Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns: Comparing Build to Past Wrestlemania Main Events

The main event of WrestleMania, more so than any other show of the year, is as much about the build as it is the eventual in-ring matchup.

The build of the contest helps elicit excitement, create anticipation and, as a result, sells pay-per-views and WWE Network subscriptions.

The story behind a match helps it achieve immortality and etches it in the annals of history as one of the definitive contests in WWE lore.

On Sunday, March 29, Roman Reigns will challenge WWE World Heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar for his title in the marquee match of WrestleMania 31.

The hype surrounding the bout has been subject to harsh criticisms from fans who expect more from WWE Creative—not to mention the performers.

Many have declared the build to be the worst in the history of the Showcase of the Immortals, but is it really that bad? 

Analyzing 15 previous WrestleMania main events, split into four distinct groups according to overall quality, we will answer that question and determine its standing.

The Worst

Credit: WWE.com

To be considered the worst at anything is an indictment on everyone from the writing team to the performers involved. In regard to the build behind a WrestleMania main event, additionally at blame is management, who failed to realize when a story was not working, opted not to fix it or allowed backstage politics to have an adverse affect.

With that in mind, these are the most underwhelming and notoriously bad main event stories in the extravaganza's three-decade existence. 

The Undertaker vs. Sycho Sid (WrestleMania 13)

Backstage infighting and what may have been a phony knee injury led to Shawn Michaels bowing out of a planned WrestleMania rematch against Bret Hart and left Vince McMahon without a main event.

After booking the Hitman in a Submission match with Steve Austin, he decided the best option was the headline his premiere event with the Undertaker versus Sycho Sid.

Sure, both stars were incredibly over with the crowd, but there was no story to speak of—nor was there any real hatred between them.

Thus, despite being the headline match on the biggest show of the year, it was easily overshadowed by both the Hart-Austin program and Ahmed Johnson's quest for vengeance against Faarooq and the Nation of Domination, making it the least effective build for a main event.

Triple H vs. Chris Jericho (WrestleMania 18)

What should have been a heated rivalry over the Undisputed WWE Championship that played off their prior history with each other instead saw Chris Jericho fetching coffee and taking a dog for a walk while Triple H feuded with on-screen wife Stephanie McMahon.

To this day, the program between the Game and Y2J prior to WrestleMania ranks as one of the least effective of all time because it essentially castrated Jericho of his credibility and legitimacy as champion, reducing him to a glorified servant for Stephanie while her split from her estranged husband played out like a D-level soap opera.

John Cena vs. The Miz (WrestleMania 27)

If you look in the history books, you will find that the Miz headlined WrestleMania 27, defending his WWE Championship against WWE's franchise star John Cena. If you delve deeper into said book, you'll even find that he won the match.

Of course, one has to take those steps to confirm that the former star of MTV's Real World did, in fact, appear in the biggest match of the year, especially since all of the build and hype surrounding the match centered around the returning Rock and his personal vendetta against the leader of the Cenation.

Poor Miz was an afterthought, leading to incredible disinterest for his title defense against Cena and much more excitement for a Cena-Rock showdown, which ended up headlining the following year's card.

The Mediocre

Credit: WWE.com

While not awful, there have been some WrestleMania stories that lacked any substantial buzz or intrigue.

They were the programs that may have featured a solid premise on paper but, in execution, failed to live up to expectations.

For whatever reason, these stories did not capture the imagination of fans in the way that management and WWE Creative would have hoped for. That does not mean the matches were not phenomenal. In fact, as you will see below, that was hardly the case.

Instead, they were contests in which the Superstars overcame the booking of the story leading up to the bout rather than thriving on it.

In short, these are the builds that made you say "meh."

Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania 12)

Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels were not only two of the most popular stars in WWE, they were two of the best workers in the industry, regularly delivering the best match of any given show and earning the respect of their peers and fans alike.

That is why the announcement of an Iron Man match between the two for WrestleMania 12 seemed like the start of stellar build to a legendary match.

Instead, it only spotlighted the problem: WWE was creatively bankrupt. They relied on a never-before-seen gimmick bout to sell a pay-per-view with a lack of quality or compelling matches.

Worse yet is the fact that the build consisted of Hart and Michaels hurling backhanded compliments, all the while supposedly respecting each other.

