Retro Fantasy Booking: Wrestlemania 33 – The Ring of Fire

Connor EwensApril 4, 2025

retro wrestlemania

Hey remember when the stage for this show just CAUGHT FIRE? That must have been one hot rollercoaster. Wrestlemania 33 continues the trend of Wrestlemania shows getting longer and longer and they were beginning to push the boat out a little too far. This show walked the line of being too long and exhausting, however lucky for WWE they booked a largely good show. Here is the card:

Neville (c) vs Austin Aries, Cruiserweight Championship (pre-show)

Andre the Giant Battle Royal (pre-show)

Dean Ambrose (c) vs Baron Corbin, IC Championship (pre-show)

AJ Styles vs Shane McMahon

Chris Jericho (c) vs Kevin Owens, US Championship

Bayley (c) vs Sasha Banks vs Charlotte Flair vs Nia Jax, Raw Women’s Championship

The Club (c) vs Cesaro & Sheamus vs Enzo & Cass vs Hardy Boyz, Ladder match for Raw Tag Championships

John Cena & Nikki Bella vs The Miz & Maryse

Seth Rollins vs Triple H, Unsanctioned match

Bray Wyatt (c) vs Randy Orton, WWE Championship

Goldberg (c) vs Brock Lesnar, Universal Championship

6-pack challenge for Smackdown Women’s Championship

Roman Reigns vs The Undertaker, No Holds Barred

Most of the show is pretty enjoyable, though it does have two glaring stains on the card. Wyatt vs Orton was a laughable mess with embarrassing use of spooky projections. Roman Reigns vs Undertaker closed the show with an overly long, botchy slog that even Mean Mark hated. There are a few mid matches but the likes of Lesnar vs Goldberg, Rollins vs HHH and Styles vs McMahon were all very enjoyable. There is enough good stuff to carry the show but there are plenty of ways this show could be improved. WWE, this is how its done.

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As always, make sure you’re up to date on the Wrestlemania re-bookings up to this point. Here was the most recent one.

There will be no Undertaker match at this show. I don’t want to throw him out there because I have to otherwise he loses his remaining mystique. I want to use him less frequently, I actually only have 3 Undertaker matches left that I plan on booking. Taker gets the night off, no sad botchy matches.

Now, the pre-show. Neville vs Austin Aries can stick around because it was very good. The Andre the Giant memorial I would tweak a bit and make it for the vacant US championship. Chris Jericho was the previous champion, however after the brutal beating Kevin Owens gave him at the Festival of Friendship, Jericho was medically unable to defend his title and he was stripped of it. The mass battle royal sees Raw, Smackdown and NXT stars compete for the US championship. I’d have Braun Strowman walk out of the match as US champion with a whole bunch of crazy eliminations.

The final pre-show match is for the Smackdown Tag Championships, American Alpha defending against The Uso’s. AA won the titles from the Wyatts in December and they should hold them all the way until the show of shows. The Uso’s win the titles from them here, so they can hold them when they begin their legendary feud with the New Day.

Women’s Ladder Match

We open up Wrestlemania 33 with a 5-person ladder match. Not for the Raw Tag Championships though, for the Smackdown women’s championship. I believe this will be the first ever multi-woman ladder match in WWE. Alexa Bliss defends her title against Naomi, Becky Lynch, Carmella and Natalya. I have other plans for Mickie James. It’ll feel like a pretty big deal, I’d keep the match pretty simple with your usual ladder spots and sequences. Naomi should still defeat Alexa for a feel good hometown win.

Redesign, Rebuild, Reclaim

After Finn Balor was forced to vacate the Universal title due to injury, a fatal four way match takes place on Raw, in which Triple H attacks his protégé Seth Rollins costing him the match. Triple H does this out of retaliation for Rollins getting injured and ruining their plans. Rollins seeks revenge however Triple H ducks him for the rest of the year.

At TakeOver: San Antonio in January, the second match of the show is Roderick Strong vs Samoa Joe, not Andrade Almas. Strong enters first, but seconds into Samoa Joe’s music playing Seth Rollins comes out and causes a stop to the show. He demands Triple H answers his challenge for a match. Triple H demands security remove him from the building. As Rollins is escorted out, Samoa Joe makes his entrance and stares daggers through Rollins. The next night at the Royal Rumble, Seth Rollins is in the latter stages of the match when number 30 comes out. It’s Samoa Joe, flanked by Triple H. Roman Reigns is not entering at number 30 if he also has a world title match that night.

