Category: WWE

WWE SummerSlam 2019 Review

SummerSlam | August 11, 2019, | Scotiabank Arena | Toronto, Ontario | WWE Network

WWE’s biggest party of the summer has a special place in my heart. SummerSlam 88 was my maiden voyage with professional wrestling and I’ve been a diehard enthusiast ever since. No Roman Reigns, Daniel Bryan, Samoa Joe, or Drew McIntyre on the lineup. While there are no must-see matches, this is the first pay-per-view of the Paul Heyman era.

 

-Pre-Show

Drew Gulak defeated Oney Lorcan to retain the WWE Cruiserweight Championship: Good effort by Gulak and Lorcan. It’s hard to get the fans to care about 205 Live when the brand’s biggest matches tend to open up the pre-show.

Buddy Murphy defeated Apollo Crews is Disqualification:

Murphy dropped Crews with a flying knee right out of the gate. Fast-paced action between the two until Rowan came out of nowhere and beat down Murphy. After power bombing Murphy against the ring post, Rowan yelled: “Keep my name out of your mouth” in response to Murphy dropping Rowan’s name to Roman Reigns on SmackDown.

Elias sang a melody scathing the city of Toronto until Edge made a surprise appearance. Edge claimed into the ring drilled Elias with a spear.

It’s the first time Edge has done anything physical since he retired several years ago due to injury.

Is Edge coming back?

Alex Bliss & Nikki Cross defeated The Iiconics to retain the Women’s Tag Team Titles: It was Meleficient versus Toy Story as far as the in-ring attire was concerned. Bliss took advantage of a hissy fit by Peyton Royce and hit Twisted Bliss for the win.

 

-Main Card

Becky Lynch defeated Natalya to retain the Raw Women’s Championship in a Submission Match:

The Canadian crowd respected Natalya, but they were firmly behind Becky Lynch. Becky went for an armbar early and transitioned into a triangle choke. Natalya went for the ropes, but there are no rope breaks in a submission match.

Natalya threw Becky between the ropes into the post and applied the Sharpshooter from the top rope. This resembled a street fight more than a submission match at times with some brawling outside the ring and Natalya trying to wear down Becky’s leg, which she injured on Raw.

Natalya hit Becky with a top rope superplex. Becky came back and locked Natalya in the Sharpshooter. The pro-Becky crowd booed this one a little bit until Natalya escaped. Natalya returned the favor and applied the Dis-Arm-Her.

Becky broke free but got caught in the Sharpshooter. Becky crawled under the rope and fell to the floor to escape. Natalya went for the Sharpshooter again, but Becky caught her in the disarmed Dis-Arm-Her. Natalya tried to fight it, but she eventually had no choice but to tap out.

I wasn’t sure if this was a good choice to open the show. I was wrong as both ladies set a great pace and told a fun story.

 

Goldberg pinned Dolph Ziggler:

Ziggler drilled Goldberg with two superkicks out of nowhere, but Goldberg kicked out both times at one. Goldberg came back with a vicious spear and followed up with a Jackhammer for the win in under two minutes.

A beaten Ziggler got the mic and said anyone can get lucky. Goldberg came back and speared Ziggler again. Ziggler said anyone can get lucky twice. Goldberg pretended he wasn’t going to spear Ziggler, only to run off the ropes and leveled him with a final spear.

This match was exactly what it should have been. Gave the fans what they wanted while giving us some post-match action to extend the time the affair without having a long match.

 

AJ Styles defeated Ricochet to retain the U.S. Title: 

Anyone who thought they were going to get a New Japan style wrestling match here was sorely mistaken. Styles worked over Ricochet’s leg with some nice offense between the two. AJ got the win, and a post-match beatdown ensued with Gallows and Andreson hitting Ricochet with the Magic Killer.

 

Bayley pinned Embar Moon to retain the SmackDown Women’s Championship:

This was a good match that was hurt by a severe lack of crowd interest. Ember Moon hit a sweet Stormbreaker/Codebreaker combo for a near fall. Bayley came back with a nice Bayley to Belly off the middle rope for the three count.

