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Many fans met Brock Lesnar's Universal Title win at Crown Jewel with disdain and disappointment.
A lot of people felt it would finally be time for Braun Strowman to steer the ship on Monday Nights.
Several things, however, have changed those perceptions over the last month or so.
The main point to remember is that Roman Reigns' shocking announcement of his battle with leukemia affected a lot of people emotionally. It also forced WWE to rethink and reassess its plans both in the short term and long term.
Many storylines were starting to take shape while others had been planned long beforehand.
Since Reigns obviously featured prominently in a lot of those plans, drastic yet sensible plans had to be followed.
Here are five reasons why Brock Lesnar will likely hold on to the Universal Championship until Wrestlemania 35.
#5: Strowman allegedly may have some backstage heat and may even be injured
Backstage heat.
Those two words are the worst thing that can plague a wrestler.
If he or she is hand-picked for bigger things, anything that causes backstage heat will usually stall that push a wrestler might be getting.
A DUI, insensitive comments on social media or even news that paints the superstar and/or WWE in negative light will cancel a wrestler's push.
WWE holds its superstars to a higher standard than they ever have before, so anything seen as detrimental is a death blow for a wrestler penciled in for a big push.
Just ask Big Cass about his political views. Or don't.
According to Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com's radio show, Braun didn't win the Universal Title at Crown Jewel because he is indeed suffering from a case of backstage heat
The report mentions that Strowman is "negligent about showing up on time and leaving early" among other things.
If these things are indeed true, then we now know why he didn't capture his first singles' title in the WWE.
Until you do win the major title, you probably need to be extra careful to do things the right way. If you don't, you might have to wait even longer before you win a title.
Once a wrestler wins a major title, then they might start to gain more pull backstage.
Whether these rumors about him are true or not, it's disappointing not to see someone who's been on the cusp of super-stardom win the title to legitimize themselves.
Another thought is that perhaps he is hurt. He was squashed relatively quickly and his role on the following Raw was merely to chase Baron Corbin around the arena.
Is he truly hurt or is he in the doghouse? Whichever is true, it was frustrating to put the belt back on a guy they worked so hard to take it off of.
#4: He is a safe option for WWE as a champion
One thing is certain when tough times dictate how to do things in the WWE: sometimes the safest option is the best.
Although it wasn't the most popular decision at the time to put the belt back on Lesnar, it was the safest option in WWE's minds to give him the title.
They're heading into Wrestlemania season and with Roman's sudden announcement, WWE had to call a lot of audibles.
Had Reigns still competed at Crown Jewel, he would have likely won. It was thought that the triple threat match would put an end to this chapter of the Lesnar/Reigns feud
He is clearly the safest option as Universal Champion in WWE's opinion. It might be unpopular, but only Finn Balor remains regarding former Universal Title holders and Vince McMahon has likely soured on him.
The other men to hold the red belt - Kevin Owens, Goldberg, Roman Reigns - are either hurt or currently not in the plans for WWE.
And although Seth Rollins is a no-brainer as the focal point of Raw, his storyline was kicked into motion the same night his Shield brother made his heartbreaking announcement.
#3: Seth Rollins' dance card was already full
Seth Rollins has been killing it this year, and was perhaps having one of the best years of any superstar in history in terms of in-ring performance.
His matches with the Intercontinental Title with the Miz, Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre have been some of the best work of any WWE superstar over the last few years.
Because he's been embroiled with either the Intercontinental Title picture or Shield business, his storyline card has been set in stone prior to Roman Reigns' news.
He was clearly slated for a program with Dean Ambrose in the near future. Reigns' announcement facilitated that.
Ambrose turned on Rollins on the same night, kicking off an inevitable program between the two.
On the most recent Raw, Rollins was forced to defend the tag titles alone against the Authors of Pain.
Ambrose showed up after Rollins succumbed to AOP only to offer no explanation and DDT his former mate.
The feud between the two stars is just starting and it might even last until Wrestlemania 35. Because of this, Rollins probably won't be going after Brock in the ring but only on the microphone.
If he wins the Royal Rumble, though, things might change. It all depends on how long the Ambrose feud lasts and how many appearances they can get out of Lesnar.
#2: WWE may want the first ever UFC/WWE Champion under his umbella
Ever since the summer, we knew that Brock would be heading back to the UFC at some point in the near future.
He still wants to compete in both avenues and feels he has unfinished business in the UFC.
He has been in the business of only accepting fights on a per-appearance basis much like he has done with the WWE.
Since he isn't signed to a multi-fight contract with the UFC, he's free to bounce back and forth between the two organizations as he sees fit.
As long as he enters the USADA Drug Testing pool by a certain date, he can fight in the UFC as early as next March.
Because of his agreements with both companies, he has the freedom to pick and choose when he fights/wrestles. It's truly remarkable that someone is able to do that in this day and age, but Lesnar is a special talent whether he's loved or hated.
Since putting the title on Lesnar was a safer, easier decision than going with someone else, Vince's plans for the title also have changed.
Since Lesnar is still technically under both companies' umbrellas, he could conceivably win the top prize in each company.
You can bet all you can that Vince is hoping that he's the one to present the masses with the first person to ever simultaneously hold both the Universal Championship and UFC Heavyweight title. You know he's licking his chops.
If Lesnar completes that historical achievement, it might also prolong his second title reign. They likely won't take the belt off of him so soon after potentially winning the UFC Heavyweight title.
It will likely take someone special and who the backstage brass is extremely high on to eventually take the Universal Title from Brock a second time.
#1: Whoever dethrones him will get an enormous rub
You can make one thing for sure: whomever dethrones Brock Lesnar and takes the Universal Title off his waist will be a made man.
That wrestler will get a huge rub and will likely be the centerpiece of the WWE during the spring/summer months. It will provide WWE with a big storyline whenever it happens.
While many think it might eventually be Strowman who does it, don't be surprised if it's someone like Rollins or Drew McIntyre.
Creative is extremely high on both men and backstage rumors have suggested that McIntyre is in line for a huge push next year.
Could that involve a showdown with the Beast? He's constantly stated that a lot of people backstage are complacent and that he's back to win the Universal Title.
Vince has always been high on McIntyre and this could or could not be the start of Drew's ascension as a permanent main-event player. It would certainly be refreshing for a new face to win a major title.
Of course Rollins is also always a threat to win the Universal Title. He hasn't held that belt yet and is one of the most trusted performers on the roster.
He likely doesn't need the rub of beating Lesnar since he already had a run with the WWE Championship. Whether he does or does not dethrone Brock remains to be seen, but he will be one of the biggest heroes going forward if he does so.
Whether it's McIntyre, Rollins or someone else, the man who sends Lesnar 'packing' will be a hero to the fans.
