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WWE WrestleMania 31: Smart Builds for PPV's Top Feuds

Erik Beaston@@ErikBeastonX.com LogoFeatured ColumnistMarch 2, 2015

Credit: WWE.com

On March 29, World Wrestling Entertainment will roll into the Silicon Valley for WrestleMania 31, and in the evening's main event, WWE world heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar will defend his title against the future of the company, Roman Reigns.

John Cena is likely to have a second opportunity to knock off the unpinned, unsubmitted United States champion, the powerful Rusev, while The Undertaker will battle Bray Wyatt on his return to the grandest stage in sports entertainment for the first time since his monumental loss to Lesnar.

With Sting also slated to wrestle his first match in WWE, against COO Triple H, the top of the card is shaping up to be one of the most star-studded in recent history.

Considering the amount of talent involved, and the importance three of the four matches have to the future of the industry, the booking of the feuds becomes paramount.

Putting together a hot story that culminates in an eagerly anticipated match on the biggest stage known to sports entertainment is key. Otherwise, the program will fall flat, thus rendering it a major disappointment on a night when all eyes are on Vince McMahon's empire.

What would be the best builds for each major feud entering this year's Showcase of the Immortals to ensure an enjoyable and interesting broadcast?

Let's take a look.

Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar

Like it or not, the best way to set the stage for Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar is to book the No. 1 contender like an unstoppable force. That means no losses, convincing wins and no-nonsense promos ahead of the huge WWE title match.

Lesnar has been the unconquerable Beast. Reigns has been surging heading into the biggest match of his career. There is no need for an overly complicated story. Booking Reigns as the greatest threat to the champion's reign atop WWE is as simple as it gets.

Reverting back to the days of The Shield, when Reigns would say little but wow audiences with his explosive offense to put away some of the top stars in the industry, would be the perfect way to prep him for what should be one of the most intense, hardest-hitting contests of 2015.

Credit: WWE.com

Sting vs. Triple H

Thus far, Triple H has positioned himself as the savior of WWE in the face of an invading WCW franchise star. That is absolutely the wrong way to go about booking the feud, especially if Sting is supposed to be the babyface. Fact is, the fans are supporters of WWE, so they are more likely to side with the guy they perceive to be defending their company's honor.

Instead, the best way to book the feud would be to replicate the Sting-New World Order story from 1996.

Triple H and The Authority thrive because of corruption. The COO uses his power for his own benefit, hoping to shape the company in his vision with no regard for anyone else. Sting, on the other hand, is a vigilante, in that he has made a name for himself by stopping said corruption over the last 20 years.

Having him show up to unseat Triple H and return the power in WWE to the people and the wrestlers is exactly how the story should have been booked from the get-go.

It is not too late to shift course and help the story along. Of course, that would force Triple H to look weak, at least for a few weeks, something he typically is not a big fan of.

Therefore, expect the continuation of a feud that makes little sense as Triple H valiantly defends WWE against the man whose company he helped put out of business 14 years ago.

Or something like that.

Credit: WWE.com

The Undertaker vs. Bray Wyatt

The Undertaker's defeat at last year's WrestleMania was one of the most surreal moments in the history of the event. While fans debated whether it was a smart booking decision at the time, it has actually allowed WWE Creative to come up with fresh new stories for Undertaker when The Deadman returns for the build to the Showcase of the Immortals.

No longer can the writers use the undefeated streak as a crutch. Instead, they must come up with new stories, something they have succeeded in doing thus far with The Phenom's impending war with Bray Wyatt.

Dubbing himself as the "New Face of Fear," Wyatt has shown no signs of being intimidated by Undertaker, instead calling him out for a match on the biggest stage in sports-entertainment. The Deadman has yet to answer the challenge but the storyline has so far been booked to perfection by a staff that has not done much else in the way of good heading into WrestleMania.

Credit: WWE.com

John Cena vs. Rusev

This is, without a doubt, the most difficult match to book, mostly because of the fact that it is an ongoing feud.

At Fastlane, Rusev defeated John Cena with The Accolade, using a low blow to incapacitate him and set up the finish. Cena has already given The Bulgarian Brute his credit but was also quick to point out the cheating. Now, at WrestleMania, they will likely battle in a rematch that has already been denied by Rusev.

So how does the match eventually come about?

Cena will likely have to put something on the line—perhaps his career. Those seeds have already been planted by both Rusev and Lana, who have repeatedly labeled Cena "old," "beaten down," and "washed up." Conquering the face of WWE and retiring him would be the ultimate victory for The Super-Athlete.

Make no mistake about it: Cena will defeat Rusev at WrestleMania. The United States champion's entire run over the last year has occurred with the payoff ultimately being Cena representing America and knocking off the unstoppable foreigner.

With the outcome so obvious, it will be even more imperative for WWE Creative to book a story that gives fans the idea that Rusev will pull it out, that he will defeat Cena and end his run as the top dog in professional wrestling.

Thus, having the U.S. champion get the best of his rival on every occasion would create just a hint of doubt that Cena can overcome the ferocity of the titleholder. And that hint of doubt will make the story and, ultimately, the match that much more interesting.