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WWE Survivor Series has been a long show, but honestly, it's also been a pretty rewarding show all around. Vince McMahon and his Creative Team went all the way to book the battle between RAW, SmackDown and NXT for brand supremacy in the perfect manner.
However, the clash between Brock Lesnar and Rey Mysterio wasn't for brand supremacy considering both men belong to the same WWE brand. It was personal because Brock Lesnar committed the ultimate sin - he lay his hands on Rey Mysterio's son.
So why did the story end with the villain picking up the victory and retaining his prestigious Championship? In this article, I shall delve into why it happened and I invite you to do the same in the comments.
And as always, please rate every match from WWE Survivor Series in this section and leave a comment about the matches!
#5 Brock Lesnar hardly ever loses a match at all
How do you build a monster? You have him/her run through every opponent that stands up to him/her and establish the said Superstar as someone who wins far more than he/she loses. WWE has been following this formula with Brock Lesnar from the moment that he made his debut.
I mean he was defeating the top stars right from the get-go even back in the early 2000s when he was made a part of the WWE roster. And so, it is not surprising at all that Vince McMahon did not book Rey Mysterio to defeat Lesnar. I mean how often is it that you recall the sight of seeing Brock Lesnar take a pinfall on any occasion?
And that's why whenever he loses, it makes news! Take Goldberg's big return match for instance where the world was shocked that Brock Lesnar took a pin!
#4 Lesnar's reign has been far too short
A lot of people were upset that Brock Lesnar became the WWE Champion on the inaugural episode of SmackDown on FOX. And this is because Kofi Kingston, who'd been booked as a strong Champion until that point, lost in a matter of seconds to The Beast Incarnate. Since then, he's defeated Cain Velasquez at Crown Jewel too. But that's about as long as Brock Lesnar's reign has been thus far.
We often complain about the fact that WWE does not invest too much time into their Champions and whether or not that rule applies to Brock for the Internet Wrestling Community, it makes sense for him to reign as a formidable Champion for some time before losing the title. Because when a top star eventually unseats him from the throne, it will establish the said Superstar as a big deal and give him the legit rub!
#3 Mysterio's recent booking hasn't been WWE Champion worthy
Not long ago, I had a chance to interact with former WWE Spanish announcer- Hugo Savinovich. Mr. Savinovich is a huge fan of Rey Mysterio as a person and as a performer and was critical of the way he was being booked by WWE's creative team.
He had the following to say during the exclusive interview:
"Yes, I believe that WWE has not used Rey Mysterio the right way. And they have wasted a pure talent that is loved from India to Japan to Chile to Mexico to the United States to Canada. He translates into one of those wrestling warriors that people love to see and I believe that finally he's getting an opportunity to shine! And I hope that this Brock Lesnar feud is not just one battle."
A WWE Champion needs to be built over time. Of course, Rey Mysterio's legacy speaks for itself, but he's not been portrayed as a top star in recent times.
For Vince McMahon to make him WWE Champion out of the blue would have been weird. This was the right move!
#2 To drop the Championship to a rising star
I have been a fan of Rey Mysterio ever since he put on those incredible matches with the Cruiserweights back in his WCW days. The man still moves as nimbly and swiftly as someone half his age and can perform at the peak of his ability.
But it is no surprise that the man is closer to the end of his career than the start, and this match too was a 'passing of the torch' in a sense. Whether or not you liked the contest, a brand new star was born in Rey Mysterio's son and I have no doubt that he's destined to become a big-time legend someday.
It makes more sense for Lesnar to run through his opponents and drop the title to someone like Drew McIntyre than losing to Rey Mysterio at Survivor Series. At least, that's my personal take and quite possibly, Vince McMahon's point of view too!
#1 The crossover appeal of Brock Lesnar
And finally, let's look at what makes Brock Lesnar the highest paid WWE Superstar in the entire roster. I mean he does not work nearly as hard as the rest of the WWE roster which is out of the road all the time, so why does he get paid the most?
The answer is because of the immense crossover appeal he brings. In addition to everything that the man has achieved inside a squared circle, he's also a renowned name in the world of MMA, as a former UFC Champion.
We all know that WWE will always go the extra mile to bring over new viewers, going to the extent of inviting boxers like Tyson Fury to be a part of their product. A UFC fan who's switching channels may just stop when he sees Brock Lesnar with the WWE Championship.
Rey Mysterio has also achieved a lot in the wrestling business but his accolades are confined to pro-wrestling alone.
