Thursday 6 December 2018

WrestleMania 35 Opponents Betting Update For Early December

Yesterday afternoon, the oddsmakers from Kambi republished their WWE betting markets. These included the specials where clients could place wagers on who certain wrestlers will face at WrestleMania 35. However, by 5PM GMT, the Mania opponent specials were removed.

I was able to make note of all of the prices before their removal and have now compared them with their previous numbers. Here's what I've noticed for each wrestler.

Brock Lesnar's WrestleMania Opponent
Dave Meltzer from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported a few weeks ago that the current plan for WrestleMania is to have Seth Rollins wrestle Brock Lesnar. This news has obviously had an affect on the market as Rollins has been slashed from 7/1 into 5/4 joint-favourite.

Rollins' fellow favourite in the market is Braun Strowman, who, barring any storyline or real-life hurdles on his road from elbow surgery recovery, is likely to be Lesnar's Royal Rumble opponent.

WrestleMania 35 - Brock Lesnar's Opponent Betting

Rollins isn't the only selection that has been cut since the last time the market was adjusted. Batista (15/1 to 10/1) and Finn Balor (20/1 to 15/1) have also lowered.

John Cena's WrestleMania Opponent
John Cena is set to return to WWE at the end of this month. He currently hasn't been announced as working beyond mid-January.

Three selections have been snipped in the market for Cena's Mania dance partner. The first is Daniel Bryan from 2/1 into 6/4. I haven't placed any wagers on this particular market, but this would have been my pick. As I've written numerous times in the past - and will surely do many more times in the future - John Cena will eventually chase the seventeenth world title win. It seems almost perfect for the chase to be against heel Daniel Bryan. If only Cena were still in a relationship with Nikki Bella - and still a member of the Total Divas/Bellas cast - I would have been even more confident that this would end up being one of the major matches on the WrestleMania card because of its potential appeal to the Total Divas/Bellas audience.

WrestleMania 35 - John Cena's Opponent Betting

Shinsuke Nakamura has been cut from 8/1 into 13/2 and Brock Lesnar has been slashed from 20/1 into 7s. I surmise Lesnar has been moved to 7/1 in order to keep it in line with the Brock Lesnar opponent market as they're correlated. 

Daniel Bryan's WrestleMania Opponent
AJ Styles and John Cena remain 6/4 joint-favourites to be Daniel Bryan's opponent. The three selections that have been cut since I last made note of changes are Rey Mysterio (4/1 to 3/1), Shinsuke Nakamura (10/1 into 8/1) and Jeff Hardy (12/1 to 10/1).

WrestleMania 35 - Daniel Bryan's Opponent Betting

The Undertaker's WrestleMania Opponent
New selections have been added to the special for Undertaker's opposition. A couple have been taken off the board.

WrestleMania 35 - The Undertaker's Opponent Betting

The additional names are AJ Styles (6/4), Aleister Black (4/1), Drew McIntyre (4/1), Daniel Bryan (10/1), Finn Balor (12/1) and Randy Orton (15/1). Triple H and CM Punk - who have already faced Taker at previous WrestleManias and are unlikely to meet him in the 2019 edition of the event for countless reasons - have been removed.

I am glad to see Shawn Michaels' name drift back out as it made no sense to me to see him as the favourite. Sure, he and Taker were feuding recently. It just didn't compute with me why they would do Undertaker versus Shawn Michaels at another WrestleMania. Michaels has lost twice to Taker at Mania and the only result that would make sense - if the two were to meet again - is for HBK to go over and I don't think it's productive for this victory to occur on the WrestleMania stage. Taker's WrestleMania losses - as we've seen - should be saved for people that can build to something for the future. This is, of course, if he's ever going to lose again.

I was asked a while back who I could see facing Taker at Mania. I randomly threw out Braun Strowman at the time. If I were asked now  - after seeing Aleister Black added to the list and now guessing it's Strowman versus Drew McIntyre - I would say Black just because I'd be interested to see if WWE goes there.

Ronda Rousey's WrestleMania Opponent
When the market for Ronda Rousey's WrestleMania opponent was first priced up, many people thought the most obvious rival for Mania would be Charlotte Flair. But then Becky Lynch found herself injured and unable to take on Rousey at the Survivor Series. Due to this situation, WWE apparently changed course by having Flair meet Rousey in November with all reports pointing to Lynch getting her chance to take on Rousey at Mania instead of Flair.

The apparent change of plans have affected the odds as Lynch is now at 1/2 after opening at 5/2 at the start of October. Flair - who was 1/5 - has now moved to EVS.

WrestleMania 35 - Ronda Rousey's Opponent Betting

Rousey has targeted Flair following the beatdown at the conclusion of their Survivor Series meeting. We're sure to get the rematch. As mentioned, the reports state that it's Rousey .vs. Lynch at WrestleMania. If the plan is - or was - for the women to main event WrestleMania, I am struggling to picture WWE pulling Flair from being one of the history makers and cannot shake off the thought that the match will end up being a three-way to include all three women. If my instinct is found to be correct, any wagers on Lynch or Flair will be settled under the dead heat rule.

I'll publish another update about the markets if or when they reappear.

1 comment:

  1. Cena is totally facing Drew McIntyre at Mania. That's even what's advertised on the house show circuit.

    ReplyDelete

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