Slammiversary 2018: 3 Reasons Why Brian Cage Needs To Win

Credit: Impact Wrestling

Belts Don’t Mean Anything Until They Do

You could argue that championship belts are just props. They don’t really mean anything until they do. For someone Cage’s size, holding championship gold is significant. How dominant can a big man be if he never makes it to the top? His look and ability are a lot to go on, but how convincing can he be without a belt to back it up?

Winning the X-Division title on Sunday is the next step for him. This match is crucial for Cage’s career. Walking out of the show with that prop is a vote of confidence from Don Callis and Scott D’Amore. It’s the first Slammiversary under the new Executive Vice Presidents, and the booking decisions will suggest who they see as integral fixtures in the company down the road. The Machine needs that vote of confidence. He needs to be an integral fixture. He needs that prop.

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A loss on July 22 wouldn’t be the end of the world. If the plan is for Matt Sydal and company to implement chicanery to hand him a defeat via pinfall for the first time, well then we have a chase. We have a story. It would be a true test for him to prove to Impact management that he’s more than just big muscles and moves. But if he doesn’t get the job done, the clock is ticking for the 34-year-old. If not at Slammiversary, then when?