of trying to earn a WWE Championship match, Kofi Kingston was finally granted the opportunity last week when Big E and Xavier Woods won a Gauntlet match to get him into the bout.

WWE has never truly pulled the trigger on giving Kingston a run as a top guy, so there is some apprehension that they will now.

However, based on how hugely popular he has become, look for the company to go with the feel-good moment by having the New Day member win the WWE title.

              

Brock Lesnar (21-20) vs. Seth Rollins (69-100)

Of the three top championship matches on the WrestleMania card, Brock Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins likely has the highest probability of the champion retaining.

The Beast Incarnate did so last year when most expected Roman Reigns to win, but due to the looming possibility of Reigns and Dean Ambrose helping their Shield brother, the smart money is on Rollins winning the Universal Championship for the first time.

           

Triple H (8-25) vs. Batista (23-10)

Triple H and Batista will face off in a No Holds Barred match with the stipulation that the former must retire from in-ring competition if he loses.

There is seemingly a high probability this will be Batista's final match ever, and since Triple H isn't going anywhere and figures to have plenty of bouts left in him, there is little doubt The Game will prevail.

            

The Miz (1-4) vs. Shane McMahon (14-5)

The Miz and Shane McMahon are engaged in perhaps the most personal feud in WWE currently, as Shane-O-Mac turned on The A-Lister and even assaulted his father.

They will lock horns in a Falls Count Anywhere match that should have no shortage of crazy spots. It wouldn't be a shock to see Shane win, but since The Miz was wronged and is out for revenge, most signs point to him coming out on top.

              

Roman Reigns (33-100) vs. Drew McIntyre (9-4)

Reigns' first singles match back since announcing his leukemia is in remission will come against Drew McIntyre at The Showcase of The Immortals.

The Scot has dominated Reigns throughout their feud, but WrestleMania is primarily about producing feel-good moments, and there would be few better than The Big Dog battling back from cancer to win on the biggest show of the year, which is almost certainly what will happen.

          

Sasha Banks & Bayley (3-10) vs. Beth Phoenix & Natalya (23-2) vs. Nia Jax & Tamina (17-2) vs. The IIconics (24-5)

WWE's handling of the Women's Tag Team Championship scene has left plenty to be desired, but when Sasha Banks and Bayley face three teams at WrestleMania, it will allow several talented women to get on the card.

The IIconics are likely the only real threat to dethrone The Boss 'n' Hug Connection, but due to the possibility of the Four Horsewomen embracing to close the show, Banks and Bayley figure to retain.

              

AJ Styles (11-10) vs. Randy Orton (67-100)

There won't be any titles on the line when AJ Styles and Randy Orton clash at WrestleMania, but their clash has show-stealing potential.

Their match is also one of the toughest ones to call on the entire card, but since a heavy contingent of babyfaces seems likely to win, Orton beating Styles would mix things up and create the more intriguing story moving forward as well.

           

Samoa Joe (19-50) vs. Rey Mysterio (9-5)

Samoa Joe is a heavy favorite in his United States Championship match against Rey Mysterio, but that may be the one big misfire by oddsmakers entering WrestleMania.

Mysterio's son, Dominic, has been heavily involved in the build to the match, which suggests he will have a part to play come Sunday, too.

With Dominic playing the role of equalizer, Mysterio will beat the bigger and stronger Joe for the title at WrestleMania.

           

Kurt Angle (19-50) vs. Baron Corbin (9-5)

In what is being billed as his retirement match, Kurt Angle will face Baron Corbin at WrestleMania in a clash few fans want to see.

WWE has to be aware of negative fan reaction, which could lead to Angle facing someone like John Cena or The Undertaker either instead of The Lone Wolf or after the match.

If Angle vs. Corbin does happen, The Olympic Gold Medalist will win a quick squash.

          

Buddy Murphy (29-100) vs. Tony Nese (5-2)

Buddy Murphy has enjoyed a dominant reign as cruiserweight champion, but he will face a tough test in the form of Tony Nese, who will be wrestling in front of his home fans since he is a Staten Island, New York native.

