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Throughout the promotion of WWE Super ShowDown, and even on the pre-show panel, the panelists and commentators kept on comparing the show with WrestleMania, even calling it "bigger" than the Show of Shows.
As much as I understand the idea of hyping up the show, this comparison was not required. WWE did a decent job with the set of the show and the pyros to make it feel like a huge deal. Even some of the entrances were truly spectacular and WrestleMania-worthy. But that was not enough to make WWE Super ShowDown feel like WrestleMania.
One thing is for sure, WWE might not stop this comparison after the show on Friday and we'll see the same trend being adopted to promote the future Saudi PPVs as well. But is this comparison even valid? Will these Saudi megaevents ever compete with WrestleMania?
In this article, let's take a look at the 4 reasons why they will never be as good as the Show of Shows. Sound off in the comments section with your opinions on this article.
#4 Random matches without proper storylines
While it's no doubt that these events in Saudi Arabia give us some massive dream matches and returns of the legends that we never imagined happening, but the pro wrestling business is way more than just an in-ring match.
Most of the mega matches booked for the show are randomly brought together rather than having a proper storyline leading to them. For instance, the first ever one-on-one clash between The Undertaker vs Goldberg was booked without any backstory.
The two legends did a good job of hyping up the match during their appearance on RAW and SmackDown, but there was a lot more that could have been told through this clash. Them having two of the most iconic streaks in pro-wrestling was not used in the build-up for some reason. Other than that, matches like Triple H vs Randy Orton also have no logic behind them.
WrestleMania is iconic because of the things that lead to it and not only because of the event itself. This year we saw huge storylines like the First ever WrestleMania women's Main event, Seth Rollins finally slaying the Beast, Kofi Kingston realizing his dream, and many more at WrestleMania.
It was these buildups, these rivalries that connected the fans to the superstars in the ring and kept them invested to watch the match.
#3 No Women's wrestling
After the previous two editions of Saudi PPVs having only male competitors on the show, there was huge speculation of the first ever women's match happening this time in Saudi Arabia. RAW Superstars Alexa Bliss and Natalya flew to the country but after a lot of efforts, they were denied to perform at Super ShowDown.
While we understand the political and cultural situation in the country, WWE can never make these events with WrestleMania if one whole division of their roster does not perform. Women's wrestling has evolved to such great heights in the last few years that they deserve as much of an opportunity to showcase their talent to the "whole" world as anyone else.
Let's just hope we get to see them in action the next time WWE comes to Saudi, later this year.
#2 The fans
The crowd and the fans that come to watch any wrestling show can have a huge impact on the overall feel. A dead audience can make an amazing match look boring, and a cheerful and active one can make any match seem better.
Although, I'd like to say the crowd of WWE Super ShowDown was probably the best one that we've seen in Saudi Arabia in the last year or so. But still, only a small group of fans tried to make the show interesting with their chants and reactions.
Compare this to the loud WrestleMania crowd, and one would understand why these shows can never be as good as the Show of Shows.
#1 Part-time wrestlers main-eventing
The main event of a PPV is meant to be the best match of the night. If a veteran or part-timer can live up to that and deliver a great match in the main event, they deserve the spot. But what we've seen for the last couple of Saudi PPVs, the main event has been a botch fest and has tarnished the legacy of these superstars of the past.
The main event of last year's Crown Jewel PPV saw the return of the heartbreak kid, Shawn Michaels as D-Generation X took on the Brothers of Destruction, The Undertaker and Kane. While it was great to see HBK back in action, he was not at his best as the 4 legends had a pretty awful match in the main event of the show. Add to that the major injury that Triple H had to face, and one would think WWE could have avoided booking that match just to please the Saudi Prince.
Fast forward to WWE Super ShowDown this Friday, we saw two more superstars of the past take that main event spot and deliver a match that hurt their legacy. I have the utmost respect for both Taker and Goldberg, but the match did not deserve to be the main event in any case.
Compare this to how WrestleMania saw the first ever Women's main event and helped make a huge star for the company's future, and it's clear why it is the grandest stage of them all.
What mistakes should WWE correct to make the future Saudi shows better? Let us know in the comments section below.
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