Winds of change are in the air!!

[Navi]

The rumour mills are turning fast and furious (no pun intended) on a reversal of the WWE's main event plans for RAW.

As we all know the plan was basically set in stone for the year ahead. Lesnar was going to hold the title on the way to Wrestlemania 34 in New Orleans where he would drop it to Roman Reigns. On the way, he would meet Samoa Joe, Finn Balor, Bray Wyatt, Seth Rollins and maybe Braun Strowman at various PPV's. All the matches were scheduled to be a one and done.

Meltzer has been reporting in the last week though that those plans are being scrapped. Now it's planned for Reigns to meet Lesnar at Summerslam, where Lesnar will drop the strap. There are no plans for Balor to meet Lesnar at all and most likely you can throw Wyatt and Rollins into that mix as well.

It's being presumed that this is being done to combat the low ratings that RAW has been receiving with the title not there to be defended. So it would seem that the WWE is maybe worried about the historic low ratings the show has been getting.

But if Lesnar does drop the strap to Reigns, what becomes the the rematch clauses that Balor and Rollins still hold. Both got injured and had to vacate the title and to my memory they haven't had their rematches yet. Now this might free up someone like Rollins or even Balor to go after the IC title that Miz holds, but the main event scene on RAW is a disaster if it just leaves Wyatt for Reigns.

I was against Lesnar getting the title to begin with as we've been down this road before, but it's somehow worse this time around, so I'm glad if that's what they are going to do. It will all depend on how they book everyone if Reigns does get the title back. Reigns holding the title again isn't something I'm thrilled about as I would love to see it on Samoa Joe for awhile.

Thoughts on this if it is what is going to happen?

 

[ShinChan]

Winds Of change made me remember Bad News Barrett!

The change of plans is actually good for everyone involved. If there was no change, the likes of Braun Strowman, Finn Bálor, Seth Rollins and Samoa Joe would've been filler opponents although being of high potential in the main event scene. So it's very good if it's actually true.

 

[Wildcat66]

Well, if this does come to pass; at least I know who to thank. (Thanks Obama!)

 

[OYDK]

I wouldn't get my hopes up just yet. Just because Roman/Brock is happening at Summerslam doesn't necessarily mean it won't happen at Mania with Roman defending and Brock challenging, because "THAT'S OUR MAIN EVENT AND WE'RE STICKIN TO IT!" Giving Lesnar the title was a mistake and I still don't see why they thought it was a good idea in the first place after the exact same thing happened the first time around. If I'm not mistaken, last time Lesnar had the strap the ratings went down the shitter pretty much just like they've done in his second reign.

To me, it doesn't really matter. Having the champion on the show doesn't make Raw that much more enjoyable anyways in my opinion, but it's obviously a draw to the casuals which comes as a complete shock to me. I mean, who would have thought that having the top prize in your company absent for months on end would have negative affects...?

 

[shooter_mcgavin]

The smart money seems to be a Cena vs. Reigns Main Event at WM34 which means we will, once again, get a WM that features a part time wrestler. Granted it was only recently Cena reached the "part time" status but it still shows WWE's reliance of part time guys and not the guys from their main roster.

In that sense I don't really see the "winds of change" at all.

 

[The Perfect Max]

I think this is smart. While I do like Reigns to a certain point, I wouldn't be too thrilled with a long title reign for him. But the biggest thing would be that the title is continuously on Raw every week, which is exactly how it should be, and it is so much more realistic to believe that Rollins, Wyatt, Balor, Joe or anybody else could actually become champion. I would prefer for Strowman to be the one to dethrone Lesnar as I think he truly deserves it, although I imagine the reaction would be greater for him if he later dethroned Reigns. Either way, I do think that it's already about damn time for the Universal Championship to be back on Raw.

BUT, this doesn't mean that the WrestleMania 34 main event won't be Reigns vs. Lesnar. In fact, I think it would be a high possibility. WWE may have completely forgotten about literally everybody's rematch clauses, but when it suits them, they'll use it. I can see them using it here for Lesnar if Reigns remains the champion. And in which case, I still don't think it makes WrestleMania any more appealing. But we will have to wait for that. The plan could definitely change again like it could be doing here.