Look for Murphy to win in order to keep a cap on title changes, but of all the longshots, Nese is one of the best bets on the board since it is easy to see him winning on his home turf.

           

Bobby Lashley (4-1) vs. Finn Balor (17-100)

There is arguably no easier pick on the entire WrestleMania card than the Intercontinental Championship match between Bobby Lashley and Finn Balor.

Balor revealed Monday he will be bringing the "Demon" character to WrestleMania.

The Demon is undefeated on the WWE main roster, and that will remain so when he beats Lashley for the IC title.

             

The Usos vs. Aleister Black & Ricochet vs. The Bar vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Rusev (No odds)

While there aren't yet any odds up for this late addition to the WrestleMania card, it seems likely to be a two-horse race between The Usos and the team of Aleister Black and Ricochet.

Assuming WWE intends to give Black and Ricochet some run as singles competitors in the near future, it would make sense for The Usos to retain and perhaps renew their rivalry with The New Day after WrestleMania, especially if Kingston leaves The Show of Shows as WWE champion.

            

Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal: Braun Strowman (27-20), Curt Hawkins (13-2), Rob Gronkowski (17-2), Ali (15-1)

The Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal has been built around Braun Strowman's feud with Saturday Night Live correspondents Colin Jost and Michael Che, but that doesn't mean The Monster Among Men will prevail Sunday.

Curt Hawkins is an intriguing pick since having him end his losing streak at WrestleMania would be a great moment, but former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is my choice.

Gronk recently retired from football, and he got involved in the Battle Royal at WrestleMania 33, which would be the perfect setup for a win at WrestleMania 35.

              

WrestleMania Women's Battle Royal: Lacey Evans (7-4), Asuka (19-10), Mandy Rose (5-1), Sonya Deville (8-1), Nikki Bella (9-1), Ruby Riott (10-1), Naomi (14-1), Nikki Cross (14-1), Carmella (15-1)

The field is fairly wide open in the WrestleMania Women's Battle Royal, and it is possible an NXT Superstar could come from out of nowhere to win it since the developmental brand is slated to be involved in the match.

For the past few months, however, WWE has trotted Lacey Evans down the aisle time after time, and there has to be some kind of payoff.

After her strong performance in the Royal Rumble, look for Evans to win on Sunday before finally getting built up as a top star in the women's division.

         

*All odds courtesy of 5Dimes.

       

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).

After brawling with Becky Lynch and SmackDown women's champion Charlotte Flair on Monday's episode of Raw, Ronda Rousey posted a mug shot on Instagram with apparent April Fools' Day references on it.

In the accompanying caption, the Raw women's champion wrote: "Just got out of jail, and all I got was this same lame mugshot @beckylynchwwe got from Atlanta."

Rousey was referencing a mug shot Lynch posted in February, which The Baddest Woman on the Planet criticized at the time:

That’s what I’m trying to do dumbass. You hobbling around trying to be a ginger crutch ninja and taking fake prison photos in the hallway isn’t helping

— Ronda Rousey (@RondaRousey) February 27, 2019

Just over one month later, Rousey posed for a similar photo:

https://twitter.com/WrestlingGirI/status/1113061676935311362

Lynch had a humorous, tongue-in-cheek reply on Twitter following Rousey's post:

https://twitter.com/BeckyLynchWWE/status/1113099791737782272

Rousey, Lynch and Flair were all arrested Monday as a means of controlling their brawl after winning a six-woman tag team match over The Riott Squad. Despite all three women being handcuffed, they still managed to cause chaos backstage.

When Rousey and Lynch were put in the back of the same car, they began kicking each other and even kicked out the windows. Flair got the last laugh by kicking Lynch and then hitting Rousey with a running knee while her head was hanging out of the open window.

After several minutes of mayhem, the three women were taken away in police cars, setting the stage for their huge WrestleMania match.

Rousey, Lynch and Flair will meet in a Triple Threat match at WrestleMania 35 on Sunday, and they will become the first women to compete in the main event of WrestleMania.