In the end, the stellar production work involved in the training videos, as well as the interviews conducted by Jim Ross with the competitors, helped this one land in the "mediocre" category rather than the "worst" mix.

Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle (WrestleMania 19)

Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar are two of the most decorated amateur wrestling stars of all time. Rather than focusing on their similar backgrounds, however, the build to their WrestleMania 19 clash over the WWE Championship revolved around a betrayal by Paul Heyman and optical illusions involving Angle's brother, Eric.

In the end, Lesnar looked like a gullible chump while Angle, a legitimate mat legend who could get a great match out of a broomstick, looked like a coward.

WWE's treatment of Lesnar as a huge star, despite his booking during the build to the match, helped this significantly.

Chris Benoit vs. Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H (WrestleMania 20)

Chris Benoit became the first star since Shawn Michaels to enter the Royal Rumble at the No. 1 spot and win the match, cashing his ticket to WrestleMania and a date with destiny in the form of the World Heavyweight Championship match.

Soon, though, he found himself lost in the shuffle, overshadowed by the blood feud between Michaels and Triple H that dated back almost two years. The guy who was supposed to be the star of the program took a backseat, much to the dismay of the fans that had waited years to see him achieve stardom as a main eventer.

The story was strong enough, especially the with history involving Michaels and Triple H, that it cannot be labeled bad or even disappointing. But for a moment intended to put Benoit over at the next level of competition, it should have been better.

John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania 23)

Anyone who watched John Cena versus Shawn Michaels from WrestleMania 23 would be hard pressed to find a better match from Cena's career as far as the Showcase of the Immortals is concerned. That fact alone forgives what was a very mediocre build centered around the Vince Russo favorite "tag team partners who hate each other" storyline.

Cena and Michaels captured the tag titles from Edge and Randy Orton before proceeding to bicker like petulant children in the build to their high-profile bout.

Some Sweet Chin Music from Michaels late in the story helped intensify the feud but was not enough to help it advance past mediocre status.

The Good

Credit: WWE.com

Over the course of WrestleMania history, there have been numerous main events that have incorporated good or very good build but, for whatever reason, possessed one drawback that prevented that build from ranking as some of the best ever.

The four 'Mania headliners represented instances where WWE Creative was "on," those involved gave solid performances and fans were, for the most part, interested by the going-on that played out on WWE programming.

'Macho Man' Randy Savage vs. 'Million Dollar Man' Ted DiBiase (WrestleMania 4)

The WWE Championship was vacated early in 1988 when Andre the Giant defeated Hulk Hogan in a controversial prime-time television match and proceeded to sell it to Ted DiBiase. A tournament was booked for WrestleMania 4 to crown a champion.

Unlike the other builds documented throughout this piece, the events leading to the Savage-DiBiase match unfolded during the pay-per-view. Fans had no idea which main event they would see, just that a new champion would be crowned.

Savage defeated three Superstars to advance to the final, while DiBiase beat two and benefited from a draw, earning a free ride to the title round.

With Andre by the Million Dollar Man's side, it was only logical that Hogan would make his presence felt during the bout, leading one of the most star-studded contests in 'Mania history.

Hulk Hogan vs. Sgt. Slaughter (WrestleMania 7)

The build to WrestleMania 7's headliner between Hulk Hogan and Sgt. Slaughter was straight out of Wrestling History 101.

At a time in which the United States of America was at war with Iraq, Vince McMahon turned Slaughter heel and had him pledge allegiance to Saddam Hussein. It was a shocking development in that Sarge had, prior to his return to the company, been an All-American hero so patriotic that he even had his own G.I. Joe figure.

Hogan was left to stand up for the country, defending American pride against Slaughter, who had defeated the Ultimate Warrior to capture the WWE title.

With patriotism running wild and a desire to see the Hulkster defeat the turncoat, fans had a reason to invest themselves in the story.

That investment in any form of entertainment is absolutely key to its success.

Lex Luger vs. Yokozuna and Bret Hart vs. Yokozuna (WrestleMania 10)

When Bret Hart and Lex Luger tumbled over the top rope and to the arena floor in January 1994, thus creating an unprecedented tie in the Royal Rumble match, the decision was made that both men would receive title shots against Yokozuna at WrestleMania.

Luger got his shot first but lost out on his opportunity when crooked referee and longtime rival Mr. Perfect disqualified him.

