WrestleMania 30: Predictions of who will shine on the grandest stage of them all

The Independent’s wrestling writers give their predictions ahead of tonight’s showpiece event

Who will shine at WrestleMania 30? (Twitter)

The eyes of the wrestling world will be firmly set on New Orleans and WrestleMania 30 on Sunday night and we look at who will be leaving the showpiece event with the gold and who will be left on the canvas.

Richard Hoy-Browne:

Who will leave WM with the gold?

It can only be Daniel Bryan – the image of 70,000 odd fans all chanting ‘YES!’ as he lifts the title would instantly become a ‘Wrestlemania Moment’ as well as an incredible image that the WWE can use for opening reels, advertising etc. *Cough* I also think I predicted he would get into the main event in one of my early columns.

Who will come out of it with their profile most raised?

Bryan aside, and no doubt it’s a huge night for him, I think it’s Bray Wyatt’s chance to really make an name for himself, even though he has already made giant strides. Facing the real ‘face of the WWE’, John Cena, Wyatt has the chance to cement a main event spot for a long time with a big performance, especially if that performance ends in a win. This time next year we could be seeing Wyatt vs Undertaker and they don’t come much bigger than a match with ‘The Deadman’ at Mania.

Can Lesnar beat the streak?

Absolutely not. While I would be putting the house on Lesnar in a UFC fight, the fact is that The Streak is seen by many as the reason to watch Wrestlemania and it has taken on a life of its own. It would be stupid to break it anytime, let alone now. I do expect a great match though.

Expected match of the night?

Now that The Shield have been put in a rather uninspiring bout with Kane and The New Age Outlaws, I think Bryan vs HHH will steal the show if given enough time. Say what you want about HHH but he is still an excellent performer who is capable of pulling out a big performance on the big stage. With the best build of the entire card and the skills of both men, expect a slobberknocker.

Who will win the battle royal?

With it being the Andre the Giant memorial battle royal I can only really see one winner here – Big Show. He has always been seen as the heir to Andre, so it would be a fitting tribute as well as a nice legacy for Show.

Tom Brett:

Who will leave WM with the gold?

Can’t look past Daniel Bryan for this one, he’s been put down by The Authority for months, and this will be his chance to get ultimate revenge. Triple H won’t go down without a fight, and nor will Orton/Batista, but Bryan is my favourite to leave Wrestlemania with the belts.

Who will come out of it with their profile most raised?

Bray Wyatt. Although his profile is already on the rise and the maniacal leader of the Wyatt Family had already won over the WWE Universe, a win against Cena on the biggest stage would really show how dominant the superstar is becoming, and would surely lead to a title shot.

Can Lesnar beat the streak?

No. Lesnar is a brutal fighter and will be sure to leave the Undertaker battered and bruised, but the Phenom has been in that situation many times, and I would fully expect him to overcome Lesnar.

Expected match of the night?

Wyatt vs Cena. John Cena doesn’t always bring his best out in his matches, but against someone like Bray Wyatt, he’ll need to be at his best. Wyatt is an extremely impressive wrestler, especially taking into account his size, and I think there’ll be many ‘wow’ moments throughout this clash.

Who will win the battle royal?

The Battle Royal is a fantastic addition to the Wrestlemania match card and gives some of the less prominent wrestlers in the business to star on the biggest stage. Big Show seems to have been dubbed the favourite, but I’d like to think someone like Dolph Ziggler will emerge victorious.

Ibrahim Salha:

Who will leave WM with the gold?

Well, it has to be Daniel Bryan, doesn't it? Months of this storyline means that fans can expect a huge payoff at the grandest stage of them all, Wrestlemania. Any other result will lead to discontent from those in the Mercedes Benz Superdome, possibly even boos, which won't reflect well on WWE and you can bet that Vince McMahon won't even entertain such an idea.

Who will come out of it with their profile most raised?

