What Does 'The Road To WrestleMania' Mean?

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the better part of a month, you may have noticed a specific phrase being used quite often throughout WWE:

The Road to WrestleMania.

Everywhere you look, from official social media accounts to RAW and SmackDown telecasts, from the mouths of Superstars to Twitter feeds of the WWE Universe, it’s an inescapable phrase that becomes a big part of the professional wrestling vernacular every year around this time.

Today, USA Insider breaks down what it means, what it stands for, and what to expect!

What Is The Road To WrestleMania?

Technically, the Road to WrestleMania is defined as the period of time between the Royal Rumble in January and the single biggest WWE event on the calendar: WrestleMania. 

Although WWE doesn’t have an off-season — unlike all other professional sports leagues — it’s safe to say that the biggest storylines, matches, and drama are usually reserved for the period of time between the Rumble and WrestleMania! It’s often regarded as one of the most rewarding times to be a fan, and it’s known to be the best time to actually become a fan, too. 

Basically, the Road to WrestleMania leads to conclusions. It leads to the end of stories. It is a road that has twists and turns — and guarantees an unbelievable finish. Don’t believe us? Just check out what happened on the Road to WrestleMania last year, when Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns eventually collided in Arlington Stadium in Texas:

To put it simply: The Road to WrestleMania is a metaphor — yet it also has some literal meanings. After all, you can literally trace a line from San Antonio to Los Angeles, the homes of this year’s Royal Rumble and WrestleMania, respectively. 

What Does The Road To WrestleMania Mean For WWE Superstars?

From a WWE Superstar’s standpoint, the Road to WrestleMania is essentially a giant neon sign above each of their heads flashing the words “DON’T WASTE THIS MOMENT.”

It could be best described as individual wrestlers’ make-it or break-it moment. The Road to WrestleMania is when Shawn Michaels took the steps necessary to make his boyhood dream come true in 1996. It’s when Stone Cold Steve Austin decided along the way to make a deal with the devil and partner with Mr. McMahon en route to defeating The Rock at WrestleMania in 2003. The Road to WrestleMania is when Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns kept upping the ante week after week heading into WrestleMania last year.

For Superstars like Cody Rhodes and Asuka, just to name a few, this year’s Road to WrestleMania is a litmus test that truly reveals if they have what it takes to ascend to greatness. For the men and women who have a date with destiny on either April 1 or 2, this time period prepares them for what lies ahead — they’re either going to be fully focused, or they’re going to be woefully underprepared.

At WrestleMania, they’re going to quickly realize if they have what it takes — or if the Road to WrestleMania only existed to give them false confidence along the way.

For other Superstars who may not be in the same position as Cody and Asuka, the Road to WrestleMania is just that: A means to an end. Which means that there’s plenty of time to make an impact and get themselves in position to have a legendary WrestleMania moment. 

What Does The Road To WrestleMania Mean For The WWE Universe?

For members of the WWE Universe, the Road to WrestleMania means a few things:

Excitement. Unpredictability. Unforgettable moments.

For all the pressure that is on WWE Superstars to position themselves as best they can ahead of the Grandest Stage of Them All in April, the WWE Universe can reap the benefits, because it's guaranteed that all of the hottest storylines and unreal displays of in-ring athleticism will be on full display between the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania each year.

From a fan’s perspective, this is when some specific burning questions will be answered:

Can Cody Rhodes rise up against the mind games being played by Paul Heyman? Will Seth Rollins and Logan Paul put pen to paper and make their WrestleMania match official? Does Asuka have what it takes to dethrone Bianca Belair? 

And perhaps most importantly: Where does Sami Zayn fit into this year’s WrestleMania?

Those are just a few questions that are guaranteed to be answered.

What Will Happen Next On The Road To WrestleMania?

There are 11 episodes of RAW and SmackDown between now and WrestleMania. That’s plenty of time for well, anything and everything to happen!

The beauty of the Road to WrestleMania is apparent: No stone can be left unturned. Being that WrestleMania is the single biggest event on the WWE calendar, it’s officially time for Superstars to step up to the challenge and lock down their spot in Los Angeles. While we don’t know exactly what to expect, savvy members of the WWE Universe have been given tiny morsels of clues along the way.

Remember: The road isn’t straight — twists, turns, and surprises are bound to be found along the journey.

In many ways, the Road to WrestleMania is no different from every other period of time in WWE in that you simply have to expect the unexpected. However, that doesn’t detract from the fact that this is the most must-see period of WWE programming of the year, and it’s all going to culminate on April 1 and 2!

While we can’t wait for WrestleMania, we know it’s going to be one heck of a ride on the way there.

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