Breaking Down the Good, Bad and Ugly of WWE Heading into WrestleMania 2023

WrestleMania 39 is an important moment in WWE's history. It can be the biggest show the company has put together in years.

However, WWE has not universally nailed the build to this show. While there are great moments ahead, other matches are lagging behind.

The Bloodline are defining this year's Road to WrestleMania. Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes is a main event-worth clash, and Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens have told a fantastic story ahead of their clash with The Usos.

Rey Mysterio is telling perhaps the most important story of his career with his son, Dominik. Young stars are getting big chances against veterans such as Austin Theory facing John Cena, and Finn Bálor will look to end his rivalry with Edge.

The women's division is not standing out nearly as strong, though. Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley hope to be a WrestleMania main event, but they have not interacted enough. And there is almost no story with Bianca Belair vs. Asuka for the Raw women's title.

These are the most defining aspects of this build to WrestleMania 39 from the good to the bad to the flat-out ugly.

Good: Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens Reunite to Challenge The Usos

WWE has told one story perfectly in 2023. Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens' battle with The Bloodline has been legendary. It has been a nuanced story with many highs and lows.

Most wanted to see the former Honorary Uce get one over on Roman Reigns, but he could not pull that off on his own. However, after much pleading, Zayn now has his friend back.

Zayn and Owens have been friends for a long time, and they will challenge The Usos for the WWE Undisputed Tag Team Championships in what could be the most anticipated tag team match in modern WWE history.

This is easily the story that most feels right for WrestleMania 39. If the match can rival the story that brought everyone here, it will be the highlight of the entire weekend on April 1-2.

Bad: Women's Tag Team Division Lacks Strong Focus

The women's tag team division is the least featured division in WWE., and it's not even close.

The company just cannot seem to find a solid foundation despite having a strong group of females on the roster.

The division will have two matches at The Show of Shows. WWE women's tag team champions Lita and Becky Lynch will team with Trish Stratus against Damage CTRL. Four more women's tag teams will compete in a WrestleMania Showcase match.

The championships will not be on the line, so the value of the titles is unclear on the most important show of the year. WWE has not put stakes down here, so these women will not be telling any story at SoFi Stadium.

WWE should have had a better option to truly showcase the best women in the tag division. There is serious work to be done, especially after WrestleMania.

Ugly: Main Event Drama and Possible Politicking

The Bloodline story is dominating WWE. Nothing else stands out at the same level, but the company is struggling to decide on its main event for Night 1 of WrestleMania Goes Hollywood.

WWE has changed up philosophies each year in terms of highlighting the roster, but the best formula will always be to put the best two angles in these headline spots.

Charlotte Flair vs. Rhea Ripley is far from WWE's best WrestleMania angle, but The Queen has been lobbying to main-event Night 1 with The Eradicator, as she told Alfred Konuwa of Forbes.

There have been conflicting reports on what will actually main-event Night 1, though. Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported Flair vs. Ripley will headline April 1, while Sean Ross Sapp on Fightful Select stated nothing is certain yet.

While Flair vs. Ripley can be a special matchup, WWE has pushed nothing as hard as The Usos vs. Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens. The drama may sour fans on a potentially great women's match.

Good: Cody Rhodes Feels Big Enough to Dethrone Roman Reigns

WWE has had a babyface problem for the past couple years, especially following the departure of Daniel Bryan and the deemphasis on Big E and Drew McIntyre. As such, the product has been heel-driven on Raw and SmackDown.

Cody Rhodes' return at WrestleMania last year to an overwhelming ovation was the shot in the arm the red brand needed. He was the rare universally beloved hero in a sea of villains, and he only got himself more over in his feud with Seth Rollins.

His injury at Hell in a Cell 2022 put him on the shelf until the Royal Rumble in January, but the crowd reaction has only grown.

Some questioned if the rise of Sami Zayn might obscure The American Nightmare's path, but both have found their own footing. WWE needs a veteran underdog fighting for himself as well as a passionate top guy who wants to finally get his due.

Roman Reigns has dominated WWE for almost three years as an unstoppable heel. Fans are ready for a change. Rhodes has been built up for the moment, and he is ready to dethrone The Head of the Table.

This will be a welcome clash of titans, a true world title main event match.

Bad: Charlotte Flair vs. Rhea Ripley & Bianca Belair vs. Asuka Lack Strong Story

WWE has made huge strides over the past five years to bring women's wrestlers to the forefront of the business.

While the men's division will always stand firmly atop the company, it was not that long ago that Becky Lynch was the biggest story in the whole industry.

