October 2, 2017 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: WWE No Mercy reviewed, potential CTE test for the living, more

While WWE likes to keep things unpredictable, it was not a secret from even before this year’s WrestleMania that the main event for the 2018 Mania was supposed to be what was planned for 2015–Roman Reigns being crowned as the top star in the promotion by pinning Brock Lesnar.

The crowd turning on Reigns made Vince McMahon rethink the idea and plan it for 2016. And then he figured it wasn’t right for that year, as he instead had Reigns run through the hated authority by beating HHH and spearing Stephanie McMahon, or the next year, when he beat The Undertaker.

If anyone thought the rise of Braun Strowman changed those plans, No Mercy told the story.

In the two key “WrestleMania caliber matches,” Lesnar beat Braun Strowman in a lackluster match after kicking out of his finisher twice and beating him with one F-5. Reigns kicked out of three John Cena Attitude Adjustments and beat him with one spear.

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