For the first time in WrestleMania history, the show is guaranteed not to have a happy ending. If Brock Lesnar defeats Roman Reigns, the Beast Incarnate conquers another babyface challenger and the wrestling marks in the crowd are disappointed that the man built up as the conquering hero had been defeated. Reigns, for all of the complaints about the way he has been booked heading into this year's show, but he has been positioned as the one man capable of knocking off the champion. Despite noticeable jeers, he is much more popular with fans of all ages and backgrounds than someone like John Cena. Him failing in his mission to become WWE World Heavyweight champion would upset a sizable portion of the audience. If Reigns were to win, the smart fans who feel as though he is being forced on the audience, rather than allowing fans to choose who the next big star is, would erupt into a chorus of boos that would make for one of the most infamous moments in the history of show. WWE Creative has booked itself into a corner to the point that, regardless of who wins, a very vocal portion of the audience is going to be upset by what unfolds. There will be some who say that is nothing new in the world of the Internet wrestling community, that there will always be something to complain about. They would be right. But there is something about the way this match has been built, something about the buzz surrounding it, that makes it feel completely unique. Whether that is the case or not remains to be seen but come 11:00pm ET, the attitude of the fan base will be significantly different from last year's show, which featured almost universal praise for the culmination of the Daniel Bryan story.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
