WWE provided some sort of an answer to those who rightfully complain about the staleness of the main event scene, especially on the Raw side. Their answer came in the form of the Breakthrough Battle Royal which dominated this week’s show. The battle royal was open only to wrestlers who never held either the WWE or World Championship, and they had to earn their way in a series of qualifying matches (I’ll ignore Randy Orton’s involvement). This was a brilliant idea, done in a pretty good way and something that I think should turn into an annual tradition.
During the 90’s and early 00’s, WWE used the King of the Ring as the quick way to elevate guys to the main event scene. Sure, for every Stone Cold or Brock Lesnar we had King Mable or Billy Gun, but the concept was clear, despite the fact that the first tournament winner on PPV was a former champion. Then, several years after dropping the KOR, they introduced the Money in the Bank ladder match, a staple of recent Wrestlemanias. Edge, RVD and CM Punk won their very first world titles by cashing in the briefcase. But while the ladder match itself is exciting and is a great way to elevate someone, the victory is usually reserved for someone who’s on the cusp of the main event, just needs a slight push. This year they even gave Punk a second consecutive victory just to re-establish him as a main-eventer.
The Breakthrough Battle Royal wasn’t just open to wrestlers who never held a primary title (Once again showing that the ECW title is not a primary title). It was used elevate someone straight from midcard to main event. Yet it did not come from nowhere. WWE did a pretty good job of establishing Sheamus as a dangerous fighter since his move to Raw last month. He “retired†Jamie Noble, got the customary attack on Jerry Lawler and had an impressive showing on Survivor Series. He eliminated two members of the opposing team – tough-guy Finlay (In a very decisive way) and Smackdown’s most recent golden boy and team captain John Morrison. Sheamus was far from the main event, but he wasn’t a nobody or a jobber, so while his victory was a surprise, it wasn’t inconceivable or illogical.
I’m sure many will cry now that the result of Cena vs. Sheamus is telegraphed and Cena will win. To those I say – well duh? We saw countless times in the past that future superstars get a “test†title match, just to see how the audience reacts to them in the main event scene. It even happened with Cena himself, who got a test run against Brock Lesnar very early in his career, to see what his potential was. Sheamus’s character is actually in a win-win situation here. If he wins then he beat WWE’s poster boy, he dethroned the man that Orton, Triple H and Shawn Michaels couldn’t beat. Not to mention the shock value such a win will have. But I’m realistic and know he will not win. But even if he loses the match, what does he really lose? Here’s a guy who just several weeks ago was feuding with Shelton Benjamin in ECW, and very quickly after moving to Raw gets a title shot, on PPV, against WWE’s biggest drawing superstar in recent years. Nobody expects him to beat Cena, because it seems like no-one can, so a loss would not damage Sheamus.
With so many PPV events and the need to present fresh matches, a small event like TLC is the perfect opportunity to test new guys in the title scene. If WWE will repeat this next year, then we will have to established, legitimate ways to promote new talent. The timing is also perfect – six months between the MITB and the BBB. And the BBB can even be some kind of preview for the MITB – Sheamus might not win the title in December, but would it surprise anyone to see him win MITB next year and then the tile? I’m not saying one man should win both, but it can enhance someone’s character on the way up, and that’s exactly what we want from WWE, to create and elevate new Superstars. And I will applaud every attempt at that.
