What’s the story?
Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter was on the podcast with Bryan Alvarez and they discussed how the supposed Goldberg vs. Kevin Owens match for the Universal Championship may not even last ten minutes.
When the topic of Goldberg taking on Brock Lesnar came up, Meltzer and Alvarez discussed how Goldberg and Owens may be a similar match to the 2016 Survivor Series match between Lesnar and Goldberg and that it may be a squash match.
In Case You Didn’t Know...
Cage Side Seats reported that Owens and former WWE Champions AJ Styles wouldn’t head into WrestleMania with their world championships; which has led many fans to believe that Lesnar and Goldberg will be wrestling for the Universal Championship assuming Goldberg beats Owens for the title.
Goldberg’s last one-on-one match in the WWE was his encounter with Lesnar at Survivor Series which lasted less than 90 seconds; his first WWE match in 12 years. He would wrestle again in the Royal Rumble match, but wouldn’t last longer than about three minutes.
The heart of the matter
Many fans have been concerned with the Championship reign of Owens and the direction of his character. A lot of fans have expressed disappointment in the reign of Owens as Universal Champion and say that while his wrestling and mic skills are on point, his character as a cowardly heel is too commonplace.
Having a run as a cowardly champion and dropping the Championship to the first wrestler he’s fought aside from Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns, makes many of his fans feel that he will look weaker than he already does currently.
What’s next?
There are a few weeks between now and the Fastlane PPV and anything could change at a moment’s notice. There is a chance that Owens could retain via disqualification if Lesnar interferes for some reason, but that won’t be known until March 5, 2017, when it’s time for the main event.
Sportskeeda’s take
To take the championship off Owens and give it to Goldberg who will only drop it to Lesnar seems unnecessary.
The Championship belt will not make Lesnar or Goldberg any more of a star than they are now, nor will it make the rematch seem more, but allowing Owens to hold onto the belt at least until WrestleMania would make him feel like a bigger star.
Owens’s character has already been damaged by the cowardly heel booking, so allowing him to keep the tile would help him a little. Also, if this match is relatively quick, it will kill any credibility Owens has…even if his opponent did beat The Beast Incarnate.
If the Lesnar-Goldberg rivalry didn’t need the championship the last two times they fought, why would it need it now? These are the questions the WWE will have to answer in the next episodes of Monday Night Raw.
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