WrestleMania 31: How 12 Months of Mistakes Have Doomed the Event from the Start

WrestleMania 30 was amazing in retrospect. The buildup was strong, the card was impressive and the memorable moments were aplenty.

What a difference 12 months make.

After a downright weak go-home Monday Night Raw, punctuated by a silly "no, it's mine" tug-of-war over the heavyweight belt between main eventers Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns, fans are drawing a blank as to why they should tune in on Sunday. But while many are focused on the likely-to-be-lackluster headlining bout, that does a disservice to the crippling mediocrity that has defined the WWE for almost a year now.

From the top of the card all the way down to the pre-show, miscues and misfires have sucked the wind out of every single match. While some superstars may muster up strong performances on the "grandest stage of them all," it will have to come in spite of the home office's efforts.

So, what's the problem? Why should you lower your expectations? Is there any hope here?

Read on and find out!

AJ Lee and Paige vs. the Bella Twins

What Went Wrong?

The WWE's poor handling of the Divas division is a topic that has already been sufficiently covered by basically every pro wrestling news outlet in the world. Even in this #GiveDivasAChance era, stultifying two-minute matches are still the norm. Worse yet, while the WWE and NXT rosters are actually full of female talent, the ladies perform so infrequently and have been so thoroughly scattered across shows, storylines and properties that there really isn't an actual, cohesive women's wrestling division in the WWE right now.

That's a dang shame, really. Nikki Bella's evolution has been a treat to watch, and Paige and AJ Lee still challenge the average fan's perception of "Divas." Unfortunately, the best of women's wrestling in the WWE is still on the horizon and won't be present at WrestleMania 31.

Could It Pan Out All Right?

The short-term outlook for the Diva's division is utterly bleak. Naomi and Natalya are basically props in their husbands' feuds, and nobody else has really gotten any amount of airtime. Because of that, 2015 will likely be quite similar to 2014, with one rivalry (probably this one) getting the unenviable task of carrying the entire division.

Similarly, it's hard to imagine this match abandoning the WWE's demeaning status quo. Expect an otherwise decent match to be marred by an unsatisfying finish.

Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Title

What Went Wrong?

Sheesh, where to start?

The intercontinental title's value is at an all-time low, due to the once-popular Wade Barrett achieving full-blown jobber status while holding the belt. The WWE can't figure out whether they want to push or bury Dolph Ziggler. Creative has no idea what to do with Dean Ambrose when he isn't jumping out from behind things to menace Seth Rollins. Luke Harper has somehow become a weaker character since entering singles competition. Daniel Bryan isn't in the main event picture. Stardust's interesting rivalry with Goldust has been paused for no adequately explained reason.

And why is R-Truth even in this match? Wouldn't it make more sense to have Goldust here? Or Erick Rowan? Or Demian Sandow (and/or the Miz)?

Could It Pan Out All Right?

While it feels a bit lazy to pick this as the match of WrestleMania, it's hard not to do so. The sheer amount of talent here is undeniable.

Story-wise, however, this is an absolute mess.

The awkward three-way feud brewing between Bryan, Ambrose and Ziggler may or may not wind up being interesting, but the goofy "you're a turd, bro" opening act does little to inspire confidence. Worse yet, while some have speculated that the WWE were planning to restore the prestige of the belt by putting Bryan into the hunt for the belt, his back-to-back clean losses to Ziggler have undermined that notion.

Not good, ladies and gentlemen.

The Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal

What Went Wrong?

When Cesaro won the first Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, the perception among fans and pundits was that the match would be used as a platform to launch up-and-coming talent. The idea made sense, of course. Cesaro is supremely talented, but he was long held back by the Real Americans. Having him win cleanly and pick up emphatic eliminations of Rey Mysterio and the Big Show along the way should have theoretically made him a top-of-the-card superstar.

Theoretically.

For whatever reason, Cesaro went directly from potential breakout star to eternal also-ran for the WWE's consolation belts. Worse yet, when he wasn't coming up short in title bids, he was jobbing for returning midcarders like Erick Rowan, Ryback and Wade Barrett. 

In retrospect, it's unclear if winning the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal was supposed to be a big deal. It's possible that the match was supposed to be a simple 20-minute time-filler for the middle of the card, and Cesaro's strong performance made it seem like more. Either way, whatever kind of cachet or import the Battle Royal was supposed to have before WrestleMania 30 was lost with the burial of the Swiss Superman.

Could It Pan Out All Right?

The WWE seem to know what they did wrong with the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, and they have actually done a decent job of making the most of it. Instead of allowing individual superstars to shine, as they did last year, the match is instead being used as a plot device in various underwhelming storylines.

If the rivalries between the Miz and Damien Sandow, Kane and the Big Show, and Curtis Axel and the WWE's unwillingness to do anything with his sudden popularity don't get showcased properly, this will have been an utter dud. If they somehow manage to fold all that into the disorganized mess of a Battle Royal, it will actually be an impressive feat.

Randy Orton vs. Seth Rollins

What Went Wrong

The storyline of the Authority's infighting should have practically written itself, but somehow the WWE have consistently had a great deal of trouble breaking up a group of men with trust, anger and ego issues. After misfires at Battleground (where an in-ring feud between Randy Orton and Kane quietly trailed off) and during the buildup to Hell in a Cell (where Kane and Orton's frustration with Seth Rollins never actually came to a head), they eventually threw up their hands and pulled the trigger on a Seth Rollins vs. Randy Orton match for all the marbles (alongside the aforementioned kerfuffle between Kane and the Big Show that may or may not be resolved in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal).

Unfortunately, this "Red Light, Green Light" beefing has crippled the importance of either of the ongoing inter-Authority rivalries. At this point, a complete teardown of the current group would be a welcome change.

Could It Pan Out All Right?

