The Day The WWE Universal Title Died
The Universal Championship didn't die on March 5th 2017 just because Kevin Owens' seven months as champion came to an end in just 22 seconds thanks to the Spear of a man that couldn't really do much more. Nor did it die because that Spear came as result of Kevin Owens being frozen in fear at the sight of old friend-turned-nemesis Chris Jericho on the ramp. Nor even because there'd never be decent defences of it in the future.
No, it died because Vince McMahon tried to kill it with kindness and - in keeping with his current form - only booked half the story.
Goldberg's return at the prior November's Survivor Series had been a roaring success thanks mostly to the dominant manner in which he destroyed perennial monster Brock Lesnar. There was a counterproductive element to this not dissimilar from the debate about 'The Beast' being chosen to end The Undertaker's streak, but - as with WrestleMania 30's shocker - the exciting ends appeared to justify the means.
In tandem with this programme, Jericho and Owens had worked carefully on the subtleties of their friendship and how vital the increasingly endearing 'Y2J' had been in ensuring 'KO's title remained within their ranks. Both stories could proffer WrestleMania-sized tension, but only one could be for all the proverbial marbles. McMahon - perhaps due to the weekly doses of Jericho/Owens compared to the rarer Goldberg/Lesnar shots in the arm - went with the latter over the former.
It wouldn't nor couldn't kick out when the ramifications of that decision became clearer.
CONT'D...