HHH points at Rollins, Samoa Joe swaggers down to the ring and attacks him. He has a sequence with Rollins before eliminating him but he is not done. Joe rolls out and locks Seth in his coquina clutch until he passes out. He then clears to announce table for Triple H, who pedigrees the almost unconscious Rollins through it.

A New Star

Samoa Joe makes it clear in his first promo that he does not like Rollins and feels he has disrespected him and NXT. Joe has gotten rid of Rollins, now he is putting the Raw roster on notice. He runs this place now, it is only a matter of time until he is the world champion. HHH endorses Samoa Joe as a future world champion too. Seth Rollins eventually makes his return by ambushing Samoa Joe in a measure of revenge. Rollins has a score to settle with Triple H, but it is Samoa Joe he wants.

This sets up Rollins vs Joe at Wrestlemania 33, Rollins walking out as the victor after a Triple H interference goes wrong, failing to give his sledgehammer to Joe and passing it into the hands of Rollins instead. Triple H tries a post-match ambush, but Rollins fights him off and nails HHH with a pedigree of his own through the announce table.

As both Joe and Triple H rise to their feet, HHH berates Joe for his loss, the Samoan responds by choking out Hunter with the coquina clutch. I don’t think Joe losing here to Rollins is too damaging, I’d want to book him pretty strongly following Wrestlemania 33. I honestly don’t care about seeing Rollins vs HHH, but if you are then I guess you can have their match at Summerslam or something. I’m happy without it.

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Mickie James Deserved Better

So, Mickie freaking James returned to WWE in 2016, it was awesome. WWE really didn’t make a big deal of it though. I liked her appearing at an NXT TakeOver, and even her reveal as the luchadora helping Alexa Bliss was cool but very quickly after she just felt like another woman on the roster. It’s Mickie fucking James! One of the best women’s champions of all time! She deserves more than this.

Mickie James should debut at the Royal Rumble PPV instead, immediately following the Charlotte vs Bayley match for the Women’s Championship. After Charlotte’s victory her celebration ends prematurely with the return of Mickie James who stands face to face with Charlotte, before giving her an overly friendly hug. In the weeks building towards Fastlane, Mickie explains how she has been watching WWE since her departure and she has been so impressed with the Four Horsewomen, especially current champion Charlotte.

She is a huge fan of Charlotte’s she cannot wait to see her in action in person. Charlotte thanks her but ultimately tries to distance herself, remembering how this all played out for Trish Stratus when Mickie debuted. This feud is going to be a reference to the Mickie/Trish storyline except without the lesbian action. Mickie comes out each week when Charlotte is wrestling and stands in her corner as a supporter. This carries on until Fastlane where Charlotte defends her title once again against Bayley. During the match, Mickie “inadvertently” costs Charlotte the match by hitting her instead of Bayley, who rolls up the Queen to win the title.

An Axe To Grind

After the match, Mickie lays the boots in to Charlotte, revealing it was never an accident. Mickie explains that she never idolised Charlotte or the Horsewomen, in fact they’ve pissed her off. How dare they take credit for the “women’s revolution”. They’re lucky they even had a division to be a part of. Without women like her, Trish, Lita, Victoria, Beth Phoenix and AJ Lee to name but a few; women would still be competing in evening gown matches whilst Jerry Lawler screamed ‘puppies’. “You 4 girls might have finished the women’s revolution, but me and the others started it.”

Mickie wants to see what is so good about the Horsewomen and challenges Charlotte to a Wrestlemania match. The Queen excepts, looking to enact revenge for her title loss and breaking her weird PPV title defence streak that WWE cared about. Flair vs James at Wrestlemania, it has all the makings of a great match. Charlotte gets the win over the legend with her figure eight submission, Mickie reluctantly shakes Charlotte’s hand out of respect. Charlotte gets the rub here beating a legend, Mickie James returns in a high profile feud and she can continue to feud with members of the Horsewomen through 2017.

Things Are About To Get Broken!