 

Kevin Owens defeated Shane McMahon – Owens Quits if he Loses:

This match had all of the bells and whistles of a high stakes affair involving a McMahon. Elias was announced as the special guest enforcer by Shane. They teased Owens getting disqualified and counted out throughout the match. It was stated that Owens could not hit Elias because he was an officially licensed referee for the evening. Later on, Owens had enough and whipped out Elias and the referee with a cannonball off the apron. The finish came when Owens hit Shane with a top rope senton followed by a top rope frog splash for the pin.

 

Charlotte beat Trish Stratus vis submission:

This was much better than I anticipated. Trish more than held up her end. Trish tried to beat Charlotte with the figure four leg lock and figure eight. Charlotte ended up making Trish tap out to the figure eight and left the ring for Trish to get the ovation from the crowd in her final outing.

 

Bret Hart made a cameo appearance wishing Seth Rollins good luck in his match against Lesnar. This got a nice pop from the Canadian crowd. I thought it was funny since Hart has been critical of Rollins’ in-ring work over the years for injuring people.

 

WWE Championship – Kofi Kingston and Randy Orton went to a Double Count Out:

This match was worked at a deliberate pace that failed to draw heat from the crowd. There were dueling chants of “Kofi’s Stupid” and “Randy Sucks,” which was surprising. Orton tends to work slower-paced matches these days. In wrestling, the faster wrestler always works to the speed of the slower wrestler. Orton caught Kofi coming off the top rope for an RKO, which popped the crowd.

Orton, however, didn’t go for the pin and Kofi rolled out to the floor. Orton went outside the ring and started taunting Kofi’s family who was sitting in the front row. Both men were counted out as this unfolded. The commentary team ultimately failed this match because they didn’t mention and identify who it was Orton was mocking until after the fact.

Kofi snapped and beat Orton down with a Kendo stick repeatedly and finished him off with Trouble in Paradise. This was one of the more lackluster WWE Championship matches in recent history. It looks like the feud will continue, and hopefully do better next time.

 

“The Fiend” Bray Wyatt defeated Finn Balor:

They say you only have one chance to make a first impression. Well, Bray Wyatt proved them wrong as the spectacle of his new character was top notch. He came out with an eerie severed Bray Wyatt head lantern along with a new version of his theme music. The match was quick. Wyatt dominated. Balor missed the Coup de Grace and got caught in the mandible claw. The fans absolutely loved this.

photo credit wwe.com

Seth Rollins defeated Brock Lesnar to regain the Universal Championship:

I’ll be the first to admit that I was wrong. I had no interest in this match, but they won me over. It was all action with big moves. Lot’s of near falls with Lesnar working over Rollins’s injured ribs with seven German suplexes. Lesnar swung Rollins around by the medical tape around his ribs, which made for a great visual. Rollins made a herculean comeback with a top rope splash onto Lesnar through a table. Rollins hit three curb stomps for the win. I didn’t believe putting the Superman cape on Rollins would, however, I was wrong. It came off well, and the crowd loved it.

 

Final Thoughts: Overall, SummerSlam 2019 was a thumbs in the middle show. Some of the matches that over-promised, under-delivered. On the flip side, some of the matches that under-promised, over-delivered. Rollins ended the show as the hero of the day, and hopefully, WWE can sustain this sentiment long term. Trish Stratus deserves props for the match she put on after being out of the ring (in singles action) for eight years. Bray Wyatt came off like a superstar. This was not the best SummerSlam show, but it was far from the worst.

SummerSlam 2019 Preview & Predictions

The thirty-second edition of WWE’s summer blockbuster makes its second trip to Toronto. There are ten official matches on the card with a few more rumored. The big story in WWE right now is the mystery surrounding the attacks on Roman Reigns. There is no match scheduled for Reigns, which is weird considering he’s the company’s flagship star. We will most likley see some development in angle. Possibly, the identity of the assailant will be revealed within this scheduled action pack night of wrestling.

 

Drew Gulak vs. Oney Lorcan: Cruiserweight Championship

Squared circle purgatory aka 205 Live hardly gives any of the talented cruiserweights their just due. From a technical standpoint, this could be the best match of the night. It will probably be a mat wrestling affair as opposed to the aerial assault most think of when it comes to cruiserweight action. Unfortunately, it’s likely spot on the pre-show coupled with a poorly featured division will make even fewer people care about the end result. Such a shame.

