With a Triple Threat Match for the Universal Championship being expected to take place at the Royal Rumble, should the WWE change their initial plans and give Braun Strowman the coveted title?
On the Dec. 11 edition of Monday Night Raw, the match between Strowman and Kane would determine the number one contender for Brock Lesnar’s Universal title.
Yet, the bout ended in a double count-out, which means there is nothing certain as to who the “Beast Incarnate” will face in the first pay-per-view of 2018, which will take place on January 28 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
However, and according to rumours, WWE is ready to book both the “Monster Among Men” and the “Big Red Machine” as Lesnar’s opponents in order to create new storylines, ahead of the Royal Rumble and Wrestlemania 34.
With the company’s CEO and Chairman of the Board, Vince McMahon, rejecting the plan of Finn Balor facing the “Beast”, the Triple Threat Match can be considered a smart move.
Initially, Lesnar was expected to lose to Roman Reigns at Wrestlemania 34 and drop the title, one year after claiming it, when he beat Goldberg at Wrestlemania 33.
But, I believe it would be better for the WWE to turn things around and have Strowman win the title at the Rumble and become the new champion.
The rivalry between the “Monster Among Men” and Kane should soon come to an end, and a what a better way to do that than making Strowman the Universal Champion.
Such a situation would transform the 34-year-old wrestler into WWE’s top guy, while the title would certainly be defended more often compared to Lesnar’s reign.
As the “Beast Incarnate” is under a part-time contract with the WWE, he has defended his title only on selected pay-per-views, like “SummerSlam” or “No Mercy”, while he is set to do the same at the Royal Rumble and Wrestlemania 34, respectively.
On the other hand, if WWE makes the decision to let Strowman claim the title, then the company would have a great opportunity to make the Universal Title prestigious again, as it’s certain there would be many challengers ready to dethrone the “Monster Among Men.”
Reigns, Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, Balor, Samoa Joe, the Bar (Cesaro and Sheamus) or even free agent John Cena would fight tooth and nail for a shot at the title and that would make things exciting again.
On the contrary, if Lesnar retains the title, then he is going to make some limited appearances during the “Road to Wrestlemania” to build-up his fight with his respective opponent at the “Showcase of the Immortals”.
Concerning Kane, the veteran wrestler will probably enter the match for two reasons: 1) to put an end to his bout with Strowman and 2) to be the one who will get pinned by either the champion or the “Monster Among Men”.
I don’t think it would be reasonable for the WWE to make Kane the champion, as the latter is close to retirement, having competed in the ring for more than two decades.
Moreover, if Strowman loses to Lesnar for a second time, it will be difficult for the WWE to help the 6-foot-8, 385-pound giant solidify himself as the face of Monday Night Raw.
Furthermore, the “Beast” would also benefit from a potential defeat at the Rumble, as he would be able to build up another match against a top opponent at “Mania”, either full-time or part-time one (Cena, the Rock etc), which would further raise the interest of the WWE Universe as well.
For the aforementioned reasons, if the company decides to proceed with the Triple Threat Match, which will be confirmed on tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw (18/12), it would be better for the WWE to make the smart move and let Strowman beat Lesnar to become the Universal Champion.
*Follow me on Twitter: @YBouranis
