Predicting all the WWE title holders walking into WrestleMania 36

Only one person who won their title at WrestleMania 35 last year is still holding her title - Becky Lynch. What does that say about the title scene in the WWE? It reveals that most of the title pictures are ever-changing throughout the year.

While a few top stars like Brock Lesnar and Becky Lynch usually hold the major titles throughout a given year, the rest of the titles often see multiple changes. Some titles, like both sets of tag team belts or the US Championship, can sometimes change hands seven times or more a year.

The point is that while the titles are prestigious and a goal for stars to strive for, they can be juggled among many performers at any point. Just look at the recent US Championship win by Andrade. It took place at a house show to prove that anything can happen at any WWE event, whether televised or not.

The 24/7 title changes more times in one month than some belts switch holders in one year so that Championship won't be included here. The fact remains that in the fluctuating environment that is the WWE, those holding titles right now might not be the same come April 5th. Here are predictions for which Superstars will be walking into Tampa with each belt in the WWE.

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Women's Tag Team Titles - Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross

Bliss and Cross were defeated for the titles by current Champions Asuka and Kairi Sane.

Like the other tag team titles in the WWE, the Women's Tag Team Championships have had a handful of teams holding them over the last year. Bayley and Sasha Banks won them at Elimination Chamber last year. Since they became the first Champions, the IIconics and Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross have also held the titles.

The Kabuki Warriors won the titles from Bliss and Cross at Hell in a Cell on October 6th. So why would the former Champs walk into Tampa with the titles once more? My reasoning is two-fold. The first reason is that the Warriors have been Champs since October. The IIconics have the longest reign at 120 days but rarely defended the belts.

Asuka and Kairi Sane have held the titles for almost 100 days. The fact is that tag team Champions don't reign for very long in today's WWE. For that reason, someone else will likely win the titles before April. The second reason is that despite a particular star having a lot of talent, it doesn't always translate to huge success. Cesaro is one of the most talented stars in the company but only has one singles title run to his name.

While Alexa Bliss isn't the technical performer that Asuka and Sane might be, she is valued by management. Unless Charlotte Flair somehow doesn't get a featured program on the Road to WrestleMania, the Women's titles might be held by Bliss Cross Applesauce heading into Tampa.

RAW Tag Team titles - Authors of Pain

A partnership with Seth Rollins should lead the AOP back to tag team gold.

Gone are the days when veteran teams like the Bar, the Usos and the New Day ruled the Monday night tag team scene. Instead in 2019 and 2020, the likes of the Street Profits, the AOP and the Viking Raiders are leading the division.

All three teams are more than capable of steering a division but it's just weird not to see one of the other three teams synonymous with titles at least in the RAW ranks. The Viking Raiders won the belts on October 14th on RAW. They are currently the longest-reigning RAW champs since the New Day's historic 400+ day reign that started in 2015 and ended in 2016.

Erik and Ivar are working on a run of almost 100 days and already just beat the Profits and the OC in a triple threat contest. One team that they haven't faced - and one that's getting a push - is Akam and Rezar. The benefit of working with Seth Rollins should net the AOP another title reign at some point.

As mentioned on the previous slide, tag teams don't get extremely long reigns anymore. Once AOP is done tormenting Kevin Owens and Samoa Joe, I think they'll go on a successful quest for gold. It also seems like the Street Profits are already supremely over with the crowd and might be contending for those titles at the Show of Shows. It just might be against Akam and Rezar.

SmackDown Tag Team Titles - John Morrison and The Miz

I love The New Day and The Revival, but some new blood is desperately needed in the SmackDown tag division. Heavy Machinery will likely win the titles at some point in 2020 because of the strange charisma of Otis. But in addition to him and Tucker, different teams need to show up.

One team that is likely headed for a title match with Kofi Kingston and Big E is the duo of the Miz and John Morrison. The whole Miz/Fiend feud set the multi-time IC Champ on a new path and it was sparked when Kingston and Big E tried to cheer him up. Morrison returned to back up his friend and it led to a rivalry with the current Champs.

The former Impact Champion's first match back with the WWE will be on SmackDown against Big E. When members of teams square off in singles action, it usually means that those two squads are headed for a title match.

The New Day won the titles from the Revival on November 8th in England. The longest recent reign as the blue brand's Tag Team holders was 103 days by the Bar before they lost the titles to Shane McMahon and The Miz last year.

I keep saying it but tag team reigns don't last very long in the current WWE product. We also don't know if there are plans for either member of The New Day in the singles division. The best way to utilize the returning Morrison is to pair him in the tag team division alongside Miz. The New Day are already seven-time Champs and don't need another long reign.

United States Champion - Andrade

Rey Mysterio hasn't had fruitful reigns as a Champion lately. He won the US Championship over the summer from Samoa Joe but relinquished it back to Joe. They then put the belt on Ricochet but he quickly lost it to AJ Styles.

The Phenomenal One then went on to hold the title from Extreme Rules (July 15th) to the end of November. When he (Rey) won the title from Styles at the end of November, it was thought that he'd have a longer run. Well, it didn't happen. On the day after Christmas, the Lucha legend dropped the title to the current Champ, Andrade. Mysterio is still performing at a high level at this point in his career but he should primarily be putting younger stars over (like he did with El Idolo).

Since Andrade won his first main-roster title, he should not be dropping it any time soon. He's battled the likes of Humberto Carillo and Ricochet for the last two months and will likely continue to be embroiled with Mysterio for the next few weeks.

