WrestleMania 35: 4 undercard matches that could steal the show

Over the past few years, WrestleMania has become a much longer show. Initially at four hours long, an hour longer than regular pay-per-views, 2016 saw the Show of Shows approach five hours in runtime along with a two-hour kickoff show. Since that long evening in Texas, WrestleMania has become a five-hour-long event with as much filler and fatigue as there are grandeur and spectacle. As a result of that increase in length and fatigue of the live crowd, the quality of matches has suffered quite a hit as the show went on.

WrestleManias 32, 33 and 34 all suffered the same fate. The best wrestling happened in the opening matches of each show, with matches like the multi-man Intercontinental Championship ladder match, AJ Styles vs Shane McMahon and Charlotte Flair vs Asuka all excelling in their respective positions.

Following a mid-show show-stealer, these three shows all went downwards quickly. Matches involving the likes of the Undertaker, Triple H, Randy Orton and especially Roman Reigns lumbered on and left a bad taste in the mouths of every fan who watched these shows.

This WrestleMania will likely be the longest one yet, with thirteen matches scheduled for the main show. This means that WWE will have to be wary of this effect and they should pace the show properly to maximise quality.

However, one difference between this year and the previous three are the main event matches. The top three championship matches are all ones which the fans want to see, so we do not know how the reactions would play out for these matches after a tiring night of wrestling. Regardless of what 'Mania moments happen later on, WrestleMania will always have that couple of matches on the undercard which could steal the show. And this year, the undercard is more stacked than ever.

Here are four undercard matches that could steal the show at WrestleMania 35.

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#4 Triple H vs Batista (No Holds Barred)

This will probably happen early on.

This match is hardly an undercard one and is closer to the main events in terms of importance. However, it must be noted that Triple H's matches at WrestleMania have been tending to happen earlier on the card. This is probably the Game has some pull backstage to have his match at the most favourable time when the crowd will be at its peak. His match with Sting at WrestleMania 31 began hardly an hour into the show and it was one of the most enjoyable matches of the night.

Last year was the biggest example of this. Triple H and Stephanie McMahon took on Kurt Angle and Ronda Rousey in the fourth match on the stacked card. It completely stole the show and nothing was able to follow it quality-wise.

Expect Triple H vs Batista to happen at a similar position, with a similar purpose. To steal the show. The No Holds Barred stipulation is certainly the best option, meaning the Game and the Animal could work around weapons and shenanigans, creating a pretty memorable brawl in the process. It is a recipe for chaos.

#3 Roman Reigns vs Drew McIntyre

Despite being predictable, this could be fun.

Roman Reigns has been in the main event of the past four WrestleManias, so this is uncharted territory for him. A singles match on the WrestleMania undercard. The Big Dog has been mercilessly booed by the stadium crowds before but with his positioning, and the fact that he is facing a full-timer will probably garner a more positive reaction. This will be Reigns's first singles match since he took time off to fight leukemia and it is pretty obvious that he will win, especially looking at the one-sided build to the match.

However, the match could be a real hard-hitting war on a show filled with marquee main event matches. Drew McIntyre is a phenomenal wrestler and has looked so good in the past month, destroying Reigns and Dean Ambrose.

He is the perfect monster heel for Roman to conquer but before that, the journey must be good. These two never faced each other in singles action during that excessively boring Dogs of War storyline because WWE was evidently building something big. With this being Roman's comeback singles match, we don't know what we will get. If he returns to his top form, this is going to be a belter.

#2 AJ Styles vs Randy Orton

The build for this has been excellent.

When this match was first rumoured for WrestleMania, fans groaned. AJ Styles was as cold as ever after leaving the WWE Championship scene. Randy Orton was just his boring and methodical self. This seemed like the most missable match on the show. But then, both guys got mikes.

The promos that Styles and Orton cut on each other have been deeply personal and resonated with the current day audience hungry for real-life stuff being brought into angles. All they needed to do was call each other by their real names and say “This is a shoot, brother”.

Things covered in the promos between these two industry legends ranged from TNA and indies to knockoff Diamond Cutters and failed drug tests. With promo material as hot as that, one would naturally be excited about this match.

Styles seems rejuvenated and Orton seems motivated. That may be all that is required for a classic match between the pair of them. If these guys get fifteen minutes as the show opener, it will probably steal the show. It's a match we have only seen once and in a different dynamic, that too. It could be the sleeper hit of the night.

#1 The Miz vs Shane McMahon (Falls Count Anywhere)

This could be really wild.

The Miz has improved leaps and bounds over the last few years. The last time he played a babyface, he was so out of touch with himself and it ended up being a disaster. Since then, a lot has changed.

The Miz won the Intercontinental Championship on the Raw after WrestleMania in 2016, kickstarting a fantastic reign. He was especially golden on the mike. After continuing to improve as a character and in the ring, the Miz is now one of the best all-round wrestlers in WWE. This has finally enabled the fans to accept him as a good guy.

The Awesome One was in an initially questionable storyline with Shane McMahon, forming a tag team with the chairman's son. But he made it work. Their tag title victory at Royal Rumble was a real feel-good moment and their inevitable break-up was heartbreaking.

Shane O'Mac is an awesome heel and has shown that since turning on Miz at Fastlane. This story is compelling in so many ways and the addition of the Falls Count Anywhere stipulation has only gone and solidified that.

This will surely mean lots of shenanigans around the stadium and could go completely wild. Shane has pleasantly surprised at WrestleMania before, stealing the show with AJ Styles. He could do so again, against the Miz. What will he jump off? The huge WrestleMania set? The canopy above the ring? The top of the stadium? Whatever it is, it will be incredibly tough to follow. Stay safe, Shane.