How WWE can make the first episode of SmackDown on FOX a massive hit
It is finally upon us. WWE's Smackdown premiere will air live on FOX next week with the main event slated to be a WWE title match between Kofi Kingston and 'The Beast' Brock Lesnar.
Kofi Kingston's rise to the top is a story worth remembering. It garnered the attention of a huge WWE audience, but as the saying goes, "All good things must come to an end". With Kofi's reign as champion slowly nearing its lean phase, he has been presented with his toughest championship challenge yet.
After seeing the challenge made by Brock Lesnar, one can only wonder if Paul Heyman's words ring true, "It's a bad day for the New Day." Now that the challenge is made and the match is set for the first episode of Smackdown on FOX, the rumor mill is running wild indicating a big win for Lesnar.
What if WWE swerves its fans? What if Lesnar winning the WWE Championship isn't the plan in the first place? What if Kingston still reigns as WWE Champion at the end of the night? What if there is something bigger planned for the first episode of Smackdown Live on FOX?
Despite the company booking Kofi Kingston as a strong fighting champion, it won't be an easy task to book a clean win for Kingston over Lesnar. After all, Lesnar is the man who ended The Undertaker's undefeated streak. Losing clean to Kingston could actually do damage to the company by making Lesnar, a huge ratings draw, look weak.
WWE needs Lesnar to boost their ratings and a clean loss on the show's very first episode simply wouldn't work. This brings us to an interesting conclusion to the match - outside interference that leads to a no contest or disqualification, but in the words of The New Day, "Who? Who? Who?" Who will cost Brock Lesnar the match against Kofi Kingston?
With the willingness of babyface Kofi to fight his battle against 'The Beast' all alone, assistance or interference from Big E and Xavier Woods is clearly out of the picture.
Now, just imagine this for a moment. Kofi Kingston and Brock Lesnar fight it out for more than 20 minutes. Kingston shows resilience by kicking out of multiple German Suplexes and an F5. Lesnar delivers his second F5 and picks Kofi up for another. Then the music hits. Here comes a returning Bobby Lashley.
Lesnar is devastated by Lashley's spinebuster and then a vicious spear. Lesnar tries to show some fight, but gets hit by yet another spear. After trying to pick himself up from the beating he suffered at the hands of 'The Beast,' Kingston also falls victim to Lashley's spear.
Paul Heyman is seen watching this in sheer disbelief. Lashley turns his attention toward Lesnar's personal advocate. Just when everyone anticipates another spear from Lashley, he simply yells at Heyman and demands an opportunity to finally slay 'The Beast.'
WWE can even book a heel turn for Heyman over Lesnar by making him join hands with Lashley, but either way a future match between Lashley and Lesnar is what's best for business and ratings should reflect that.
Will WWE take this route or just stay with a straight win for Lesnar over Kingston? Sound off in the comments section below.