One of the criticisms or, depending who you ask, appeals of WWE’s Facebook show Mixed Match Challenge is how it seems to exist outside of Raw and SmackDown continuity. Even though it’s a bummer we might not get any more videos of Carmella training with New Day, at least they got the time and creative freedom to make those videos.
On the Feb. 27 episode, WWE and MMC might have burst that silver-lined cloud. For Miz and Asuka’s match against Sasha Banks and Finn Bálor, it was revealed The Empress of Tomorrow’s heavily touted streak is on the line in her matches with The A-Lister:
Don’t SCARE @WWEAsuka like that, @mikethemiz…
HER STREAK IS ON THE LINE! #WWEMMC pic.twitter.com/Ndw6BqKu8R
— WWE (@WWE) February 28, 2018
It wasn’t just a tweet we could write off as being from a mis-informed social media staffer, either. Michael Cole and Corey Graves repeatedly mentioned it as a talking point during the broadcast.
Now, Asuka’s streak has always been a kayfabed construction, as my All Red Everything boss will quickly remind you. There have been tag losses where she wasn’t pinned or submitted, although honestly, we stopped counting along with WWE a while ago, so I’m not sure whether they’re including those pre-2016 NXT matches in their number (promoted as 246 before her match at Elimination Chamber, so presumably 249 now).
But it’s not just the possibility that a multi-year gimmick could end on an enjoyable-but-ultimately-inconsequential show. It’s how unlikely it is that will happen, and how it saps suspense out of the remainder of Mixed Match Challenge.
Ah well. This is probably a good opportunity to put pro wrestling angles and pushes in perspective and remember that none of this really matters, except maybe to WWE stockholders. And then week-in, week-out storytelling is probably low on their list of concerns, too.
And it’s good news for Rescue Dogs Rock, the charity who stands to get a $100K donation should Team Awe-ska win the whole tournament. And it’s really good news for Miz fans, because his touting “our streak” is AWESOME.
But still? Pretty dumb, WWE.
