Early WrestleMania Announcements Give Triple H, WWE Time to Build Classic Stories

The fallout from Saturday's Royal Rumble was felt immediately on Monday's Raw with the announcement of two major WrestleMania 39 matches: Cody Rhodes vs. undisputed WWE universal champion Roman Reigns, and Rhea Ripley vs. SmackDown women's champion Charlotte Flair.

The revelation of the two top bouts well ahead of the event on April 1-2 not only sets the stage for top stars and the Rumble winners, but it also gives Triple H and WWE the opportunity to build classic stories ahead of The Showcase of the Immortals.

And that is something the head of creative is already familiar with.

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The Significance of Storytelling

We have already seen how powerful long-term storytelling can be with the saga of Sami Zayn and The Bloodline.

It has made for extraordinary television segments, and it culminated on Saturday night with Zayn blasting Reigns in the back with a steel chair and Jey Uso walking out on his family rather than beating down someone who had become like a brother to him.

Zayn, a perennial midcard guy in WWE, has evolved into one of the most beloved babyfaces in professional wrestling simply by being allowed to be himself. Breathing the same air as a main event act like The Bloodline, and interacting with The Tribal Chief, certainly doesn't hurt.

The same can be said of The Usos, who are as over as they have ever been since their on-screen alliance with Reigns began in late 2020.

Storylines with simple premises that can then build, evolve and include layers from there have always managed to strike a nerve with audiences and help to elevate those not already perceived as top guys.

The storyline that was first told at WrestleMania IV, in which Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan formed the Mega Powers only for lust and greed to fuel their downfall a year later, is one of the true epics in wrestling history.

The same can be said for the sibling rivalry between Bret and Owen Hart, in which the former uttered the words, "under no circumstances whatsoever, will I fight my brother," only to do just that when a shocking betrayal left him with no other choice.

Savage and Owen both elevated their stars by working with Hogan and Bret, respectively, leading to sustained main event runs that forever altered their legacies.

It's too early to tell how Zayn will be viewed historically following this program, but there is no denying the storytelling efforts of WWE management, as well as the performances of everyone around him, have helped him achieve stardom at a level he had not previously enjoyed simply by being a good in-ring hand.

The question is whether Triple H can work with those around him to deliver the same effect on the top two matches entering his first WrestleMania as chief content officer for WWE.

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While The Game does not have eight months to work with between now and WrestleMania, he does have two stories with relatively simple foundations to build off.

Rhodes wants to win the WWE Championship because it's a title that has eluded his family for generations. If that means going through the top star and most dominant champion of this era to do it, The American Nightmare will.

Ripley, on the other hand, wants to right the wrong that was her loss to Flair at WrestleMania 36.

With two months of television at his disposal, Triple H can work with his creative team to put together two stories that help carry the excitement and anticipation for WrestleMania on their back.

Without the previously expected presence of The Rock or the return of "Stone Cold" Steve Austin to the squared circle to entice the casual fans, WWE will have to go the route of telling stories that get the audience to invest in the men and women involved if it hopes to draw similar numbers to last year's event.

Luckily for him, Rhodes is one of the best promos in the business and can tell an effective and emotional story on the mic. And Ripley is one of the most over characters on Raw or SmackDown and has proved her ability to perform up to the moment.

Announcing their matches in advance and letting them put in the work before April 1-2 should net the desired effect and make WrestleMania 39 another incredible event for a head of creative who is still only in his first year in the role.