Winner: Drew Gulak   

 

Bayley vs. Ember Moon: SmackDown Women’s Championship

Two babyfaces going at it in a match where the champion Bayley chose Ember as her opponent. If they are given time, we could have a perfect match on our hands. I have no doubt Ember Moon will hold multiple titles and be the star of the women’s division someday. This Sunday is not that day.

Winner: Bayley

 

Finn Bálor vs. Bray Wyatt

This is an example of the story being more important than the match itself. Bálor’s role here isn’t to convince the crowd that he can win but to help get over Wyatt’s new masked persona dubbed “The Fiend.” No way Bray loses this one…Yowie Wowie!

Winner: Bray Wyatt

 

Trish Stratus vs. Charlotte Flair:

This match was made one week ago. That is hardly enough time to promote a generational match. The arena in Toronto was sold out months in advance, which means there was no need to bring in Trish Stratus for a late ticket sale push. It’s cool that this match is happening. However, it was thrown together at the last minute and doesn’t have the build a generational match deserves. Trish has stated on social media that this is her final match, which means she is expected to lose. However, Trish retained the women’s championship when she retired at Unforgiven in 2006, which also occurred in Toronto. Could lightning strike twice? Unless the plan is to do multiple matches, Charlotte will style and profile her way to victory.

Winner: Charlotte

 

AJ Styles vs. Ricochet: U.S. Championship:

Man, this has to be the odds on favorite to win match of the night honors. Hell, it could win match of the year if they are given enough time. It also depends on what the storytelling object is here. The recently reformed stable, The Club, now called The O.C., is a focal point of Monday Night Raw. All three members, Styles, Karl Anderson, and Doc Gallows, are wearing gold around their waist. Ricochet is exceptionally talented and was being featured as a hot new act until WWE inexplicability slowed things down when he lost the U.S. title to Styles.

Is WWE more concerned with getting over Ricochet as a new star, or, do their priorities lie in establishing The O.C. as a significant threat in WWE? The answer to that question will provide insight as to who wins on Sunday. I can see Ricochet getting a post-match beat down following a victory over the champ. I’m wearing my booking hat and its telling WWE to give this match thirty minutes, have Ricochet go over in what will hopefully be an epic encounter and while thwarting any interference along the way.

I’m an AJ Styles guy. So, you know that it was hard for me to write.

Winner: Ricochet

 

Goldberg vs. Dolph Ziggler:

Ziggler has been insulting legends of the squared for weeks now. He’s mentioned Shawn Michaels and Goldberg by name and this Sunday, Goldberg answers the call. Ziggler is an outstanding worker; however, it’s been clear for a while that WWE has no plans of highlighting him in a prominent role. Fans have caught on to this, which is why many are lukewarm when it comes to anything to do with Ziggler. Goldberg and Undertaker had an atrocious match at Super Showdown in June. Undertaker got his make good match last month. Goldberg gets his on Sunday. While it would be cool to Ziggler superkick Goldberg coming in for the spear, Goldberg running through “The Showoff” is the only way this match should go. It’s what Goldberg does best and it what the fans want.

Winner: Goldberg

 

Shane McMahon vs. Kevin Owens:

Kevin Owens has vowed to quit if he loses to Shane McMahon. It was the only way Shane would agree to the match. The problem is, WWE never follows through on career storylines. This match will be a brawl all that goes all over the place with tons of outside interference. Shane McMahon will do his top rope elbow drop through the announce table and Owens will hit a lot of superkicks. WWE is turning Kevin Owens into Stone Cold Steve Austin 2019 minus the beer. The stunner is his new finishing move, and that is how I see him winning on Sunday.

