10 Mistakes WWE Must Not Repeat In 2017

6. Neutering The Conqueror

Kevin Owens Critics Wwe Universal Champion
WWE.com

Brock Lesnar's 2016 has been The Conqueror's Annus Horribilis.

His performance in the Royal Rumble was unremarkable. The Triple Threat match alongside Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose, at Fastlane, was nowhere near the level of his usual form with that stipulation. His WrestleMania marquee bout was almost insultingly lazy. Then, his successful UFC detour was blemished by a USADA doping violation.

His WWE return match, opposite Randy Orton at SummerSlam, did little for either man. The novelty of the finish has worn off. Now that the dust has settled, we can see clearly that it was a senseless contravention of wrestling logic. Why didn't they just use the blade?

If any good can come from the shock Survivor Series squash at Goldberg's hands, it's that it may yet awaken the hibernating beast, and force him to forego his dreary Suplex City routine. The booking surrounding Lesnar has been as unimaginative as his performances. A failure. He fought Orton because Orton was an established star. That was about it. His match with Goldberg was an advert for a video game.

If this all reads as hyperbolic, consider that Paul Heyman at this point is single-handedly making Brock Lesnar bearable. Who gets paid more?

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Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!