Forget dropping the pipe bomb, the Verbal Brainbuster is here and it’s time to fire across points like an automatic machine gun. At WWE Battleground we witnessed the return of the deadman, a legend who quite frankly looks in fantastic shape. The Undertaker is back with a mission to avenge his defeat at Wrestlemania.
The child in me is overjoyed with the news, the character that is the Undertaker has ignited my imagination for over two & a half decades! That critic side of me however can’t help but comment on how lousy this comeback completely crapped on the PPV main event title match between Brock Lesnar and Seth Rollins.
When we approached this event it felt that Brock Lesnar’s only weakness in his quest to retain the championship was being outnumbered by the authority. Hell that’s practically how the story build started weeks ago with Brock Lesnar getting mauled by the unsurmountable odds thrown against him.
Seth remains independently fallible as a champion yet the stable behind him (with the group’s many flaws) provided a nice counterbalance to oppose the sheer dominance Brock brings to every fight he’s thrown into. Brock may be a conquerer, a conquerer can’t keep track of too many targets and will become flanked.
With that said in my mind Brock faced a challenge which involves the possibility of interference, a dodgy referee or perhaps a deliberate disqualification. Any finish in Seth’s favour that will loosely preserve his forgettable reign for another month or so. A slight enthusiasm zoomed by at a glancing thought that maybe WWE was planning on booking Brock Lesnar as their key title holder for the biggest event of the summer!
For WWE Brock Lesnar is a star attraction, an ideal hook for the mature fans and a commodity that adds a realistic logic to the choreographed performances. Unlike a superstar such as Batista; when Brock Lesnar is dominant you know that he’s in the annuals of MMA history as a World class fighter.
The issue I hold with the finale to Battleground is that the WWE set the tone that’s a battle between power & intellect. Strength vs wits. A legitimate fighter kicking the undeserving champion’s ass across the ring, giving the fans what they’ve craved for weeks on end. After the coup de grace F5 on Seth Rollins what are we left with? A haunting ring of a bell that spelled out to everyone watching that the time spent witnessing the match meant pretty much nothing.
Meant nothing I said? Yes that’s exactly what I am saying, hell the whole arrangement just resulted negatively for everyone involved. It was a failure in this writer’s eyes.
Point 1 – Where did Seth go?!
Seth Rollins is the face of the company, one minute he’s being pinned and the next he’s vanished into thin air. For someone to be hit by the same move that ended the renowned Wrestlemania undefeated streak you’d expect that the pummelled carcass that was Seth Rollins to be still in the same position Brock left him in.
Having Seth away from the scene shows more now than ever that WWE has to compensate their talents so much. They can’t allow Seth to strive as a solo champion, he has to have his hand held on television with so many other personalities and when a big match hype happens; it’s just easier making it seems he didn’t exist a moment before the lights went out.
You can argue that it’s all part & parcel with the Undertakers theme, irrelevant characters fading to black yet the WWE World Heavyweight Champion should not be instantly taken from the situation. At least show Seth recovering from the match up the ramp, looking onwards in disbelief. Make it seem to the fans that Seth Rollins is also terrified to see the Undertaker back – an idea to build footage for a future match up?
I mean it’s not like Seth Rollins didn’t attempt to end Undertaker’s career as a member of the Shield or anything. This is what bitterly disappoints me about wrestling today, the little details that literally take seconds can sell so much more from a promo.
Point 2 – Is Undertaker a heel?!
The Dead Man is all about respect, anyone ending the streak you’d imagine by knowing the character for so many years that Undertaker wouldn’t result in such tactics to seek a rematch. Costing a superstar a title shot who beat you fairly isn’t a sensible way to bring a hero back into the madness. What happens when Brock Lesnar gains the upper hand? Undertaker delivers a low-blow! A low-blow is a desperation move that shows the Undertaker remains inferior to the beast.
May I also add that a fresh Undertaker must result in a cheap shot against tired Brock Lesnar? It’s an awful way to build up a rematch because the challenger still appears flawed from the get go.
Perhaps the erratic behaviour was supposed to arouse suspicion, if so it flaming well worked. I have little faith in that theory.
Point 3 – There were no winners, not even the fans.
The champion vanishes from view, the returning legend uncharacteristically goes down the cheap route for vengeance, the strongly booked star attraction gets victimised and the title match is left without any form of an official finish.
Some fans may be stoked in having the Undertaker back, but I think they would have still appreciated a proper finish. In this day and age the whole blackout seems an unimaginative method for accomplishing a draw.
All we were left with is that thought which went something like this “oh well that will on at Summerslam”, whoopee…… could you have not waited for RAW the next night? I’d even propose having Undertaker appearing to fight Brock Lesnar following the title match. Wouldn’t it be more exciting having the Phenom clear house with the authority after cheating Brock out of his title opportunity, appears to assist Brock Lesnar and then focus his attention towards him with a sinister message.
What that could result in; is a finish with the champion still in the picture, the returning legend looking strong as he takes on a freaking stable and a star attraction in Brock Lesnar as the key focal point in the angle. Brock can be booked as the challenger that is cheated, the beast that is saved and the target the Undertaker seeks.
Seth Rollins achieves a defence, Undertaker sends a strong message and Brock is the centre of attention. It’s the winning formula!
Do you agree or am I in my own little dreamland here?
Until next week folks take care!
Daniel over and out.
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