There is long-running bad blood between all three competitors, and based on how things went down on Raw, their WrestleMania match figures to be an all-out brawl with the potential to steal the show on The Grandest Stage of Them All.

     

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).

The winner of the main event at WrestleMania 35 will lay claim to supremacy over WWE's entire women's division.

Raw commissioner Stephanie McMahon announced Monday night the Raw Women's Championship and SmackDown Live Women's Championship will be up for grabs when Ronda Rousey, Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch face off Sunday.

Things just got VERY interesting. @StephMcMahon announces that in the Main Event of #WrestleMania the #Raw AND #SDLive Women's Titles will be on the line in a Winner Takes All competition! pic.twitter.com/oLmU9uNabo

— WWE (@WWE) April 2, 2019

Much has changed in the space of a week. Flair defeated Asuka for the SmackDown Live women's title last Tuesday, adding a new dimension to the headline bout at WrestleMania.

One immediate question was whether WWE would unify the two women's titles. Otherwise, it was hard to see the justification for Flair winning the belt so close to the biggest show of the year.

McMahon stopped short of saying WWE will have only one champion to represent the women's division, but that seems to be the direction the promotion is going. One could argue it's a step backward since the division is deep enough to sustain two titleholders.

But Sasha Banks and Bayley don't exclusively put the Women's Tag Team Championships against Raw wrestlers, so perhaps WWE envisions having the female stars crossing over more freely between Raw and SmackDown Live.

Being the so-called face of WWE is an important role because that person or persons are expected to represent the company both in and out of the ring.

Each generation has been defined by a few Superstars. John Cena led the company for well over a decade, and before him, it was guys like Triple H, The Rock and Steve Austin.

Before he took a hiatus to treat his leukemia, Roman Reigns was WWE's chosen one, but he had to step away and let someone else take the wheel.

AJ Styles and Daniel Bryan have done an outstanding job being the top dogs on SmackDown for the past year, but the flagship show needs someone to step up and be the leader.

The men's and women's divisions are dominated by Brock Lesnar and Ronda Rousey, respectively. As good as they are, WWE fans deserve two full-time Superstars who show up every week with the Universal and Women's Championships around their waists.

Let's take a look at why Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch will be the new faces of WWE after WrestleMania. 

                            

Seth Rollins

Raw has a lot of great talent on its roster. Finn Balor, Bobby Lashley, Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre could all step into the top spot and carry the brand, but this is Seth Rollins' time.

He has been one of the most reliable and consistent performers in WWE for a long time. He can make a throwaway match exciting, and he elevates everyone who steps into the ring with him.

His promos have improved greatly since he previously held the universal title, and he finally seems ready to be the top guy WWE wanted him to be right after The Shield broke up for the first time in 2014.

Before Kofi Kingston made waves on SmackDown with an epic performance during a Gauntlet match, The Architect lasted over an hour in the same kind of bout on the February 19, 2018, episode of Raw.

The main reason why he is such a good fit for this role is his versatility. Rollins can have a great match against any kind of opponent using any kind of style. He can take to the air just as easily as he can put someone down with a suplex.

I’ve had this in my office for nearly 4 years for a very specific reason. It’s a reminder of where I’ve been, but more importantly of where I want to be. In 8 days the world finally gets the right version of this fight. Redemption is upon us. Let’s take it back. #Wrestlemania pic.twitter.com/6zFr14ljgX

— Seth Rollins (@WWERollins) March 30, 2019

When he steps into the ring with Lesnar at WrestleMania 35, The Kingslayer will become The Beast Slayer by winning the Universal Championship and bringing it back home to Raw.

From that point forward, it will be Rollins at the top of the mountain. Everyone else is going to have to work hard to prove they can knock him off. 

                            

Becky Lynch

Until about six months ago. Charlotte was the unquestioned Queen of WWE, but The Irish Lass Kicker quickly took over her spot after SummerSlam.

