10 Booking Directions Heading Into WWE Payback 2017
4. A Brock Lesnar Invitational
Although fans were generally pleased to see The Beast Incarnate walk out of WrestleMania 33 with the Universal Championship, tempers have flared once more following the announcement of Brock’s foreseeable WWE schedule.
Although he’s slated to appear more regularly than usual over the course of 2017, Lesnar is not currently advertised for any episodes of RAW between now and WWE Payback, despite being the brand’s lead champion. Not only does this mean Kevin Owens will technically become the brand’s poster champ once more, it also means that Paul Heyman will be the only person available to build any feuds for Lesnar in the coming weeks.
Thankfully, there is a workaround that makes sense: Heyman claims, somewhat accurately, that nobody on RAW’s roster is worthy of taking on Brock Lesnar. So he sets up an invitational tournament, so any RAW Superstar willing and able can prove their worth and become number one contender. It’d make for some exciting one-off matches, would fill what might otherwise be dead TV time, and would adequately cover up Brock’s absence by at least making his abstract presence known.
Such a tournament would probably have to be announced following the Superstar Shakeup, so as not to leave transitioning wrestlers unable to compete, but it could serve as a fantastic way for former SmackDown Superstars to make an immediate impact on RAW.