'%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)
As has been repeated many a time and then some, Brock Lesnar and Cain Velasquez met in the octagon in the UFC. When the fight happened, it was Velasquez who came out on top, besting the Beast Incarnate in an unscripted environment.
But when the two men met in a WWE ring in Saudi Arabia, it was Brock Lesnar who came out on top in the said contest. It was an MMA style match where the two men traded blows before Lesnar made Cain Velasquez tap out to retain his Championship.
So why did WWE choose to have Cain Velasquez, who's a huge crossover athlete from the MMA world, lose to Brock Lesnar in his debut match? Why was the decision from the MMA world not repeated in a WWE ring, you ask?
I shall supply you with 5 reasons and I request you, ladies and gentlemen, to leave a comment and let me know what you think.
#5 Sets up a rubber match between Lesnar & Velasquez
The worst thing you can do in the business of professional wrestling is to have a match that ends in a full stop. If a good story is told concerning the individuals in the match, the program can stretch over a period of months. The storyline right now is that Brock Lesnar defeated Cain Velasquez in Saudi Arabia, to avenge his UFC loss, and their record right now is 1-1.
What this essentially does is set up a rubber match down the line where the two men can clash against one another to determine who the ultimate fighter is. If you've followed WWE's booking patterns over the years, you'll know that this is precisely the kind of program that the company is likely to book between these two MMA megastars.
#4 Velasquez is unprepared to be the WWE Champion
While a lot of you may be fuming online that Lesnar is the WWE Champion, ask yourself if you would be happier if Velasquez was the WWE Champion instead. A WWE Champion has to be the central attraction of the show that he's on, and the simple fact of the matter is that Velasquez isn't one in the world of professional wrestling. He may be a draw in the MMA world but isn't at the same level as Ronda Rousey or Conor McGregor, quite honestly.
Velasquez has limited experience in a professional wrestling ring, and while he's certain to become a lot better with time, he's just not ready for the big time at the moment. The match that kicked off Crown Jewel was sloppy and not exactly Flair vs Steamboat, as you guys saw.
Still, congratulations to Velasquez for what was certainly an impactful WWE debut.
#3 Mysterio vs Lesnar is the money match
It all began back when Brock Lesnar was scheduled to take on Kofi Kingston and went into beast mode. The two men who felt the brunt of his anger and his ire were Rey Mysterio and his son, as Brock Lesnar destroyed them with an absolute pounding.
We all saw how Rey Mysterio came to the aid of his friend Cain Velasquez even though he had a sling attached to his arm. The promo he cut at the end of the match made it clear that the two men were not done with one another, which leads to an interesting possibility.
If Mysterio goes on to win the Royal Rumble and challenge Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania, it would make for a fantastic story. It would be the ultimate story between David and Goliath, before a packed WrestleMania crowd.
Maybe this was just the setup for the match to follow.
#2 To prevent discontent in the locker room
WWE enjoyed a monopoly for many years, but they are not the only game in town anymore. And WWE has often been accused of bringing in big names from the mainstream world and pushing them ahead of full-time members of the active roster. And whenever this happens, there's always a sense of discontent in the backstage area.
One has to assume that people wouldn't be happy with Cain Velasquez becoming WWE Champion in his first match. We all hear stories about how angry the locker room was back when Goldberg was pushed ahead of experienced stars in WCW. The same thing could have happened in this case too.
A happy locker room always makes for a better product as we are well aware. Brock Lesnar may not be a part of the full-time roster, but he's been around long enough, to have earned his position in the company.
#1 To prevent a Roman Reigns like situation by pushing Velasquez too hard
The WWE fan in 2019 is extremely vocal, especially on social media. We all saw how they announced their displeasure with regard to the finish of the Hell in a Cell main event by chanting for AEW.
We all know that while they were rooting for Roman Reigns once upon a time when he was pushed to the top, the fans did not like it. Is it any wonder that Daniel Bryan considers the modern fan to be 'fickle'?
Had Cain Velasquez been made the WWE Champion, the audience would have rebelled in much the same manner because his push would have come way too soon. And WWE would not have wanted such a massive backlash, in light of declining ratings for SmackDown.
Velasquez needs to bide his time and wait for his opportunity!
Follow Sportskeeda Wrestling and Sportskeeda MMA on Twitter for all the latest news. Do not miss out!
