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The 15 matches that could make WrestleMania one of the biggest events in the history of WWE, ranked

Apr 5, 2019, 02:26 IST

WWE

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  • WrestleMania 35 has the potential to be one of the best events in the history of WWE.
  • 15 matches have been announced for Sunday, including the first ever women's main event and Kurt Angle's final time in the ring.
  • We ranked all 15 matches we're expecting to see on Sunday by potential excitement - it's no surprise who's at the top.

This Sunday thousands of fans will fill MetLife Stadium to take in WrestleMania 35, the biggest event in sports entertainment.

WWE has put together a fascinating card for Sunday, including the first ever women's main event, Kurt Angle's final time in the ring, and a flipped script that sees Kofi Kingston as the unlikely challenger to Daniel Bryan's title.

All told, there are 15 announced matches on Sunday's card, setting up a day that is loaded with upsets, surprises, and plenty of WrestleMania moments - and below, we've ranked them all in terms of potential excitement.

Whether you're a die-hard wrestling fan or a casual follower of WWE that's gearing up for the biggest day of the year, we've got everything you need to be ready for Sunday.

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15. Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal

The Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal is entertaining every year, but the outcome rarely matters much in the grand scheme of WWE.

A few years ago, Rob Gronkowski made his WWE debut with a run-in during the event, helping his friend Mojo Rawley.

This year, the role of unexpected entrant has been bestowed upon "Saturday Night Live" performers Colin Jost and Michael Che, who in recent weeks have had a beef with Braun Strowman.

There's no clear read on how this match will end, but fans will at least get the satisfaction of Jost and Che tumbling over the top rope.

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

The United States Championship match was set to be a potentially entertaining show, with the fearsome Samoa Joe taking on lucha legend Rey Mysterio for the belt.

But Mysterio recently suffered an ankle injury putting his status for Sunday in question. He may still be able to perform, and even if he isn't, WWE can sometimes turn unfortunate circumstances into brilliant television — if Mysterio can't go at Mania, it might mean a huge opportunity for another wrestler to step up for the title shot.

Things could change, but as of now, there are too many question marks around this match to get that excited for it.

13. Women's Tag Team Championship

Four women's tag teams — the Boss 'n' Hug Connection, Nia Jax & Tamina, The IIconics, and Natalya & Beth Phoenix — will compete for the championship on Sunday.

Sasha Banks and Bayley, known collectively as the Boss 'n' Hug Connection, enter as the title holders but could find difficulty holding on to the belts. The most compelling outcome on Sunday might be for them to lose, and for one to turn on the other and ignite another feud.

That said, Sasha and Bayley are currently the anchors of the women's tag division, and it might be a bit early for them to break up.

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

The Cruiserweights are an underserved division in WWE, with the high-flying athletes stuck to the pre-show this Sunday.

Still, this should provide for an entertaining match, as these two have proven more than willing to beat the snot out of each other.

11. Women's Battle Royal

Like its counterpart on the men's side, the women's Battle Royal is normally not the most consequential match the division has to offer, but this year, that could change.

With both the Raw and SmackDown women's championships at stake in the main event between Becky Lynch, Ronda Rousey, and Charlotte Flair, the winner of this year's Battle Royal has a solid claim to being the best of the rest, and thus, deserving of a title shot.

Also, after unceremoniously losing her championship to Flair just weeks ago, don't be surprised if Asuka reasserts her dominance in the women's division with a stellar performance here.

10. Kurt Angle vs. Baron Corbin

Kurt Angle is a WWE legend many times over, and on Sunday is set to wrestle the final match of his career against Baron Corbin.

While wrestling retirements are always tenuous, Angle has dealt with a myriad of health issues that give reason to believe this one might stick.

Corbin is a fine opponent that Angle has reason to want to fight, but there have also been rumors that a John Cena run-in could be in play, which would be a fitting send-off for such an important performer.

Regardless, thanks for the memories Angle. You suck.

9. SmackDown Tag Team Championship Match

The SmackDown tag team titles will feature four impressive teams — The Bar, Ricochet & Aleister Black, Shinsuke Nakamura & Rusev, and The Usos, who enter the match as champions.

Any match with Ricochet and Aleister Black is must-see wrestling at this point, with the two impressive NXT call-ups immediately showing why they're amongst the top performers in all of WWE.

With eight men potentially in the ring at once, expect some chaos and plenty of action in this brawl.

8. Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre

This is Roman Reigns' biggest match since his return to WWE after taking a leave of absence to battle leukemia after 11 years of remission.

Reigns has been in-ring since his return, most notably alongside his former S.H.I.E.L.D. brothers Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose at Fastlane, but this will likely be his most active competition since he's been back.

Taking on Reigns is Drew McIntyre, one of the best physical pairings WWE can offer to the Big Dog.

It feels unlikely that McIntyre would spoil Reigns' comeback match, but WrestleMania has been known to shock us before.

7. No Holds Barred: Triple H vs. Bautista

As the above banner reads, if Triple H loses his match against Bautista, he'll be forced to retire from in-ring competition.

Stipulations like this are a regular occurrence in WWE, and very rarely adhered to, but it does serve to add a bit of drama to the match on Sunday.

Additionally, with the two men fighting under "No Holds Barred" rules, it's a safe bet that Triple H's sledgehammer will come out at some point during the match.

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

Intercontinental champion Bobby Lashley will have to face down Finn Balor and his demon persona on Sunday to defend his title.

Balor summons the demon for only his biggest matches and usually brings with it an impressive entrance, and Sunday is the first time he'll be doing so on the grand stage of WrestleMania.

As the demon, Balor is fairly unstoppable and seems likely to leave Mania as the new IC champion. After his initial run as Universal Champion was cut short due to injury years ago, a stint with the Intercontinental title could push Finn a long way with the company.

5. Randy Orton vs. AJ Styles

There is nothing at stake but pride between A.J. Styles and Randy Orton at WrestleMania, but as two of the most consistently great superstars in WWE, their match still comes with great expectations.

Orton and Styles should be a great contest and a nice palate cleanser between some of the more high-stakes action of the evening, but don't be surprised if it steals the whole show.

4. Falls Count Anywhere: The Miz vs. Shane McMahon

The Miz and Shane McMahon were tag team partners for a time, even holding the Raw tag titles for a brief period.

But after dropping their belts to The Usos in February, McMahon turned on The Miz, beating him outside the ring and even insulting his father.

At WrestleMania, the "Falls Count Anywhere" stipulation ensures that their fight will once again spill into the crowd and with McMahon famous for his death-defying leaps and falls at big shows, the potential for something wild to happen is high.

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

Brock Lesnar is the most dominant performer in WWE and has been for some time. He has held the Universal Championship for almost two years with just one interruption, despite rarely showing up on television on a week-to-week basis.

Rollins won the right to challenge Lesnar at the Royal Rumble in January and proved in the final show before WrestleMania that he can take whatever punishment Lesnar is ready to give out.

Rollins has been one of the most entertaining performers on Raw for some time now, but a win over Lesnar would shoot him into another stratosphere.

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

Aside from the women's main event, no story in wrestling is as compelling as Kofi Kingston getting his shot at the title after more than a decade competing in the WWE.

Kingston's ascension to title contender began when he replaced an injured Mustafa Ali on late notice at Elimination Chamber, putting on a wild performance that lit up the crowd.

Since then, Vince McMahon has done everything he could to prevent Kingston from getting another shot at the title, making him and his teammates Xavier Woods and Big E fight through gauntlet matches to secure his spot at WrestleMania.

Meanwhile, Bryan's heel turn has been masterful, playing up his actual beliefs as a vegan and environmentalist to play a leftist baddie, who rails against rampant consumption, and sometimes, the billionaire class.

Kingston overcame the odds to get here, can he do it one more time to become champion?

1. Winner Take All: Becky Lynch vs. Ronda Rousey (c) vs. Charlotte Flair (c)

The most anticipated match in the history of women's wrestling will close the show on Sunday, with Becky Lynch facing off against Raw women's champion Ronda Rousey and SmackDown women's champion Charlotte Flair in a Winner Take All Triple Threat match.

Becky Lynch is the hottest performer in WWE right now and looks ready to become a champion. Joining her in the ring is Flair, the centerpiece of the women's division for much of the past three years, and Rousey, who has exceeded expectations as a performer in WWE, but is widely rumored to be leaving the company in the near future.

This is the first time a women's match has closed WrestleMania, showing how far the women's division has come in the past few years, and it should be a spectacle. The build to this match has included blood, bruises, a fight in a car, and plenty of barbs traded across Twitter.

If you're looking for one reason to tune in to WrestleMania on Sunday, this match is it.

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