WWE WrestleMania 37: The 7 matches you can’t afford to miss

Asuka vs. Rhea Ripley

For weeks, I was nervous we wouldn’t have a challenger for Asuka at WrestleMania 37, or we would have to settle for an underwhelming option. I’ve frequently lamented the way WWE has disrespected the Raw Women’s Champion – and one of the best wrestlers in the world – by not giving her enough challengers or TV time. It looks like her reign will end at WrestleMania, but at least it will end against a worthy opponent.

Rhea Ripley’s time is now. She lost an NXT Title match at last year’s ‘Mania against Charlotte Flair, though she did put on a strong performance. Since then, Ripley has not won a title, and she is due for a big WrestleMania Night 2 after being the runner-up to Bianca Belair at the Royal Rumble.

I’m excited about this one. There should be a lot of strikes and drama around pinfall and submissions in this one. Ripley and Asuka are two of WWE’s premier bad-asses, and I would add this one to the “possible show-stealers” list, too.

Big E vs. Apollo Crews

Big E vs. Apollo Crews has been one of my favorite feuds in WWE in 2021, and I see both men being catapulted to greater heights in their singles careers as a result of this Intercontinental Championship program, which is exactly what should happen.

I could see Crews winning the title on Night 2, while E begins his journey to the potential main event of next year’s WrestleMania. We know he has that kind of potential. Another possible show-stealer, E and Crews will pull out all the stops over the weekend, and I’m excited to see the kind of spots E comes up with. He is one of wrestling’s most creative individuals, and I’m sure he has something special in mind.

Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn

I’ll conveniently ignore Logan Paul’s involvement in the match. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn were meant to “fight forever”, and they are both so talented that I do not feel like their run-ins are overdone at all. Especially because this year, we are seeing totally different sides of their characters. Owens is entrenched as an “Everyman”, Stone Cold-inspired babyface, while Zayn is a paranoid, sniveling heel who is just about the antithesis of his previous happy-go-lucky babyface character that feuded with KO years ago.

Zayn and Owens are going to tear the house down. We saw Owens put his body on the line against Seth Rollins in an excellent WrestleMania match, and he will be similarly motivated to go the distance against Zayn. And Zayn can take plenty of punishment, too. Just ask Braun Strowman, or even refer to his amazing ladder match against AJ Styles and Jeff Hardy at Clash of Champions. Any time Zayn vs. Owens is on a wrestling card, it is 100 percent “can’t miss”.