2 Ups & 6 Downs From WWE Starrcade 2019
1. False Finish
Kevin Owens and Bobby Lashley having an on-the-spot match as the main event of the televised portion of Starrcade felt like a middle finger to the progeny of Dusty Rhodes, not least considering Cody's current propensity for avoiding all of this sort of sh*t in his own company.
"No-one cares about the two of you and your stupid relationship" was the babyface version of Lana's troll material just seconds earlier - characters being used in kayfabe to try and talk around the company's creative deficiencies. It got a pop, just like the announcement from 'KO' that he'd take Rusev's place, but WWE were careful to end one match and start another before this kicked off. Of course they were - it allowed for a disqualification finish in an unplanned replacement match when Rusev broke another restraining order and decked his love rival.
Vince McMahon supposedly prides himself on only providing better replacements when he has to make changes to his televised cards. Company policy even, based on the last few years. Did he forget Starrcade was actually on the air?