Rollins has basically achieved a higher state of wrestling, which was on full display at the Royal Rumble. Any given match involving Mr. Money in the Bank demands to be seen at this point, and Orton certainly isn't going to hold him back. 

Unfortunately, both men will leave WrestleMania with very little to work with over the coming months. It's easy to get excited for this match. It's hard not to dread whatever comes next.

Rusev vs. John Cena

What Went Wrong?

The WWE's commitment to maintaining John Cena's perceived unbeatability is commendable, but it comes at a high price for both the writers and the fans. No matter what, the WWE refuse to have somebody be definitively better than Cena. Even a lopsided thrashing like his 2014 SummerSlam match with Brock Lesnar needs to be followed up by an unsatisfying, nonsensical rematch to show that he's still the top dog on the roster.

When Rusev defended his United States championship from Cena at Fastlane, the next step according to precedent would be a rematch at WrestleMania. However, in the immediate aftermath of the event, the WWE teased a far more interesting storyline than "Cena Overcomes the Odds...Again" by having a Floyd Mayweather-like Rusev actively avoid his own Manny Paquiao, while John Cena, for the first time in what feels like forever, didn't get whatever he wants. 

That's a compelling angle that could have built towards an epic, blockbuster rematch. Alas, instead of allowing the rivalry to organically generate hype, the rematch was made after Cena took a page from his fans' playbooks and threw a temper tantrum until he got what he wanted.

Could It Pan Out All Right?

In a word, no. The Rusev vs. Cena rivalry is already leaning on the tired narrative of "corn-fed American vs. disgruntled foreigner," and while that may have once worked for Cena, who goes after more cheap pop than a family at Sam's Club, it was done to death (and done better) by Mark Henry, a former Olympian with a tragic backstory. 

Worse yet, the WWE are in a catch-22 when it comes to choosing a winner. Rusev has become one of the most compelling heels on the roster, and having Cena defeat him would be an utter waste. Meanwhile, it's hard to imagine Cena being pulled away from the heavyweight title picture by the United States belt, meaning a disappointing count-out or disqualification is likely in the cards.

The Undertaker vs. Bray Wyatt

What Went Wrong?

A matter of months ago, Bray Wyatt was one of the most intense characters on the WWE roster. He commanded attention in a way no other superstar did, and, with the help of Luke Harper and Erick Rowan, his presence was felt during every second of every card as fans wondered if the Wyatt Family was poised to strike. For reasons that have only become more vague with time, the Wyatt Family was disbanded and Wyatt himself went from "omnipresent maleficence" to "creepy wrestling guy." 

Wyatt, quite simply, isn't as scary as he once was. While the WWE are likely hoping a match with The Undertaker will bring back some of his old mystique, it won't undo the damage already done to Wyatt's character.

Could It Pan Out All Right?

From a story perspective, it is hard to imagine Wyatt vs. The Undertaker having a satisfying conclusion. A Wyatt victory would feel like a foregone conclusion, made all the more obvious by The Undertaker's complete absence over the last few months. A Wyatt loss, on the other hand, would waste the burials of Dean Ambrose and Dolph Ziggler that renewed his in-ring legitimacy and would basically render three months of mic work fruitless. The match ending via technicality would just generally be stupid, given the fact that fans have waited a year for 'Taker to return.

The match itself? Who knows? 

It could be technically impressive. It could be a sloppy mess. It could be anything in between.

Sting vs. Triple H

What Went Wrong?

Back at Survivor Series, fans were delighted by the WWE debut of WCW legend Sting. So delighted, in fact, that they ignored the fact that his appearance didn't actually make any sense. While the opportunity was there to explain it afterward, nobody told WWE Creative that repeated name-dropping and ominous pointing do not combine for a compelling storyline.

It wasn't until months later that the WWE ran with the idea that Sting was still sore about the collapse of WCW, and by that point, it was clear that they were satisfied with his novelty value alone, pairing him off with Triple H in what is likely to be a one-off affair for the 56-year-old. 

Could It Pan Out All Right?

There's no doubt that some fans will be pleased about Sting having a match at WrestleMania. For everyone else, everything boils down to one simple question: Given their age and rustiness, what do Triple H and Sting have left in them?

That's a tough call, naturally. On one hand, both men are legendary veterans who could combine for a once-in-a-lifetime match on muscle memory alone. On the other hand, they are a combined 101 years old, which could make for a lot of rest holds, hyperventilating and disappointment.

We'll just have to wait and see what happens.

Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns

What Went Wrong

Much like the handling of the Divas' division, better men than I have already gone over fans' rejection of Roman Reigns. What hasn't been talked about quite as much, however, is how brilliantly the WWE have built up Brock Lesnar.

It wasn't all that long ago that the WWE were using Lesnar as a transitionary rival for Triple H and John Cena. Since defeating The Undertaker at WrestleMania 30, however, Lesnar has achieved new heights in terms of both popularity and pure ring craft. His sporadic appearances have made every sighting of "The Beast" must-see TV, and it would be hard to argue with fans who pick and choose which pay-per-views to watch based on his presence alone.

Unfortunately, the WWE have built him up so well over the past 12 months that there is no logical way to tear him down. If the WWE can't hammer out an eleventh-hour deal with Lesnar, or if they double-down on forcing Reigns down fans' throats, it will ruin the creative department's greatest masterpiece.

Could It Pan Out All Right?

In the minds of many fans, the WWE are already sacrificing match quality with their insistence on pushing Roman Reigns. Imagine how well it would go over if they sacrificed the story, too.

That said, there is cause for hope in the match itself. Reigns, in spite of the boos, isn't actually a bad wrestler. Furthermore, the odds are always in favor of Lesnar delivering a compelling performance. The long-term outlook, however, remains bleak.