5 Future WWE Tournament Ideas That Must Be Considered

The Mae Young Classic is coming down the pipeline, so WWE fans can prepare themselves for weeks of competitive in-ring action, light on storylines. The Cruiserweight Classic and United Kingdom Tournaments have reignited WWE's confidence in the elimination format, after King of the Ring finally fizzled out some 15 years ago, with the exception of soft revivals.

Tournaments like these showcase the best independent talent from around the world. That said, a great deal of the talent currently signed to WWE would probably love an opportunity to shine with high-stakes matches like these.

With that in mind, WWE shouldn't confine their competitions to special Network events. Incorporating matches with specific importance breaks up the exhibition matches that we see throughout Raw and SmackDown.

This is an exciting way for WWE writers to use their creativity in a structured way. The greatness of the CWC and UK tournaments wasn't just from the in-ring action, but also the sports-like storylines of competitors striving for glory, and dealing with the weight of failure.

As WWE's roster expands even further, TV time is becoming an even scarcer resource. Giving little-used wrestlers spots in these events shows the fans, and the talent themselves, that the company still values them.

Here are a few tournament concepts that WWE could implement...

Plenty of wrestling promotions around the world love to harness the excitement of the trios match, known in WWE terms as the six-man tag. Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) pack their card with traditional three-on-three matches; Ring of Honor, New Japan and Lucha Underground all have their own Trios Championships; and indie promotion Chikara hold their annual 'King of Trios' tournament which always generates buzz.

WWE don't have a great deal of factions greater than two people, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Having wrestlers band together in groups of three offers shiny new storyline options for the writers to play with. WWE often love to end Raw and SmackDown by combining the shows' two big singles feuds into one tag team match; faces on one side, heels on the other. What WWE rarely do is delve into the intricacies of these partnerships. It's usually taken for granted that both teams will tag effectively.

A trios tournament has bountiful storyline potential, looking at the unique problems involved with uniting with one other to achieve a common goal.

Would we see a Shield reunion? Perhaps The Club finally unite? Or, god forbid, a British Strong Style appearance? Maybe they could call it 'The Teddy Long Classic.' Holla.