Pros and Cons of WWE Announcing Brock Lesnar's SummerSlam Opponent on SmackDown

As Brock Lesnar prepares to step inside the Octagon again, WWE will go outside the box by revealing his SummerSlam foe on SmackDown.

It's a move that helps WWE glom onto the hype for UFC 200 and brings added spotlight to SmackDown, a show that is a distant second to Raw in terms of relevance. At the same time, this method will fail to satisfy from a storyline standpoint.

WWE announced during Monday's Raw that we will discover The Beast Incarnate's SummerSlam foe on the next edition of SmackDown:

Before that pay-per-view showdown, though, Lesnar has unfinished business in the MMA world. The Beast Incarnate will return to the UFC on July 9 after retiring in 2011.

Diverticulitis hampered him in the last stages of his career. A pair of hard-hitting titans, Cain Velasquez and Alistair Overeem, beat him in his last two MMA fights. And after four years of being a pro wrestler once more, the itch to fight for UFC grew too strong for him to resist. 

Fans are now set to find out Lesnar's SummerSlam plans before this Octagon one-off. WWE revealing these plans early and on SmackDown is unexpected and bold, even if it's an imperfect choice.

Pro: SmackDown Prestige

One would assume that if WWE were to announce a megastar's opponent for the second-biggest PPV of the year, it would do it on Raw.

After all, SmackDown is the B show. It's the one John Cena doesn't compete on frequently, the one Lesnar hasn't wrestled on since 2004, per CageMatch.net.

To let SmackDown host this major moment helps make the show feel more important. And as WWE prepares to split Raw and SmackDown into two entities after the draft on July 19, that's just what the blue brand needs. 

Suddenly, fans have an added reason to tune in Thursday night. Beyond that, though, SmackDown is set to welcome a big-deal moment that is normally reserved for Raw, a move that boosts the show's stature a touch.

Con: Lack of Story

To simply trumpet Lesnar's opponent on SmackDown is a cop-out.

That route requires no creativity, no narrative arc. As Questionable Critics columnist Kevin Berge pointed out, it's random rather than natural:

It will be exciting to see Randy Orton or Kevin Owens get a crack at Lesnar, but the bout will have less power having been born via announcement. That's a missed opportunity to have a rival emerge more organically, to have a thrilling storyline lead to their battle. 

WWE will skip that part of the tale, heading straight to booking the match. Of course, the company can add to the narrative later, but it will begin in a flat way.

Pro: A Part of the Hype

WWE will insert itself into the conversation this weekend.

With Lesnar's return to the Octagon coming just two days after SmackDown, there is sure to be overlap between talk of The Beast Incarnate's SummerSlam future and his fight at UFC 200. Folks searching online for word on how Lesnar fared against Mark Hunt are sure to also see articles on the powerhouse's SummerSlam foe.

This return match against Hunt is a major event for UFC and for Lesnar. WWE is simply trying to harness some of the excitement surrounding it for itself.

Justin LaBar, host of Chair Shot Reality, praised the move to place the announcement and the fight so close together:

This way, WWE doesn't have to allow UFC to create all the Lesnar headlines this week. Win or lose against Hunt, fans will be reminded of what his next step is.

Con: Risky Timing

Two days after Lesnar's SummerSlam opponent is revealed, we could see The Beast Incarnate embarrassed and bloodied, his monstrous aura weakened. That will change the dynamic of the SummerSlam matchup.

A win against Hunt would have Lesnar marching triumphantly back into the squared circle. A bad loss would have him limping instead.

Jae C. Hong/Associated Press

WWE's decision to not wait until after this weekend to make this announcement will look smart if the former scenario unfolds. If he's steamrolled instead, his SummerSlam match will suffer an instant decrease in buzz. If he's hurt in the Octagon, WWE may have to immediately pull a SummerSlam match.

The guys at the Mat Men podcast joked about WWE's confidence heading into UFC 200:

SummerSlam isn't for another seven weeks. WWE had ample time to tweak Lesnar's booking. 

But the company is betting on him, both against Hunt and in regard to his ability to garner electricity for SummerSlam.