WWE WrestleMania 31: Biggest Themes Established in Build to Event

WrestleMania 31 is a strong card on paper. With Raw and SmackDown in the books, it's all over but the wrestling, and it's certainly a good wrestling card.

But during the buildup, WWE established multiple themes that speak to a lackluster build and awkward storytelling. Many fans and pundits criticized the build, which devalued the importance of championships or complicated otherwise simple storylines.

Whether intentional or not, the varying themes throughout the WrestleMania build create a unique pay-per-view with an identity that mixes pros with cons.

Disjointed Buildup

Some call it the worst WrestleMania buildup ever. Others described the event as doomed. WrestleMania is supposed to be filled with dramatic storylines—the type that create fervent anticipation for a payoff.

But for multiple matches, WWE underwhelmed in telling the story of why each conflict deserves the WrestleMania spotlight.

WWE is trying to boost the WWE Intercontinental Championship as a coveted prize. One would think having so many WWE Superstars vying for the championship would do just that. Unfortunately, every WWE Superstar who expressed interest has been deemed eligible to wrestle for it, which calls into question how valuable the title really is.

In addition to the abundance of eligible suitors, WWE's hot-potato storyline made champion Bad News Barrett look foolish.

Seth Rollins came off equally as foolish when he trusted Randy Orton just months after curb stomping him into oblivion. Orton's momentum was quickly extinguished when he rejoined The Authority, which lessened enthusiasm for this match. Now, the only reason this match is such a strong candidate to steal the show is because the buildup was so bad.

Rusev and John Cena's feud was good for the most part, but it was severely harmed by Rusev tapping out on free television. WWE protected Rusev for an entire year just to build up to him potentially losing on a grand stage. Giving away the visual of him tapping out was reckless and will reduce the shock value if he actually loses.

Group Matches and a Transitional Midcard

WWE was dedicated to getting as many WWE Superstars on the card as possible. This is noble in theory but also bastardizes the sanctity of its biggest show. Being featured at WrestleMania wouldn't be such a big accomplishment if everybody was granted this privilege.

WWE moved two of its three group matches to the pre-show, in essence cutting the fat. But this speaks to just how many expendable talents WWE has on its roster. Thirty WWE Superstars will be relegated to the unspectacular pre-show slot as most fans are taking their seats. The only true midcard match on the main card is a hodgepodge of WWE Superstars who were once supposed to be the next big thing.

The midcard doesn't feel like a division; it's more of a purgatory. It's a black hole everybody wants to escape, or they risk disappearing.

WWE's insistence on booking WWE Superstars in groups adds to the ambiguous feel to the midcard. Few have any real hope of advancing because, for many of these WWE Superstars, they've already been there and failed. This is an internal problem that is never more apparent than during WrestleMania. It desperately needs to be fixed.

A Changing of the Guard

WWE needs to stop relying on part-time wrestlers. In its three top matches (Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns; Sting vs. Triple H; Bray Wyatt vs. Undertaker), four WWE Superstars are part-time stars.

Just one year away from WrestleMania 32, where WWE will have to fill up a near-100,000-seat venue in AT&T Stadium, WWE will once again have to depend on stars from the past to draw such a large amount of spectators.

This trend needs to end somewhere since WWE's part-timers are not getting any younger.

WWE has multiple golden opportunities to pull the trigger on up-and-coming stars. Reigns, Wyatt and Rusev all have the biggest matches of their careers at WrestleMania. WWE invested a significant amount of time in all three, and each will be solidified as a top star if victorious.

In the modern era, being a WWE Superstar on the rise is a very delicate role. With one big loss, they're in danger of becoming the next Ryback, Sheamus, Bad News Barrett, etc.

Now is the time for WWE to begin transitioning away from its dependency on part-time stars. A promotion with such pride should be embarrassed at the fact that it can't sell out WrestleMania without help from its alumni. If WWE is able to capitalize on opportunities to cement up-and-comers, it will benefit the company in the long term.

Alfred Konuwa is a Featured Columnist and on-air host for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @ThisIsNasty, and listen to his weekly wrestling podcast.