Winner: Kevin Owens  

 

Becky Lynch vs. Natalya: Raw Women’s Championship – Submission Match

Did you know that Natalya has only held the title two times over the eleven years she has been in WWE? Kind of shocking to think about, however, Natalya is often the person who makes people look good rather than being featured as the star. Becky Lynch has been stone-cold since she was the hottest act in the company going into WrestleMania. A feud with an incredibly green Lacey Evans will do that to anyone. The booking of Becky Lynch is getting back on the right track. I expect a pro-Natalya crowd in Toronto on Sunday. Becky could lose the title, thus setting up her chasing Natalya going into the fall.

I would like to see Natalya win this match. It would make for a feel-good moment in what WWE has dubbed “bizzaro land.” Then, all can go back to normal once they are back in the states where Lynch is the hero of the day. From a business perspective, I can’t see Vince making the call for Becky to lose since she is the cover star (with Roman Reigns) of WWE 2K20 video game. Becky is front and center in their multimillion-dollar ad campaign that just started, and she’s the star of the game’s trailer. This will be a good match, the crowd is going to make it better.

Winner: Becky Lynch

 

Kofi Kingston vs. Randy Orton: WWE Championship

Only in professional wrestling can real-life backstage drama to fuel a televised story. In 2009, Randy Orton wrestled Kofi Kingston in a match where Kofi was supposed to take Orton’s new finisher, The Punt. Kofi forgot and stayed in position to receive Orton’s previously established RKO. Orton tried to direct Kofi to get into position for the new move, but Kofi wouldn’t budge. An angry Orton snatched Kofi’s head, drilled him with an RKO and repeatedly called him stupid. Reportedly, Orton, mad over the botch, used his backstage clout to halt Kofi’s push, which is why he hadn’t had a whiff of the main event scene until WrestleMania in April.

Kofi Kingston is amid a feature role that was never meant for him. Ali, the newly minted star who the part was intended for, received a broken orbital bone due to kick from Randy Orton. Ali took time off for surgery, and Kofi was given the spot. Kofi made the absolute best of a great opportunity. I believe Kofi has prospered in the role more than Ali would have. While Ali is talented, Kofi is more popular and has tenue with the audience. Once the unthinkable of Kofi getting the belt became a real possibility, fans vehemently supported the idea. Orton being responsible for Kofi’s newfound fortune is art imitating life, and a better story than any of the writers could have developed.

Last year at this time, neither man was on the card due to injury. What a difference a year makes. Randy Orton can have great matches when he’s motivated. Orton has had some of his finest outings at past SummerSlam events. Kofi hasn’t had a standout performance since his match with Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania. I feel bad for saying that because it implies his reign has been lackluster, when in fact, he’s been booked stronger than most past champions who lose more than they win. Kofi has been a consistently good performer as champion but is due for another marquee match.

SummerSlam is often the time where WrestleMania made champions lose their titles. Randy Orton did it once in 2004. However, I don’t see him doing it again this year. Orton as champion is old news. The fans are still behind Kofi, meaning there is more juice to squeeze out of his current run on top. If both wrestlers have put their tumultuous past behind them, I can easily see them putting on a show-stealing match. Kofi is super talented, and Orton’s ring psychology could be the recipe for something unique. In the end, Orton ultimately falls victim to Trouble in Paradise.

Winner: Kofi Kingston

 

Brock Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins: Universal Championship

STRAIGHT SAVAGE MODE: I didn’t care about this match going into WrestleMania and I certainly don’t care about it now. WWE is telling the same story going into the same match as they did before. Hell, it even has the same friggin’ hook. “How can Seth Rollins possibly slay the best incarnate?” Give me a break. The only difference this time around is that WrestleMania was expected to be Lesnar’s last night in the company. This time around, Lesanr isn’t leaving anytime soon.

Winner: Brock Lesnar

Zeus: America’s First Mixed Martial Artist

The UFC has been lying to you for twenty-six years. The first American Mixed Martial Arts event didn’t occur on November 12, 1993, in Denver, Colorado. It wasn’t the first televised card, and Royce Gracie wasn’t the sports first champion.

On June 2, 1989, the World Television Network broadcasted a no-hold-barred competition called ‘The Battle of the Tough Guys. The inaugural champion was a six-foot-eight-inch ex-con named Zeus.

The proud practitioner of Gracie Ju-jitsu is, without question, a legend. However, his accomplishments pale in comparison to the “Human Wrecking Machine.”