Hart, who had wrestled against his brother Owen and suffered a defeat—not to mention a knee injury—would close out the show by challenging for the gold. Limping into the match, he was the definition of an underdog, and the odds were stacked heavily against him.

The storytelling, which saw the underdog babyface have to compete early in the night only to emerge injured ahead of their main event bout, would be replicated 20 years later when Daniel Bryan filled the role of Hart, proving that good, solid storytelling will always have a place in the industry.

Most of all, it demonstrated that a beloved character fans feel for and have sympathy toward will always succeed—no matter how many times management tries to hold them down.

Triple H vs. Randy Orton (WrestleMania 25)

Randy Orton had fully transformed into his Viper persona, striking anyone standing between him and the WWE Championship, including the almighty McMahon family.

Punting both Vince and Shane was bad enough, but by the time he delivered an RKO to Stephanie, he had earned the wrath of her husband, WWE champion Triple H. The feud turned intensely personal quickly, with Orton goading the Game on by further physically assaulting Stephanie and even planting a kiss on her.

By the time WrestleMania 25 approached, fans were ready to see the King of Kings tear Orton apart.

Unfortunately, WWE Creative overthought things, booking a stipulation stating that Triple H would lose his title if he got disqualified.

Suddenly, everything fans had wanted to see was stolen right out from underneath them, and the build suffered a tremendous setback that prevented it from achieving all-time great status.

The Best

Credit: WWE.com

The four WrestleMania builds you are about to relive are, to quote 2015 Hall of Famer Randy Savage, "the cream of the crop."

These are the stories that struck a chord with fans and convinced them to not only spend money to purchase the pay-per-view telecasts but also invest themselves emotionally into the bouts that would play out on wrestling's grandest stage.

In the 30 years since Vince McMahon has promoted his grand vision for a sports entertainment extravaganza, these four matches are shining examples of what can be created with a little help from a quality build.

Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant (WrestleMania 3)

For three years, Hulk Hogan reigned atop WWE as the most celebrated babyface on the roster. His friend Andre the Giant stood by his side.

In 1987, the Eighth Wonder of the World stunned audiences when he aligned himself with the despised Bobby "the Brain" Heenan. With his new manager guiding him, he challenged Hogan for a shot at the title, claiming that the Hukster had used their friendship to avoid granting him his much deserved championship match.

Putting an exclamation point on his unforeseen change in attitude, Andre ripped the shirt and crucifix from Hogan's torso, drawing blood and creating questions about his supposed immortality.

That Andre was so flippant and arrogant as he signed the contract to face Hogan, dismissing the champion as a challenge, only helped the fans grow angrier at the giant. At the same time, that made them question whether Hogan could defeat the previously unbeaten icon.

It was, simply put, outstanding storytelling that supports the outlook of the character of Harvey Dent from the 2008 film The Dark Knight, who uttered the famous line, "you either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain."

Driven by greed and money, Andre turned to the dark side, and 93,173 fans packed suburban Detroit's Pontiac Silverdome to see if he could defeat Hogan and capture the title that had eluded him for so long.

Hulk Hogan vs. 'Macho Man' Randy Savage (WrestleMania 5)

Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage formed a bond in the wake of WrestleMania 4 that saw them focus their attention on vanquishing common enemies Andre the Giant and Ted DiBiase. Together, they would be known as the Mega Powers, a super team that pledged to have each other's backs.

Unfortunately, jealousy and the attention that Hogan paid to Miss Elizabeth crept into Savage's mind, leading him to famously walk out on Hogan after smacking him on a memorable episode of Saturday Night's Main Event, then attacking him in the backstage area.

In Hogan, Savage saw a hero to the masses, someone whose shadow he could never climb out of, even as champion, and it ate him alive. At WrestleMania 5, he would have the opportunity to put an end to Hulkamania, all the while avenging what he considered to be Hogan's lust for Elizabeth.

Hogan, on the other hand, could capture his second title and once again ascend to the top of the WWE mountain.

The build was the perfect example of a well-crafted story. It had a definitive beginning (WrestleMania 4), a clear middle (the SummerSlam 1988 win over DiBiase and Andre) and an end, which would occur on the biggest stage in the sport.

'Stone Cold' Steve Austin vs. The Rock (WrestleMania 17)

Following neck surgery that had sidelined him for nearly year, Steve Austin returned a desperate man.

