Ryan Dilbert's 10-Count: Kane No Longer Belongs in WWE Main Event Scene

1. The Big Red Machine Still on the Marquee

In the midst of his battle with Braun Strowman on Monday's Raw, Kane stumbled over his foe's foot and collapsed onto his knees. The awkward fall forced a brief pause in their brawl, and soon the monsters continued to bash each other with ring steps and steel chairs.

Kane plodded his way through his latest main event.

The fight's energy fizzled at times. The bout never kicked into a high gear. The crowd seemed unenthused for it all despite The Monster Among Men's popularity.

The veteran Kane still standing in such a prominent position at this point is a surreal sight. He's 50 years old. He's well past his prime, overexposed and has been on WWE TV with this gimmick since 1997.

But WWE can't seem to move on from The Devil's Favorite Demon as a featured attraction.

Not only is Kane's feud with Strowman one of Raw's most spotlighted stories, he is possibly on the verge of challenging Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship. His showdown with Strowman on Monday was supposed to decide who took on The Beast Incarnate at the Royal Rumble, but it ended in a double count-out.

"

BOTH @BraunStrowman and @KaneWWE have been counted out here, but the FIGHT is far from over! #RAW pic.twitter.com/7tCgpkHjKE

— WWE (@WWE) December 12, 2017"

That left the No. 1 Contender's spot unclear and opened the door for a Triple Threat match between Lesnar, Strowman and The Big Red Machine.

When dreaming up matches for Lesnar, few would have selected a worn-down Kane as one of his opponents. Not when the roster boasts names like Samoa Joe, Finn Balor and Cesaro.

Kane's recent performances suggest that a match with Lesnar will be a letdown. His last two clashes with Strowman have been sluggish and disappointing. He's grown slower and less dynamic. He simply can't deliver at a main event level.

That makes it surprising that WWE has pitted the red-hot Strowman against him for longer than it should have. It's a decision that some, including Kyle Fowle of RealSport, aren't happy with:

WWE can't find anything significant for Balor to do. Yet the company has made showcasing Kane a priority.

The big man is assured a Hall of Fame spot, but he's not someone you can build around right now. He likely won't be around in a year or two. He's below-average in the ring at this stage. And fans are hungry to see something fresh.

Kane is the exact opposite of that.

To keep placing him atop the WWE hierarchy is an odd move.Brian Campbell of CBSSports.com wrote: "The idea of 50-year-old Kane, in 2017, routinely securing valuable real estate in the main event of Raw has jumped the shark to such epic proportions that it has to be a troll job at this point by WWE creative."

Kane's star power and longstanding connection with the fans give him value. He can still be an intriguing piece to plug into the WWE puzzle. But there's little reason to make him one of Raw's leading men when he's better suited for a supporting role at this stage.

The shift Monday's Raw took from electric to listless when Kane stepped on stage is a reminder of that.

2. History in the Middle East

Alexa Bliss and Sasha Banks battled in Abu Dhabi over the weekend to blaze yet another trail.

This was the first time female WWE Superstars have wrestled in the United Arab Emirates. Both champion and challenger donned unique gear to cover the bare skin they usually show during matches.

Banks has now wrestled in WWE's first women's Hell in a Cell match and competed in the first women's main event at both a TakeOver and a pay-per-view. Bliss was the first two-time SmackDown women's titleholder and the first wrestler to hold both the red and blue brand's version of the women's championship.

Their history-making moment in Abu Dhabi comes with a footnote, however.

They were not the first women to wrestle there. That honor belongs to four Knockouts from Impact Wrestling (then TNA), per ProFightDB.com. The promotion put on two live events in Abu Dhabi in 2010. And on both nights, Angelina Love and Velvet Sky took on Sarita and Madison Rayne.

One doesn't expect WWE to acknowledge another company, but this is another example of the story of the women's revolution being incomplete without including Impact Wrestling.

3. Throwback Video of the Week: Clash of Champions

Sunday will see SmackDown's stars battle in the second Clash of Champions PPV to date. Before that version of the event came along, WCW aired Clash of the Champions on TV beginning in 1988.

Ric Flair was often the centerpiece of these shows. That was true in 1989 at Clash of the Champions VIII when he and Sting went up against Great Muta and Dick Slater.

Before the bout, The Nature Boy delivered a promo where he promised to spill his opponents' blood on the mat:

Now some 28 years later, his daughter is defending the SmackDown Women's Championship in one of Clash of Champions' biggest matches. And The Usos will enter as tag champs years after their father, Rikishi, competed in the opening bout at the same Clash of the Champions.

4. NXT Takes Center Stage

A most compelling corner of the WWE world is about to get thrust into the spotlight. On Wednesday, for the first time ever, NXT will air on cable TV.

The company's third brand has never truly been a developmental territory. While it houses rising stars and unproven commodities, it also has some of the company's finest talent at any given point. A wider audience is about to find that out.

Adam Cole vs. Aleister Black will clash in a qualifier for a Fatal 4-Way to decide the next No. 1 contender for the NXT Championship. The NXT titleholder Andrade "Cien" Almas, with Zelina Vega at his side, will be in action. As will women's champ Ember Moon.

This will be a huge moment for those stars and NXT as a whole. The diehard portion of the WWE fanbase has long appreciated the brand. It's now time for additional eyes to see the haunting presence of Black, Almas' smooth ring work and Moon's athleticism.

