8 Times Game Of Thrones Booked Pro Wrestling Better Than WWE
4. Drogo Vs. Mago
The squash match: asimple and effective way to get top fighters over and create a clearly defined tier system in your roster.
Khal Drogo is known as one of the most fearsome fighters in the world by this point but we hadn’t actually seen him live up to that reputation. But when Mago disrespects Daenerys and challenges the Khal’s leadership, we find out in short order that Drogo deserves every syllable of respect he’d received so far. He digs Mago’s sword into his own shoulder - cuz he’s bad as s**t - , disarms himself, does his best Anderson Silva impression, cuts Mago’s throat with his own sword, and then to top it off, rips Mogo’s larynx out with his bare hands…
Top of the card guys should almost always squash anyone lower than upper-midcard, but every once in a while a truly motivated Top Guy should show just how elite they are by kicking the teeth off an uppity upper-midcarder.
When fans start having the “who would beat who” conversation, this is why a guy like Drogo can be mentioned without raising eyebrows. If everyone on a roster is perceived as having a real chance at beating anyone else (WWE), then you completely lose any sense of competitive stratification (WWE), which hamstrings your ability to create logical expectations (WWE) or book genuinely interesting matches (aaand WWE). You even lose the ability to tell underdog stories because no win is really a shock.
Clearly defined hierarchies are crucially important in any competitive sport, and one of the best ways to define a hierarchy is to every once in a while have someone you want to get over strong, rip a respectable opponent's throat out with his bare hands. Speaking of squashes and peoples bare hands…