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While some in the WWE Universe might not be particularly thrilled that Brock Lesnar is, yet again, in another high profile role, one has to consider the benefits that go along with making such a move - and how this move could fundamentally change WWE as we know it.
That might sound like a lot of nonsense, especially with how some fans perceived Lesnar's previous title reigns - but this time is different. This time, WWE is on a new network with a new audience and a chance to catapult their product into the mainstream consciousness of sports programming.
With that being said, and WWE's historic five year deal with Fox Sports about to begin, here are five reasons why Brock Lesnar must be the face of Friday Night SmackDown going forward.
As always, let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
#5 Establish a new star
Brock Lesnar might not be the most beloved Superstar in WWE right now, but even his most adamant critics have to admit that a win against him means something. Even just having a one-on-one match against him means something and it has proven to better the careers of several Superstars already!
From his ongoing saga against Roman Reigns to matches against Seth Rollins, AJ Styles, Braun Strowman and Samoa Joe, Lesnar has bettered several careers by simply battling with them. Beyond all that, he has made every one of those dream matches must watch television in the process, which is only even more of a reason why Lesnar deserves this spot.
With that being said, and WWE almost certainly putting Brock Lesnar in a high profile role as Friday Night SmackDown moves forward, it's obvious that this is for the betterment of the company.
#4 Legitimacy
Brock Lesnar is an absolute athletic beast - no pun intended -and his career in The Octagon of UFC gives him a level of legitimacy that few other WWE Superstars have. Add that with the fact that WWE has, as mentioned before, signed a multi-year deal with Fox Sports to air SmackDown and you start to see the reasons why Lesnar needs to be the face of the show. At least for now.
Not only will this help WWE gain some big-time publicity in the mainstream media, which Vince McMahon loves, it also allows the company to tout a level of legitimacy that will resonate with long-time sports fans. It might even go a long way in bringing in the casual viewer and integrate them into life long pro wrestling fans.
If nothing else, this is a sound strategy for WWE, especially if you consider all the extra viewership they will pick up on Fox Sports. It could be the start of something very special. Unfortunately for some fans, that means swallowing their pride, letting Lesnar take center stage and building from there.
Whether WWE fans can actually do this or not remains to be seen and a lot of it will be dependent on the execution, but diehard fans need to realize the benefits of putting Lesnar in this position right now!
#3 Keeping Fox happy
WWE and Fox Sports struck a huge partnership to bring SmackDown to prime time television and while this opens the door to a lot of new possibilities, it also leaves the company beholden to the broadcast network in some ways.
Now, this isn't necessarily a bad thing, especially since it will likely help grow WWE, but it does come with strings attached.
Again, not a bad thing, but it means that WWE will need to keep Fox Sports happy in order to remain on the channel past the original deal. Considering that, and WWE needing to make a good first impression, it's pretty obvious as to why Lesnar needs to be the focus of Friday Night SmackDown going forward.
In the end, this isn't really a permanent thing, but it is something that needs to be done in order to make sure that WWE and Fox Sports get off on the right foot. Lesnar is also a guaranteed attention grabber, which he has more than proven in the past and there should be no doubt that he can do it again when on prime time.
#2 Possible dream matches
Something else the WWE Universe needs to consider is the sheer number of dream matches that are possible with Brock Lesnar as Friday Night SmackDown's centerpiece. Of course, these matches would be possible with or without the WWE Title in play, but the presence of the big gold belt definitely ups the ante a bit.
While fans are probably loathing the idea of another title run for Lesnar, one has to realize that it doesn't have to be a permanent deal or even long term. All WWE really has to do is bring casual viewers and longtime fans in with Lesnar's legitimacy and then put the title on someone else once they are hooked on the product.
Again, it's not a forever thing, but the dream matches that are possible with Brock Lesnar as WWE Champion are just too much to ignore. In fact between, The Fiend, Kofi Kingston, Kevin Owens, Baron Corbin or even a rising NXT Superstar, it's pretty obvious that putting the belt on Brock would make for some must-see matches.
In the end, the company needs some dream matches in order to bring fans along during the fall months and Lesnar is just the right puzzle piece to make that happen.
#1 Name recognition
Those irritated at the thought of Brock Lesnar once again taking main event status in WWE possibly fail to realize the effect that doing so will have on pro wrestling for years to come. They may also fail to realize that his name recognition in the mainstream media will carry WWE to all new heights.
If nothing else, Brock Lesnar's name recognition from his days in UFC alone is enough to justify his spot at the top of the blue brand. In fact, between his undeniable ability to hurt his opponents in The Octagon and his imposing size, Lesnar is the main attraction that WWE needs to court the casual sports fans.
Of course, fans are going to cry that he held the Universal title picture hostage and only showed up when the money was right, but he is arguably the only person that can get Friday Night SmackDown off to the start it needs. Beyond that, he's also one of the only Superstars that have the mainstream appeal that is needed for this situation.
Think about it like this: WWE already has a rock-solid fan base after months of brilliant programming and giving viewers what they want. What they don't have however is a bridge that will link them to the casual viewer and help give SmackDown the numbers they need early on
That, in the big picture, is what's going to matter.
Agree? Disagree? Not sure? Let us know either way by sounding off in the comments section below and, as always, thanks for reading.
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