'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
WWE has truly set the wrestling's world alive in recent times. The talk has changed from mediocre content and sloppy ratings to a 'Maina card that has 17 matches and is still failing to get stars such as Kevin Owens and Mustafa Ali in featured bouts.
Truth need be said, but WWE for the first time in years has built a Road to WrestleMania without either John Cena or The Undertaker. In fact, it hadn't even had its Big Dog, Roman Reigns, in a prominent storyline until very recently, yet the company has delivered.
WWE has done some things to perfection, but perfect doesn't guarantee good for everyone. Here, we present 3 things that WWE has done perfectly on the Road to WrestleMania 35.
#5 Drew McIntyre's resurgence
The once 'Chosen One' Drew McIntyre, has looked anything but ordinary since arriving to WWE NXT after a hiatus of a couple of years. He went outside Vince McMahon's organization, and built himself to be a legit star that could be the central character of any brand. His 2018 run on RAW until a final couple of months were a testament to the same.
Yet, towards the end of 2018 and the start of ’19, he lost some steam. The company had seemed to have suddenly lost interest in the star. However, in a matter of two weeks since Fastlane, McIntyre has gone from being another upper mid-card performer to the destroyer and the Scottish Pyscopath we have gotten used to in recent times.
McIntyre has been legitimately allowed to take out every member of The Shield, starting with the permanently vest-wearing Reigns, then a seemingly leaving Ambrose, and burning and slaying Rollins. He looks set for a 'Mania encounter with Roman Reigns. Win or lose, if the recent events tell us anything, we know there's a man who will win the World Championship before WrestleMania celebrates its 35th anniversary.
#4 Kill Finn Balor's momentum
Yes, WWE has done it again. They have again worked us in regards to Finn Balor's push. It's also weird how we have never started some maniacal movement for the Demon. Probably because we take him to be happy since he smiles all the time. Anyway, the new WWE periodic "big things due for Finn Balor" season started when Balor started picking some momentum late last year, picking up wins against the likes of McIntyre who had looked miles above Balor on WWE's priority list.
Then, he found a remarkable victory in a Fatal-four-way match pinning the 16-time World Champion John Cena to earn the right to fight Brock Lesnar at Royal Rumble, and they say Cena buries people. Well, not many expected Balor to win at the Rumble, but he did come very close to slaying the Beast until he found himself trapped in the Kimura Lock. He submitted.
Still, Balor looked every bit the star who'd have a big part to play on the Road to WrestleMania 35. Alas! Just then, he won the Intercontinental Championship. His push had been doomed. Before he could lose it to move on to bigger things, the Road to WrestleMania had already reached the final stages.
WWE might still have something big planned for the Demon at the Show of Immortals. But even if it has a showdown with The Undertaker for Balor, WWE must admit that they could have used Finn Balor much better over the last month. He has lost a ton of momentum in the due course. Still, we hope something good comes off for the criminally underrated superstar.
#3 The Rise of Kofi Kingston
If there's anything that WWE has done to perfection so far, Kofi Kingston's story has been the epitome of it. He has come out of nowhere to become one of the most over stars in the business. It feels even more tremendous when we consider that he wasn't even wrestling as a singles competitor a few months ago, lest fighting as the “face” of the SmackDown roster.
Now, it would have been a good thought to put the title on Kofi to appease a fan base that hasn't really been appreciative of the product recently, shouting to get what they want. However, WWE has gone the brave route by continuously robbing the veteran out of deserved spots, risking fans anger and hatred. The result has been “must-see” television.
Kofi Kingston is an immensely sympathetic character; someone who fans want to see win the WWE Championship. And, WWE has consistently teased offering a bite to its fans of the food they want, snatching it from millimeters away before we can eat. It's been incredible.
It doesn't matter if Kingston will win the title at 'Mania or not, but credit to WWE for making it a story that has everyone involved, snatching away some spotlight from the Universal and RAW Women's Championship stories.
Author's note: I'm sport for a Daniel Bryan win here.
#2 The Bar and the Braun joke
Do you remember when Braun Strowman and a 10-year-old kid defeated the Bar at WrestleMania 34? Of course, you do. Such stunts aren't easy to forget. Okay, it was still better than many WWE celebrity angles. Moreover, it was the perfect stunt to disrespect and bury one of the best tag teams in the New Era. Also, the kid might main-event WrestleMania someday.
However, this year The Bar has pretty much jobbed out to Kofi Kingston on the latest episode of Smackdown in a Gauntlet match. Yes, jobbed. Sheamus and Cesaro are World Champion caliber performers. The work both of them put inside the squared circle is second to none. Hence, it's quite absurd to see WWE treat an elite tag team in such a manner.
Nonetheless, it's the perfect burial of a great Tag-team. Well, they have a main event star. These teams can ply their trade elsewhere. As for the winners of the last year Tag-team Championship, you'd have to think that the kid would be doing more meaningful things than what Strowman has done on television on the Road to WrestleMania. That's it.
#1 Ronda Rousey's heel turn
So, Ronda Rousey is now playing the bad woman who thinks of herself to be above the business. Being real has become part of her act, and WWE has given her the license to be the “Baddest Woman on the Planet”. And, doesn't she play the badass well? It had always been apparent that Rousey would be better at playing the mean and dangerous fighter than the smiling babyface she had earlier been presented as.
We had known it since she had been presented to insult Nikki Bella on RAW. For the first time in her career, she had seemed to be enjoying the stuff she had to say, insulting and delivering blows to Bella, with things like, "The only door you've ever knocked down was the door to John Cena's bedroom." For the first time, she looked good on the microphone. Now when she has turned bad, disrespecting the business, don't we seriously hate her? Credit to WWE.
Although, we still think Rousey calling wrestling “fake” was a dumb idea. Still, you have to give the devil her due that she looks every bit of the “monster” WWE wants her to look like. And, they have got the desired reactions, making this a perfect turn. Rousey is the most 'real' bad girl in the room for sure. Well, this triple-threat match at WrestleMania 35 will be spectacularly epic!
