While there’s always excitement at WrestleMania, the second night of this weekend’s WrestleMania 39 has a little extra. Roman Reigns’ record run as champion seems in greater jeopardy than ever as he goes head-to-head with Cody Rhodes.
Reigns holds half of its undisputed titles – the Universal Championship – as of August 2020. Brock Lesnar and more. He unified the Universal Title with the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 38 when he defeated Lesnar. Now he takes on a hungry contender in Rhodes, who is entering as one of the hottest stars in all of wrestling.
Five more games are scheduled for the second night of the incredible Hollywood spectacle. Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair looks to extend her title reign as she welcomes her newest challenger to Asuka. Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER will put his title – along with his long title reign – on the line when he faces best friends Sheamus and Drew McIntyre in a triple threat match. And Edge and Finn Balor want to end their bitter rivalry when they meet in Hell in a Cell.
Let’s take a look at who the wrestling pundits at CBS Sports have in store for Night 2 of WrestleMania 39.
WrestleMania 39 night 2 predictions
Undisputed WWE Universal Championship – Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cody Rhodes
There’s no real choice for WWE but to put the title on Rhodes here. It’s rare that a babyface challenger is red hot with fans and perfectly positioned to become a champion. WWE managed to put two men in that position in Rhodes and Sami Zayn. Understandably, WWE didn’t put on the belt for Zayn in the last pre-WrestleMania pay-per-view, but that decision was disappointing to many fans. If they don’t jump in with Rhodes now and complete the story of his return to WWE, they’ll alienate the fans and likely never have a “right” moment to take the belt from Reigns again. Pick: Cody Rhodes wins the titles – Brent Brookhouse
It’s about time WWE snapped Reigns’ title loss. There are too many signs pointing to Rhodes’ crowning moment. Rhodes has quickly established himself as one of WWE’s top stars, has crossover interest from AEW audiences, has quickly become a top merchandise seller and is brimming with momentum. WWE gave Zayn the title and there isn’t much room to move forward with Reigns. You could build to a Reigns vs. Jey Uso match; However, the story of the Thunderdome era requires a lot of time to retell, and Reign’s appearances are infrequent enough anyway. The responsible decision is to give Rhodes a memorable WrestleMania moment to send the crowd home happy. Pick: Cody Rhodes wins the titles – Shakiel Mahjouri
Raw Women’s Championship – Bianca Belair (c) vs. Asuka
WWE really dropped the ball with the introduction of Asuka’s dark side. The video package they presented on Raw before WrestleMania was really good, but too little, too late. Asuka was generally portrayed as a cartoonish villain rather than a demented killer. Too bad, because this character could have been very refreshing as a heel champion. Combine that with the fact that Belair is a reliable champion and Rhea Ripley – who also has a dark, brooding personality – should be favored to beat Flair and Asuka’s chances are slim. Choice: Bianca Belair to retain the title — Mahjouri (also Brookhouse)
Intercontinental Championship – Gunther (c) vs Drew McIntyre vs Sheamus
No game stands out so much that it was booked specifically for fans like me, like the duel for the intercontinental championship. The fight features three big men who specialize in blunt force violence. We’ve seen the three men mix it up in great one-on-one fights, and a triple threat should do well to add an extra layer of mayhem to the mix. One of WWE’s most underrated talents, Sheamus doesn’t seem set for a run with the belt, and McIntyre doesn’t need the belt. Gunther has had a long run as champion and that will likely continue as he nears the record for longest tenure as intercontinental champion held by Honky Tonk Man since 1988. Pick: Gunther to keep the title — Brookhouse (also Mahjouri)
Edge vs. Finn Balor (Hell in a Cell)
Edge has been great in the ring and inconsistent on the mic since returning from what appeared to be a career-ending injury. Balor is no jack of all trades, but he is in top athletic condition and one of the best Superstars WWE has on the ropes. Judgment Day has enjoyed a remarkable resurgence thanks to the individual performers that make up the group. Dominik Mysterio’s snotty-nosed brat persona was a surprise hit, and Ripley is in rare form. Balor wins have many more advantages than Edge wins, plain and simple. Also, WWE has so many options to “send the fans home happy” that it would be unwise to let Balor, especially in his demon form, take the fall. Choice: Finn Balor wins – Mahjouri
Had Balor not defeated Edge in an I Quit match before Rhea Ripley con-chair-toed Beth Phoenix, I would be pushing for Balor to take the win here. Yes, Edge and Phoenix beat Ripley and Balor in a tag match in Elimination Chamber, but an easy tag win doesn’t feel like adequate revenge for attacking Edge’s wife, nor all the other times Balor has violently got the most out of Edge. Edge takes this one. Tip: Edge wins – Brookhouse
Brock Lesnar vs. Omos
It was fun watching Omos bring out the best in Lesnar in their limited physical interactions. Lesnar is rarely portrayed as being at a disadvantage. Against men like Bobby Lashley or Roman Reigns, Lesnar is usually at eye level, but not physically dominated. This all leads up to a WrestleMania match, of course, in which Lesnar makes some big moves and a “How did he do that?” Moment of hitting Omos with an F5. Pick: Brock Lesnar wins — Brookhouse (also Mahjouri)
Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez vs Natalya & Shotzi vs Ronda Rousey & Shayna Baszler vs Chelsea Green & Sonya Deville
The fact that Rousey and Baszler received a free pass to the Showcase match says it all. They are by far the most cohesive team in this makeshift game and have the most star power. The start of MMA fighters’ journey to women’s tag team champions is the best use for the former UFC champion if you want to keep her off the singles covers. Choice: Ronda Rousey & Shayna Baszler win — Mahjouri (also Brookhouse)