WWE Backstage (May 5th, 2020) - 6 Takeaways from this week's episode

#2 Thoughts on first feuds for new WWE and Universal Champions

Drew McIntyre

Money in the Bank will mark the first PPV title defenses for both Drew McIntyre and Braun Strowman. On the McIntyre/Rollins feud, Christian claimed that he "likes what both guys are doing. I like the confidence that Drew has right now and the ease that he's going about doing his business."

Since it's the first PPV defense after "beating Brock Lesnar at WM, he needs to follow it up with another big win." The Monday Night Messiah, however, already "has enough equity built up in who he is as a performer and enough big wins that a loss here won't hurt him in the long run. A loss here could allow him to get darker and not to mention, he can make excuses." Booker T added that "both guys are going to get so much out of each other over the long haul" and that "both of these guys at the end of the day will win."

Regarding the Strowman/Wyatt feud, Booker revealed that "at the beginning of the feud I was of the consensus of getting it over quick" because he "didn't see either guy gaining anything from this." On the last few episodes of SmackDown, however, "we've gotten to see the human side of Braun Strowman. I think we're going to be looking at a monster that thinks and that's something that could be very, very dangerous." He added that "both of these guys can elevate each other but it's about how they play it out."

While Paige agreed with Booker T, Christian still felt that things could be different, saying that "it's been rushed a bit. I feel like it's bigger or like a SummerSlam match." One of the main reasons was because he didn't want "to see Bray Wyatt or the Fiend lose coming off a loss to Goldberg. I want to see him be as dangerous as ever. I don't think this helps either guy at this time."

Christian did "like the story he (Wyatt) told with the black sheep. Those are the things that make Bray Wyatt different from everyone else - to be able to tell these stories and hook the viewer." The main thing Captain Charisma suggested was for the feud to "get off at an exit and then get back on on the way to 'Slam" because he thinks "it could have been built more. The intrigue in this will never go away."