6 Reasons to Actually Be Excited for WWE Super Showdown 2019

WWE's decision to return to Saudi Arabia and host another pay-per-view this weekend is understandably not without controversy and concern.

Super ShowDown is the company's second visit to the country, after the Greatest Royal Rumble last year, which went down without anything significant of note occurring.

That may well be the case again on Friday, but if nothing else, there are a handful of reasons to be excited about the event.

There are some intriguing matches, as well as some storylines that could reach their conclusion in Jeddah. Here's six reasons in particular to be excited.

Anyone interested in Lars Sullivan's likely push on the main roster will want to tune into Super ShowDown this weekend.

The Freak has made a slow start to life since stepping up from NXT, but his handicap match against Lucha House Party in Jeddah is probably going to be the catalyst for his push to gather real momentum.

There's surely no way WWE will have the trio go over Sullivan, with the company likely having big plans for a man who ticks all the boxes going into the second half of 2019.

Sullivan will surely squash Lucha House Party and set his sights on another target, perhaps even at Super ShowDown itself. It will be fascinating to see what happens next for the big man, and it could take place in Saudi Arabia.

It was something of a surprise when Shane McMahon defeated The Miz at WrestleMania 35, but there's almost no chance of a repeat result in Saudi Arabia when he takes on Roman Reigns.

The Big Dog's feud with Shane-O-Mac has been fairly dreadful, in truth. It's hard to get invested in a rivalry between a guy who is supposed to be one of the biggest names in the company and a 49-year-old authority figure.

So in Jeddah, Reigns is surely going to go over Shane in some style, and in the process, hopefully end McMahon's reign of terror on both Raw and SmackDown.

The Wild Card Rule has really flattered to deceive, and the constant presence of Shane on both shows is one of the main reasons why.

Fans will want to see Reigns make a real statement about his own title opportunities in Jeddah while also knocking McMahon down a peg or two in the process.

Despite all the understandable concerns about WWE hosting another event in Saudi Arabia, there are some decent matches for fans to get interested in across the card.

One of those is the Intercontinental Championship match between Finn Balor and Andrade.

The two SmackDown Live stars have been tussling for some time, but will hopefully get a real opportunity to put on a show in a lengthy match this weekend.

Balor's reign with the belt has been up and down, but the rivalry with Andrade represents a huge chance to make a statement about not only his own future, but the prestige of the title moving forward.

Both men are capable of putting on an absolute mat classic in Jeddah. If the match itself is given time  to flourish, it could well steal the show.

Last year's Greatest Royal Rumble event didn't exactly live long in the memory after Braun Strowman's win.

In fact, it's probably most fondly remembered for Titus O'Neil's infamous slip under the ring apron while entering the match.

However, what this weekend's repeat in Jeddah will allow is the talent which is struggling to secure regular TV time on either Raw and SmackDown an opportunity to shine.

The likes of Rusev and Shinsuke Nakamura haven't been seen on SmackDown for weeks. They'll be involved without doubt. Aleister Black has been cutting mysterious promos in recent weeks, but he'll no doubt be back in the ring in Jeddah.

There are dozens of other stars fans will want to see too. Throw in the possibility of call-ups from NXT, and the unpredictability a Battle Royal provides, and this is at least something for casual supporters to check out.

With so much talent required to make the trip to Saudi Arabia, WWE is inevitably going to have to lean on its talent on 205 Live and NXT to fill the numbers.

And one guy rumored to be on his way to Jeddah to compete in the 50-man Battle Royal should really get fans excited: Matt Riddle.

The King of Bros is making real progress on NXT, and he looks to be right at home as a professional wrestler following his victory over Roderick Strong at TakeOver XXV at the weekend.

He's also managing to get under the skin of Goldberg, and has made no secret about his desire to step up to the main roster and compete.

Ringside News is reporting that Riddle is likely to be in the Battle Royal, and that along is surely a reason to tune in. Riddle probably won't be the only NXT call-up, either.

It's not hard to feel that one way or the other, Brock Lesnar's brief sojourn with the Money in the Bank briefcase is coming to an end this weekend in Jeddah.

Lesnar looked destined to cash in his briefcase on Monday, before telling Paul Heyman he was waiting until Friday instead for the opportune moment.

WWE can't keep teasing its fans about a cash-in and then not pull the trigger, so Lesnar has to do it at some point.

Jeddah feels as good a place as any, given the importance WWE is clearly placing on its overseas shows.

But which way this story ends is perhaps most intriguing of all. Will Lesnar take back the Universal Championship he lost at WrestleMania, or will Seth Rollins again deny him and finally lay The Beast to rest?

It's arguably one of the main reasons to get interested in Super ShowDown.