Brock Lesnar breaking "The Streak" at WrestleMania XXX was the most shocking, jaw-dropping moment in pro wrestling history. Hulk Hogan joining the nWo was a close second.
For 24 hours people have been asking the only question they know to ask at this point: "Why?" More to the point: "Why Brock Lesnar?"
The reports are saying that 'Taker wanted the streak to end, and he wanted Lesnar to be the guy who did it. OK. But it's not the Deadman's streak. Not really. It's every bit Vince McMahon's streak. Don't forget – pro wrestling isn't real. Undertaker might be the most respected guy backstage, but he's not the end-all, be-all of the creative direction of WWE programming. Sure he gets a say, but after witnessing a monumentally stupid creative move on Raw tonight, it now occurs to me that perhaps Undertaker was not in the position to be making that call.
On Raw, Heyman and Brock came out and cut one of the best promos in years – yes, again. They got boo'd out of New Orleans. This is the beauty of the streak. Whoever ultimately ends the streak instantly becomes the biggest heel on the roster. Which begs the question, why not somebody like Ryback? John Cena? Somebody that can take that heat and use it every single Monday night for the next ten years?
Heyman's greatest gift is also a curse; he is so good at what he does, that to many people he is more important than the Superstar he manages. Because Heyman cuts all the promos, and is the spotlight of every major segment involving Lesnar, it's almost as if Heyman broke the streak. Sure, Brock got the 1-2-3 in an incredibly mediocre match, but it's likely that tonight was the last we've seen of him until SummerSlam.
Where does that heat go then? Paul Heyman.
Later in the night Cesaro dropped Zeb Colter as his manager, and revealed himself as the next Paul Heyman Guy. Another shocking moment. In front of a packed crowd full of rowdy UK wrestling fans, and other fans from all around the world, they took the biggest up-and-coming babyface who's name isn't Daniel Bryan, and they packaged him with the surrogate who broke the streak not 24 hours prior.
So where does that heat go? Nowhere.
WWE can't go back with Cesaro. He cannot be a heel again, especially not with Jack Swagger and Zeb Colter still right in front of him. The fans won't allow it. But now they force the fans to decide – do we cheer Cesaro, the guy who we love and want to succeed, or do we hate Paul Heyman for killing the streak?
What happens when Brock comes back? Odds are they haven't thought that far in advance. Brock can't exist without Heyman. Maybe a decade ago he had a shot, but not in 2014. The two are bonded together by the most shocking moment in sports entertainment history.
Everything WWE has done in the last 24 hours is for Twitter trends, and the hope that some news outlet will pick it up and run with it. Killing the streak assured them front page news, a dozen different worldwide Twitter trends, and probably a decent Raw rating tonight. There's that feeling that "anything can and will happen". But there's also a feeling that WWE is writing down creative ideas, tossing them in a hat and picking at random.
Maybe this will all work out. Maybe they have some master plan I'm not seeing yet. Maybe by this time next week I'll understand better and apologize for my apprehension to this astonishingly incompetent decision.
I just hope WrestleMania XXX doesn't go down as the night WWE jumped the shark.