The other thing to remember here is that, if this is to somehow fix the ratings troubles, it doesn't mean that bringing the title back onto the show will automatically help. WWE has a lot of work to do to fix a lot of the guys on Raw because right now, I don't know if I care about ANYBODY on the damn show other than Strowman. I know that is just my opinion, but I think others share it too. Bringing the title back will only be a start to fix the issues that WWE really has to commit to. But if this is the way to go about it, I'm definitely up for it. I am anyway. The title needs to come back regardless as to what motive WWE has.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

When you have a wrestling program that's set up with the format of something like Raw, SmackDown Live or TNA/Impact/GFW, then you need your champions to show up and be featured on a regular basis. That's especially true of the person holding your main event championship because it's supposed to be THE title that everyone wants. It can be hard to remain invested in the main event scene when there isn't a main event title to be the centerpiece due the champion being off TV for 10-12 weeks at a time. I knew this would be the case when Brock Lesnar won the WWE Championship from John Cena at SummerSlam 2014 and I knew it'd be the case when Lesnar took the title from Goldberg, who I cared about even less.

If they stuck with the plan to keep the title on Lesnar until WrestleMania next year, the very best that we could hope for would be that the ones who challenged Lesnar before Reigns weren't made to look like chumps. Booking Lesnar to be this juggernaut who tears through modern stars while only being given tough challenges by Attitude Era stars is what I've disliked about the use of Lesnar and I don't know how much of that is simply him not wanting to give guys modern guys too much of a rub, if he's just being lazy, if it's simply what Vince wants or if it's some combination of all of them.

Given the option, I'd rather they just pulled the trigger on letting Reigns win the title from Lesnar at SummerSlam as I simply don't have enough faith in Vince not making Balor, Rollins, Wyatt and Strowman look bad against Lesnar. As for a rematch, there doesn't necessarily have to be one but I'm certain there will be so that Reigns gets one more big opportunity to shine against the Beast. He could get his rematch at Survivor Series, they could have Lesnar invoke his rematch for WrestleMania next year while someone from SmackDown wins the Royal Rumble to face the WWE Champion, they could go the unnecessary route of having Lesnar compete in and win the Royal Rumble next year to earn another shot.

I have to say that Roman Reigns has been growing on me the past several weeks. He's much more relaxed and confident on the mic, he has a swagger about him that simply wasn't there 6 months ago. He's no longer trying to be funny or charming, he's no longer trying to play the good guy to the crowd, it just seems like he's embraced the "hate" he gets and almost relishes it. It's not a full blown heel turn, but Reigns at least acting like he doesn't give a damn of they cheer or boo him, and not going into some placating speech about loving the energy and freedom of expression the way John Cena does, is a much more natural fit for Reigns than trying to be a nice guy and taking one of Undertaker's catchphrases, or forcibly at that, only helps.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

Seems kind of absurd from a kayfabe point of view that Reigns could go so long without a title shot. Yes, Lesnar doesn't defend that often but Reigns continues to win his singles matches and everyone knows that he is the chosen one. How long is Braun supposed to be a distraction until Reigns moves up to a title match?

So it never made sense for Roman to have to wait so long. The SummerSlam rumor before the Mania rumor for Brock and Roman turned out to be true (I think) in the end. Also, until Lesnar signs a new contract, I doubt he will be put in what is a clear end of the show title match.

 

[Kodo Sawaki]

Reigns holding the title again isn't something I'm thrilled about as I would love to see it on Samoa Joe for awhile.

Reports also said that they are thrilled with Joe and how well he handled whole Lesnar feud so he would be there at least as main event title challenger. So maybe you get that wish soon Navi.

People always scold WWE. Think before Joe won that fatal 5 way we even had theme here how Joe was mishandled. And look at things now, Lesnar would maybe be out of belt soon and Joe is on the rise.

And its a good thing if it happens. We should have fighting Champion that is there every week, if they want Reigns as no1 guy after Cena he should have that belt and its much better then to book him as "underdog" that loses from Strowman(even if Strowman maybe needs it more now) and God knows who else until he would win it at Wrestlemania. And I am much more excited at prospect of Cena/Reigns if it happens at Wrestlemania instead of original plan to wait Lesnar/Reigns again.

 

[Navi]

Reports also said that they are thrilled with Joe and how well he handled whole Lesnar feud so he would be there at least as main event title challenger. So maybe you get that wish soon Navi.

People always scold WWE. Think before Joe won that fatal 5 way we even had theme here how Joe was mishandled. And look at things now, Lesnar would maybe be out of belt soon and Joe is on the rise.

