WWE Storylines That Matter Most Right Now, Ranked

WWE has completed its WrestleMania season, and with the end of the biggest show of the year, the company typically needs time to reset.

However, with Backlash right around the corner, WWE did not reset but used 'Mania to build stories forward into future premium live events.

This has left the company with multiple big stories and more than a few duds in need of a reset.

While new top champions like Rhea Ripley and Becky Lynch are in need of a fresh direction, Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, Liv Morgan and more have clear stories already in progress.

Beyond the title picture, WWE is relying heavily on fresh stars like Oba Femi and Bron Breakker to make this product exciting.

These are the WWE storylines with real focus right now on the road to Backlash, ranked by their impact, relevance and potential.

8. The Struggle of Sami Zayn

Michael Marques/WWE via Getty Images

Sami Zayn laid out Trick Williams in a sneak attack on the SmackDown after WrestleMania.

Sami Zayn has heroically tried over the years to be the underdog that can rise to the challenge and become a world champion.

However, time and again, Zayn has fallen short, and it is eating away at the moral fiber of The Ultimate Underdog.

After taking the United States Championship from Carmelo Hayes just to get a WrestleMania spot, Zayn lost that title to Trick Williams, who is cheered over him despite his disrespectful behavior.

For the first time in a long time, The Ultimate Underdog is leaning heel, which could be a great path for him to find success.

Unfortunately, at this time though, WWE has shown no strong belief in Zayn that gives any hope this will get him to his long-awaited world title run.

If anything, it comes off as another chance to spin the wheels as The Ultimate Underdog has not found reliable success as a heel in the past.

7. Seth Rollins' Crusade Against The Vision

Once the hottest story in WWE, The Vision has struggled to keep momentum due to a series of unfortunate injuries.

Both Seth Rollins and Bron Breakker though are back, and WWE is trying to quickly heat this story back up.

If any two men can make this story something special, it is The Visionary and The Big Dog, especially with Paul Heyman behind it all.

Until they heat this story up though, Rollins vs. Breakker does not feel like the big story it should be, especially with a premium live event collision on the horizon.

6. The Fatal Influence Takeover

WWE has only begun to reveal what role the newest NXT call-ups will play on Raw and SmackDown, but one team certainly made an immediate splash: Fatal Influence.

Jacy Jayne, Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid attacked multiple top women's tag teams and stepped up to Rhea Ripley herself to make their mission statement clear.

This is a group looking to take over and may have the talent and heat to do just that.

All of Fatal Influence drew massive heat in their first night out, and if they can carry that forward, this is a trio that can genuinely challenge and dethrone the top women on SmackDown.

In particular, Jayne has proved what she can do as NXT women's champion and could use a massive rub working with The Eradicator.

Meanwhile, Henley and Reid have a chance to change the complexion of the women's tag division, possibly even dethroning Brie Bella and Paige quickly.

5. Iyo Sky vs. Asuka

Cooper Neill/WWE Via Getty Images

Asuka and Iyo Sky are trying their best to finish a great story down an important player.

When Kairi Sane first turned against Iyo Sky in 2025 at the behest of the ruthless Asuka, the stage was set for one of WWE's best slow-burn stories to explode on the road to WrestleMania 42.

However, WWE did not pay that story off at 'Mania before losing its most important element: The Pirate Princess.

While The Genius of the Sky and The Empress of Tomorrow still have plenty of history built over the years, this story was all about Sane.

She was abused student of Asuka that was finally starting to see the light. Sky was helping her friend to break free and become her own woman again.

However, Sane was released on Friday, April 24 and will not be seen on WWE television again.

This leaves a story without a heart or hook. While Sky and Asuka will have a great match, there will never be a satisfying payoff.

4. The Judgment Day Drama

Since day one, The Judgment Day has been defined by interpersonal drama. WWE has been slow to play off the tension.

While the story advanced on the road to WrestleMania 42 as "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio led a rebellion against Finn Bálor, the angle is slowing back down.

The Demon re-emerged to help Bálor defeated Mysterio, but Dirty Dom is still looking more like the man on the rise.

Meanwhile, Liv Morgan dethroned Stephanie Vaquer to capture the Women's World Championship and is without a challenger while La Primera recovers.

The next tease is a question of where Roxanne Perez's allegiances lie. Bálor has warned The Prodigy about trusting Judgment Day, but this might not pay off for months or even years.

For that reason, this story is intriguing but lacks a clear direction.

3. Randy Orton's Struggle with the Darkness

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Randy Orton attacked Cody Rhodes after losing to him at WrestleMania 42.

Randy Orton turned heel for the first time in year on the road to WrestleMania 42, setting the stage for a dramatic battle with his former protege Cody Rhodes.

Unfortunately, a poorly devised Pat McAfee appearance slowed that story down, and an injury to The American Nightmare may have slowed it down even further.

However, McAfee is gone, and Rhodes will hopefully be cleared soon.

When that happens, Orton can continue to tell his story as a new brutal heel, unafraid to put Rhodes through hell to get the WWE Championship back.

It is a shame that Orton does not have any obvious allies though anymore, especially after the release of Aleister Black, who seemed to be positioned as the devil on The Viper's shoulder.

There is serious potential here that has yet to be tapped into on a SmackDown that needs more memorable stories.

2. The Rise of The Ruler Oba Femi

Rich Wade/WWE Via Getty Images

Oba Femi continues to shine in every appearance on Raw.

Oba Femi was the biggest monster in NXT, but no one could have quite called how quickly he would become the biggest monster on Raw as well.

After stepping up to Cody Rhodes without fear at Saturday Night's Main Event, The Ruler has shown time and again that no one can intimidate him.

He ran through Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 42, seemingly sending him into retirement.

The Ruler has now set up an open challenge for anyone brave enough to step up to him, and it is hard to imagine many are willing to fight him.

It feels like Oba is on a meteoric rise that will set him in direct conflict with Roman Reigns later in the summer.

Until that time, he has every WWE fan enthralled by his presence and confidence.

1. Roman Reigns' New Reign of Terror

Roman Reigns is a world champion again and is reuniting The Bloodline around him like it is 2020 all over again.

While WWE does not need to completely lean into The Bloodline drama again, The Usos work better at The OTC's side.

Moreover, Reigns has a fresh reason to lean into his family history as Jacob Fatu has stepped up to challenge The OTC.

This feud could be a one-off, or it could be the beginning of The Samoan Werewolf working directly with Reigns into the future.

Either way, the intrigue is building each week for what Reigns will do next, and nothing else is matching that hype.