By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor

The final Raw before WrestleMania usually draws the most chatter for what is promoted and set up for Sunday's big event. This year, it was almost more about what was under-played or over-looked heading into WM31.

Well, actually, it was more about Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns playing tug-of-war over post-Raw catering. And a shiny belt. Nevertheless, we present the Top 5 Under-Played Items from Monday's Raw, and the questions created...

(1) Roman Reigns. No communication with his fans on what it would mean to win the WWE Title at WrestleMania. No communication to non-fans who don't buy him as a WrestleMania main-eventer. No completion of a journey to the WM31 main event spot.

Was it to set up a double turn? Stand-alone heel turn? Seth Rollins MITB cash-in? Is Reigns going to flat-out lose, so WWE under-played Reigns's title chase? Whatever the case, Reigns was not presented as one-half of the WrestleMania main event this Sunday.

(2) Seth Rollins's MITB briefcase. After weeks and weeks of Randy Orton and Rollins being one of the center-pieces of Raw, WWE got their business out of the way very quickly, focusing on Orton trying to get his hands on Seth to drop him with an RKO. In the process, Seth possessing the MITB briefcase was way under-played.

Was it to set up a surprise MITB cash-in at WrestleMania? Or, not distract from the Reigns-Lesnar title match "hype" (if you could call it that) later in the show? Whatever the case, Seth's briefcase took a back-seat on the final Raw before Mania.

(3) The Rock's SNL appearance. On the day that WWE and NBC Universal announced a big co-branding agreement, WWE did not mention "The Rock" Dwayne Johnson hosting Saturday Night Live on NBC the night before WrestleMania.

Was it to save a surprise appearance for WrestleMania? Avoid promoting a TV show the same night as WWE's Hall of Fame ceremony on WWE Network? Simply lost in the shuffle of so much to discuss on the final Raw before Mania? Whatever the case, this was beyond under-played; it was not even mentioned.

(4) John Cena's patriotism. No promo from Cena on the final Raw before Mania, just a big ol' beat down from Rusev stacking the deck heading into his U.S. Title match.

Did WWE believe Cena said enough last week and in a sit-down interview with Michael Cole, which was clipped on Raw? Or, is Cena simply going to lose to Rusev at WrestleMania, so WWE did not want Cena delivering a big pre-victory speech to raise expectations for his fans? Or, for one of the few times in Cena's career, is Cena's WrestleMania match about his opponent, not Cena? Whatever the case, Cena's patriotism and title chase was under-played leading into the WM31 ten years removed from the Cena Era beginning at WM21 in the same building where Raw took place.

(5a) Sheamus. There were no vignettes on Raw building up Sheamus's eventual return. Was it to save Sheamus as a surprise return in the Andre Battle Royal? Get involved in another match, like the IC Title ladder match? Save him as a surprise return for the Raw after WrestleMania? Whatever the case, Sheamus was beyond under-played; he was not even mentioned.

(5b) Daniel Bryan sneaks onto the list. Bryan was in the default main event of the final Raw before WrestleMania, but two months ago, Bryan would have been considered well above Dolph Ziggler on the pecking order. Now, Ziggler has two singles victories over Bryan, who was in the main event of WrestleMania last year.

Outside of the obvious booking decision to push Bryan out of the title picture this year, was Bryan under-played because WWE is trying to get out of the Yes! Movement business? Did WWE under-play Bryan to set up the old "never saw it coming!" IC Title victory at WrestleMania? Was it to push Bryan out of the WrestleMania Audience's consciousness so they're not chanting for Bryan throughout WrestleMania? Whatever the case, last year's Mania Title Winner was presented as an after-thought this year.

(6) WrestleMania History. Okay, this is getting longer than a Top 5. WWE did not include "WrestleMania Flashback" matches this year, like in recent years to tie together The Past to The Present and Future.

Was it because WWE has been so dependent on part-timers for the big matches at WrestleMania in recent years that there were no options for flashback matches? Or, is this year's Mania so dependent on part-timers that WWE could not give away Triple H, Sting, Brock Lesnar, Lesnar's opponent Roman Reigns, Undertaker, and Taker's opponent Bray Wyatt wrestling before Mania? (That scratched a Cena vs. Wyatt re-match from last year's Mania.) Whatever the case, the final Raw before Mania did not tie together past WrestleManias to this year, outside of JBL joking about losing to Cena at WM21 ten years ago.

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