Posted in: Sports, TV, WWE | Tagged: Wrestlemania, wrestling

WrestleMania Preview: Viewing Guide for Saturday's Complete Card

El Presidente previews the full WrestleMania Saturday card from his luxury suite in Las Vegas, breaking down every match and the controversial road to get here.

Greetings, comrades! It is I, your El Presidente, reporting to you live from a private luxury suite at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas that I definitely did not acquire through backroom negotiations with a certain Nevada gaming commissioner who owed me a favor from that one time in Havana. Tonight is the night, comrades — WrestleMania Saturday is upon us, and despite what you may have heard about the road getting here, I am more excited than the time Kim Jong-un and I watched WWE Raw together on a 200-foot projection screen mounted on the side of a government building. He kept insisting the crowd was chanting for him. I did not have the heart to correct him.

WrestleMania Saturday streams live tonight from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, and your El Presidente has been preparing for this event the way I prepare for all important occasions — with a freshly pressed military uniform, a cigar the size of a baseball bat, and enough snacks to feed a small revolutionary army. The card is absolutely stacked, comrades, featuring an Undisputed WWE Championship clash between brothers, a women's title grudge match for the ages, the return of legends, and an Unsanctioned Match so violent it makes my last attempted coup look like a pillow fight. So let us dive in, shall we?

The Rocky Road to WrestleMania: WWE's Troubled Build

Now, comrades, before we get to the matches, I must address the elephant in the room — and no, I am not talking about the time I smuggled an actual elephant into a state dinner to impress Vladmir Putin. I am talking about the fact that WWE has received enormous criticism for the build to WrestleMania Saturday this year, and honestly? Some of it is deserved, even by the standards of a man who once rigged an election using carrier pigeons.

You see, comrades, WWE and parent company TKO decided to hold WrestleMania in Las Vegas for the second consecutive year. Why? Bribes from the city, of course! And believe me, I know a thing or two about bribes — they are the lubricant of governance. But that decision, combined with ticket prices so astronomically high that they were even considered outrageous by Las Vegas standards, though TKO executives publicly stated they were not high enough (the audacity! Even I give my people affordable bread before I oppress them!), led to embarrassingly slow ticket sales for The Showcase of the Immortals.

So what did WWE do when they started panicking? Did they craft compelling long-term storylines? Did they invest in their incredible roster of talent? No, comrades. They shoehorned celebrities into the show like I shoehorn my cousin into government positions he is not qualified for. Pat McAfee was brought in to cut promos about how WWE is not as good as it used to be during the Attitude Era — which, while arguably true, is a strange marketing strategy for the company's biggest show of the year. McAfee then offered 25% off ticket prices, essentially becoming a coupon dispenser in an officially licensed t-shirt, while simultaneously siding with Randy Orton against Cody Rhodes and calling out WWE Raw star CM Punk for being a hypocrite. And you know what? The thing about Punk being a hypocrite is actually true, but that is beside the point.

Then Cody and CM Punk fired back by… complaining about the storylines WWE booked for them. Which would be a valid complaint, except those promos they were cutting? Written by the same people who booked the storylines they were complaining about! It is like when I publicly criticize my own government's policies to seem relatable to the people, except I literally wrote those policies! The circle of propaganda, comrades — it is a beautiful and confusing thing.

Oh, and Jelly Roll has been heavily featured in all of this for some reason. I have nothing against the man — he makes fine music for when you are driving a tank through a countryside — but his presence in the WrestleMania Saturday build has been… let us say "aggressively unnecessary."

All the while, WWE's creative has been in a noticeable slump, while rival AEW has been on an absolute hot streak with AEW Dynamite delivering banger after banger. The result? One of the least exciting WrestleMania builds of all time.

BUT — and this is a big but, comrades, bigger than the time Alexander Lukashenko sat on my favorite chair and broke it — by setting expectations so catastrophically low, WWE does not have to work very hard to overdeliver tonight. And THAT is a strategy I can get behind! It is the same philosophy I use when governing: promise nothing, deliver slightly more than nothing, and the people will carry you through the streets like a hero. WrestleMania Saturday could genuinely surprise us all tonight, and I am here for it.

