Why this Year’s WrestleMania 42 Build is Lackluster

Top Stars Have Been Sparingly Used

One of the biggest selling points of WrestleMania is the return of WWE’s biggest draws, especially the part-timers. The company announced Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar’s Mania schedule weeks in advance. While this is a great marketing strategy, WWE has pushed its dates to the back end of Mania season.

Lesnar and Reigns were virtually absent for the majority of the build to WWE Elimination Chamber. Fan interest was low for the PLE, and the presence of part-timers could have elevated excitement. Furthermore, the company has also misused many of the available top stars.

Gunther has been sparingly used and doesn’t get enough TV time. Over on SmackDown, Cody Rhodes, Drew McIntyre, and Randy Orton have been more regular with their appearances, but they haven’t wrestled as frequently as they should.

Weak Storylines Have Further Derailed WWE’s Momentum

AJ Styles hinted in a backstage interview that WrestleMania has lost much of its lustre, and the Phenomenal One echoed the opinions of many members of the WWE Universe. Weak storylines are a significant reason for the dwindling interest during Mania season.

Let’s take a look at some of the undercard storylines on RAW and SmackDown. Solo Sikoa and the MFTs have been feuding with the Wyatt Sicks for months. Their feud has held the Tag Titles hostage, and WWE has needlessly prolonged the storyline beyond its expiration date.

On RAW, the never-ending tussle between the “Original” El Grande Americano and the impostor has dominated TV time. Talented and credible talents like Chad Gable and Ludwig Kaiser have been used in this comedic angle that has lasted more than a year. Given the reaction Americano received in the 2026 Men’s Rumble, fans obviously have little interest in the storyline.

The WrestleMania 42 Card is Up in the Air

Once upon a time, WWE used to have the WrestleMania card planned and pre-booked months in advance. That feels like a lifetime ago as we’re only several weeks away from Mania 42, and only a handful of matches have been announced.

The WWE Title scene on SmackDown is a mess, which has been made more complicated by Randy Orton’s Elimination Chamber win . Drew McIntyre is the current champion, and he is currently involved in angles with Orton, Cody Rhodes, and Jacob Fatu. Triple H could opt for a multi-man match or put the title back on Rhodes.

Similarly, Gunther has spent his weeks tormenting and dismantling Dragon Lee, but his direction for Mania also remains unclear. Brock Lesnar has issued an open challenge for the Show of Shows, but no one has stepped up to challenge the Beast. Injuries to Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed have also thrown a dent in Seth Rollins’ expected Mania plans.