Biggest Storylines to Track on the Road to WWE WrestleMania 36

The next pay-per-view on the WWE schedule is the Royal Rumble on January 26, which has become the start to the Road to WrestleMania. Now, fans have shifted their attention to the 36th edition of wrestling's Super Bowl and the biggest storylines to watch heading into the show.

When the event takes place at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on April 5, the WWE Universe will be focused on the top stars and the culmination of their marquee feuds.

With major questions surrounding the potential return of former champion Ronda Rousey, who will challenge Bray Wyatt for the Universal Championship and whether John Cena will play a role, fans are intrigued heading into the big event.

Here are the biggest storylines to track on the Road to WrestleMania 36.

After WWE executive Stephanie McMahon revealed in an interview with GiveMeSport in December that Ronda Rousey would "definitely" return to the ring (h/t Etienne Fermie of The Sun), speculation has run rampant on when she will make her next appearance.

The former UFC champion hasn't wrestled since losing her Raw Women's Championship at WrestleMania 35 in April 2019, and there would be no better time and place for a return than on the Road to WrestleMania 36.

Rousey is one of the most well-known stars in sports, and her addition to the WWE roster was one of the biggest moments in recent wrestling history. As the company prepares to fill Raymond James Stadium for the April spectacular, it would be much easier to draw mainstream attention if Rousey was on the card.

Even if Rousey doesn't feel she's ready to jump back into the ring as part of a one-on-one matchup, the stage has been set for a Four Horsewomen vs. Four Horsewomen battle thanks to Shayna Baszler's interactions with Becky Lynch during the NXT invasion ahead of November's Survivor Series.

No matter her opponent, WrestleMania needs Rousey this year.

Over the past several months, Bray Wyatt's new persona, The Fiend, has morphed into one of the most popular Superstars in the wrestling business. While there is no doubting his mainstream popularity, what The Fiend will do at WrestleMania is a question on the minds of many fans.

Wyatt has already squared off against some of the biggest names since returning to the ring in August, including Finn Balor, Daniel Bryan and Seth Rollins. The universal champion needs a marquee opponent for April's show.

The most likely options are Roman Reigns and The Undertaker.

As one of the company's world champions, there is always the possibility the men's Royal Rumble winner challenges him at WrestleMania. With Reigns looking like an early favorite to win the 30-man Battle Royal, a title match between the Superstars would demonstrate CEO Vince McMahon's affinity for the Big Dog.

The best option for The Fiend, though, would be a battle against Undertaker. While the two men have fought at WrestleMania before, The Deadman has worked with Wyatt on his new character, and the two supernatural forces would be an ideal fit. Add in the fact that The Fiend would likely pull off the win, and the matchup must come to fruition in Tampa.

Many wrestling fans believe that WrestleMania is booked for the casual audience, while the episode of Raw the following Monday is for the hardcore fans. With that in mind, the possibility of seeing John Cena in a match at WrestleMania 36 is high.

According to WrestleVotes, Cena wants to do "something substantial" at the April PPV that is "more than just an appearance." If the WWE Universe has learned one thing about Cena over the years, it's that he gets what he wants from Vince McMahon and Co.

Cena is still one of the most recognizable stars in wrestling despite his lack of recent appearances in WWE, but his mainstream popularity has grown exponentially since he started doing movies that are garnering positive reviews.

Add in Cena's history in Tampa, where WrestleMania 36 will take place, and there is little doubt that he will have a role at WrestleMania.

Instead of the appearance being a one-off match at the big event like he had with The Undertaker at WrestleMania 34, Cena should use his popularity to get over a younger superstar like Ricochet, Aleister Black or Drew McIntyre.