WrestleMania Saturday Full Match Card Preview

Undisputed WWE Championship Match: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Randy Orton (with Pat McAfee)

Cody Rhodes clashes with longtime friend Randy Orton for the Undisputed WWE Title. One of the most dangerous Superstars in WWE history, WWE's Apex Predator is a 14-time World Champion, a Grand Slam Champion, a two-time Royal Rumble winner and a Money in the Bank winner. His storied career is that of legends, an ironic point considering that part of his reputation was built as The Legend Killer. Orton earned the right to challenge the Undisputed WWE Champion by winning the Elimination Chamber, outlasting Rhodes, LA Knight, Logan Paul, Trick Williams and Je'Von Evans. Rhodes and Orton share a storied history, having fought side by side in The Legacy and maintaining a close friendship throughout the years. Cody held the Undisputed WWE Championship for 378 days in his first reign and 159 days in his second. It isn't about the number of days for Orton, however, but rather one crucial second: the moment he needs to hit an RKO out of nowhere to defeat The American Nightmare.

Comrades, there is nothing more dramatic than two old friends being forced to fight each other for supreme power. I should know — I once had to wrestle my best friend Raúl Castro for control of the last mango at a state luncheon. It nearly destroyed our friendship, but we emerged stronger. Cody Rhodes has been through absolute hell to reclaim his Undisputed WWE Championship after Drew McIntyre and Jacob Fatu conspired against him — a conspiracy, I might add, that is far less sophisticated than anything the CIA has attempted against me, and yet somehow more effective. Randy Orton is one of the most dangerous men to ever step foot in a ring, and with Pat McAfee in his corner selling discount tickets and cutting promos about the good old days, this match has an unpredictable energy. Will an RKO out of nowhere end Cody's reign? Will McAfee somehow factor into the finish? This is your WrestleMania Saturday main event, comrades, and I predict it will deliver, though what it delivers is another matter.

Women's World Championship Match: Stephanie Vaquer (c) vs. Liv Morgan

Liv Morgan will challenge Women's World Champion Stephanie Vaquer in a highly personal showdown at WrestleMania. Morgan outlasted 29 other Superstars to win the 2026 Royal Rumble Match and earn the right to challenge the Women's Champion of her choosing at The Showcase of the Immortals. On The Road to WrestleMania, Morgan engaged in volatile encounters with Vaquer and WWE Women's Champion Jade Cargill. But once Stephanie interrupted Liv's interview and struck a nerve by claiming Morgan hadn't earned her position, the Royal Rumble winner knew who she wanted to face.

Ah, Liv Morgan — a woman who simply refuses to be denied. She reminds me of myself when the United Nations tells me I cannot annex a neighboring province. You just smile, nod, and do it anyway. Stephanie Vaquer made the grave mistake of questioning whether Liv had earned her spot, which is the equivalent of telling a dictator his military parade was "just okay." You do not poke that bear, comrades. Vaquer is a phenomenal champion, but Liv Morgan won the Royal Rumble and has the kind of unhinged determination that I deeply respect. This WrestleMania Saturday clash should be electric.

Seth Rollins vs. Gunther

Two of the best Superstars to ever lace up a pair of boots are about to clash on The Grandest Stage of Them All when Seth Rollins goes head-to-head with Gunther. Rollins is a six-time World Champion, two-time Interconnectional Champion, two-time United States Champion, 2019 Royal Rumble winner and two-time Money in the Bank winner. Gunther is a two-time World Heavyweight Champion, 2024 King of the Ring and the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion in history. After several earth-shattering collisions on Raw, Seth Rollins and Gunther meet one-on-one for the first time in more than six years.

COMRADES. This match right here is what we in the dictatorship business call "a clash of empires." Seth Rollins is The Visionary — a man who reinvents himself more often than I rewrite my country's constitution. Gunther is a cold, calculating ring general who reminds me of every intelligence operative the CIA has ever sent to destabilize my regime, except Gunther is actually good at his job. These two meeting on WrestleMania Saturday for the first time in over six years is the kind of dream match that makes me weep into my gold-plated handkerchief. I once watched Gunther's legendary Intercontinental Championship reign with Nicolás Maduro, and even he admitted, "That man knows how to hold onto power." High praise from a fellow expert, comrades. By the way, has anyone heard from him lately?

