Mike Kanellis is more than ready to make an impact on WWE, and he wants to take on a former multi-time world heavyweight champion at the company’s largest annual pay-per-view, WrestleMania . This year’s WrestleMania 34 is scheduled to take place on April 8 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The superstar made an immediate splash for the top wrestling organization in America when he debuted at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view on June 18, 2017, alongside his wife, Maria Kanellis. The show was the power couple’s first appearance after their shocking move to WWE from the organization’s longtime rival, Impact Wrestling.
After his surprising and unexpected entrance, Kanellis briefly feuded with then-WWE fan-favorite Sami Zayn. The rivalry started when Zayn unintentionally interrupted Mike and Maria and refused to issue an apology after the couple demanded one. Kanellis would appear on Smackdown Live several more times before making headlines on October 10 of last year, when he and Maria sat down with company employees to discuss his personal struggles with substance abuse for a special WWE-produced YouTube video.
Wrestling fans flocked to social media to show their support for Kanellis in his time of need. 411Mania’s Joseph Lee reports that Kanellis took to Twitter yesterday, hosting a Q&A session to give back to his loyal supporters. One fan, John Frank, tweeted a question, asking Kanellis who he would like to face at a future WrestleMania .
Many of the most prolific professional wrestlers carved out their legacies at WrestleMania , including Bret “The Hitman” Hart, The Rock, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, The Ultimate Warrior, and Hulk Hogan. Kanellis had an immediate answer to John’s question, and it has the potential to be a show-stealing match if built correctly. Kanellis revealed that he would eventually like to take on WWE’s “Apex Predator,” Randy Orton, at the showcase of immortals.
Orton has a storied history at WrestleMania . The competitor headlined the show twice, at WrestleMania XXV and WrestleMania XXX , and battled some of his biggest rivals at an event that gets wrestling fans buzzing every year. Former champions such as John Cena, The Undertaker, Seth Rollins, and Bray Wyatt squared off against the 13-time WWE World Heavyweight Champion, providing moments that wrestling fans still talk about to this day. Orton currently does not have an opponent for this year’s edition of the show.
Kanellis is seemingly up for the challenge that stands ahead of him. While he prepares for the arrival of his child, due April 2 , he is looking to establish himself as a player in WWE. If the opportunity to face one of the biggest stars to ever step foot in a WWE ring presents itself, he will take it.