Barring a late-breaking angle on SmackDown this Friday, the road to WrestleMania 42 is complete, and we have arrived. The journey, though, reads like a Dickens novel, A Tale of Two Manias:
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, the age of Oba, and the age of foolishness, namely Pat McAfee’s inclusion, the degradation of the product, and a flurry of discounts that somehow didn’t extend to WrestleMania Sunday, the epoch of ass.
I’ve already covered the worst of times, calling for a proctologist
to sort through this turd. Today, I want to focus on the positive, specifically, the two best-built matches on the card. And we begin at number one: Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar.
The Beast vs. The Ruler
This season, WWE has leaned heavily into worked shoots, insider language, and behind-the-scenes framing. However, this build stayed firmly within kayfabe and simplicity, and it was hella effective.
Brock Lesnar, through Paul Heyman, declared himself the main event of WrestleMania. Given his credentials, few would argue that claim. He challenged anyone to step up, thinking no one was brave (or foolish) enough to face him.
Along came Oba Femi, and the shit was on. He floored Lesnar in consecutive weeks, and the reaction was explosive. Fans of all ages and backgrounds began emulating his strut. “The Ruler” went from a solid main roster start to a full-blown phenom after standing up to “The Beast.”
On Monday’s Raw, they never came face-to-face. Instead, each man closed with a final word so strong that it’s hard to picture a scenario where either man will lose.
Yet someone will lose, and their stock will take a massive hit, while the winner could be pushed straight into world title contention. That tension, grounded in kayfabe and simple execution, is pro wrestling at its best.
La Primera vs. Trouble
Since coming to the main roster, Stephanie Vaquer hasn’t impressed me. Not because she’s not talented, but as a character and in storylines, she’s simply not had anything for me to sink my teeth into.
Until now.
As worked shoots go, this one worked. It pulled just enough from Morgan’s history to shape a narrative: Morgan got red carpet treatment and was pushed early, largely because of her look, while Vaquer came from humble beginnings and had to fight for everything.
The reality is more complicated than that as it relates to Morgan, which fuels her issue with Vaquer and seemingly serves as inspiration for her recently released single, “Trouble.”
Morgan did get a foot in the door, but dismissing her work ethic and trials and tribulations along the way is either ignorance or envy. Instead of defending herself, Morgan leaned in, turning the criticism back on Vaquer and attacking her upbringing directly.
As they say, “That escalated quickly.”
What resulted was something deeply personal with real stakes. A loss for Morgan validates Vaquer’s claims. A win by Morgan, though, is the ultimate “in your face.” It’s also a major setback for Vaquer that potentially sets up a compelling storyline as she claws her way out of a hole.
As far as matches go, this could be a five-alarm fire that burns Nevada to the ground.
Your Turn
Now, I turn it over to you, Cagesiders. Which match (or matches) at WrestleMania 42 had the best build? What are you most excited to see? Sound off in the comments.