And its a good thing if it happens. We should have fighting Champion that is there every week, if they want Reigns as no1 guy after Cena he should have that belt and its much better then to book him as "underdog" that loses from Strowman(even if Strowman maybe needs it more now) and God knows who else until he would win it at Wrestlemania. And I am much more excited at prospect of Cena/Reigns if it happens at Wrestlemania instead of original plan to wait Lesnar/Reigns again.

Samoa Joe has really come into his own with this Lesnar feud and I agree it's the best thing they could have done was making him the first contender.

He would also be a great fighting champion. The guy can go in the ring and is stellar on the mic. His "I don't give a shit, let me at the guy" works for me. He legit looks like he would tear anyone's head off.

One thing that does bother me though is even though they want Reigns to be the top guy, he doesn't necessary have to hold the title. If you look at John Cena, he maybe a 16 time world champion, but he doesn't hold the belt all the time. Cena is a natural born leader, Reigns is not at that level. I doubt anyone will ever be.

 

[Spidey Revivey]

But guys, Brock Lesnar is such a gooood heel. We hate him because he's doing everything he possibly can to keep us not interested in him. It's genius, right? So meta. Ratings should be through the roof with him as WWE champion.

Seriously though, it's dragged on long enough and wasn't even that great the first time they did it. At least when CM Punk ran off with the title it was "Fuck you, System" and he would appear other places with it. That and he didn't even leave for that long. If this story holds any merit, I would be happy to see somebody take the belt from him soon. Roman Reigns at Summer Slam sounds fantastic. Maybe then they can breath some life into the most prestigious title in wrestling again.

 

[Wildcat66]

But guys, Brock Lesnar is such a gooood heel. We hate him because he's doing everything he possibly can to keep us not interested in him. It's genius, right? So meta. Ratings should be through the roof with him as WWE champion.

Seriously though, it's dragged on long enough and wasn't even that great the first time they did it. At least when CM Punk ran off with the title it was "Fuck you, System" and he would appear other places with it. That and he didn't even leave for that long. If this story holds any merit, I would be happy to see somebody take the belt from him soon. Roman Reigns at Summer Slam sounds fantastic. Maybe then they can breath some life into the most prestigious title in wrestling again.

I personally think Lesnar should never be anywhere near a world title again. What's the point of having one if you're not even going to bother showing up every week?

I think there's a 70/30 shot that this rumor ends up being reality, but I guess we'll have to see come GBAF.

 

[thebarber]

Summerslam will be a Fatal 4 Way with Brock defending against Joe, Reigns and Strowman. They all have a good argument for a title shot......so why not lump them all in. Lesnar doesn't have to eat a pin to drop the belt, have him chase for the title instead. Reigns can pin Strowman while Joe has Lesnar in the clutch but he doesn't tap.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

Personally I think Brock isn't really the problem... it's the Universal title itself!

Let's face it, the title was immediately in trouble when Finn got hurt... Owens did a good job with it but as soon as Goldberg and Brock were in the mix for it, the death knell was already sounded.

A champion brings ratings, sure, but a title has to be worth having and Brock's absence has eroded all that Kevin built up and Finn was intended to. The belt is basically the WCW International title... secondary to the WWE title which is on the other brand and it's never seen enough to even challenge.

Do they give up on the Universal title? Probably not as the only alternative is to go back to the Big Gold belt....so they have to change how it's perceived and that means Brock AND Reigns need to be out the picture with it for a while... Brock is never there and Reigns still, for all his improvements rubs too many fans the wrong way.

The perfect guys for the title are there.... but not on the radar for it.

Jeff and Matt Hardy!

Sure, WWE is reluctant to push them that way...particularly Matt, but right now the best way to counter the damage from Brock's absence is to have the title defended regularly and in a way the fans want to see.

The Broken Hardyz entering the title fray would be interesting. Jeff merits a shot already and could be the one to win the belt... "breaking" Matt and leading to a WWE version of their feud. The combination of The Broken gimmick and whatever craziness the two come up with for that title would drive the ratings on RAW for a solid 6 months. They perhaps don't go to Mania for the title... that can even still be Brock and Reigns if done right. But RAW needs the injection of interest now...

Get the deal done, pay TNA to go away and get the title onto Jeff... he defends it until Matt turns... Matt wins it only for Brock or Reigns to level him... Matt and Jeff in some kind of Deletion match at Mania and Brock and Reigns tussle for the much improved title belt.

As it stands, who fights for the title is moot... it is a shit title..

