4 reasons why WWE King and Queen of the Ring PLE is likely to disappoint
The King and Queen of the Ring PLE is less than two weeks away, as WWE prepares to take the Jeddah Superdome by storm on May 25. The Saudi Premium Live Events are considered special attractions.
The company has expanded its business in the kingdom, and the PLEs in the region garner considerable mainstream attention.
However, there is a risk that the upcoming Saudi Special may disappoint, especially due to these four concerning reasons:
#4. Many of the top WWE Superstars will not participate in the King and Queen of the Ring PLE
Considering the enormous hype surrounding the Saudi PLEs, WWE has always turned to their biggest attraction. John Cena, Roman Reigns, and Brock Lesnar are frequently called upon for these special occasions.
However, there is a severe star power deficit for The King and Queen of the Ring PLE. Reigns took time off following his loss to Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania XL; Cena is unlikely to feature due to his commitments with Hollywood; and Lesnar has been written off for the foreseeable future.
Furthermore, some of the major full-time superstars are also on the shelf. Seth "Freakin" Rollins is healing from a myriad of injuries; Drew McIntyre's physical status remains uncertain; Bobby Lashley also recently entered the list; and CM Punk is also unlikely to participate.
With the lack of star power, casual fans will be less keen to tune into the event. Moreover, the bigger names tend to arouse more interest, which has unfortunately been low heading into Jeddah.
#3. The build-up has been rushed
Fans were busy taking a break from the well-received Backlash PLE and its memorable crowd before WWE began building for the next major show on the calendar.
The company only has three weeks of build until The King and Queen of the Ring roll around. None of the early-round tournament match-ups had considerable hype, and WWE was going through the motions.
Three weeks isn't sufficient time to build compelling narratives and genuine interest. When enough time is given, the Saudi shows tend to overdeliver.
For example, The Roman Reigns-Logan Paul saga was built two months in advance, and fans were genuinely excited about the encounter. Compare that to the current card, and no encounter has comparable heat.
#2. WWE doesn't have a must-see, cinematic storyline brewing
Last year, WWE presented The Night of Champions PLE in Saudi Arabia at this time. However, fan interest heading into the show was sky-high, partially because of the brewing drama within The Bloodline.
At the PLE, The Bloodline imploded as Jimmy Uso Superkicked Roman Reigns and prevented his family from winning the Undisputed Tag Team Championship. A year later, WWE doesn't have a similar storyline in its back pocket to lure fans. Such narratives are necessary to maintain intrigue in the post-Mania season.
Cody Rhodes vs. Logan Paul has been announced, as has a Triple Threat match for the Intercontinental Championship, but neither has, thus far, shown the potential to create highlight-worthy, cinematic storytelling masterpieces at The King and Queen of the Ring.
This could again be attributed to the weak build, but the Stamford-based promotion could have done better in the post-Mania season. For example, they could have accelerated The Judgment Day implosion angle to replicate the success they had with The Bloodline storyline last year.
#1. The main event of The King and Queen of the Ring feels like a throwaway match
When WWE booked Cody Rhodes vs. Logan Paul at The King and Queen of the Ring PLE, the decision was met with a mixed reaction. Fans were intrigued to see the company take a different angle and remain excited for a potential barn-burner of a main event.
However, there has also been concern over WWE's long-term goal. The Maverick seems like a filler opponent for The American Nightmare. But handing the US Title to Rhodes could be counterproductive, especially for SmackDown's struggling mid-card.
Also, considering Paul's part-time status and a busy schedule filled with non-wrestling roles, it makes the outcome a foregone conclusion, except where WWE runs a controversial non-finish angle to prevent a title change.
The main event doesn't come off as a must-see draw with long-term implications but as a throwaway match with little planning.