WWE WrestleMania 33: 3 Predictions for Kevin Owens vs. Chris Jericho

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3. Put Your Best Foot Forward

The first big prediction for KO vs. Y2J? That it will be the first match of the show after all the kickoff festivities.

There’s quite a few reasons to think this way. First, the United States Championship is not a world title. Even on its best day, the US Title is nothing more than a secondary prize. So there’s nothing that would necessitate putting the match on later in the show.

For another thing, WrestleMania has often kicked off with some kind of championship match for the past few years. A pair of ladder matches for the Intercontinental Championship opened WrestleMania 31 and 32. And WrestleMania XXVII and XXVIII started things off with a World Heavyweight Championship match. So the precedent is there.

However, the main factor for Y2J and Owens opening WrestleMania 33 is that they are more than capable of setting the stage. On a show where some of the matches are being less than well received, getting the ball rolling early is hugely important. The best way to get the crowd engaged for what comes later is to impress them right out of the gate.

Look back at WrestleMania XXVIII. The World Heavyweight Championship match that the show began with was Daniel Bryan defending against Sheamus. It was the infamous 18-second match, which led to the crowd revolting for the majority of the show.

But the two ladder matches that opened the last two WrestleManias were action-packed extravaganzas. It’s a lot easier to get into a show with a hot opening. Owens and Jericho can do just that.

The story that’s led to this point is great. Jericho and Owens are delivering week in and week out. Getting the chance to start the show and establish the tone would show WWE’s confidence in these two star performers.