Just a week ago, we appeared to be destined for a multi-man number one contender’s match at Extreme Rules. Despite Kurt Angle announcing the match on live television and officially entering Roman Reigns and Bobby Lashley as participants, WWE canceled the contest.
So, why the change of heart? Well, the reason is very simple—Vince McMahon wanted to do something different.
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According to CageSideSeats via the Wrestling Observer, McMahon decided he didn’t like the direction and pulled the plug. So on this week’s Raw, Kurt Angle was asked to go out there and tell the WWE Universe to disregard everything he said the previous week.
WWE has yet unveiled alternative plans, but it certainly appears like Reigns and Lashley will be at the center of them.
The pair of Superstars had an intriguing insult duel to open Raw this week before teaming and losing to The Revival. Extreme Rules is still about three weeks away but it’s clear that WWE is preserving a story between the freshly returned Lashley and The Big Dog. At this moment a one-on-one match for the right to meet Lesnar at SummerSlam seems to be the likeliest path.
The current WWE era nearly guarantees a Reigns victory, no matter what his match is at Extreme Rules. A number of stories indicate that WWE is planning for another Reigns/Lesnar showdown. If you haven’t noticed Reigns has already picked up his pre-WrestleMania narrative by asserting Lesnar is more or less a cancer to WWE. Despising Lesnar as a money-grubbing albino gorilla who refuses to stay or go worked like a charm in the weeks before ‘Mania. However, WWE abandoned that story and order Lesnar to become a ruthless heel by routinely dismantling Reigns. However, the story of “Reigns Overcomes ____,” quickly lost fan’s interest.
But now, WWE is ready to try again—this time with their original story. Since it’s already been used this year, it may lack their desired potency, and given the temperamental relationship Reigns hs with fans, it could easily backfire.
We’ll have to wait and see, but it may not matter who WWE build the SummerSlam match. There has been a lot of grumbling about Braun Strowman ending SummerSlam with a monstrous cash-in, likely on a freshly christened Regins.
With Strowman looming, WWE has a wildcard that will help fans digest yet another Reigns/Lesnar main event. This adds another layer to the story and should keep fans at bay. However Reigns’ assumed victory could easily not take place. WWE has already balked twice this year at Reigns coronation and they could easily deny him once again at SummerSlam.
