WrestleMania 33: 10 Matches That Should Have Happened

Revising the 'Show of Shows'.

John Cena Undertaker
WWE

With the WrestleMania 33 card now surely finalised, the 'Ultimate Thrill Ride' looks fairly stacked thanks to the increased crop of talent available compared to some injury-cursed high profile absentees in previous years.

However, some behind-the-scenes changes seemingly made at the start of this year have rendered some of the pairings and combinations less than stellar, and way below the potential blockbusters WWE had at their fingertips.

With recent huge NXT prospects, returning legends and a decent crop of mid-to-upper card talent at the company's disposal alongside the usual selection of established headliners, this year's 'Showcase of the Immortals' had the opportunity to present several of the biggest matches on the planet as well as some battles sure to go down in the annals of company history.

As it stands, several marketable talents will be forced to ply their trade in the Andre The Giant Battle Royal, or at least in substantially reduced roles than what they probably deserve.

Using only actual available fit and healthy talent from within the vast WWE fold and lamenting what might have been, here are 10 matches that should have be happening at WrestleMania 33.

10. Alexa Bliss Vs Naomi (Smackdown Live! Women's Title)

John Cena Undertaker
WWE.com

Naomi's injury in victory over Alexa Bliss in February was heartbreaking on several counts for the rapidly ascending Smackdown Live! star.

Only revealed on Talking Smack and in post-match celebrations, Orlando is actually Naomi's hometown, and it had been a long-held dream to make her spectacular entrance on the grandest stage in front of friends and family.

Cruelly snatched from her by virtue of the knock suffered at Elimination Chamber, she lost her coveted title and fantasy WrestleMania moment in one foul swoop. But the question remains why the very real motivations weren't just saved for the 'Show of Shows' itself instead of being rushed through at the inconsequential pay-per-view.

Further to that, the loss derailed Bliss, who had been the division's surprise package before the defeat.

Becky Lynch was also dragged into the downward swirl, losing a makeshift title match to kickstart the second run for 'Little Miss Bliss'.

Of course, Naomi could still make a surprise return on the night itself as Alexa prepares to take on several opponents in a logistically unclear defence against the entire division, but the company have lost the opportunity to promote the homecoming and maiden title victory in a more traditional setting.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation over 7 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 30 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz", Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 50,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett