4 WWE Superstars Triple H let down at the WrestleMania XL kickoff press event
The WWE WrestleMania XL Kickoff press event was a smashing success, launching the Philadelphia show with star power, controversy, and intrigue. With CM Punk, Big E, Michael Cole, and Pat McAfee hosting, the show opened up with Bianca Belair warming up the fans before the fireworks began to fly when Becky Lynch came face-to-face with Rhea Ripley to tease a potential 'Mania bout.
Things got much crazier when Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, The Rock, and Cody Rhodes came out. The American Nightmare chose Reigns as his opponent at the Show of Shows, leading to a confrontation laced with family-based attacks and The Great One slapping Rhodes. Chaos ensued, leaving the WWE Universe with arguably more questions than answers, but mostly loving what they were seeing.
Although the event was positively received, one couldn't help but feel like some superstars were short-changed by the creative team, whether by how they were presented or by their lack of presentation.
Here are four Superstars Triple H and Co. failed at the WrestleMania XL Kickoff press event.
#4. Nia Jax's WWE Elimination Chamber title match feels like a foregone conclusion after the event
WWE teased a monumental WrestleMania XL match between Becky Lynch and Rhea Ripley at the kickoff press event, sending the attending crowd wild with anticipation. This clash has reportedly been internally planned for a while, pitting arguably the greatest women's champion ever against arguably the greatest young star of the upcoming generation.
Although the face-off was epic, it arguably made Ripley's upcoming title defense against Nia Jax in Perth very predictable. One could argue that it even gave away the winner of the Women's Chamber match, but Bianca Belair's earlier appearance and history with The Eradicator at least keep that contest a little unpredictable.
The Irresistible Force deserved to have a say, and will hopefully send a message on RAW to reclaim the intrigue in her title program
#3. Bayley and Iyo Sky not featuring at all on the WWE WrestleMania XL Kickoff event was a questionable move
Going into the WrestleMania XL kickoff event, only one match had been confirmed for the Show of Shows: Bayley vs. Iyo Sky for the WWE Women's championship. However, there was barely a mention, let alone any sight of either woman less than a week after their match was made official fresh off the Royal Rumble.
The Role Model has spent the last few weeks bemoaning the lack of true star treatment from the company despite her legendary stature. This latest omission will do nothing to quell that sentiment within her and her fans. Unless it was a conscious choice that will be included in a storyline leading to some payoff like the main event spot in Philadelphia for Night One, this, as the kids say, was not it!
#2. Seth Rollins was treated like an afterthought at the WWE WrestleMania XL kickoff press event
Like Bayley, another superstar who has felt quite disrespected by WWE's creative team in recent weeks is Seth Rollins. The Visionary, despite putting in nearly a year's worth of banger after banger to elevate the World Heavyweight Championship, has been treated as a secondary champion. This seemed to continue in Las Vegas.
After weeks of being called a "losers bracket champion" by Roman Reigns, The Visionary was subjected to standing on the sidelines, watching Cody Rhodes choose Reigns, and playing second fiddle to the Rhodes-Reigns-Rock saga. Even his biggest claim to superiority, the fact that The Tribal Chief has never defeated him in a big match, was only mentioned in off-mic trash talk.
Hopefully, Triple H and Co. have a plan to present him on par with his counterpart champion soon. Otherwise, his title will earn a permanent reputation as the "B+ player" championship.
#1. Roman Reigns was treated like a side character to The Rock at the WWE WrestleMania XL kickoff press event
For almost four years, Roman Reigns has been THE Final Boss of the WWE locker room. He has towered over every other full-time member of the division, and stood nose-to-nose with every part-time legend from Brock Lesnar to Edge to Goldberg to John Cena. His "aura" or "X-Factor," together with the historic nature of his reign, has arguably helped elevate him into the all-time great conversation.
However, for an all-timer supposedly on par with the likes of Cena, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and Hulk Hogan, he came off a lot like The Rock's little brother in Las Vegas. The Tribal Chief, who has run roughshod over the entire company in unprecedented fashion, took a backseat to his cousin, which seemed uncharacteristic of him.
Given the level of storytelling nuance we have seen in The Bloodline storyline thus far, this could have been an intentional choice leading to a future feud. However, coming out of the Las Vegas event, one couldn't help but feel like the creative team's execution of the angle left Reigns a bit overshadowed by The Great One.