'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Bobby Lashley's WWE Championship victory over The Miz last week on Monday Night RAW was long overdue. At 44 years old, many within the WWE Universe wondered whether The Almighty's opportunity to win WWE's most prestigious prize had passed him by.
Fortunately, that was not the case, as Bobby Lashley dominated The Miz and captured his first WWE Championship.
Because WWE is currently on the road to WrestleMania, it seems like Lashley will walk into the Showcase of the Immortals as the WWE Champion.
Earmarked for a potential WWE Championship showdown against Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania, some are concerned that Lashley's first WWE Championship reign could be a short one. But it might be in WWE's best interest for Lashley to retain the WWE Championship at the biggest show of the year.
Here's a look at five reasons why Bobby Lashley should remain the WWE Champion after WrestleMania.
#5 Bobby Lashley meets WWE Monday Night RAW's need for a top heel
Because he holds the WWE Championship, Bobby Lashley is the premier heel Superstar on Monday Night RAW right now. As a result, a match against the top babyface on RAW, Drew McIntyre would make logical sense.
If McIntyre faces Lashley for the title at WrestleMania, many fans expect McIntyre to leave the show as the WWE Champion.
But if he wins, McIntyre wouldn't have many fresh contenders. The list of main event male heels on the red brand is fairly thin right now. Other heels that could possibly step into the main event picture on RAW include Sheamus, Randy Orton and The Miz. Unfortunately, McIntyre has already faced all of those names.
Monday Night RAW is in desperate need of outstanding main event heels who can compete for the WWE Championship. If Lashley loses the WWE Championship so quickly after he won it, this setback could do irreversible damage to his perception as a main event heel on RAW.
WWE can't afford to hamstring Lashley's status like that. "The Almighty" should retain the WWE Championship at WrestleMania so he can remain RAW's dominant heel champion for a few months.
#4 Former WWE Champion Drew McIntyre is better as a challenger
There is no doubt that Drew McIntyre is the top babyface on WWE Monday Night RAW right now. In factt, he's one of the leading babyfaces across all three brands of the main roster.
McIntyre has dominated RAW for the best part of over a year, and he has captured the WWE Championship twice. For the majority of the past year, Drew McIntyre has reigned supreme as the WWE Champion.
This run fits the pattern of WWE history where fans have seen babyfaces such as Hulk Hogan, John Cena and Batista have lengthy world championship reigns in order to establish themselves as top babyfaces.
But some babyfaces are simply better when they're chasing the world championship. Megastars such as Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock and The Undertaker have all stated they felt their character was hotter when they were in pursuit of the world championship. That argument also applies to Drew McIntyre in 2021.
After his impressive run as the champion, a McIntyre victory at WrestleMania wouldn't feel fresh. Considering that McIntyre only lost the title in February at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view, WWE should have Drew McIntyre chase the WWE Champion for awhile before he regains it.
The company should build up the fans' anticipation and excitement before the Scottish Warrior wins the prized title again. Sometimes, the money is in the chase, and for Drew McIntyre, his journey back to the throne should extend beyond WrestleMania.
#3 Bobby Lashley shouldn't be a transitional WWE Champion
When The Miz defeated Drew McIntyre for the WWE Championship at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view, many fans assumed that he would be a transitional champion. Eight days later, WWE proved that these assumptions were correct.
The Miz won the WWE Championship from McIntyre to facilitate Bobby Lashley's tiriumph. WWE might have taken this path to delay the eventual clash between McIntyre and Lashley.
But if McIntyre defeats Lashley at WrestleMania 37 for the WWE Championship, Lashley will join the likes of The Miz, Stan Stasiak and The Iron Sheik as transitional WWE Champions who had wasteful reigns with the gold.
The fans just witnessed a transitional WWE Championship run with The Miz, so it's too soon to do another one with Lashley. Given the monster push and booking that he has received in recent months, The Almighty should have a lengthy, dominant WWE Championship reign that matches his character.
Lashley should defeat Drew McIntyre to retain the title at WrestleMania and continue his dominance until he eventually drops the title at a major pay-per-view.
By giving Lashley an impressive reign, it will mean far more when he does eventually lose the title because he'll have been built up as an unstoppable champion.
#2 WWE Monday Night RAW ratings require something new
WWE Monday Night RAW proves to be increasingly divisive every single week. There are often many things to pick apart when it comes to the red brand.
50/50 booking, the endless rematches, and lazy, illogical booking are just a few common criticisms. Unfortunately for WWE, it would appear that the viewing audience is also becoming more and more disillusioned with the company's flagship show.
In 2020, RAW continued its pattern of posting historically low television ratings, with fewer people tuning in to watch the show than ever before. Granted, there are extenuating circumstances, as the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic certainly hurt television numbers across most genres.
Plus, the way people consume content in 2021 is drastically different now. Nowadays, there are far more ways to watch television. For example, DVR, online streams, YouTube and social media are all new methods of viewership, so the dwindling ratings aren't a perfect reflection of RAW's audience.
Nevertheless, television ratings are still important to networks and advertisers. Naturally, the ratings are still very important to WWE, and RAW's ratings continue to sink year after year.
Drew McIntyre has been the WWE Champion for the majority of the past 12 months. While it's unfair to attribute the low ratings on RAW to the Scottish Warrior, it's obvious that WWE needs to do something different to attract the audience's attention. Bobby Lashley could be the answer that WWE is looking for.
Prior to his win over The Miz last week, Lashley had never held the WWE Championship before. Featuring fresh talent in the main event is exactly what WWE needs right now because the company must build new stars as soon as possible.
Without a doubt, Lashley gives RAW a different player at the top of the card. By having him retain the WWE Champion at WrestleMania, WWE could continue to draw new fans to RAW, which would boost the ratings in the coming months.
#1 WWE can build to a future showdown between Bobby Lashley and Brock Lesnar
For years, the WWE Universe has been vocal about wanting to see Bobby Lashley and Brock Lesnar face off inside of a WWE ring. Both men are former MMA fighters, with Lesnar being a former UFC Heavyweight Champion and Lashley boasting a 15-2 career record. It seems completely logical for WWE to book a match between the two legitimate powerhouses.
When Lashley returned to WWE in 2018 after a 10-year absence, the WWE Universe was overjoyed that the company could potentially deliver the anticipated showdown between The Almighty and The Beast Incarnate.
Lashley has also been incredibly vocal that he desperately wants to face Lesnar before his career comes to an end. He has hinted that this desire was a major factor in his return to WWE in 2018.
Though Lesnar is currently a free agent, many fans expect The Beast to eventually re-sign with WWE and once again compete at major events like WrestleMania, and SummerSlam.
In that case, WWE should book Lashley as if a potential match with Lesnar is the ultimate plan. If Lesnar comes back, WWE could potentially book a WWE Championship Match between Lesnar and Lashley as the main event of SummerSlam.
For this match to generate as much revenue and buzz as it should, WWE needs to maintain its strong booking of Lashley.
Therefore, with a potential money-making match with Lesnar on the horizon, Lashley should enter WrestleMania as WWE Champion and leave the event with the title around his waist.
How did Ric Flair spend $1500 at a pizza place? More details here
