How WWE Destroy Their Own Creations

Big Dave was in great form on the show itself. He hadn't had to do his pyro-free entrance like Edge, hadn't been shoehorned into a dance break by Vince McMahon nor was he trotted out like the aforementioned 'Deadman' like an aged afterthought. But if his segment was anything at all, it was a kickoff to a build. And WWE haven't quite yet destroyed that.

'The Show Of Shows' brings out the best in the company ahead of the event itself, despite divisive takes on the supersized shows and the reliance on megastars as the Royal Rumble gives way to the Road to WrestleMania. But on the night, 'The Game' has taken occasional praise for efforts against The Undertaker and Daniel Bryan and flushed it away with overwrought and insecure displays against Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and Sting. Overlong, overwrought and over-reliant on banter respectively, all three hugely underperformed on reasoned expectations.

Only Batista's sheer popularity stopped it happening once before. Their WrestleMania 21 main event drew one of the best buyrates in the history of the show, but Hunter's insistence on them going long in the match that night threatened to undermine 'The Animal's intensity. Two more consecutive pay-per-view jobs wiped away that stain, but Triple H has nothing to lose in 2019. Nor a reason to.

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