WrestleMania season is here, which means WrestleMania 34 will be here before we know it. That’s right, we’re about two months away from the big show, and now the card is starting to fall into place.
For over a year now it’s seemed like a foregone conclusion that Roman Reigns will be challenging Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship at WrestleMania 34, and even though the match isn’t official yet. It doesn’t look like WWE will be changing course.
First of all, there’s nothing wrong with a Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns rematch, and there’s little doubt that it will be exciting. But it might not be the best choice for the main event this time around, and today we’re going to discuss why WWE might be better off having AJ vs. Shinsuke close the show.
#5 – We’ve Seen It Before
Sure, multiple rematches have taken place on the Grandest Stage of Them All, but there’s not much reason to believe that Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 34 will be much different than Brock vs. Roman at WrestleMania 31.
Of course we won’t be seeing a Seth Rollins cash in this time around, but the story of Roman’s match with Brock at WrestleMania 31 was that Roman continued to fight on even though he had seemingly met his match, and that will likely be the story this time around as well.
Roman will probably get beat up quite a bit only to mount an amazing comeback at the perfect moment, and even though his comeback could make for an exciting WrestleMania moment, it’s a story we’ve seen before.
#4 – It’s Time To Show The World That Roman Isn’t The Only Guy
Roman Reigns has main evented every WrestleMania since WrestleMania 31, and even though there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s not a bad idea to switch things up from time to time. Even John Cena gracefully stepped aside to let others main event the Show of Shows when his career was at its peak.
WrestleMania season is a time when WWE tries their best to appeal to casual fans in an attempt to make them full time fans, but having Roman win the main event and get booed out of the building sends the wrong message every year.
Casual fans probably wonder, “If the hardcore fans are booing this guy, why should I get invested in him?”
With Shinsuke vs. AJ as the main event, fans are likely to cheer regardless of who wins, which just sends a better message to people who might not be all that familiar with the world of professional wrestling.
#3 – People Will Be More Invested In Brock vs. Roman If It’s Not The Main Event
If Brock and Roman do end up in the main event, then that automatically adds unneeded pressure, and unrealistic expectations to the match before the bell even rings.
No one is expecting Brock and Roman to put on a clinic, but there’s a good chance that this match will be a fun a brawl with some moments that might surprise people.
Wrestling fans around the world groaned when Brock vs. Goldberg was booked for WrestleMania 33, but the match flew under the radar because it wasn’t the main event last year, and both men managed to put on a quick match that told the story they needed to tell.
Letting Brock and Roman fly under the radar this year could lead to the match receiving more praise than it would in the main event slot.
#2 – Putting The Royal Rumble Winner In The Main Event Keeps The Royal Rumble Prestigious
With Raw and SmackDown Live both having their own major championships, someone has to draw the short straw, but it’s always discouraging watching the Royal Rumble winner take a backseat by wrestling a match too early on the card, and it devalues the entire concept of the Rumble match.
Winning the Royal Rumble is a big deal, but it seems like less of a big deal when the winner wrestles a forgettable match at the beginning of the show (looking at you WrestleMania 27 and 28).
Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns are already big stars in the world of professional wrestling, so they don’t need as much help as Shinsuke or AJ does in the star power department.
Shinsuke Nakamura could certainly use a boost in terms of how the public perceives him, and now that he’s won the Royal Rumble, WWE has a chance to help him back up all the hype that has been following him since he debuted on the main roster.
#1 – There’s A Good Chance Shinsuke Nakamura vs. AJ Styles Could Steal The Show
Brock vs. Roman is going to be a hard hitting bout, there’s no question about that, but it’s unlikely to feature the athleticism that Styles vs. Nakamura will.
AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura are two talents who are currently working at the top of their game, and WWE has been teasing this match for a long time now.
Styles has proved since joining the WWE main roster that he can have a great match with anyone, and he already proved during his run with NJPW that he can have an incredible match with Shinsuke.
Sure, some fans have seen this match before in NJPW, but for the vast majority of fans who watch WWE, this match is fresh, new and exciting, and it’s likely going to be the match that people talk about most when the show is over.
Which match would you like to see main event WrestleMania 34? Sound off in the comments below.
