WWE Backstage (May 19th, 2020) - 5 Takeaways from this week's show

#2 How should the IC title tournament play out?

Who else will advance this week?

With Sami Zayn not available for SmackDown, the IC title tournament has started to crown a new Champion. The panelists were asked about how it should play out and who should emerge victorious. Ember Moon felt like "for the past four or five months, we had a remodel and I feel like we never got to see how pretty the title was. I feel like this is an opportunity to elevate the title." She added that "it needs to be held and about time that we get back to our roots with the Intercontinental title. Make it about wrestling."

Mark Henry claimed that "Daniel Bryan deserves it. He's worked hard. But then again, you have AJ Styles that is just as seasoned and just as decorated. It would make magic to have them wrestle" for the belt. Renee was in the ring with Bryan during his impassioned speech following his win over Drew Gulak. She claimed that "we've already gotten to see what Daniel Bryan can do (in the tourney). Without anyone there, you can feel something special in the ring."

Booker picked "a lot of guys" but "personally, AJ Styles. Daniel Bryan is gonna go out there and perform at a high level." Ember claimed that storylines need to return to make the title feel more prestigious. Booker T claimed that "when I won the TV title in WCW, I said that I'd defend it every week on TV and I did it. I don't think a storyline is needed."

Henry felt that "people like Sheamus and Shinsuke, they don't get the opportunities all the time because they just go out there and fight." Ember Moon ended by saying "let me see a best of seven. Let me see someone struggle to get to Daniel Bryan (if he wins) and make me feel something. They're going so much harder but make it be for something. Give it purpose."