For a couple of weeks now on SmackDown Live, Rusev and Lana have been going head to head with Andrade “Cien” Almas and Zelina Vega. This morning it was announced by WWE that Rusev and Lana would be squaring off in a Mixed Tag Team match with Cien and Vega at the SummerSlam Kickoff show. This news has mixed feelings attached to it, specifically for those who are fans of Rusev and Lana.
Main Card Story, Pre-Show Match
This story between Rusev and Cien goes back to about a month ago when both Lana and Vega were discussing, in rather heated tones, who was superior in the ring Rusev or Cien. This lead to a match that left Cien victorious over Rusev, in part due to Aiden English coming out and causing a distraction trying to break up a fight between Lana and Vega. It was after this that Lana and Vega decided to take a stand on the matter, setting up a match for themselves to settle things in the ring. While it looked like Lana would defeat Vega for most of the match, yet again Aiden English caused a distraction, causing Vega to win the match. This past SmackDown, Lana and Vega were in the ring again, only this time both Rusev and Lana requested that Aiden English stay in the back during the match. However, it seems as if Aiden English cannot help himself and once again cost Lana the match trying to come to the aid of Rusev. After all this Aiden English vowed to make it up to his friends, though how he plans to do that is a mystery to Rusev, Lana, and fans of WWE.
Doesn’t Talent Matter Too?
With all this building up over the course of a month, this match should be, hands down, a main card match. Fans are invested in this storyline; every week fans are talking on Twitter about Rusev, Lana, and English, wondering what is happening with the three of them, and if this means an end to the trio for good. Rusev has been looked over by the WWE time and time again, watching other talent rise while he continues to stay at almost a stand still. Cien is clearly a talent that everyone has their eyes on and yet he too is being neglected, along with Rusev, putting their match into the kickoff show. Let’s not forget that this isn’t his first kickoff show match either, Cien had one during Extreme Rules as well. That’s not even talking about Lana and Vega, who are also getting the shorted by having this match take place during the kickoff show. Both women are extremely talented in the ring, and their characters are incredible to watch. The chemistry that their characters have forces viewers to pick a side, because when viewers see these two women fighting so fiercely for Rusev and Cein, you can’t help but want to be a part of that action.
So, What’s Missing?
All four have the talent, the characters are strong, the story line is exciting, the viewers love it, so what’s missing? Why was this not a SummerSlam main card match? Truth is, I don’t know and I think that it should be. It has everything attached to it that a main card match should have. I have never seen fans become more frustrated or upset with the WWE than when they overlook talent. We all have our favorites and we all want those favorites to succeed in the business. WWE viewers are not dumb, we know that for talent in the WWE it is an uphill climb, and that they must earn their spots by working their way up the ladder, but for those like Rusev and Lana, haven’t they already paid their dues? Some viewers have said that this match is in the kick off show because WWE knows that it will get viewers to watch by having this match in the kick off show and while I can understand doing things for views, I don’t believe that the talent should have to take a hit because of it.
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