I've read diverse opinions on next month's Universal title match between champion Brock Lesnar and challenger Samoa Joe. Anyone that thinks this isn't the right move for WWE at this point has to be dreaming.
As Joe himself admitted on "Raw Talk", this is a dream match, one that internet fans have probably been wishing for ever since both men emerged on the scene 15 years ago. Joe has been a champion virtually everywhere he's been. Lesnar has amateur & pro titles under his belt, including his stint as UFC champion. This is a match that sells itself, one that WWE Uncreative can't screw up, but knowing the head nutcase in charge, they probably will, because the master plan still seems to be Braun Strowman vs. Lesnar at Summerslam in August.
But what if Joe adds the Universal title to his resume? What if he beats Brock? Joe vs. Strowman would also be a fresh matchup. Knowing Vince McMahon, however, it could either end up a triple threat in Brooklyn (Lesnar-Strowman-Joe), or a fatal 4-way, if Seth Rollins gets back in the mix. Why bother having Joe-Rollins on PPV again?
I watched the video of Joe choking out Paul Heyman. Joe invoked the old Road Warriors' credo of telling you what they're going to do, then doing it. The promo work of Heyman & Joe was money all by itself. In a subsequent backstage skit, Heyman was contacted by phone, seemingly by Lesnar, to set up the champion returning to Raw next week. Like I said, McMahon & Uncreative would be stupid to screw this up, but I wouldn't be at all surprised, of course, if they did.
So what's the missing ingredient? Someone Heyman knows pretty well, who hasn't been in WWE in 7 years. Yep, that's right. Taz, who was Joe's advisor for a brief time in TNA before moving back to broadcasting. You wonder, though, if he burned his bridges with WWE upon leaving for TNA in 2010. If he hasn't, he'd be a welcome return, and the sight of Taz choking out Heyman while Joe deals with Lesnar, would be priceless.
You see, McMahon has tried repeatedly to catch lightning in a bottle again with the anti-hero badass gimmick that worked so well for Steve Austin 20 years ago. Taz should've been that man, but Uncreative mishandled him into premature retirement. CM Punk? Same thing. Joe is the guy. Yes, the fans chanted for Brock, but I'd not be surprised that come July 9, we'll hear a familiar chant:
"Joe's gonna kill you!"
If I'm McMahon, I make sure Joe stays in the title picture from this point on. In my book, Rollins is and always has been overrated. I've seen enough of Joe's matches from his TNA days to know he's the real thing.
This is the money match you've waited for. Watch Uncreative screw up again. Just don't say I didn't warn you.
