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It was previously advertised that we'd get to learn who Aleister Black's Extreme Rules opponent is on SmackDown Live. A lot of names were thrown around, of course, and one of them was Cesaro.
Clad in a suit, looking as suave as ever, the Swiss Superman would show up on SmackDown Live to accept Aleister Black's big challenge. The two men will clash at Extreme Rules in what will be Aleister Black's first real program on the main roster, outside of a tag team environment.
I know that a lot of you must be wondering why Aleister Black was picked over everyone else. Let me try and answer the question across 5 very distinct points.
Please feel free to let me know your thoughts and opinions in the comments below.
#5 Cesaro has been getting a singles push
While it has not been as evident or obvious as it should be, Cesaro has been getting a big singles push over the past few weeks. It was evident from the fact that he scored a win over No Way Jose on RAW with the Sharpshooter. While a win over No Way Jose is not a big feat in itself, the fact is that Cesaro is being given quite the push.
Another thing that proves this is the fact that while Sheamus is ready and raring to go again, Cesaro has not been paired with him at least for the time being. A lot of fans have waited for the opportunity for the Swiss Superman to be himself, to showcase just what he can do. As good as The Bar was, we only got to see a glimpse of Cesaro's talent.
Let's hope the man gets his due at last. He deserves it.
See WWE Smackdown Results, Highlights of event, & more on WWE Smackdown Results page
#4 The influence of Paul Heyman
I know what a lot of you must be thinking right now. Paul Heyman may have a say in what happens on RAW, but why is Cesaro being pushed on SmackDown Live then? Isn't Eric Bischoff the man who's in the Executive Director chair on SmackDown Live, at this point?
The fact of the matter is that Paul Heyman has a lot more say in the WWE creative process right now and also has Vince McMahon's ear. One can even say that the two rosters aren't very distinct at this moment either because of the Wild Card rule. We all know how big a fan Paul Heyman is of Cesaro, which is why he probably wants him pushed all the way to the very top.
This is a great time for Cesaro in my opinion. It always pays to have an advocate (no pun intended).
#3 The injury to Randy Orton
Now the thing is that Randy Orton has been facing Aleister Black at Live Events. And this could have been the setup for the match at Extreme Rules, because if you think about it, Orton is the perfect opponent for Black.
I mean who better to launch Black into the spotlight than someone who's a legend like Randy Orton? Randy Orton could also do with a fresh opponent considering that he hasn't been doing much since his feud with AJ Styles and the subsequent Money in the Bank match.
Plus, even purely from a character point of view alone, Aleister Black's opponent was playing mind games with him. Unfortunately, a neck injury has caused Randy Orton to miss quite a bit of time over the past few months.
Well, Orton's loss is Cesaro's gain because I can totally imagine Black teaing it up with him at Extreme Rules.
#2 Potential opponent for Kofi Kingston and Finn Balor down the line
There is a serious dearth of strong heels in WWE, at this point in time, in my personal opinion. I mean ask yourself who does Kofi Kingston face if he puts Samoa Joe away. The SmackDown side of the roster, in particular, is lacking in bad guys.
And the number of heels came down even further last week when Kevin Owens turned face. Andrade is still very much a mid-card performer and while he's on his way to the top, he still has some time to go before he gets there. Ziggler is getting stale and even though his performances are really good, sometimes the audience fails to engage with him at an emotional level, like they do with other heels.
Cesaro could have great matches with both Balor and Kofi Kingston. While McIntyre and Elias remain Shane McMahon's lackeys, Cesaro is a good alternative.
#1 Hard-hitting match with Aleister Black guaranteed
Ultimately, it's all about having that perfect match at WWE Extreme Rules, is it not? I think that a match between these two Europeans will be a great clash for a variety of reasons.
Not only is Cesaro perhaps the most underrated worker in the entire roster at the moment, he has a hard-hitting style that should complement Aleister Black in what will be his repackaged debut at WWE Extreme Rules. Moreover, Cesaro has the experience to be a great ring general in this match, ensuring that the two men have a clash to remember.
Honestly, if the two men have chemistry, this is a feud that can go on for a while. Cesaro could be the man who launches Aleister Black to the next level.
Ladies and gentlemen, in a card that isn't filled with too many winners, this is the match to really watch out for as the show stealer.
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