Re-establishing The Main Event Scene After WWE WrestleMania 31

Through no fault of his own, Roman Reigns has had one of the worst build-ups to the main event of Wrestlemania in WWE history. If not for the amazing promos delivered on a weekly basis by Paul Heyman, you might forget that Reigns was even supposed to challenge Brock Lesnar for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at the biggest show of the year. What was supposed to be the ascent of a wrestler into the top tier of the company, instead has been met with hesitance, inconsistency, and indecisiveness.

I remain cautiously optimistic that the complete mishandling of Reigns can be course-corrected, but it won’t matter if the stagnant main event picture remains blurry coming out of Wrestlemania and Reigns is left without any tangible competition to help his ascent.

Which is why a “reboot” of the main event scene is vital – not only to the future success of Reigns as a top player or the further validation of Lesnar as a must-see attraction – but to the overall success of the product for the next 12 months heading into Wrestlemania XXXII.

Being in the main event scene doesn’t necessarily guarantee a title shot, but establishes a tier of wrestlers that are in the hunt and could get a shot at any time. This tier, more or less, is similar to the NFL playoffs; there are only a select number of spots available at any time for the championship. Beyond the championship, all the other wrestlers in this main-event tier battle with each other for the chance to eventually get a shot at the title. This dynamic creates many potential contenders for the championship while also accenting the importance of the title by creating new and refreshing feuds and storylines with the other wrestlers of the main-event picture.

The following is a list of wrestlers who should immediately be presented as players in the main-event scene coming out of Wrestlemania:

John Cena – This goes without saying, but wherever Cena is on the hierarchy he will always be the face of the company; so he will always be presented as a main event player. His role in the main event scene, however, should be to elevate the less established guys in the main-event scene or lower down the card.

Brock Lesnar – The biggest unknown on this list. If he signs a new contract to stay he is undoubtedly a centerpiece of the main-event – perhaps reigning as an unstoppable champion for a long time. If McMahon cannot negotiate a way to get Lesnar to appear at every PPV, then WWE must plan out a better schedule to use one of his RAW appearances in a wrestling capacity – assumedly for the title if he is still champion. The WWE Championship CANNOT go undefended for 3-months again like it did late last year. And the potential for feuds with anyone not named John Cena is a very welcoming proposition.

Roman Reigns – Whatever the outcome at Wrestlemania, Reigns has been apparently anointed as the next franchise – though his presentation on the road to Wrestlemania might lead you to believe otherwise. Still, he absolutely must be in the main-event scene going forward. As the old saying goes, “you can’t un-ring the bell.”

Daniel Bryan – There should be no scenario in which the most over wrestler on the roster is NOT in the main-event picture. Bryan’s role as the plucky underdog will always connect him with the audience and will always give him compelling stories with the other wrestlers in the main-event. Add to that his ability to deliver in the ring and Bryan should be a constant in the tier, even if he’s not always wrestling for the gold.

Seth Rollins – With or without The Authority, Rollins has more than earned his keep and rightfully deserves a spot in the top tier. His work rate is on par with Bryan – maybe even better – and his heel character (with the exception of Heyman) is consistently the highlight of RAW every week. Rollins having possession of the Money in the Bank briefcase also makes him an X-Factor in the main-event scene, but whether he is in possession of the briefcase or not, he belongs at the top.

Randy Orton – Much like Cena, Orton’s role at the top would be to establish the next generation of main-event players as legitimate. His longevity and name recognition have earned him a permanent spot at the top, but no longer should he be the centerpiece.

Bray Wyatt – The situation involving Wyatt and the Undertaker coming out of Wrestlemania will be interesting because, depending on the outcome, Wyatt could be strapped on a rocket straight to the top of the tier. In any event, Wyatt provides another top-flight heel at the top and the ability to effectively sell any feud with promos and mic work.

Rusev – The trajectory of Rusev will also be somewhat dependent on the outcome of his match with Cena at Wrestlemania as well as the uncertainty surrounding the status of Lesnar post-Mania. No one has been more protected over the past year than Rusev has and his ascension into the main-event scene is inevitable – in fact it needs to happen immediately. Entering the top tier will allow Rusev to escape the anti-American gimmick aspect of his character and progress more into the wrecking machine heel-monster that can either replace or collide with Lesnar.

Remember that – as with anything in pro wrestling – lists like these are always subject to change. Injuries will happen. Unexpected wrestlers lower on the card get over. Vince McMahon and his creative staff. The main point of this compilation was to emphasize the importance in creating a refreshing new product – not just at the top, but over the entire card – that is currently predictable and boring and won’t have the advantage of being on the road to Wrestlemania (even though this year’s road has been incredibly cringe-worthy) to help create any buzz or excitement for the product. The only way that can be done is to present the talent – and the pursuit of their goals – as something special.

Discuss this further? Leave comments and discuss in a civilized manner below or reach me at kookyvang@gmail.com or follow me on Twitter @KookyVang.