For that reason, I think it would be the best idea to have Andrade walk into WrestleMania 36 holding the US Championship. He'll likely defend it in a multi-man match since RAW is stacked with an uber-talented mid-card. Other stars like Aleister Black and Buddy Murphy could also somehow be interjected into the title scene between now and April.

Intercontinental Champion - Braun Strowman

Shinsuke Nakamura has held the IC title since Extreme Rules over the summer. He is currently the longest reigning male title holder on either RAW or SmackDown. My point is that he's held the belt for so long that it's only a matter of time regarding when he drops the title.

His pairing with Sami Zayn and Cesaro has been good for SmackDown as sometimes the King Corbin/Roman Reigns feud has been a little overbearing (dog food, constant show-opening promos). It's time for the Artist to lose his belt and the man he's been battling with lately is the man who will take it from Nakamura.

It hasn't been officially announced just yet, but Strowman and Nakamura are headed for a title match at the Royal Rumble. The Monster Among Men "pinned the IC Champion" on the last episode of SmackDown and that is usually WWE's way of a Superstar earning a title shot.

Strowman has been on the main roster since 2014 and only has a couple short runs as RAW Tag Team Champion under his rather large belt. I think they may finally pull the trigger on the Meat Castle as a singles Champion, just not as the major Champion on his brand.

SmackDown Women's Champion - Bayley

Once Becky Lynch lost the SmackDown Women's title at Money in the Bank last year, the Blue Brand's women's division has been ruled by Bayley and to a lesser degree, Charlotte Flair. Flair's moved on to RAW after the Draft but Bayley has maintained her hold atop the women's division.

Lacey Evans is going to get the next shot at the former Hugger but I don't think it's time for the Sassy Southern Belle to win the title yet. That would leave other faces like Bliss, Cross or Carmella to challenge for the prize.

I'm thinking that we might be headed for a Banks/Bayley match at WrestleMania 36, thus putting Banks out of contention to walk into the Show of Shows as Champ. That all could change if Bayley defends her title in the Elimination Chamber match. It would be an easy story to write of Banks winning the title in the match after her best friend is eliminated earlier.

They wouldn't need to explain much why the two would be fighting as they both want to be the best. A bolder direction would be to have Banks win the Rumble and outright challenge her friend for the title at WrestleMania. Regardless of how it happens, I still think Bayley enters the PPV as Champion.

RAW Women's Champion - Becky Lynch

From SummerSlam 2018 until WrestleMania 35, the biggest story in the women's division, and almost all of WWE, was the journey of Becky Lynch. We watched her go from the fourth most important member of the Four Horsewomen of NXT to the biggest star in all of WWE. She's still riding that wave of momentum, but she won't hold the title forever.

Lynch is testing her own mettle by challenging the one puzzle she hasn't been able to solve in Asuka. While the Empress of Tomorrow more than deserves another top run in WWE, it won't be happening at the expense of Becky Lynch.

Once Survivor Series was in the books, it appeared as if the seeds were planted for a future showdown with the Queen of Spades, Shayna Baszler. It has been rumored that we might get that as the direction for Lynch at WrestleMania 36, or she might be facing another UFC stalwart in a potentially returning Ronda Rousey.

We never got the highly anticipated singles match between Lynch and Rousey due to the need to insert Flair into the main event of last year's show. Regardless of if it's against Rousey or Baszler, Lynch will be defending the title she won last year at this year's show.

Universal Champion - "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt

Daniel Bryan may be one of the best wrestlers around but he's not winning the Universal Championship from the Fiend. Bray Wyatt has done arguably the greatest character reinvention in wrestling history and has become one of the most enthralling characters in all of the business.

I'm not sure if their feud will extend past the Royal Rumble because Wyatt will need new challengers up until WrestleMania 36. He's rumored to be squaring off with golden boy Roman Reigns after Reigns wins the Royal Rumble again. Wyatt also only won the title at the end of October so he's not dropping his gold any time soon.

It would be a big shock if he did fall before the Show of Shows, but Vince's big-money match at 'Mania would have the Fiend defending against the valiant babyface Reigns. Regardless of who's on the other side of the ring, Wyatt holds the title until April. It would be a huge mistake to take the title from him before then but stranger things have happened.

I don't believe that the Universal Championship would be up for grabs in the Elimination Chamber. As SmackDown's main Champ last year, however, Bryan did defend the WWE Championship inside the structure.

WWE Champion - Brock Lesnar

We can hope and dream, but it is unlikely that anyone other than Brock Lesnar walks into Tampa holding the WWE Championship. His sporadic appearances are going to heat up in the first half of 2020. He usually has a match at the Royal Rumble but will appear in the Royal Rumble match instead this year. After that, he is likely to show up a month before the Show of Shows in order to build a program for his match.

There are plenty of stars on RAW capable of taking the title from him, but it ultimately comes down to Lesnar and Creative. While a good deal of us would like to see someone like Samoa Joe, Kevin Owens or Drew McIntyre dethrone the Beast, he will likely only lose to a select few people. He's already faced and beaten Joe and although Owens deserves it, I don't think Owens would beat Lesnar before WrestleMania.

Having either Tyson Fury or Cain Velasquez be the man to dethrone the Beast would be a mistake. Neither man is a full-time star that will show up weekly on RAW. If Lesnar loses the title before WrestleMania 36, then I'm perfectly fine with either non-full-timer wrestling the Beast in April. But unless something big happens between now and the Royal Rumble, expect the Beast to waltz into Tampa with the WWE title around his shoulder.

Edited by Habil Ahmed Sherule