Bray Wyatt can seemingly only come out of a bout with John Cena with his profile raised, but I'm tipping Cesaro to once again shine as the Real Americans take on the Usos, Rybaxel and Los Matadores for the tag team titles. Cesaro tends to put in a show-stealing performance whenever he's in the ring and irrespective of whether he and Jack Swagger win the belts, I'm expecting a big post-Wrestlemania push for the Swiss Superstar.

Can Lesnar beat the streak?

Never say never, but it doesn't seem likely. I don't think the streak will ever end, least of all to a part-timer who lost to Triple H at Wrestlemania 29 - Undertaker's opponent at WM27 and WM28. The short build-up to this feud also makes me doubt we'll see anything other than 22-0 on April 6th.

Expected match of the night?

The aforementioned Undertaker v Lesnar match will steal the show, I reckon. The Undertaker has had the match of the pay-per-view on a number of Wrestlemanias and I'm expecting a brutal wrestling match which will, at times, descend into a fist-fight. Daniel Bryan v Triple H will also be a cracker, which will be ramped up by a hot crowd.

Who will win the battle royal?

I doubt Jinder Mahal will be victorious in the 'Andre the Giant memorial battle royal', unfortunately. Similarly, I'm not expecting The Great Khali or Santino Marella to make much of an impact. It has to be The Big Show, a man formerly known as The Giant. It just makes sense.

Jack De Menezes:

Who will leave WM with the gold?

Daniel Bryan makes perfect sense. He’s been prevented from rising to the top since Summerslam last year, and the whole situation with The Authority is very similar to the rise of CM Punk – with both becoming firm fans’ favourites. The problem with the main event is that it contains two very weak championship contenders in Randy Orton and Batista. Neither has shown in the past that they can excite the WWE Universe, and it makes perfect sense for either Bryan of Triple H to win the main event.

Who will come out of it with their profile most raised?

Bray Wyatt has been on a real hot streak since arriving in WWE, and Wrestlemania could really be the making of him. Having an entertaining style of wrestling certainly helps his cause, but it’s the creepy yet exhilarating gimmick that he takes on that really helps him to stand out. While I expect John Cena to win, I expect Wyatt to somehow come out on top – sheep mask or now sheep mask.

Can Lesnar beat the streak?

No chance, Undertaker will never be beaten at Wrestlemania in my opinion, or at least he doesn’t deserve to be. Despite Lesnar occupying a brute strength that could literally tear The Deadman in half, ‘Taker has shown time again that he can dig deep when it all looks over and pull a win out from nowhere. Expect the 22-0 gong to ring out in New Orleans.

Expected match of the night?

Daniel Bryan v Triple H is certainly the one I’m looking forward to most. Both wrestlers are hugely entertaining and know exactly how to interact with the crowd. The build-up to the fight has been long in the making, and rather unusually, I think it’s been spot on. The final weeks before Wrestlemania 30 have really made this one personal, and I hope that all that fury shown in the previous weeks comes out in full force at ‘Mania.

Who will win the battle royal?

I have always had a liking for Sheamus, and whether it’s the allegiance of sticking with superstars from this side of the pond or the fact that he is always a laugh on the mic, I really hope he wins to begin a rise back to the top. That said, the push that Big Show has received of late suggests he will be there or there about, and I also expect The Miz to be eliminated in some bizarre fashion – most likely involving Hulk Hogan.

James Orr:

Who will leave WM with the gold?

Daniel Bryan, although it will be even better for business if he loses the belt again the night after on Raw.

Who will come out of it with their profile most raised?

El Torito, expecting a great showing for the little bruiser. Top rope dives galore!

Can Lesnar beat the streak?

No, although it will be a brutal encounter, possibly enough to warrant a year-long build for a rematch next year.

Expected match of the night?

Undertaker v Brock Lesnar should be a classic.

Who will win the battle royal?

Hulk Hogan of course. It is the “Showcase of the Immortals”!