Royce Gracie won the first UFC tournament by beating Art Jimmerson, Ken Shamrock, and Gerard Gordeau, in three separate bouts, in the same evening, with a break in-between bouts, and all inside the comfortable climate-controlled McNichols Arena.

However, on that hot June evening four years earlier, Zeus defeated Bulldog McPherson, Brock Chisler, Klondike Kramer, and Neanderthal, all at the same time. This occurred within the humid and unsanitary confines of Tootsies Bar.

Rorion Gracie, Royce’s older brother, founded the Ultimate Fighting Championship and booked its first five events while WTN President, who merely went by the name, Brell, organized the Battle of the Tough Guys.

Brell, the controversial figure whose name spread “Keyser Söze” like fear in the television industry, was unapologetic in his pursuit of Nielsen rating dominance. Brell often uttered the phrase “Jock-Ass” when expressing his disdain towards individuals.

Royce won $50,000 for his win at UFC 1, while Zeus won twice that amount for his victory at BOTG 1, which means Brell pays better than Rorion.

Zeus is the first fighter to reign supreme inside the Octagon. Rorion deserves credit for updating the design from ropes and tires to steel posts and chain length fence.

UFC has always had a referee for their events, but there wasn’t a zebra in sight during Battle of the Tough Guys. Zeus’ life was actually on the line in every bout while Gracie could have been saved at any time.

Zeus was also the more well-rounded fighter of the two. Gracie could only fight on the ground and was battered in his bout with Kimo at UFC 3. Zeus displayed a wide array of striking skills by punching through concrete cinder blocks with his bare hands. At Battle of the Tough Guys 3, Zeus exhibited Floyd Mayweather like head movement to dodge the oversized crescent wrench of Lugwrench Perkins.

Again, Gracie fought comfortably inside an arena while Zeus fought for his life inside an active industrial plant.

After a few more shows, the two athletes all but retired from the fight game and embarked on similar journeys in scripted entertainment. Royce Gracie went on to become a stunt and fight choreographer for the critically acclaimed film, Lethal Weapon 4.

Zeus transitioned to the circus-like environment of professional wrestling. As a legitimate fighter, his background landed him a high dollar contract with the genre’s top organization, the World Wrestling Federation.

If history is written by the winners, then UFC and the Gracie family are the victors in Mixed Martial Arts’s convoluted origin story. Royce Gracie gained the glory, but those who frequented that little dive bar on that faithful 1989 evening know that Zeus will forever be the sport’s original pioneer.

Becky and Ronda and Charlotte, Oh My!

 

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What many people feared would happen, has happened.

Becky Lynch was suspended in storyline by Vince McMahon for 60 days. Since her suspension ends five days after WrestleMania, she out of the main event. McMahon named Charlotte Flair as Ronda Rousey’s new opponent.

It’s obvious Lynch will get back into the match at some point, thus making it a triple threat encounter no one wants to see. In a previous blog I wrote about the possibility of Charlotte’s inclusion, I referred to WWE’s inability to create a worthwhile story that doesn’t feel as if Charlotte is shoehorned into the match.

The reason Vince McMahon suspended Becky Lynch is that he doesn’t like her attitude. Furthermore, he picked Charlotte, who is on SmackDown, to go against Rousey for the Raw Women’s Title.

The segment was rushed due to the new edict by USA Network, stating Raw must end at 11:00 pm on the dot. Vince fumbled most of his lines as he made the announcement.

Also, it makes no sense because Vince McMahon and Becky Lynch have never had any interaction on television. Wrestlers over the years have done a lot worse to the McMahon Family than merely having a bad attitude. Yet, Vince never did something so drastic as to take away their WrestleMania main event.

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Except for Stone Cold Steve Austin.

“The Man” has drawn many comparisons to “The Texas Rattlesnake” in terms of persona. Perhaps, Vince doesn’t want another Austin on his hands and is trying to put Lynch in her place before that happens. This would make sense. After all, there are some parallels between the two

Austin was already WWE’s top star going into WrestleMania 14 in 1998. He just needed his coronation via the WWE Championship while rubbing shoulders with Mike Tyson. Today, Becky Lynch is the top star going into WrestleMania 35. She needs WWE to make that point loud and clear, by having her beat Ronda Rousey.

