The end of automatic rematches- Smackdown edition!

[Futureraven: Beelzebruv]

So glad we're in this new era where the easy "books guys against each other over and over again" style of feud is gone.

Let's look at the US title, Rusev won it, and moving forward he's going to be facing... Nakamura, the guy he beat.

Well, Nakamura came out and did a beat down, so as a one off that's cool.

But what about the WWE title! They had a number 1 contender's match, so it's not a personal feud, anyone at all could win it, I mean, 6 guys, so many options! Plus it's going to be at the Rumble so they can experiment a bit.

Oh.

It's AJ Styles.

This is going well a couple of weeks in.

[TWERKIN' MAGGLE]

It wouldn't be considered an automatic rematch anyway.

Bryan beat him. And then beat him in the rematch at TLC.

[Futureraven: Beelzebruv]

Technically yes.

But the problem wasn't automatic rematches as such, it was guys having the same matches month after month after month.

How many times did AJ face Nakamura? Joe? Those were never automatic rematches because the challenger never won, but it was that same neverending feud booking that was killing things.

[Deleted]

Yeah, that's what I feel like people are missing in the, "But AJ wasn't just GIVEN the title shot!" thing. The issue isn't how he got the shot, it's that WWE's swearing things aren't going to be as bogged down in rematches anymore and yet they're just going ahead and doing the same thing they've been doing since October again anyway.

[Deleted]

Wwe is that ex who tells you everything you want to hear and hopes the lip service is enough, though at least with most ex's you get to enjoy some lip service (;]) while putting up with same ol.

I'm glad my only wwe interaction anymore is through the enjoyable lens of the FAN community

[chronocross]

I had no problem with the former champion earning his way into a title shot instead of being handed a title shot automatically, so I don't have a problem with it. Bryan will retain more than likely and maybe face Ali in February or defend in the E.Chamber.

[Deleted]

They’re doing something interesting with AJ and Vince so I’m cool with it. Plus more Bryan vs Styles. What’s to complain about?

[YAKMAN is ICHIBAN]

AJ loses, narrowly. Hell, maybe a surprise rollup by Mustafa Ali on Orton or Rey.

AJ wins rumble

Bryan vs AJ at rumble

That's how I'd do it, unless they have other plans for the two at Mania. Give them a bit of space, build anticipation.

[hbkid718]

It's a new year. Whatever happened last year is in the past. 2019 is a clean slate. Also, this isn't a re-match. It's The Real AJ Styles VS The New Daniel Bryan. Those 2 never wrestled each other before.

[anglarite]

I wonder whether things already were put into motion for the Rumble -- opponents already started to plan and practice their matches and such. So maybe they just wrote a bit around the cause to keep the already set pairings, and maybe things might be different for the next ppv?

[Jacy Derangement Syndrome]

XWF

NO PRIMADONAS

[eJm]

Jan 2, 2019 10:07:22 GMT -5 chronocross said:

I had no problem with the former champion earning his way into a title shot instead of being handed a title shot automatically, so I don't have a problem with it. Bryan will retain more than likely and maybe face Ali in February or defend in the E.Chamber.

Yeah, I mean that’s how it was done back in the day to at least give other people opportunities to get title shots and set up/continue feuds.

Now I hope it’s not a recurring thing like it was back in 2000 where Rock apparently had to win a billion matches to get one of his billion shots at HHH throughout the year.

[häšhtå.gdālėÿ]

It’s a title match on a card where the title match doesn’t matter. It gets AJ out of the Rumble and hypothetically gives someone else a shot at WM where the title match should matter.

I don’t see the issue at all.

[Chiral]

It's pretty weak, they could have like waited a PPV before going back to the same match (since they've promised fresh matchups most of the shows have had the same cards anyways). But since the road that got there is slightly different I guess that's...progress?

[Deleted]

Uh, Nakamura sort of inadvertently attacked Lana and attacked Rusev from behind. If I was Rusev, I’d want to whoop his ass all over the place, even if my title was on the line.

On the AJ situation, what would you rather have? AJ going “I HAVE MY REMATCH AHAH?” Have Joe win it just so people would call him a bitch when he loses? Have people claim Ali was “buried” by losing on his first title match at the rumble? Have people call Orton the “boring” option? The only person I could see is Styles and Rey, and Rey is occupied with a feud with Orton (for now.)

AJ had to earn his opportunity in a damn good fatal five way with a rookie who got a nice rub and four seasoned veterans that can put on an excellent matchup. I personally don’t see the issues whatsoever.

People have a right to question this “new era,” but sometimes it’s best to try and take a step back and enjoy the ride for what it is.

[This Player Hating Mothman]

Jan 2, 2019 18:50:41 GMT -5 häšhtå.gdālėÿ said:

It’s a title match on a card where the title match doesn’t matter. It gets AJ out of the Rumble and hypothetically gives someone else a shot at WM where the title match should matter.

I don’t see the issue at all.

The issue is that they literally just made a big deal out of how they're going to change things and do better because people were tuning out and not happy, and the only change of even the faintest substance they qualified was that they were dealing with this one thing, and what people cared about is only sort of adjacent to the in-universe justification. People want feuds that don't drag on forever, and for them to book this match leaves people worried it was just a bunch of empty promises feel like the "Well, technically" shit is just a bad foot to start things on.