Welcome to another edition of Triple Threat from Smark Out Moment, where three of us get together to discuss three questions based on one big topic going down in the week of professional wrestling.
This week, Dallas Allsopp, Callum Wiggins and Robert DeFelice discuss both the King of the Ring and Queen's Crown tournaments.
WWE has recently revived the King of the Ring tournament, whilst devuting the Queen's Crown tournament. Who will reign supreme? Will they become true main event stars?
Question 1: Who will win the King of the Ring tournament? Can they successfully use it to transition to the main event scene?
ALLSOPP: It has to be Xavier Woods, surely? Kofi Kingston and Big E have been successful in securing the WWE Championship whilst being associated with The New Day, and whilst I don’t expect Woods to be that successful, there is some undoubted potential in having him as a singles star. Perhaps this would lead to a much needed heel turn for himself or Kingston, which would increase the likelihood of Woods becoming a main event star. Finn Balor is another option, but The Prince does not need the accolade to become a main event star.
WIGGINS: There is absolutely no reason to think it wouldn't be Xavier Woods… apart from the fact that WWE is booking this tournament. With that in mind, I'm going to err on the side of pessimism and say Jinder Mahal will take the crown.
WWE prefers their Kings of the Ring to be heels, and they probably think that having him beat the one guy who is absolutely desperate to hold this title will generate incredible heat when Mahal returns from Crown Jewel. I hope they prove me wrong.
DeFELICE: It should be Xavier Woods, and if not him, it should be somebody who is a good heel like Jinder Mahal, but unfortunately, Mahal is facing Woods in the second round. I would like to be cheeky and say whoever wins this match will be the King of the Ring, ultimately.
Seeing as it appears Finn Balor’s going to be the designated SmackDown (but actually Raw) competitor in the finals, I will pick Jinder Mahal to be the finalist from Monday Night Raw (but actually SmackDown) and I will pick up Mahal to win the whole thing.
Question 2: Who will win the Queen’s Crown tournament? Can they successfully use it to become a threat to The Four Horsewomen?
WIGGINS: Again, the sensible answer is absolutely The Queen of Spades, Shayna Baszler. However, I have more optimism that this will actually happen because she fits the heel mold that WWE lusts after in their Kings and Queens.
This would go someway to restore the credibility that Baszler has lost since being "promoted" to the main roster. And with the lack of depth in the women's division outside of The Four Horsewomen and Bianca Belair right now, there's no reason why this win couldn't put Baszler on the path to a championship reign.
DeFELICE: Carmella. I'm not convinced they don't just want the cowardly and braggadocious Royal trope that they often use for King of the Ring, with the only swap being that this time it will be a female. Carmella is perfect for that role, and it would continue her legacy of making history in WWE like she did when she won Money in the Bank.
ALLSOPP: I really want Shayna Baszler to win, as this is very much a sink or swim period for her in WWE. The Queen of Spades has been a shitshow on the main roster through no fault of her own, but as of late, she has regained the venom she was known for in NXT. A crowned Baszler would easily have enough validation to win the SmackDown Women’s Championship, cementing herself as a star.
Question 3: Should WWE hold both tournaments on a yearly basis, or would a different arrangement be more beneficial to the company?
DeFELICE: Yes, they should be held on a yearly basis. They should also be held on their own pay-per-view and perhaps even factored into the championship picture at the Royal Rumble, if you want to keep the Royal pay-per-view theme going. Hopefully, this is the first of many tournaments for the women, and hopefully King of the Ring never goes away again.
ALLSOPP: A yearly tournament is a great way to ensure some decent television matches. I have enjoyed the men’s tournament, but nearly all of the women’s matches have been piss poor. Why? I have no idea, as both Raw and SmackDown have the time to give the women the respect they deserve.
WIGGINS: Tournaments should be one of the most fundamental staples of professional wrestling. It immediately adds stakes to matches that would otherwise be completely pointless, and in theory, should elevate at the very least the people who win these.
So yes, I would like to see these tournaments become yearly events, with a few subtle differences from their approach this year: give the Queen's Crown matches more time, grant the winner a title match at the following pay-per-view, and keep it the hell away from Saudi Arabia!
Those are our thoughts on the issue, but where do you stand?
Let us know your answers to these questions in the comments below!
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