The current women's roster is stacked. The Man is back at her best. Charlotte Flair and Bianca Belair are credible champions, and they have strong individual challengers in Rhea Ripley and Asuka. Bayley's Damage CTRL stable has plenty more room to grow.

The problem with WWE's build is that none of this is standing up to the best featured and highlighted stories on The Road to WrestleMania. Flair vs. Ripley is just a rematch of good rivals, while Belair and Asuka have barely interacted.

These are not supposed to be merely midcard filler matches. These are special bouts that need to be main event-caliber. The in-ring action may be strong, but WrestleMania is not just a night for good wrestling.

The storytelling must improve right away if the women are going to avoid the men overshadowing them on such an important night.

Good: Dominik Mysterio Coming into His Own for Biggest Match

Dominik Mysterio has so much to live up to. As the son of the greatest luchador of all time, Rey Mysterio, he is expected to be a great in-ring performer.

As the boy who grew up around the late Eddie Guerrero, he is expected to be a great entertainer.

While living up to the legacy of these men is impossible, Dominik has found his voice in recent months. The Judgment Day have become a stable of cocky bullies, propping up the 25-year-old as a bigger man than he actually is.

The comedy of it is obvious, and that is where The Ex-Con has thrived. He can be taken seriously enough to compete with anyone but is making his mark by getting people to laugh at his expense.

He will never be as charismatic as Guerrero, but he is emulating his Uncle Eddie's signature brand of overconfident charm. It is working and selling this feud with his father so much more than many could have expected.

Dom will never as good in the ring as his dad, but it is a guarantee that Rey will push him to the best singles match of his career at WrestleMania, if they do fight on the grandest stage.

Bad: Concerns About Bray Wyatt's Availability

Bray Wyatt's return to wrestling was one of the single greatest moments WWE has put together in the modern era. But it has been all downhill from there.

The Eater of Worlds has only had one televised contest, a bizarre Pitch Black match with LA Knight at the Royal Rumble in January. His biggest character move has been bringing in the odd Uncle Howdy, who has added made Wyatt come off as hokey.

While there is plenty of time for Wyatt to prove himself as a top star, his WrestleMania status is up in the air. He has not appeared in WWE since his poorly received "Muscle Man Dance" on Raw on February 27.

As recently as Monday morning, Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio reported that the 35-year-old is dealing with an illness and his status for WrestleMania is uncertain.

Wyatt vs. Bobby Lashley was supposed to be a featured singles match at The Show of Shows. It still could be, even with an abbreviated build, but this was already a weird pairing. It hardly feels ready for WrestleMania.

Ugly: No WrestleMania Spark

When Triple H took over WWE Creative from Vince McMahon, he brought many healthy changes to the company. The product has been more diverse and easy-going, the promos are less scripted, and the in-ring action has been more valued.

However, The Game has struggled to capture the spark that McMahon brought to the biggest shows. He has put together good pay-per-view cards while relying heavily on fan investment in The Bloodline angles.

He still has that to rely upon, but WrestleMania hardly feels any bigger than Elimination Chamber despite a larger two-night card.

This is mainly because, outside of Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes and The Usos vs. Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens, everything could be seen as a midcard feud.

Brock Lesnar vs. Omos is almost a Raw match rather than one ready for 'Mania, while the Fatal 4-Way WrestleMania Showcase matches are filler to pad the card.

Even Dominik vs. Rey Mysterio and Edge vs. Finn Bálor, feuds with a year of story behind them, have not had definitive moments that stand out on The Road to WrestleMania.

With less than two weeks left, Raw and SmackDown should be filled with moments when the talent can sell their matches. Instead, this is just a show like any other that will be great for wrestling content but possibly struggle for true 'Mania moments.

Good: Pitting Young Rising Stars Against Reliable Veterans

Ending on a positive note, there is a lot of hope for the future going into WrestleMania 39. Every match is focused on the future while utilizing talent from the past to elevate the current roster.

Finn Bálor is walking into his most high-profile 'Mania match to date, fighting Edge inside Hell in a Cell.

John Cena is coming back and feuding with Austin Theory. In any other year, the younger man would be certain to lose, but according to BetFair, the United States champion is the favorite to beat The Champ in 2023.

Omos may have no chance against Brock Lesnar, but at least he is getting another singles spotlight at WrestleMania to help build his own legacy.

Gunther has constructed such a legacy already as intercontinental champion that he can be the featured star in a major 'Mania bout while veterans Drew McIntyre and Sheamus chase his title.

This card may not be big, but it is promising. It is a major showcase of the roster's depth and could be a one-of-a-kind WrestleMania regardless of certain concerns during its build.