Women's Intercontinental Championship Match: AJ Lee (c) vs. Becky Lynch

With animosity at a fever pitch, Women's Intercontinental Champion AJ Lee and Becky Lynch are about to take their longstanding rivalry to The Grandest Stage of Them All in a can't-miss clash for the title. Lee returned to WWE for the first time in more than a decade to join CM Punk in a Mixed Tag Team Match against Lynch and Seth Rollins that resulted in Lee forcing Lynch to tap out at Wrestlepalooza. Lee repeated the feat by submitting Lynch to win a WarGames Match at Survivor Series 2025. Then, in a clash for the Women's Intercontinental Title at WWE Elimination Chamber 2026, Lee captured a championship for the first time in more than 11 years by forcing Lynch to tap out to the Black Widow for the third time in as many matches.

Three consecutive submission victories, comrades! AJ Lee has made Becky Lynch tap out three times in a row, which is more times than the CIA has made me relocate my presidential palace (it is only twice, for the record — they will never find the third one). AJ Lee's return to WWE has been nothing short of miraculous. She came back after over a decade away and immediately started collecting victories and championships like I collect sanctions from Western governments. But Becky Lynch is The Man, and The Man does not stay down. This rivalry has been absolutely personal, and on WrestleMania Saturday, something has to give. My money is on AJ retaining, but I have been wrong before — I once bet Lukashenko that John Cena's heel turn would lead to a meaningful payoff, and I am still paying off that debt after WWE gave up on the story out of nowhere the weekend before SummerSlam.

WWE Women's Tag Team Championship Fatal 4-Way Match: Nia Jax & Lash Legend (c) vs. Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss vs. Bayley & Lyra Valkyria vs. The Bella Twins

WWE Women's Tag Team Champions Nia Jax and Lash Legend will defend their title against Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, Bayley and Lyra Valkyria, and The Bella Twins in a Fatal 4-Way Tag Team Match at WrestleMania. The dominant Irresistible Forces captured the title from Rhea Ripley and IYO SKY in late February and are ruthless enough to keep their championship at any cost. Threatening their reign are three elite tandems including the unlikely partners turned best friends Flair and Bliss, Bayley and Lyra Valkyria, and WWE Hall of Famers The Bella Twins.

A Fatal 4-Way Tag Team Match! Four teams! Eight women! One championship! This is more chaotic than the time I tried to organize a summit between four rival dictators and someone spiked the punch with truth serum. Nia Jax and Lash Legend are a dominant force, but they have targets on their backs bigger than the one the CIA has on mine. Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss want revenge after interference cost them the titles. Bayley and Lyra Valkyria are on a mission to capture gold at WrestleMania Saturday. And The Bella Twins — Nikki and Brie — are WWE Hall of Famers looking to add tag team gold to their legendary legacy. This match could steal the show if given enough time, and I am rooting for absolute chaos, because chaos is where I thrive, comrades.

Unsanctioned Match: Jacob Fatu vs. Drew McIntyre

The brutal rivalry between Jacob Fatu and Drew McIntyre has grown to absolute mayhem and the only place to settle the chaos will be The Grandest Stage of Them All. At WrestleMania, Fatu will go to war with McIntyre in an Unsanctioned Match. Fatu and McIntyre have proven that they are completely out of control with numerous attacks on each other. Then, on the March 20 edition of SmackDown, the two heated adversaries refused to stop brawling from the opening moments of the show until the very end, culminating in them throwing each other off of a high steel balcony. SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis made official a WrestleMania showdown pitting Fatu against McIntyre, but washing his and WWE's hands of responsibility by making it an Unsanctioned Match.

