Chris Jericho Makes the List but Rusev Lives to Fight Another Day

The Greatest Royal Rumble is taking place in Saudi Arabia so it’s logical that WWE wants its top talents booked on the card. The American audience is very much accustomed to seeing guys like Jericho, Taker, Cena and Triple H up close and personal. But the same is surely not true for the crowds in Saudi Arabia. So since Rusev was pulled from the Casket Match with Undertaker, why not use a big name like Jericho?

Check out Rusev’s comments before the match was changed!

WWE's Rusev & Lana Say Rusev's Gonna Retire The Undertaker, Crush His Old Ass! | TMZ Sports

But fans indeed love Rusev Day. What began as a silly spot on SmackDown Live led Rusev to the next chapter of his WWE career. That chapter has taken the company by storm. Rusev is a must-see Superstar now and it’s thanks to the Rusev Day gimmick. So why not use him in a high profile spot against a high profile legend on a major night like April 27?

The truth is that once fans saw just how talented Rusev is, the more excited they became about his rise in the company. He gets a hug pop every time his music hits and so far, that pop is holding. He is not a one hit wonder. Rusev is the real deal.

So it’s understandable that fans would take exception to his removal from the April 27 event in Saudi Arabia. That match would have been great for him because he would have traded blows with one of the best. Simply sharing the ring with The Deadman is something that rarely happens for any younger talents. This was Rusev’s time to step up his game and learn from a legend.

But just because he’s no longer facing Taker does not necessarily mean bad things for Rusev. He’s never been more popular than he is now and his star is growing more and more as the weeks go by. Rusev should rebound from this and hopefully WWE has a plan for him. However when it comes to plans, there seems to be none as it pertains to their part-time attractions.

Is WWE merely booking these kinds of matches just to sell tickets? If the answer is yes, then no one can blame the company for wanting to hit a nice payday. WWE is not in the business of catering to the critics; it’s in the business of making money. Right now there’s more money in Jericho than Rusev. That’s just how it is.

Y2J will deliver at The Greatest Royal Rumble and leave the fans wanting more because that’s who he is. The Phenom will do the same. The combination of these two is more than enough to entertain the crowd and give them a mach they won’t soon forget.

Chris Jericho is regarded by many as arguably the greatest performer of his generation. The same argument is often made for The Undertaker. With a match like this on a worldwide stage, WWE certainly cannot go wrong.

Tom Clark can regularly be seen on Wrestling Rumors. His podcast, Tom Clark’s Main Event, is available on iTunes, Google Play, iHeart Radio, Amazon Android, Windows Phone and online at boinkstudios.com