The Perfect WrestleMania Moments
While there are a number of environments that can help propel a talent to the next level, there is no better place to do so than at WrestleMania. Throughout its history, WWE has forged the pathway to success for younger talent on The Grandest Stage of Them All.
Shawn Michaels was already on the rise, but his Intercontinental Championship ladder match against Razor Ramon at WrestleMania 10 sent his career trajectory up like a rocket ship. For Daniel Bryan, winning the World Heavyweight Championship by cashing in his Money in the Bank contract at TLC 2011 only helped set the stage for WrestleMania to elevate him as a true main event player.
But it was at WrestleMania 30 where his victory in the main event triple-threat match against Randy Orton and Batista made him a cultural phenomenon. One year later, Seth Rollins provided another blueprint for making a star when he cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase, which became iconically described as “The Heist of the Century.”
Setting the stage for this year, WWE has three golden opportunities in the palm of its hands. Trick Williams, who has become extremely over with fans, has the opportunity to win the United States Championship while doing it in front of his mother. She is currently recovering from knee replacement surgery, but is still set to attend her son’s match in person, creating a perfect feel-good WrestleMania moment.
Meanwhile, Je’Von Evans’ situation is an intriguing one, as talk of him winning hasn’t been as loud as it has for the other two. There are two major reasons why Evans should win at WrestleMana, despite Penta having only won the title on March 7.
First, a win would make Evans the youngest Intercontinental Champion in history, breaking the record held by a 23-year-old Jeff Hardy. Speaking of Hardy, the second reason involves him as well; some fans believe Evans could have the same kind of cultural impact in the future that Hardy once had, and there is simply no better stage for WWE to prove they see that same potential in him than at WrestleMania.
That brings us to Oba Femi, who lands the biggest spot of the three as he’s involved in what is arguably the most anticipated matchup against Brock Lesnar. A win for “The Ruler” at WrestleMania could provide a perfect passing-of-the-torch moment. A post-match handshake from Lesnar would not only cement Femi as a star. Still, it could also trigger a babyface return for Brock ahead of a massive potential SummerSlam collision with Gunther.
Many fans believe a WrestleMania victory over Lesnar is just the beginning. It could easily provide the runway for a world title push at SummerSlam, perhaps by having Femi win the King of the Ring tournament to challenge either CM Punk or Roman Reigns.
As the final pyro goes off and puts an end to WrestleMania 42, the show shouldn’t just be remembered for its marquee title matches. Instead, it should also be cemented as the moment WWE proved that Oba Femi, Je’Von Evans, and Trick Williams aren’t just the future of the company, they are the undisputed present. Investing in this young talent today will help the product captivate audiences for years to come.
