WWE Must Ensure WrestleMania 33 Is a Farewell for Multiple Veteran Stars

“They didn’t have an opponent for AJ [Styles] at WrestleMania. I said that I hadn’t been asked because I hadn’t—but then I was," commented Shawn Michaels on the Sam Roberts Wrestling Podcast this week (h/t SI.com).

"I said, I wish that young man was here 10 years ago, man. I honestly do. I think he’s very talented.”

Michaels' comments about resisting the temptation to fight AJ Styles at WWE WrestleMania 33 next weekend should strike a chord with WWE officials.

It's been all too easy for the company to draft former greats back into the mix for one-off matches in recent years for WrestleMania—and sometimes, it has a big payoff.

But a glance at this year's card, as well as potentially the WWE's most exciting full-time roster for years, suggests this should be a pivotal year for that approach—namely that it comes to an end.

Look at the plethora of stars from a bygone era—WrestleMania is not too far off an almost-there retirement home in any ordinary year, and 2017 is not different.

Triple H is 48 this year. He hasn't competed on TV since WrestleMania's main event last year. OK, his rivalry with Seth Rollins needs a payoff, but it has to end here.

Shane McMahon is a similar age. He fought at Survivor Series, but that proved to be his only in-ring appearance in between WrestleMania 32 and next weekend's event.

At the age of 52, The Undertaker will fight Roman Reigns in his first real match since WrestleMania last year—excluding a short appearance in the Royal Rumble in January.

Then there's the main event. Bill Goldberg is 50, has wrestled for a little over 100 seconds and is in the big match against Brock Lesnar, which, admittedly, he seems likely to lose and relinquish the Universal Championship. 

But it has to end here. It all has to stop. The new era has to begin, and next Sunday should be the in-ring farewell for guys like The Undertaker, Shane McMahon and Goldberg.

Ordinarily, it's been acceptable to see WWE dust off guys in their 40s and 50s for the big dance. But look at what the WWE has on its hands now—arguably the most exciting cluster of young stars for years.

Kevin Owens has been denied the main event slot—albeit with a veteran in Chris Jericho, but a full-time veteran at that—following his defeat to Goldberg.

Where does Samoa Joe fit in this year? What about Sami Zayn? Roman Reigns is fighting a veteran. Seth Rollins is doing the same. Finn Balor is ready to go but may be held back until after Mania due to the stacked-out nature of the card.

It's time for the WWE to accept that the past is the past, and the company possesses some stars of the future.

Imagine if guys like The Rock, Steve Austin and Taker himself had been forced to wrestle stars from 15 years ago at the height of the Attitude Era in the late 1990s? 

The WWE needs to realize that Michaels' attitude in regards to fighting Styles is the right one. Michaels is all too aware that his time has, sadly, gone. It's time for Balor, Shinsuke Nakamura, Joe and many more to spearhead the new era.

It will be sad if next Sunday proves to be the final farewell for men like Taker and Goldberg, but it is the way the world works. The WWE would be wise to wake up to that change before it's too late.