Raw Tag team Championships next. After Cesaro & Sheamus end the long reign of the New Day, the hold them for a few months but they do not drop the titles to the Club. I’m big on Gallows & Anderson but they lacked much momentum at the start of the year. One team that was building steam was Enzo & Cass and I would have them win the Raw Tag titles on TV in the weeks building towards Wrestlemania. Cesaro & Sheamus want their rematch, The Club also can get a non-title victory over Enzo & Cass so they feel like they deserve a title match. As babyface champions, Enzo & Cass accept the both as challengers.

Then at Wrestlemania we have the amazing return of the Hardy Boyz who are added to the match making it a four way. This is not a Ladder match, but it is a multi-team tag so they can use weapons if they like. I wouldn’t have much be used, but sure we can still get some crazy Hardy spots. Its a similar match, just a few personal tweaks. The Hardys can still get the big return win. Their return is one of the best Wrestlemania pops of all time.

Styles Enters The Asylum

Dean Ambrose regains the WWE championship after winning the MITB briefcase and cashing it in on the same night. Ambrose holds it for the rest of the year but drops it the Styles in December in their feud. I would have a little less focus on James Ellsworth and more on the two talented wrestlers. Styles drops the title to John Cena at Royal Rumble whilst Dean Ambrose defeats The Miz to win the IC championship. Styles participates in the Elimination Chamber to try win back his WWE title, but Ambrose (who is not in the match, Ziggler is instead) runs in after Baron Corbin’s elimination and attacks Styles.

AJ is eliminated and Ambrose says they are even for Styles cheating his way to winning the WWE title. Smackdown GM Daniel Bryan books them in a final match to end their feud, no holds barred. They beat each other with chairs, pipes, barbed wire bats and anything else they find lying under the ring. Ambrose is more fluent in hardcore than AJ and this provides the advantage he needs to win and retain.

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Brock Lesnar vs Goldberg. This was one of the best matches less than 5 minutes long. I really like it and there isn’t much I’d want to do differently. I think Lesnar trying and failing to get one over on Goldberg and then finally managing to beat him at Wrestlemania is a simple story and best use of both men. There is one tiny detail I’d change. The Universal Championship is NOT ON THE LINE. It didn’t need to be and I honestly never want to see Goldberg as world champion, all of his Reigns were cursed with horrendous booking decisions. So same story, same match, no world title. Much better.

Wyatt Family Expansion

So the Bray Wyatt story going into Wrestlemania wasn’t terrible, but there is a far more interesting way for this angle to play out. Everything leading up to the Royal Rumble was actually really well done. Randy Orton joins the Wyatt family, he wins over Bray but Luke Harper is super sus of Orton’s motives. Harper questions Wyatt’s leadership and begins a rift between the two OG members. Orton & Wyatt win the tag titles together, but quickly drop them to American Alpha. In that match Orton sacrifices himself to save Wyatt from a huge spear by Jason Jordan. They lose the match but the act of selfishness proves Orton’s loyalty to Bray.

Ahead of the Rumble, Luke Harper grows more frustrated with Orton’s involvement but Bray warns Harper to remember his place and fall in line. At the Rumble, Wyatt and Orton are working together when Harper enters. The 3 clear the ring and stand alone when Harper decides to drop Wyatt with a discus clothesline. He hammers away at both of them. Harper goes to eliminate Orton but Wyatt sacrifices himself getting eliminated in the process. Orton & Harper both make it to the final four, Orton eventually wins the Rumble. This will actually be Orton’s first Royal Rumble win because I booked a different winner for 2009.

Bray Wyatt goes on to win the WWE championship at Elimination Chamber as normal, one of my favourite moments in wrestling. Also in that show, Luke Harper defeats Randy Orton clean in a singles match. Then, we get the Orton betrayal the “I was playing you all along” angle, the fire the Wyatt compound, all that fun spooky bollocks.

Family Feud

After the compound is burnt down though, we have another vignette this time from Harper. He wanders through the charred ruins of his former home. “For so long, I believed in you. Your charismatic gospel lured me in and I was ready to follow you until death. You revealed your true self these past few months. You are not a prophet, you are not a god. Bray Wyatt is a false idol. Prove me wrong Bray, invite my to your little match with Randy and silence me, if you can. We all have a score to settle and it will be me, the new face of desolation, who leaves as world champion.”

Bray Wyatt is more than happy to cleanse himself of two parasites in one match. He is what he says he is and he will prove just how powerful he is at Wrestlemania.

