Royal Rumble 2019: WWE Universal Championship - Brock Lesnar (c) VS Finn Balor

[Jack-Hammer]

So the Universal Championship picture was shaken up a little on Raw tonight. After Braun Strowman damaged Vince McMahon's limousine trying to get to Baron Corbin, Vince cancelled his match at the Royal Rumble with Braun Strowman. Strowman then turned the limo over on its top before being escorted out of the building. So Vince would come to the ring later on and eventually make a fatal fourway match to determine Lesnar's new opponent: John Cena, Drew McIntyre, Baron Corbin or Finn Balor. Balor won the match via the Coup de Gras on Cena, so he moves onto face Lesnar for the title.

As for why Strowman was taken out of the match, I can only guess that it has to do with his elbow not being at 100%. Maybe it was expected to be all healed up by now but that may not be the case, maybe it was more serious than originally thought, which sometimes can only be found out when the doctors open you up, and it's taking longer to heal.

There's virtually no way that Balor wins, so the best we can hope for is to get another strong match out of Lesnar. Given the event, the championship and the opponent, I fully expect Balor to be out as the Demon or Demon King or whichever you wanna call it; anyway, he'll be out in his intricate face & body paint, the head gear, the smoke, the crawling around like some strange creature, etc.. At any rate, it's a cool entrance and it could be a really fun match, depending all on how lazy Lesnar decides he wants to be.

 

[Ceen]

I really hope Balor gets a push like AJ after TLC last year, and Vince rewards him with the title. As Lesnar doesn’t needs to work as the Cormier fight is still not on but It probably will be, he maybe can do a top match at WM without a title and let Balor, Rollins, Bryan main event it
And having Balor vs Lesnar is ok, Demon Balor vs Lesnar is worthy and as Demon Balor is undefeated in the main roster (only lost to Samoa Joe on NXT in WWE time) it’s a marquee match.

But Lesnar will retain

 

[George Steele's Barber]

Other than more Vince, sort of disrobed divas, and a few extra chair shots, this may be part of the "giving fans what they want" writing and booking that was promised after the record low rating.

It should be fun. I'm not dismissing that Balor could win. I don't believe WWE needs Brock to carry the strap in to Mania to sell it. Plus he could always get it back. But it is feels unlikely that he will lose. Then again, Balor's stupid finisher is logically a good move to slay beast's upset tummy problems.

The biggest question is do they unleash the make up now or is it a set up for later or if this is just filler to get to Mania?

Regardless, should be fun.

 

[Pigeon Life]

Seems to me that WWE can go two ways. First is to have The Beast vs The Demon Balor at Rumble and knowing WWE they’ll further Brock’s unbeatable image by having him defeat the Demon.

Or they could have Braun cost Balor the match and end up with the Monster vs The Demon Balor at Elimination Chamber in a No 1 contenders match for Wrestlemania.

 

[Psykohurricane55]

This is a glorified place holder match as most championship matches tend to be at the rumble. Balor will get a great match out of lesnar and in the end will lose as their no way that lesnar isn't going to mania as champion.

 

[JoeMallard]

Something tells that Kevin Owens will make a surprise return during this match. If not, Lesnar will go over and Balor will get over. Rumor has it that Lesnar wanted this match, so I'm expecting he'll go out of his way to make Balor look like a million bucks.

 

[BigDaddyKewl]

I think it was the right move switching the main event. Brock is most likely going to walk into Wrestlemania as Champion and Strowman cannot afford another loss to Lesnar.
As for Balor this is a great opportunity for him to face a huge star at a major pay per view. Hopefully Balor gets some offence and this is not another glorrified squash match. Lesnar has had some of his best matches against smaller opponents like Styles, Bryan and Punk and I’m sure this match will rank up there. Everyone has been clamouring Balor to get another shot at the main event since his brief Universal Championship run a few years ago and now he can showcase what he do on the big stage. If Balor delivers here then we can probably expect big things from him in 2019.

 

[pbancroft32]

im going to basically repeat what i said on the brock braun threat ANYONE but brock to hold the title will make me happy but there is no way anyone but brock is walking into mania as champ simply because vince still believes that no one draws like brock i havent looked at the numbers and am not claiming i have but i doubt brock is even top 5 drawe as his never there everything to do with BROCK pisses me of

 

[Spidey Revivey]

Imagine a show you really like picking up a major Hollywood star. This guy is the be all, end all when he gets screentime, but for the few times he ever is on, he half-asses everything to the point where you're not sure he is a right fit anymore. You start hoping that they change it around but you know execs see the A-lister as the one that makes the money. You get it, but that doesn't stop the program you like from becoming soulless, boring TV. This Hollywood star is so bad that the other characters are pointing out how bad he is in a weird, fourth wall-breaking spiel every chance they get, which only makes the show more annoying to sit through.