There is a theory suggesting Charlotte was only put in the match to take fall. Thus Rousey avoids doing the job. I get it, and it wouldn’t surprise me. Still, I don’t see that being the case.

Ronda Rousey has been undefeated since she debuted at last year’s WrestleMania. Lynch ending her streak is the key ingredient in setting up Lynch for true superstardom. It’s literally the biggest contribution Ronda Rousey can make to WWE.

Charlotte, for her role, is doing a fantastic job on the promotional side of things. She’s been trolling everyone on social media to the nth degree and doing the same on television. The fans hate her right now, which means her inclusion might have been a good idea after all.

Last night on Raw, the suspended Lynch once again blindsided Rousey. In return, Rousey threw down the women’s title in protest to the McMahon family not reversing the suspension. Rousey said she wants to fight the best, and it’s not as if security can stop Lynch anyways.

Now that makes sense. Rousey is the ultimate competitor and has made her money. If WWE doesn’t give her what she wants, which is also what the fans want, she’ll just walk away.

It’s nice to finally have some faith in WWE’s writing, even though their track record is abysmal when it comes to creating clear and concise character motives.

A convoluted road to a finished product is, unfortunately, their modus operandi. In this case, however, seeing Lynch, Charlotte, and Rousey in the ring on April 7th might be worth the mess we get along the way.

WWE Halftime Heat 2019 Review

Twenty years ago, the inaugural Halftime Heat aired live on the USA Network during the Super Bowl halftime show. The event saw Mankind defeat The Rock for the WWE Title in an empty arena match and it was a rousing success.

The second Halftime Heat occurred the following year with an exclusive interview with Stone Cold Steve Austin. At the time, Austin was recovering from neck surgery in conjunction with the infamous hit and run angle involving Rikishi.

Last night, WWE held another Halftime Heat special, which aired on all social media platforms, YouTube and the WWE Network. The company’s developmental system NXT took center stage with a live 6-Man Tag Team Match from the Performance Center.

Aleister Black, Ricochet, and Velveteen Dream teamed up to take on NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa, NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano and Adam Cole. Vic Joseph and Shawn Michaels called the action on commentary.

Triple H said in an opening video package “If you’re all in on sports entertainment, NXT is for you.” Athleticism personified is the best way to describe this twenty-three-minute match. All six men delivered a high energy affair that you will not see on WWE’s main roster.

WWE.COM

The match had an odd cadence to it. At times it felt rushed, which is understandable because, well, the Super Bowl. Some moments told a clear story. Other moments came off as a mere exhibition of moves with each wrestler getting their stuff in.

Extremely fast-paced action anchored by several callbacks to amazing spots on TakeOver shows such as Adam Cole meeting a moonsaulting Ricochet in midair with a superkick. The finish came when Adam Cole received in succession Black Mass, Dream Driver and a springboard 450 splash from Ricochet for the pinfall.

Astatically, the room was poorly lit, and there was a mixture of genuine and phony reactions from the crowd. As a former independent wrestler, I’ve sat in the audience for my share of poorly attended shows. It’s a tradition for workers in the crowd to boo and cheer accordingly as a way to get the fans into the show.

Reports indicate the Performance Center contained 400 people for a family and friends Super Bowl party. Not counting the WWE Network, the overall live streaming numbers are 86,190 viewers.

Despite elements of the match lacking a narrative with rerun envy, the show was a success. The goal here was to expose NXT to a broader audience, which is why going back to the well with familiar spots is perfectly fine. The social media numbers could have been better, but those who saw the match loved it. (Fast forward video above to 6:03)

Is Charlotte Flair The Problem?

WWE.COM

The world according to Becky Lynch is a beautiful place right now. She won the Royal Rumble on a Sunday and challenged Ronda Rousey the next day to set up their highly anticipated clash at WrestleMania 35.

It is undeniable Rousey vs. Lynch should be the main event of WrestleMania. However, The Wrestling Observer reported as of Monday evening; the plan is for Charlotte Flair to be included into the match, making it a triple threat. Sports Illustrated, however, is reporting the opposite.