At the 2001 Royal Rumble, he defeated 29 other Superstars to earn the right to challenge for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania X-Seven. But there was a bump in the road. At No Way Out, Austin lost to Triple H, leaving some to wonder whether he was as good as he once was.

With every passing week, he became more and more desperate. "I need to beat you Rock. I need it more than you could ever imagine," he told the WWE champion during a famous sit-down interview with Jim Ross on SmackDown.

After watching the Great One become the biggest star in the industry during his absence, Austin had all the motivation he needed to do whatever was necessary to capture the title.

Compelling characters and a moral dilemma for one of the most popular and beloved stars of all time helped make the build toward WrestleMania 17's Rock-Austin main event a stellar piece of storytelling and, more importantly, the culmination of the celebrated Attitude era.

The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania 26)

After just barely losing an instant classic to the Undertaker at WrestleMania 25, Shawn Michaels became obsessed with proving that he could defeat the Phenom on wrestling's grandest stage. For months, he attempted to get the Deadman to accept his challenge for a rematch, but Undertaker understandably refused. After all, he had nothing to prove.

Michaels entered the Royal Rumble, attempting to win the opportunity to challenge his rival for the world title at WrestleMania. But he lost. Then, he took matters into his own hands, costing Undertaker the championship and forcing his hand.

Undertaker finally accepted the match but only if Michaels put his career on the line. With the Undertaker's famed streak on the line against the Heartbreak Kid's surefire Hall of Fame career at stake, the WWE Universe found itself split over which outcome they most wanted to see.

The crowd participation, the high stakes and the depth of the story helped ensure a phenomenal build.

What Did We Learn?

Credit: WWE.com

The builds behind WrestleMania's marquee matches have always been their best when they transcend a simple wrestling storyline and delve deeper into specific themes.

The Mega Powers exploded over Randy Savage's jealousy and Hogan's perceived lust for Elizabeth. Andre the Giant's heel turn occurred when he allowed greed to creep into his life. An obsession over proving his superiority became Shawn Michaels' greatest downfall.

These stories left a lasting impression because they were about more than winners and losers, generic hatred or some ridiculous vendetta. They were about everyday emotions that the audience could connect with and understand.

The more lackluster stories failed to represent those emotions. Worse yet, they lacked excitement or intrigue.

No one cared about Undertaker versus Sycho Sid because WWE management and its creative staff did not. The inability to write a compelling story involving Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels, which seems ridiculous in hindsight, led to the fans being apathetic about what should have been one of the greatest matches ever.

And the complete ignorance of WWE Creative to even acknowledge the heavyweight champion sealed the fate of the Cena vs. the Miz main event.

With all of this in mind, where does Brock Lesnar versus Roman Reigns fall when discussing the build behind selling a WrestleMania main event to the masses?

I am glad you asked.

Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lensar

Credit: WWE.com

WWE Creative appears to have a foundation for the Roman Reigns-Brock Lesnar rivalry that should have produced some stellar television—that being the allure of gold and the battle to be the best.

From the moment they first met eye-to-eye on the January 25 episode of Monday Night Raw, one night after Reigns won the Royal Rumble, there has been something resembling mutual respect emerge between champion and challenger despite Lesnar's insistence to the contrary.

But WWE failed to build on that theme. Worst of all, the writing staff and management looked at the current landscape of the professional wrestling industry and decided that what it needed was another generic babyface overcoming the odds and being pushed to the moon in spite of the jeers that greeted him.

That the champion made only rare appearances on television and the challenger was saddled with awful promos, in which he quoted Looney Tunes, only proved WWE Creative's inability to build on the foundation set earlier in the year.

Paul Heyman, advocate for Lesnar, delivered some of the finest work of his career on the mic, describing the beating that awaited Reigns come WrestleMania. However, even his best attempts, including a five-star effort on the March 23 episode of Raw, could not overcome the fact that WWE Creative failed to book an interesting protagonist who fans could get behind.

The feud fizzled and the electricity that should be present prior to the main event of wrestling's greatest spectacle is missing.

Fans have therefore been unable to make that emotional connection. As a result, they have greeted Reigns with jeers, almost defeated by the lack of effort put into creating literally anything of interest regarding his quest for the title or his feud with the Beast Incarnate.

Thus, when adding all of that up and taking Heyman's stellar mic work into consideration, the build for Reigns versus Lesnar will ultimately be considered mediocre at best when revisited in the weeks, months and years to come.