WWE: Fantasy booking a two night WrestleMania 36 event

Randy Orton vs. Rey Mysterio vs. AJ Styles vs. Humberto Carrillo – Retirement Match

What do you give to someone who has had everything under the sun? That was the dilemma that came to mind when trying to think of an appropriate final match for Rey Mysterio, as all signs seem to point to Mysterio hanging up his boots later this year, likely at WrestleMania 36.

Looking at the roster, there aren’t that many dream matches left for him. Not Mania worthy ones, at least. He’s had every title there is to have in WWE. Not to mention, he already made a grab for one more big title win vs. Brock Lesnar back in November and that didn’t turn out in his favor.

I was tempted to give him a match to put over a rookie like Humberto Carrillo. Or, one more stellar contest with AJ Styles, but where does that leave Styles’ more recent rival, Randy Orton? So I put them all in one big Fatal Four Way, since the past few months have seen them all interlocked in storylines with each other in one way or another.

Plus, with three other bodies in the ring, Mysterio doesn’t need to overexert himself in his last match. He can hit his big spots one last time with his old dance partners while putting over his new dance partner. Then, Rey can have a goodbye ceremony the next night.

Winner: Humberto Carrillo

Women’s Gauntlet Match for a Midcard Women’s Championship

Not too long ago, Stephanie McMahon hinted at an interest in producing a midcard championship similar to the Intercontinental Title, but for the women’s division. For the sake of fantasy, let’s say that interest becomes a reality sooner rather than later and every woman across all the brands is hotshotting for it in a tri-branded Gauntlet Match.

Ultimately, I think a good fit for an inaugural champion to such a belt would be Bianca Belair. She’s got character, she can work in the ring well beyond her brief years in the ring may suggest, she’s a fresh face to hold a fresh belt, and has potential to embody the same workhorse ethic that embodies the actual Intercontinental Championship.

Winner: Bianca Belair

Authors of Pain (c) vs. Viking Raiders – Raw Tag Team Championship

Okay, Buddy Murphy and Seth Rollins just won the titles recently, but let’s just say that either the Authors of Pain also hold the belts per the Freebird Rule, or Buddy and Rollins lost the belts to some other team, who then lost the belts to AOP.

Either way, I feel as though AOP vs. Viking Raiders is a big money match destined for WrestleMania. But to establish AOP as the hot, rechristened tag team on the block, a win would be necessary.

Winners: Authors of Pain

Lana vs. Liv Morgan – No DQ

This would be the very “sports entertainment-ty” portion of the show that also book ends this storyline that seems like it’s been going on forever. The No DQ stipulation is there not only to give Lana an edge, but lead to a pair of run-ins.

Let’s say Lashley comes in to aid his wife, Rusev comes in as an equalizer, Lashley overpowers him, then all of a sudden you hear blaring through the speakers …

“IF YOU SMELL ….”

Yes, The Rock (who lets not forget had his own “run-in” with Lana of sorts, once upon a time ago in kayfabe) runs down to take out Lashley and allowing Liv Morgan to take out Lana all by herself with no outside interference. Then, in molding a new top star with the millions (and the MILLIONS) of new eyes upon her, Liv has her arm raised by The Great One in victory to finally end her storyline with Lana.

Winner: Liv Morgan

Aleister Black, Samoa Joe and Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins, Buddy Murphy and Ricochet

Yes, in my fantasy booking, I envision Ricochet turning heel. Great babyface moveset, but there’s something about his promo work that always screamed heel to me. Can’t quite put my finger on why. Is it the voice? It’s gotta be the voice. That squeaky, Kentucky voice.

Anyway, high pitched octaves aside, He hasn’t had the perfect string of luck and could seek out Seth Rollins’ cult after seeing how it did wonders for Buddy Murphy. Add in Aleister Black (former friend to Ricochet, rival to Buddy) as an equalizer for Joe and Owens and we’ve got ourselves a Six Man Tag. A tag that Rollins and his boys would win.

Not only to make their union look strong, but because Rollins has his own plans for the following night …

Winners: Team Rollins

Rhea Ripley vs. Io Shirai – NXT Women’s Championship

Something tells me that Rhea Ripley vs. Io Shirai is the money match for the Mania weekend’s TakeOver show this year, but with no TakeOver the night before WrestleMania in this fictional universe I’m strumming up, let’s move that contest to WrestleMania.

I’d pick The Genius of the Sky to go over here. Yes, having won the title in December, Ripley’s reign may come off as somewhat short, but the last time Shirai had a title match, the loss shattered her to the point that she needed a whole new attitude change.

In theory, this new character change should give her the edge necessary to finally capture the gold and, in my eyes, it would.

Winner: Io Shirai

Adam Cole (c) vs. Finn Balor vs. Tommaso Ciampa vs. Johnny Gargano vs. Keith Lee vs. Velveteen Dream – Six Pack Challenge – NXT Championship

This is another NXT showcase match. This time, rather than a one-on-one, this showcases the biggest names who have towered over the men’s division since the move to USA Network. Ultimately, I’d say Tommaso Ciampa wins, just because a guy returning from injury to win the belt he never lost sounds like something deserving of a WrestleMania moment.

Winner: Tommaso Ciampa