Fan reaction to this news has been damned with faint praise. Wrestling aficionados, at their core, are traditionalists. The idea of a WrestleMania main event being anything other than a singles encounter doesn’t feel right. It dilutes the story, and three’s a crowd.

While a one on one match is the preferred choice, would Charlotte’s inclusion really be a bad thing?

Charlotte is one of the best wrestlers in the women’s division. She always has good matches, was initially groomed to be Rousey’s WrestleMania dance partner and many feel she stole at last year’s Mania when she ended Asuka’s undefeated streak.

Adding Charlotte to the Lynch/Rousey equation would make the match better than it’s already going to be. Her inclusion will only draw more heat by having two people to boo instead of one. Also, it gives Lynch a more daunting journey, making her assumed victory even sweeter.

From a business perspective, the first female WrestleMania main event featuring Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair helps WWE in the long run. Rousey is reportedly leaving the company at the end of April. It’s better to have two history-making characters to market instead of one.

In the storyline, Charlotte brutalized Rousey at Survivor Series. Rousey returned the favor at TLC  by costing both Charlotte and Lynch the SmackDown Women’s Title. There are unresolved issues between Charlotte and Rousey, and WrestleMania is the perfect place for a resolution.

Another thing to take into account is the injury Becky Lynch suffered at the hands of Nia Jax, removing her from the match at Survivor Series against Rousey. Charlotte was her replacement.

WWE.COM

The addition of Charlotte Flair improves upon the finished product. However, despite all the positives, there is still a loud voice in the wrestling consciousness that says Charlotte doesn’t belong.

After four years of Roman Reigns featured main events that never got over, WrestleMania finally has a top match everyone is excited to see. Some view Charlotte as the Roman Reigns of the women’s division because, underneath Rousey, she is the performer WWE wants to push.

The biggest problem with Charlotte’s inclusion is how do you get her into the match? WWE needs to develop a logical storyline reason on why Charlotte receives an invite to the party.

She could beat Asuka for the SmackDown Women’s Title at one of the two pay per view events before Mania. Still, how would that qualify Charlotte to enter a WrestleMania main event that has already been announced?

A winner takes all match with both titles on the line is intriguing. Still, it just can’t be a title change that gets Charlotte the golden ticket. Many championships have changed hands over the years so close to WrestleMania.

Perhaps, WWE will take a roundabout route of Charlotte somehow convincing Becky Lynch into putting her title shot on the line in a match, winning that match, and Lynch somehow gets back in later on. Unfortunately, not only is that just too easy but from a character perspective, Lynch is too smart to be duped into such a match with an injured knee.

In all likelihood, there is probably a way to get Charlotte into the match that doesn’t feel like she is shoehorned in. However, WWE doesn’t evoke much confidence when it comes to creating that story. There has been a severe lack of quality control with their writing that’s led to their record low television ratings.

Shoehorning Charlotte will be akin to the referee missing the pass interference call in the NFC Championship game. Yeah, the Rams won the game, but everyone knew they didn’t belong in the Superbowl.

Does WWE really want to make Charlotte a third wheel? Yeah, probably. Why? Because Vince McMahon would inexplicably rather tell the audience what he thinks they want instead of letting them tell him what they want.

If Charlotte ends up standing across the ring from Ronda Rousey and Becky Lynch on April 7th, please, feel free to boo as loud as you want. Don’t boo Charlotte, however, boo WWE for making a decision that only serves them, regardless of what the audience wants. Charlotte would be merely doing her job.

After all, would anyone turn down the biggest payday and moment of their career despite the creative optics of the situation? No, not at all.

There are more pros than cons to Charlotte’s inclusion in the Rousey/Lynch main event at WrestleMania. However, there is one con that outweighs all the pros. Wedging in an unwanted entity is undeniably what the audience doesn’t want to see.

There is no remainder to this equation. One plus one equals two. Two wrestlers who have produced a tidal wave of enthusiasm for a mano e mano showdown. Charlotte is not the problem, but, WWE’s proclivity to rebuild a perfectly gifted storyline is a big problem.