Tossing Salt Presents:
WWE WrestleMania 39: Night One
Thoughts & Predictions
March 31, 2023
DougMaynard.com

It’s the biggest show of the year for WWE, Wrestlemania 39, coming live from Los Angeles, CA. It’s two nights of action, craziness, chaos, and history in the making. So let’s make a few predictions. This is for Saturday night, Night One. Are you ready? Let’s do this.

Smackdown Women’s Championship: Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Rhea Ripley.

This may or may not be the main event of Night One, but regardless of where this match is on the card, it’s definitely a match of main event proportions. Rhea is on fire right now and is the hottest woman in the WWE just on the basis of her character and antics with Dom Mysterio. Add her in-ring exploits to the mix and Rhea is the woman in WWE right now. Charlotte is a true legend in the making and already a 14-time Champion. Win or lose, it won’t hurt her regardless of how it goes. This is Rhea’s night and she’s walking out with that Smackdown Women’s Championship.

Winner and NEW Smackdown Women’s Champion: Rhea Ripley

Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship: The Usos (c) vs. Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn.

There is only one way that this match can go. We’re getting new champions with Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn. It has to happen and it will.

Winners and NEW Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions: Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn

Becky Lynch, Trish Stratus & Lita vs. Damage CTRL (Bayley, IYO SKY, and Dakota Kia).

Another match that should be fun to see, but who will walk out with their arms raised isn’t really in doubt. The Legends and The Man are getting the big win here, as it should be.

Winners: Becky Lynch, Trish Stratus & Lita.

Rey Mysterio vs. Dominik Mysterio.

I want to see this match. Dom has improved so much as a character in the past six months and has quickly become a one-man highlight reel for the WWE each week. This match should be fun and I expect that all of Rey’s family will be getting involved at some point, as well as Rhea making her presence felt as well. Rey should win this match. The kid gets his butt whooped by Dad and all is well with the world. That’s how it should be, but I don’t think this will be the end of this story. Give Rey his moment, but then after the match or maybe on RAW on Monday, have Dom & Rhea get some revenge and payback to keep this all going. But for the match itself, it definitely should go to Rey.

Winner: Rey Mysterio

Seth Rollins vs. Logan Paul.

If the rumors of Logan Paul’s contract expiring after his match at Mania are true, then this should be a simple match to predict. If Logan Paul is leaving WWE for a while, Seth should win this match. Hell, regardless of what Paul is doing, Seth should win.

Winner: Seth Rollins

Braun Strowman & Ricochet vs. The Viking Raiders vs. The Street Profits vs. Alpha Academy.

Four tag teams in the “Get me on the show” match. What does the winner get? What’s the stipulation? Why is this match even happening except to get everyone a spot on the show? This one should be pretty easy to predict. It won’t be the Viking Raiders and storyline developments with Otis and Chad makes it pretty obvious that they won’t win. So Street Profits or Braun & Ricochet? I think we’re going to see an eventual breakup of the Profits sooner rather than later so that leaves Braun and Richochet. Yeah, let’s go with that.

Winners: Braun Strowman & Ricochet

WWE United States Championship: John Cena (c) vs. Austin Theory.

Cena should be there to put Theory over and make Theory a bigger star. That’s why he should be there. But I don’t think John will be that generous and do the right thing. For some reason, I’m thinking that we’ll see Cena win, take the title to make history, and then lose the belt back at either RAW or the next pay-per-view. Would Cena do something like that and bury the hot new guy? Just ask The Nexus.

Winner and NEW United States Champion: John Cena

And there you go with my predictions for what has been put forth as the matches for Night One. I’ll be back later tonight after Smackdown and the WWE Hall of Fame show with my predictions for the rest of the card so be sure to watch for that.

And with that, it’s time to wrap this up and go do some stuff. Thank you for reading. Comments, thoughts, and any questions are welcome and appreciated. And with that, take care and stay well, my friends. Enjoy Smackdown and the Hall of Fame later tonight and I’ll see you when it’s through. Until then, be good.

Ubuntu!