WWE WrestleMania 33: Best Match Options for Unbooked Superstars

The WWE WrestleMania 33 stage is filling up, threatening to leave Superstars like American Alpha in the cold that lies outside the spotlight.

Much of the card for the April 2 pay-per-view and megashow is set. Orlando, Florida's Camping World Stadium is poised to host the likes of the Universal Championship match, Undertaker's latest WrestleMania clash and a showdown between AJ Styles and Shane McMahon.

But what of SmackDown's tag team champs? What will Samoa Joe, Finn Balor and others do on WWE's biggest night? 

For many, the answer is not a great match complete with buildup, hoopla and all the trimmings. The lack of time until the event and just how loaded the card is already limits WWE's options with some wrestlers. The best bet for them now is to contribute big moments or quick victories to build on.

Read on for a look at the most exciting ways to give American Alpha and its unbooked peers opportunities with ample weight.

American Alpha

There is still no SmackDown Tag Team Championship match on the WrestleMania card. Every other title will be up for grabs, but American Alpha remains in wait for a challenger.

Had WWE jumped on their rivalry with The Usos early and stoked the flames between them, that would be a clash worthy of The Show of Shows. As it stands, Chad Gable and Jason Jordan defending the gold against the Uso brothers feels like a C-show matchup.

Instead, American Alpha should enter the ring come WrestleMania time and issue an open challenge.

They could talk about having beaten all the teams on the SmackDown brand and demand worthy foes step up to the plate. WWE's options from that point would be plentiful. Harper could join forces with a returning Erick Rowan to answer the call, for one. This could be where WWE welcomes Matt and Jeff Hardy should they sign with the company.

A more realistic option, though, would be for The Revival to charge in from NXT and bang heads with their old rivals under the WrestleMania spotlight. 

Braun Strowman

The Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal field is currently a collection of midcarders with nowhere better to go. Should WWE send Strowman into that clash, though, its dynamic would change in a hurry. The Monster Among Men would be the hottest star in that bout. 

Despite his recent clashes with Roman Reigns, a Triple Threat match with The Big Dog and Undertaker feels unlikely at this point. The focus of the story thus far has been Reigns looking to prove himself against The Deadman. Throwing in Strowman now would detract from the main narrative.

It's better to allow Strowman to be the alpha male in the annual Battle Royal this year. Strowman can be the talk of the bout as he hurls foe after foe over the top rope.

That would help set up the big man for the months ahead and eventually next year's WrestleMania. His growth as a performer and surging popularity demands that the 2018 edition of the event feature him more prominently.

Luke Harper

A story of a splintered family awaits to be told.

Inserting Harper into Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton's WWE Championship bout would deepen its narrative. Harper abandoned his patriarch after Orton moved in on his sanctuary. The big, bearded bruiser is still looking for vengeance against Orton, who destroyed The Wyatt Family, and against Wyatt, who chose allegiance to The Viper over him.

To have them all battle on WWE's biggest stage would be a tremendous sight.

In addition, Harper would enter the most significant match of his career. He should be among SmackDown's top talents, and this bout would signify him as such. 

A spot in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal isn't enough, especially if Strowman is the victor and centerpiece of that battle.

Finn Balor

Balor is healthy again after recovering from the shoulder injury that forced him to relinquish the Universal Championship last year. WWE has yet to welcome him back to TV, though.

And with WrestleMania only two weeks away, there is little time to craft a story and set Balor up with a quality opponent.

His best bet is to glom onto another narrative and to make a surprise appearance at The Showcase of the Immortals. That wouldn't result in the kind of tremendous match Balor is capable of, but it would produce a moment worth talking about afterward.

One option is for Balor to get involved in the Seth Rollins vs. Triple H feud. The Demon King could reveal himself to be another of Triple H's soldiers, attacking Rollins to ruin his quest for revenge. Balor and Rollins could then pick up the feud they dropped last summer, only with the heel-face roles reversed.

Otherwise, WWE could insert Balor into the main event. 

After Goldberg and Brock Lesnar are done colliding for the Universal Championship, the lights could go out. Balor could then emerge from the darkness and ruin Lesnar's celebration by attacking him. This would be huge for him, and much like Rollins at the close of WrestleMania 31, Balor would be the source of great buzz in the days after the event.

The Demon King never lost that title. It makes sense he would go right after it, setting up an intriguing feud against Lesnar in the process.

Samoa Joe

The Samoan Submission Machine debuted on the main roster as Triple H's hired muscle just as WrestleMania season began to take off. There's been little time to develop a storyline for him, but he has had one consistent rival of late—Sami Zayn.

Joe beat down Zayn at the Fastlane PPV in March and has since brawled him on Raw whenever their paths have crossed.

It would have been great if these two had a fully hyped, climatic battle at WrestleMania, but there's not enough time for that. Joe will have to settle for a midcard meeting with Zayn. The two foes likely wouldn't have a long match, but it would be smart to showcase both men on WWE's biggest stage.

If there's not enough ring time to go around, WWE could have Joe clobber Zayn in a quick, dominant win.

That would propel Joe moving forward, bolstering the new arrival. As for Zayn, his latest fall could eventually lead to a story of the underdog rising to the top. By WrestleMania 34, Zayn could be ready to follow a disappointing debut with a championship win.