WWE can't be sure how much this will affect network subscriber numbers, but it can be assured that NXT is going to win over some new folks.

5. Wrestling on the Walk of Fame

The Rock's list of accolades just grew by one. The former WWE champ and current movie megastar is set to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, per Variety:

He won't be alone in representing the wrestling world, though.

As seen on the Hollywood Walk of Fame website, several celebrities who have stepped into the ring in some way or another already have spots on that famous sidewalk.

WWE chairman, former world champ and Royal Rumble winner Vince McMahon has his own Walk of Fame star, for one.

So does Muhammad Ali who fought Antonio Inoki, took an airplane spin from Gorilla Monsoon and appeared at the first WrestleMania. Drew Carey wrestled in the Royal Rumble, Chuck Norris appeared at Survivor Series, Donald Trump was once the storyline owner of Raw and was a prominent part of WrestleMania 23.

Buzz Aldrin, Criss Angel, Bob Barker, Kevin Hart and Betty White have all either guest-hosted Raw or appeared on the show.

The Rock is now set to join them. And John Cena is the most likely current WWE talent to follow his lead.

6. Jericho Renewed

Chris Jericho looks like he drank a bottle of adrenaline since he began hunting down Kenny Omega. The future Hall of Famer's New Japan Pro Wrestling tenure has seen him grow energized, inspired, reborn.

Ahead of Y2J's clash with Omega at next month's Wrestle Kingdom show, he has morphed into a merciless heel who is making a United States title match feel like a true second main event.

Jericho bloodied Omega's head during an ambush at the World Tag League event. He flipped over a table during a recent press conference. He looks bloodthirsty and hyper-focused.

A fresh stage, a world-class rival and the freedom NJPW offers have been boons for Jericho. He is again adding an excellent chapter to his continuing story.

It makes one wonder what a trip to Japan might do for the stagnant Dolph Ziggler.

7. Mr. Tribute to the Troops

Undertaker reigned at WrestleMania; John Cena has been the king of Tribute to the Troops.

It's not surprising that the troop-saluting Superstar has been featured at the military appreciation event more than anyone else. Cena is WWE's resident patriot. And he was the face of the company during most of the years that Tribute to the Troops has been around.

Per ProFightDB.com (link contains spoilers), Cena is 10-0 at the event.

Nobody else has that many Tribute to the Troops appearances to their name, much less 10 wins.

Rey Mysterio, though, has been a star of that show. He boasts a 6-0 record. Randy Orton and Big Show have been mainstays, too. Orton is 4-3-1, while Big Show is 4-4.

Bray Wyatt has the unique distinction of being the only Superstar to suffer three losses at a single Tribute to the Troops. Monsters don't do well at these shows apparently.

8. The Big Dog's Best

2017 has been a big year for Roman Reigns. He's added a number of thrilling bouts to an already-robust resume.

Continued success in the clutch has him moving toward the top of the list of WWE's best.

Credit: WWE.com

The Big Dog already thinks he's there. Reigns called himself the top in-ring performer in the world in an appearance on WWE's Straight To The Source (h/t Sean Rueter of Cageside Seats). And while that statement is a hyperbolic one, Reigns has plenty to be proud of this year.

If you haven't already, be sure to check out his best 2017 work:

• Roman Reigns vs. Kevin Owens: Royal Rumble
• Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar vs. Braun Strowman vs. Samoa Joe: SummerSlam
• Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins: Raw, May 29
• The Shield vs. The New Day: Survivor Series
• Roman Reigns vs. Cesaro: Raw, Dec. 11

Reigns' detractors still cling to the idea that he has to be "carried" by other performers. But when you thrive against just about everybody WWE throws at you, success can't be dismissed as coincidence.

Jason Jordan's best match came against Reigns. The same goes for Elias. The intercontinental champ has looked excellent opposite The Miz, Samoa Joe, Braun Strowman.

Doubting his ability at this point is straight-up silly.

9. Parallel Factions

The Riott Squad's dominance on SmackDown looks an awful lot like the damage Absolution is doing on Raw.

WWE introduced two trios filled with female NXT talent at the same time and has yet to help the audience distinguish between them. Both Absolution and The Riott Squad feature a dark-haired leader who would fit right in at an Evanescence concert. And both Paige and Ruby Riott are flanked by a hard-edged bruiser and a blonde.

They have both attacked their respective women's divisions indiscriminately.

Both factions have ambushed folks backstage. Both have interrupted matches.

WWE needs to do a better job of making the two entities more distinct. Their motivations becoming clearer would help. That could mean Absolution evolves into more of a cult. It could involve one of the trios donning uniforms that make them stand out visually.

But something needs to change, or it will continue to feel like The Riott Squad is a re-run of Absolution every week.

10. KO Wisdom

The pro wrestling news cycle, much like the standard one, has seen its share of distressing stories. Sexual assault allegations and arrests have hit the community in the gut.

In the face of what could be overwhelming negativity, former universal champ Kevin Owens offered something else to focus on:

"

You know, there’s lots of stuff going around right now and it all really sucks, quite frankly.

I will say this, however:

Everyone could stand to be nicer to each other, every single day. There’s really no denying that.

Good luck, everybody. ✌️

— Kevin Owens (@FightOwensFight) December 11, 2017"

We would all be better off to live by that mantra.

Kindness is powerful. And offering more of it is the easiest way to reshape the world for the better.

Ryan Dilbert covers WWE and pro wrestling for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @ryandilbert.