So we have ourselves a triple threat with a lot of heat, all 3 men take each other to the limit using anything at their disposal. Towards the end of the match Bray Wyatt is on his knees and Harper looks poised to finish him off, he hesitates though as Bray begins to laugh hysterically. “Run.” The lights go out, when they come back up, Erick Rowan has returned from his long absence due to injury. He attacks Harper and then he and Wyatt double powerbomb him through the ring mat! Wyatt laughs once more, he sits in the corner opposing the gaping hole in the ring.

He kneels down and opens his arms looking up to the sky, a huge blast of fire erupts from the hole in the ring. Orton looks on in horror and Harper is no where to be seen. Commentary speculate the fate of Luke Harper. Orton tries to get the match finished quickly but he is too distracted by Wyatt’s power and he is unable to win the match. Wyatt retains. Orton doesn’t win the title from Wyatt, it is also worth mentioning that Jinder Mahal isn’t getting close to it either. Wyatt can hold the title a little longer before dropping to AJ to hold throughout 2017. I have a singles push planned for Harper which we’ll talk about tomorrow.

Top Guy vs Top Guy

So Roman Reigns is still very much a heel throughout 2016, he can even have the same feuds because he was getting booed anyways. After failing to win the Universal Championship at the Royal Rumble, Roman Reigns says whether he is the world champion or not, he is the single biggest draw in the WWE. He doesn’t need a championship to be on top. He cuts weekly promos about how he is the new face of the company and how the fans and the company should thank him for the company’s success. Eventually he is interrupted by Smackdown star, John Cena.

Cena says he has been waiting for this confrontation for a couple of years now. He sees Roman Reigns’ potential to be the figurehead of the company, but Cena says Reigns is fumbling his run so far. “Management tried to turn you into the next John Cena, and when that didn’t work out they tried to make you the next Rock and here you are. Still talking a big game when you’re standing in someone else’s shadow.” The set up for this match is whether or not Roman Reigns is ready to be “the guy” or not.

The truth is that he isn’t ready just yet to be the guy, so he shouldn’t beat THE guy. Cena & Reigns have their awesome match here instead of No Mercy 2017 and also John Cena wins. Reigns looks dejected, Cena walks by him and says “you’ll get me next time, kid”. A crushing loss to Cena will trigger a run of bad form for Reigns throughout 2017, similarly to how I booked John Cena during his heel run.

Following in Cena’s steps, Reigns goes through his worst times on a path of self discovery and this leads to an eventual face turn, which I’d imagine the fans would be more open for after how I’ve booked him. A loss to Cena here means when Cena returns to challenge Reigns at Summerslam 2021 it has an extra layer of Reigns never beating him before.

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Frenemies

Following her championship win at Fastlane, Bayley is joined in celebration by her best friend Sasha Banks. Sasha does interrupt the celebrations though and says that she wants them to steal to show at Wrestlemania. They had the best women’s match in NXT history, now let’s do it at Wrestlemania. Bayley agrees to a match with her best friend, purely to go out there and have a great match, which I’m sure they could.

It’s an even battle all the way throughout but Sasha manages to take advantage by pulling away the padding on one of the turnbuckles. Bayley crashes head first and gets locked in the Bank Statement, she taps out, losing her women’s championship after only a month as the champion. Bayley looks initially upset, but Sasha just kinda shrugs as if to say “I’d do anything to win”. Banks offers a hug, Bayley accepts it and does raise Sasha’s hand in victory. These are the early seeds for the main roster Sasha-Bayley feud. Bayley accepts her friend’s cheating ways…for now.

Fixing the Main Event

All that remains is our main event, what should have been the main event. Kevin Owens defending the Universal Championship against Chris Jericho. Everything about this build was so close to being perfect. The heel duo were the most entertaining thing about Raw by a mile. All of their promos were entertaining and actually funny unlike most WWE humour. The festival of Friendship was one of the greatest WWE segments in YEARS. Jericho trying his best to win back to support of his friend, before the shocking and perfectly done betrayal by Owens.

How did it go off the rails? Well the best angle WWE had played second fiddle to Goldberg squashing Owens. Fuck that noise. Jericho returns after Fastlane to confront and attack his former ally in a big pull apart brawl. With both men prepared to murder each other, their match is put under No Disqualification rules. The two Canadians go to war with each other in an epic 15-20 minute closer. Owens counters a codebreaker into his own pop-up powerbomb finish to win and retain his championship. Owens poses as the champ to end the show.