 

[rmp0012002]

I never liked the fact that as the champion Brock is never around. The NWA territory days are over so everyone knows Brock isn't wrestling somewhere else. They can keep Brock as the machine he is but the belt on someone being there all the time. Brock's newest contract was suppose to have him wrestling more but he's there less.

 

[Dagger Dias]

I am not going to get my hopes up. I would be thrilled if WWE have decided against the horrendous original plans. If Lesnar did hold the title hostage for an entire year until Roman Reigns "saves" the fans from him in a moment that the overwhelming majority want nothing to do with, then nothing gets accomplished. We already know they want Roman as a top guy. No need to give him yet another torch passing type of moment, especially when it forces the remaining main event level guys to have nothing relevant to do FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR. Look at guys such as Seth Rollins, Finn Balor, Braun Strowman, and even Bray Wyatt who could all benefit from the opportunities that are available if the top prize is up for grabs monthly as it should be. Samoa Joe has been booked very well during the build for sunday's match and I really hope he wins. If he gets squashed as I (and surely many others) fear may happen, it would undo a ton of his momentum. Whether it be Joe, Strowman, or even Reigns, someone has to get the belt back from Lesnar and it needs to happen soon. Raw NEEDS a full-time Universal Champion who defends the title at every Raw PPV as well as the Big 4. Even if that full-time Universal Champion ends up being Roman Reigns. He would at least defend the title and have many big matches along the way instead of vanishing for multiple PPV cycles like Lesnar does. Reigns VS Lesnar is not a match I look forward to, title or not. If they go for Summerslam instead of Wrestlemania it makes me think of the Taker VS Lesnar match at Summerslam from a couple of years ago. They billed it as a match that was (kayfabe) "too big for Wrestlemania". Well on a similar note, Reigns VS Lesnar is the match that's "too stupid for Wrestlemania" in my book. If I had to pick the lesser of two evils, let's get it over with. Then guys like Seth or Finn who actually stand a chance against a full-time champion can get the opportunities they deserve. If Joe does not win sunday then Roman BETTER win at Summerslam if he gets the title match there.

 

[Wildcat66]

There are two options that would be beneficial for all parties it seems.

1. You have Samoa Joe defeat Brock Lesnar and become Universal Champion.
Or 2. Have Roman Reigns defeat Lesnar at SummerSlam instead of waiting until WrestleMania.

Option number one sounds like a great choice, especially considering how well done their feud has been. But the chances of that actually happening are slim at best.

Then we have option number two, which is a lot more plausible; but if that's where we end up going, they have to tread carefully. If they end up squashing Joe, that kills all of his momentum.

So many options, these two are the best. GBAF is going to be interesting to watch...

 

[Navi]

I never liked the fact that as the champion Brock is never around. The NWA territory days are over so everyone knows Brock isn't wrestling somewhere else. They can keep Brock as the machine he is but the belt on someone being there all the time. Brock's newest contract was suppose to have him wrestling more but he's there less.

And when he is there he isn't really doing much of anything at all. I don't get this "we can't have him wrestle on free TV". Why not, everyone else does? I know that some fans and probably Vince think Lesnar is the be all end all, but he isn't really. A lot of shine has come off the rose in the last couple of years and while he may still be a draw, I personally don't think he brings as many new eyes to the product that he used too.

I agree with Dagger, get the title off him as soon as possible. Put it on TV and have it defended at every PPV. Hell it hasn't been defended since Mania a couple of months age. Total waste of time, although this build to the Samoa Joe/Lesnar match has been one of the best builds to a Lesnar match since he came back.

 

[Deoxyribonucleic A.C.I.D.]

Just have The Demon King form a stable, something like The Demon Club, a mix between the Bullet Club and Ministry of Darkness. Have the Demon King dethrone the Beast. Turn the demon heel. Have this new faction dominate RAW and book a messiah (Seth Rollins), to take him down at Wrestlemania. Rollins is the King Slayer after all.

Have the entire Demon Club take out both Lesnar and Reigns at Summerslam. Then give the belt to Balor (there are ways to make this happen by keeping Lesnar strong). Get the Demon King over by having him defend the belt in an angle called "War of Kings", which would feature Balor vs Neville vs HHH.

The rematch with Reigns and Lesnar can still happen at Mania.

And just like that, Balor has gotten over as a character, Rollins gets over as a face, Reigns gets the rub by beating Lesnar at WM. Everyone wins on RAW and RAW gets some interesting TV after SSlam, based a little bit on Game of Thrones.