Why Brock Lesnar Is the Right Choice as Universal Champion Entering WrestleMania

Brock Lesnar defeated Braun Strowman and Kane in a Triple Threat match Sunday at the Royal Rumble to retain the Universal Championship.

Lesnar dispatched of Strowman momentarily by knocking him off the apron. Strowman had absorbed a ton of punishment, so he was unable to quickly get to his feet. That allowed Lesnar an opening to hit an F-5 on Kane and get the three-count.

WWE showed a physically spent Lesnar outside the ring with his WWE title:

Lesnar's win suggests he's destined to carry the title into WrestleMania on April 8, which is the right move by WWE on multiple levels.

The Beast Incarnate became universal champion for the first time at last year's WrestleMania when he exorcised his demons by beating Goldberg. Provided he remains champion until WrestleMania 34 in New Orleans, he will have held the title for an entire year.

That is a rare feat in the current landscape of wrestling, and it adds a great deal of credibility to the championship in comparison to passing it around with multiple title changes.

While it can be argued that Lesnar's frequent absences have taken away from the championship to some degree, he also makes it feel like a special attraction whenever the belt is on the line.

Much like boxing or MMA champions, Lesnar only competes at select times, which ensures that every Universal Championship match has a big-fight feel.

Lesnar is also perhaps the biggest crossover Superstar WWE has to offer, and one of the best ways to keep that going is by avoiding the overexposure that full-time roster members are often subjected to.

The biggest media blitz for WWE every year is during the weeks leading up to WrestleMania, as its top stars make appearances on television and radio to promote the event and get as many eyes as possible on the product.

Lesnar may not always come across as an overly charismatic person since Paul Heyman does most of the talking for him, but he has thrived as a representative for WWE and tends to come across well in media appearances for entities such as ESPN.

If Lesnar makes the rounds on ESPN with the Universal Championship in tow, it will let everyone know that he's a big deal, while also adding some cachet to a title that hasn't been in existence for long.

Since WWE went almost 10 months with Lesnar as universal champion entering the Royal Rumble, there would have been no point in going in another direction so close to WrestleMania.

Strowman has a lot of momentum and will likely win the title at some point in the near future, but he still needs to improve his all-around game before he is ready to headline a WrestleMania as champion.

Conversely, Kane is as seasoned as they come, but he is very much in the twilight of his career, and his time as a WrestleMania main event-worthy competitor has come and gone.

Lesnar is WWE's stud. The company pays him like it, and in having him hold the universal title at WrestleMania, WWE will be presenting him like it as well.

Beating The Conquerer for the championship at WrestleMania would go a long way toward elevating or making another star as well, and the same can't be said for Strowman or Kane.

WrestleMania is about putting the biggest stars in the biggest spots, and Lesnar's win at the Rumble ensures that will be the case in 2018.

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