That's what Lesnar is to me. So indeed, I don't care if Finn or Rollins or even Mahal takes the belt off of him at this point. Three hours of no headliner a week is a chore of the highest degree.

As for Finn Balor, almost fifteen years ago there was another guy who wasn't seen as a top draw but was still loved by the fans to the point where he could go from feuding with his nephew one month to facing the WWE Champion and winning the next and the crowd still loved it. With Goldberg's aid, Eddie made the show a bit more fun after No Way Out. I don't see why they wouldn't get the belt off of Lesnar the same way - Braun Strowman is in the perfect spot to cost Brock the title and they could have their one-on-one in hopefully a career defining match for the former.

While I don't think they'll ever give Balor the title again, doesn't hurt to dream.

 

[Razz]

There are small minority out there that believe Balor will go over. They might think it is time to give him the monster push ala Daniel Bryan. With possible interference from someone. Strowman makes sense, but could be anyone. Even rumors of a Seth/Finn match for Mania. It will be interesting to see what the programs will be for Mania, especially the UC title match will be a singles or multi man. If Brock will be champion and who will he be facing (heavily rumored Seth). The EC ppv also throws a wrench in to predicting outcomes.

 

[Pineapple Boy]

I cannot speak for everybody, but let's get real... Regardless if someone is a Brock Lesnar fan or not, I think everyone is over and has been over his reign as WWE Universal Champion. If the McMahon family is serious about giving us more of what we want and less of what we don't want... This Brock Lesnar Universal Champion thing will be done and over with finally. Then the title can officially have a new beginning... And be a championship that people would actually care about.

 

[Loveless]

Whatever happens here, I think most of us believe that Braun is getting involved and will cost someone the match. The question is who.
I could easily see Lesnar not going into Wrestlemania as champion, he's a marquee name regardless and doesn't need the title. Not having the belt on him at least makes the main event a little less predictable.
I cannot for the life of me see Balor going into Wrestlemania as the champion. It's just not going to happen and if he does somehow win at the Rumble, the Elimination Chamber will fix that.

What I suspect is that Braun will cost Brock the title, Brock will cost Braun the Rumble and their non-title feud is set for Wrestlemania.
As much as he's lost momentum recently, Rollins is probably still winning the Rumble. I have no idea who walks into Wrestlemania as champion though.

 

[JoeMallard]

Whatever happens here, I think most of us believe that Braun is getting involved and will cost someone the match. The question is who.
I could easily see Lesnar not going into Wrestlemania as champion, he's a marquee name regardless and doesn't need the title. Not having the belt on him at least makes the main event a little less predictable.
I cannot for the life of me see Balor going into Wrestlemania as the champion. It's just not going to happen and if he does somehow win at the Rumble, the Elimination Chamber will fix that.

What I suspect is that Braun will cost Brock the title, Brock will cost Braun the Rumble and their non-title feud is set for Wrestlemania.
As much as he's lost momentum recently, Rollins is probably still winning the Rumble. I have no idea who walks into Wrestlemania as champion though.

Rollins vs Balor would be the only thing that makes sense and they give fans the rematch from Summerslam. It certainly won't be boring ass Ambrose as champ.

 

[Psykohurricane55]

I cannot speak for everybody, but let's get real... Regardless if someone is a Brock Lesnar fan or not, I think everyone is over and has been over his reign as WWE Universal Champion. If the McMahon family is serious about giving us more of what we want and less of what we don't want... This Brock Lesnar Universal Champion thing will be done and over with finally. Then the title can officially have a new beginning... And be a championship that people would actually care about.

If it was any other time then now, i would completly agree with you but where at the beginning of the mania season and they can go into mania with anybody else but Lesnar as champion because of how big of a star the guy is. The fact is they still consider mania as the show that the casual fans still watch and they want has many attraction as possible, that why taker is still doing matches even through he's clearly not physically able to.

Lesnar going into mania as champion is the bigger attraction, so he won't drop the belt until mania. So sadly for fans of finn balor, he's pretty much just a place holder for Lesnar. Maybe if Balor is able to get a great performance out of lesnar like bryan and AJ did then after mania season is over, he might get a shot at the title again but for now he's there to give Lesnar a good match and that's it.

 

[djk2019]

I have to agree with the ones stating Vince is going to please the fans. no one wants Lesnar as the champ anymore. his contract i believe is over at Mania. Money wise it makes sense now to toss the title to Balor, Build up another match between Balor and Rollins to Main event Mania, Numbers wise that match a few years back between the two was amazing. and i think having that main event mania could pull better numbers now that both guys have Evolved now.
Lesnar loses the title. Braun and Lesnar at Mania and Braun finally puts Lesnar down say goodbye to Brock.
Makes Sense to me.

Another way to look at it. We all know Bryan is going to win his title match and the wwe needs change on top of raw. So Change the champ over there. Already basically set that Bryan and Miz for the title at Mania. So

Thoughts???