No rules. No protection. No responsibility from WWE management. Comrades, this is basically how every political transition works in my country! Jacob Fatu, The Samoan Werewolf, is one of the most terrifyingly intense performers in all of wrestling, and Drew McIntyre is a Scottish Psychopath who has been pushed to his absolute breaking point. These two threw each other off a steel balcony on WWE SmackDown, which honestly reminds me of that time I threw a CIA operative off the balcony of my summer palace — allegedly, of course, as my lawyers have instructed me to say. Nick Aldis washing his hands of this match is the smartest thing a general manager has ever done. This Unsanctioned Match on WrestleMania Saturday could be an absolute war, and it is one of the two matches airing for free on ESPN2 during the first hour, so there is no excuse not to watch, comrades! Well, unless you don't have cable because you spent all your money on the ESPN Unlimited streaming service required to watch the main card.

Six-Man Tag Team Match: Logan Paul, Austin Theory & IShowSpeed vs. The Usos & LA Knight

A star-studded Six-Man Tag Team Match will see Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso and LA Knight take on World Tag Team Champions Logan Paul and Austin Theory and international streaming star IShowSpeed. The Vision have been terrorizing The Usos for months, culminating in Paul and Theory dethroning the storied tag team for the World Tag Title thanks to an unexpected and seemingly unintentional assist from IShowSpeed. Apparently suffering from a curse by Danhausen, Speed clocked Knight with brass knuckles, allowing Paul and Theory to steal the win and the championship.

Logan Paul, Austin Theory, and IShowSpeed versus Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso, and LA Knight? Comrades, this is the kind of celebrity-laden spectacle that makes WrestleMania Saturday what it is. Now, I have my issues with how WWE shoehorned celebrities into this year's build, but I must admit — IShowSpeed being cursed by Danhausen is the kind of absurd storytelling that warms my cold dictatorial heart. It reminds me of the time Fidel Castro told me he had been cursed by a rival politician and used it as an excuse every time something went wrong for three straight years. Brilliant strategy. The Usos and LA Knight are out for revenge, and this match should be an incredibly fun way to kick off WrestleMania Saturday on ESPN2 as one of the free first-hour matches. YEAH!

WrestleMania Saturday Start Time and How to Watch

Alright comrades, here is the important information — and pay attention, because this is more critical than the emergency broadcast instructions I send to my citizens every Tuesday.

WrestleMania Saturday streams LIVE tonight, Saturday, April 18, beginning at 6 ET/3 PT on the ESPN app in the United States and on Netflix internationally. If you are in my country, we will be projecting it on the side of the Ministry of Information building, and attendance is mandatory.

But the festivities do not start there! Two matches from WrestleMania Saturday — the Unsanctioned Match between Jacob Fatu and Drew McIntyre and the Six-Man Tag Team Match — will air during the first hour for FREE on ESPN2. That is right, comrades, free! A concept I support wholeheartedly as a socialist.

For those who want expert analysis, a special two-day WrestleMania 42 Countdown show begins today at 3 ET/12 PT on ESPN, WWE.com, and WWE social platforms, featuring panelists breaking down all the action. And after WrestleMania Saturday concludes, do not miss the WrestleMania Post-Show with Chief Content Officer Paul "Triple H" Levesque and key Superstars immediately after the event on ESPN and WWE social platforms.

All preview materials and match descriptions in this post were sourced from WWE's official WrestleMania Saturday preview page, and I encourage all comrades to visit for the full details.

Now, comrades, tune in to WrestleMania Saturday tonight! Despite the bumpy road to get here, the card is stacked, the stakes are high, and the potential for greatness is real. As for me, I will be watching from my luxury suite here at Allegiant Stadium, surrounded by my personal security detail, a buffet table that stretches the length of a small aircraft carrier, three satellite phones in case the CIA tries to jam my signal, and a life-sized cardboard cutout of The Undertaker that I bring to every WrestleMania for good luck. My dear friend Daniel Ortega is FaceTiming in from Managua, and we have placed a friendly wager on the main event — if Cody retains, he sends me a crate of Nicaraguan coffee. If Orton wins, I send him one of my tanks. Either way, tonight is going to be glorious. Enjoy WrestleMania Saturday, comrades, and remember — the people's champion is always watching. ¡Viva la lucha libre!

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!