In a shocking twist that no one saw coming, Brock Lesnar returned to attack Oba Femi this past week on RAW, setting up a titanic battle at WWE Clash in Italy. The Beast Incarnate had supposedly retired at WrestleMania 42, but it turned out to be a ruse.
Lesnar was quick to set his priorities straight, and Paul Heyman did the rest for him. Heyman handed a contract proposal for Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi II at Clash in Italy to Adam Pearce. It hasn’t been made official yet, and Femi hasn’t signed on the dotted line. By all means, it appears Lesnar will get his rematch at the first-ever PLE in Italy.
However, fans cannot deny the shock value of Lesnar’s return and WWE’s decision to tease the rematch heavily. Here, we explore a few reasons why the company might be booking Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi at Clash in Italy.
#3. Clash in Italy Needs Marquee Matches Like Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi
Although fans saw Oba Femi destroy Brock Lesnar at Mania a little over a month ago, the Ruler versus the Beast Incarnate is still a marquee match. The former NXT Champion is one of the most over stars in WWE today, and Lesnar is among the very best in the combat sports business.
WWE nailed the build to their initial encounter at the Show of Shows. It would be intriguing to see how they follow up on Lesnar’s shocking return. Nonetheless, Lesnar vs. Femi will sell itself. As for the historic PLE in Italy, the company needs such marquee matches to make the show feel special.
Roman Reigns vs. Jacob Fatu has already been announced. Cody Rhodes vs. Gunther will also take place. Putting Lesnar and Femi in the ring again further bolsters the card and gives the event a spectacle-like appeal.
#2. Lesnar and Femi Have Unfinished Business
This one is the most obvious, but it makes a lot of sense. Oba Femi squashed Brock Lesnar at Mania. The wrestling world was drawing comparisons to Goldberg’s iconic return bout at Survivor Series 2016. We thought that Lesnar was done following the loss. However, the Beast Incarnate has a habit of settling his scores.
Goldberg humiliated Lesnar on multiple occasions, but the Conqueror got the final laugh. Along similar lines, the Beast may have returned to settle matters with Femi. The Ruler might have won the battle at Mania. Unfortunately, the war is far from over, as Lesnar doesn’t take losses too kindly and knows how to get even.
Therefore, Lesnar vs. Femi at Clash in Italy could be WWE’s way of prolonging the feud. The Conqueror could defeat the Ruler next Sunday. With one win apiece, the stage would be set for one final rubber match, potentially at SummerSlam.
#1. WWE Doesn’t Have Immediate Plans for Oba Femi
After crushing Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania, Oba Femi became a big deal. Everyone was talking about him, and it appeared as if WWE was launching him into the stratosphere. However, Triple H clearly didn’t have many immediate plans for the Ruler.
Femi launched an open challenge. Otis and Los Garza were his prey, but WWE had yet to put him in a legitimate program. In their defense, it would have been difficult to top the feud with Lesnar. Hence, the company stuck to what worked in the past and restarted Femi’s program with the Beast Incarnate.
The Ruler is destined for great things. However, he needs to be developed and given opportunities before he can take the spotlight. A prolonged feud with Lesnar keeps him occupied and challenges him to become the best version of himself.