Lynch had been treading water for quite some time before management decided to test the waters with a heel turn. What it didn't know was how the crowd would react.

The crowd popped when The Man slugged The Queen in the face, and the WWE Universe continued to chant her name despite WWE trying to make her into a villain.

Once it became clear the crowd would only ever cheer for her, WWE turned Lynch into more of a tweener, anti-hero character. 

It surprised a lot of people when she lost the SmackDown Women's Championship to Asuka at Tables, Ladders & Chairs, but it soon became clear WWE had bigger plans for her in 2019.

Winning the Royal Rumble match set Lynch on her current course. She will battle Rowdy Ronda for the Raw women's title in the first 'Mania main event to feature all women.

https://twitter.com/BeckyLynchWWE/status/1112420086952980481

SOOO many Women from Yesterday and Today are all sharing this MONUMENTAL MOMENT of the Women Main Eventing WRESTLEMANIA!!!
Ronda/Charlotte/Becky will KILL IT!! CONGRATS LADIES!!

— Michael PS Hayes (@MichaelPSHayes1) March 26, 2019

Flair being added to the match will only serve to make The Man's eventual victory even sweeter, but there is also another possible reason why she might have been included.

She defeated Asuka for the SmackDown Women's Championship last week. If WWE thinks having both titles on the line is what will make this one of the biggest main events of all time, Lynch could leave WrestleMania as a double champion.

When the dust settles on Sunday, Rollins and Lynch will be standing tall ready to lead WWE into the rest of the year.

WWE fans have seemingly had mixed feelings about the build to WrestleMania 35, but there is no doubt that WWE has set the stage for some of the most iconic moments in WrestleMania history to take place at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on April 7.

It is already certain this year's showpiece will be historic since Raw women's champion Ronda Rousey, SmackDown women's champion Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch will become the first women to main-event the show.

Aside from that, WWE has the potential to produce some long-lasting memories that will be ingrained in the minds of fans for many years to come.

With WrestleMania 35 on the horizon, here are some predictions for the moments that will resonate most with the WWE Universe when The Show of Shows reaches its conclusion.

            

Four Horsewomen to Close WrestleMania in Style

When Flair shockingly defeated Asuka to win the SmackDown Women's Championship on Tuesday, there was no shortage of uproar on social media.

While it seemed like a snap decision that did more to hurt The Empress of Tomorrow than help The Queen, it is a move that will allow the company to close WrestleMania with something fans have long asked for—WWE's Four Horsewomen each standing tall with a title in tow.

WWE continues to say only the Raw Women's Championship will be on the line at MetLife Stadium, meaning Flair will remain SmackDown women's champion regardless of what happens in that match.

It has long been expected that Lynch would beat both Rousey and The Queen to win the Raw women's title, which would give two of the Four Horsewomen major championships.

The other members of the Four Horsewomen, Sasha Banks and Bayley, are set to defend the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships against The IIconics, Natalya and Beth Phoenix, and Nia Jax and Tamina.

If The Boss 'n' Hug Connection retain, they can join Lynch and Flair in the ring at the end of WrestleMania, which will allow the Four Horsewomen to embrace and usher in an era in which women main-eventing The Show of Shows is the norm.

Banks tweeted the following on Monday, which may have been a reference to the special moment WWE has planned for WrestleMania:

Just got told exciting news and I’m jumping up and down in the locker room. 😬😬😬😬😬🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾❤️❤️😍😍😍😍 😄😄😄😄😄😆😆😆😆😁😄😀😁😃😁😁

— Mercedes Moné Varnado (@MercedesVarnado) March 25, 2019

Although Lynch and Flair have been at odds on television, they are close friends in real life, as are The Boss and Bayley.

There are times when on-screen storylines become secondary, and the enormity of an occasion takes precedence. Women main-eventing WrestleMania is one of those moments, and it will likely be enough for fans to overlook any possible plot holes.

When Bayley beat Banks to become the NXT women's champion at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn in 2015, it was the end of an era in the developmental brand with The Boss, Flair and Lynch all getting called up to the main roster.

