When Daniel Bryan is not dropkicking folks in the ring, he's apparently creating ways to improve the product. He dreamed up an idea that would both bring back King of the Ring and elevate SmackDown.
A defunct pay-per-view and a weekly TV show struggling with its identity is a perfect marriage.
SmackDown needs to feel more special, offering something different than Raw. King of the Ring is an inherently entertaining tournament that would need revamping to succeed in today's WWE. Bryan believes WWE should merge those two entities, and he is absolutely right.
Bryan told FanSided's Cody Schutlz the following:
"I would like to have the King of the Ring tournament on SmackDown. The King of the Ring tournament is something that the WWE used to do on a usual basis, and they've gotten away from it.
One, I love tournaments. Two, I think if you do the tournament exclusively on SmackDown the fans will get really excited about it and they'll get geared up for it. Then crowning a King of the Ring champion on SmackDown, I think that would be awesome."
WWE would be wise to run with Bryan's idea. It's a simple, effective move that has a number of benefits.
SmackDown Will Feel Less Like a Retread of Raw
Moving SmackDown back to Thursdays and into a more desirable time slot are great moves. If it doesn't start to offer more original material, though, the excitement about the switch won't last.
SmackDown doesn't feel must-watch anymore.
After all, if you don't catch a bout on that show, WWE often just offers it up on Monday night. SmackDown hosts its share of Raw rematches as well.
For example, Big E and Adam Rose clashed on the Jan. 5 edition of Raw. The next SmackDown presented the same set of foes just four days later.
If you missed The Miz taking on Jey Uso on the SmackDown from Dec. 5, you just had to wait until the Dec. 22 edition of Raw, when they collided once again. The Miz's matchup against Jimmy Uso on the SmackDown after Christmas was a rematch of a clash on Raw from Dec. 15.
WWE can't help but have overlap between the two shows, but the more it can do to distinguish them from each other, the better. Bringing back King of the Ring as a SmackDown exclusive gives the show its own subplot and a number of show-specific matches.
It also aids grapplers who fail to get on Raw.
Midcarders Will Have Added Motivation, Opportunities
Darren Young has remained on the sidelines despite being healthy post-ACL surgery. Curtis Axel rarely wrestles on Raw; per CageMatch.net, he hasn't competed on that show since September.
With Raw being the hub of WWE's major storylines and giving so much airtime to its top stars, it's understandable that guys like Young and Axel don't get more shots. That's a waste of their talent, though.
A King of the Ring tournament opens the door for unexpected runs from wrestlers like these. Even qualifying matches offer a stage for them to shine.
Reviving King of the Ring also gives them matchups they wouldn't otherwise get. Perhaps we'll see Cesaro vs. Young in a first-round battle, or Axel go face-to-face with Roman Reigns.
The tournament structure naturally creates more drama as well. Victory means more. If R-Truth and Titus O'Neil meet up in a standard match, there's little reason to emotionally invest, but if a chance at the next round is on the line, that bout suddenly becomes more interesting.
Once the tournament shrinks down to fewer competitors, some potentially great matches would be on tap. Imagine if Sheamusand John Morrison from 2010 had been on SmackDown rather than pay-per-view.
Giving guys something to shoot for besides titles is always welcome, too.
The Tournament Format Adds Entertainment Value
Bryan isn't the only one who loves tournaments. They are a surefire recipe for fun.
Upsets, high stakes and a prize awaiting whoever survives all make for good wrestling.
There's a reason the playoffs are more thrilling than the regular season. WWE doesn't take advantage of that nearly enough and hasn't done so with the King of the Ring for five years now.
That's a mistake. While the "crowning a king" element of the tourney is outdated, the battle to the top via single-elimination matches still has great potential.
It offers new pairings of foes such as babyfaces taking on babyfaces. It creates a number of stories, whether it's an underdog going further than expected or a feud starting thanks to someone cheating to advance.
There's a cohesiveness from week to week with Bryan's suggested format as well. With a new set of tournament bouts on tap for the show ahead, fans are encouraged to watch for several weeks in a row, culminating in a SmackDown that hosts the finals.
As fun as all that is, it's a no-brainer to bring the King of the Ring back. Just replace the crown with a trophy to have it feel less cheesy.
Bryan's thought to welcome King of the Ring to SmackDown would allow WWE to keep its pay-per-view calendar untouched and bring its "B" show an A-level product. It's an idea Bryan is clearly excited about, and with good reason.
It would twice inject electricity into the WWE product.
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