WWE WrestleMania 34 is Better Off Without Shane McMahon

Shane McMahon has been prominently featured at WWE's Show of Shows since his grand return to the company in early 2016, but WrestleMania 34 would be better off without him.

SmackDown Live has been bogged down in recent months, with McMahon and Daniel Bryan constantly stealing the spotlight. Unless the payoff is a WrestleMania match between the two, they should not be receiving as much television time as they have been.

Assuming they are on a collision course toward 'Mania, there are other opponents for Bryan who would be better than Shane. Simply put: There is no need for him to compete at this year's installment on April 8.

It would be hard to argue Shane hasn't been a valuable asset to the company over the past two years as an on-air character. Although he has been overexposed at times, the WWE Universe still adores him and has rallied behind him in his various feuds with the likes of The Undertaker, AJ Styles and Kevin Owens.

To his credit, McMahon did the honors for all of the aforementioned athletes. By and large, he isn't one to overshadow younger talent, but if he isn't going to win a major match every so often, one must question what worth he has to WWE as a wrestler at this stage of his career.

Shane is far better suited in an authority role as a babyface and remaining a background player than once again becoming a focal point of programming on The Road to WrestleMania.

Credit: WWE.com

When McMahon resurfaced in WWE in 2016, fans couldn't have been more excited. The idea he would perform at WrestleMania that year was universally accepted, if only because it would grant the audience one last opportunity to see him lace up his boots.

As it turned out, his clash with The Undertaker was dreadfully boring and failed to live up to its lofty hype. The saving grace of the outing was Shane's jump off the top of the Hell in a Cell structure and consequent crash through a commentary table at ringside. But even that was a bit overblown.

Thankfully, the son of WWE chairman Vince McMahon redeemed himself with an incredible match against AJ Styles at 'Mania the following year, but that should have been Shane's swansong as an in-ring competitor.

Shane stepped back inside the ring months later to do battle with Owens in light of the universal champion's disrespect for the McMahon clan. While their feud was compelling for a few months, their encounter at Hell in a Cell was average at best.

Essentially, it's the law of diminishing returns when Shane McMahon wrestles. His matches have less appeal every time he is inserted into another program, and come WrestleMania 34, and Bryan aside, there isn't anyone who would make sense as an opponent anyway.

The SmackDown Live commissioner's reduced role on Tuesday nights lately should be a sign he will not be in action on the Grandest Stage of Them All in New Orleans.

Looking at the stars on tap for WrestleMania 34, Shane's presence on the pay-per-view is hardly needed. According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the rumored lineup for the event should be stacked with star power (h/t Marc Middleton of Wrestling Inc).

WrestleMania could boast bouts such as Shinsuke Nakamura vs. AJ Styles, John Cena vs. The Undertaker and Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns. Therefore, Shane likely won't be a part of a marquee match on the show and might as well sit this one out.

With so many Superstars deserving of a spot at WWE's most coveted event, Shane McMahon should not be considered a top priority and should instead take a backseat to the fresher faces.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, is an Endicott College alumnus and aspiring journalist. Visit his website, Next Era Wrestling, and "like" his official Facebook page to continue the conversation on all things wrestling.