After the grueling bout, Flair and Lynch came to the ring to celebrate with Banks and Bayley, who arguably put on the greatest women's match of all time.

Fittingly, WrestleMania 35 will be the beginning of a new era for women's wrestling, and it should start with four of the women most responsible for making it happen sharing the spotlight.

On top of that, Rousey leads her own version of the Four Horsewomen along with Shayna Baszler, Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir, and the ending of this year's showpiece could set up a long-anticipated clash between the two stables down the line.

             

One More Ride for The Shield

The Fastlane match that saw Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose beat Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley and Baron Corbin was billed as The Shield's last stand, but the door is open for the team to make magic one more time at WrestleMania.

While Ambrose isn't booked for a match on The Grandest Stage of Them All, Reigns is set to face McIntyre while Rollins will challenge Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship.

In recent weeks, Ambrose has stood up for Reigns on multiple occasions. After The Big Dog was attacked by McIntyre, The Lunatic Fringe faced The Scottish Psychopath in a Falls Count Anywhere match a couple of weeks ago on Raw and then clashed with him again in a Last Man Standing match on Monday's Raw.

That suggests Ambrose could be in Reigns' corner again at WrestleMania, but a better usage of The Lunatic may be to wait until Rollins' title match against The Beast Incarnate.

The odds are stacked against The Architect entering WrestleMania due to Lesnar's size and strength advantage, but his Shield brothers have always been a great equalizer.

There would also be great symmetry in The Big Dog and Ambrose getting involved since Rollins crashed the Reigns vs. Lesnar WWE Championship match in the main event of WrestleMania 31 by cashing in his Money in the Bank contract.

WWE announced in January that Ambrose would be leaving the company when his contract expires in April, which means WrestleMania may be the final opportunity for The Shield to get together in the same ring.

Even if Ambrose isn't leaving and is simply taking some time off after WrestleMania, having that Shield moment would feed into the his storyline and make fans believe even more that he is on the way out.

Interference is generally viewed as a heel move, but given how popular The Shield is, it is the exception to the rule. Also, since Lesnar and Paul Heyman have done some dastardly things and fans are ready for a new champion, The Hounds of Justice would get a huge babyface pop.

It can be argued The Shield is the greatest stable in professional wrestling history, and if the trio come together one final time to ensure Rollins leaves with the universal title, the image of them triple-powerbombing Lesnar and engaging in one final fist bump will be remembered for a long time to come.

         

KofiMania Running Wild

It was a long and arduous road to get there, but Kofi Kingston was finally named WWE champion Daniel Bryan's opponent for WrestleMania on Tuesday's episode of SmackDown Live.

Aside from Lynch, it can be argued that the WWE Universe has not gotten behind a Superstar as they have Kingston since Bryan was a babyface leading up to WrestleMania 30. Because of that, WWE has a chance to create something special by having the New Day member claim the title on April 7.

Kingston is 37 years old and has been in WWE for 11 years, yet his world-title opportunities have been few and far between. He has had a great deal of success with The New Day for nearly five years, but it hasn't often afforded him the opportunity to shine as a singles competitor.

That changed when Mustafa Ali got injured prior to the Elimination Chamber and Kingston was chosen to replace him. A groundswell of support emerged behind him when he lasted an hour in a Gauntlet match prior to Elimination Chamber, and it has continued to grow ever since.

The manner in which he has been booked has made him more popular as well.

By having WWE Chairman Vince McMahon screw him over after winning a Gauntlet match only for Big E and Xavier Woods to earn him a title opportunity the following week, it is clear the fans want nothing more than for Kingston to get his WrestleMania moment by beating Bryan.

While Kingston has a solid highlight reel from The Show of Shows due to his performances in ladder matches over the years, he doesn't yet have that defining moment.

Bryan got it five years ago in New Orleans and created the lasting image of him lifting the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the air as confetti rained down on him.

It is Kingston's turn to have something similar this year, but given New Day's involvement, it may be even more grandiose.

           

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).