WrestleMania 31: Five Unique Facts About The Event

First PPV WWE Championship Match Not Featuring Cena, Orton, Punk or Bryan since Elimination Chamber 2011

WWE.com

The final unique facet of this WrestleMania concerns the WWE Championship, and those that have competed for the belt in the past few years. The main event featuring Brock Lesnar defending the title against Roman Reigns is the first time in a while that the belt hasn’t been exclusively fought between four individuals. These are John Cena, Randy Orton, CM Punk and Daniel Bryan, four men that have been fixtures in the main event in the 2010’s and made the WWE Championship their property throughout these years.

The last time a match for the most prestigious belt in professional wrestling didn’t feature one of these men, it was Elimination Chamber 2011, when the Miz defended it against Jerry “The King Lawler”. And going even further beyond that, Cena and Orton’s permanence in the title scene stretches back to No Way Out 2009. Therefore, this contest is a severe break from the norm, and whilst some fans might be bitter about Reigns’ inclusion in the main event, it is a rare chance to witness a major championship contest without the established main event fixtures taking up a permanent spot.