October 23, 2017 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Brock Lesnar vs. Jinder Mahal, Observer Hall of Fame candidates, more
Brock Lesnar vs. Jinder Mahal in a non-title battle of champions will headline the Survivor Series on 11/19.
The idea of a Raw champion vs. Smackdown champion match for Survivor Series was actually floated for a long time. On paper, it sounds like a big deal, except titles mean less in most cases than ever before, although right now the Universal title does feel like it means something and the WWE title feels like it means nothing. So the basic rule is the champion makes the belt. I don’t want to say the belt doesn’t make the champion, because Mahal is a far bigger star with it than without it so it does mean something. But it doesn’t feel like a real top level championship.
It’s the idea that the Smackdown title doesn’t feel like it means much after weak Mahal programs with Randy Orton and Shinsuke Nakamura, that is part of the reason the excitement level doesn’t seem like much.
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Dave Meltzer is the founder and lead writer on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the weekly constant when it comes to news and reviews in pro wrestling and mixed martial arts for more than 40 years. Dave also co-hosts Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and had had bylines for The National, Yahoo Sports, MMA Fighting and others.