As previously reported, this week's RAW tournament to determine the number one contender to Big E's Intercontinental Championship was not the original plan. The Wrestling Observer has posted a new report claiming a four-way match between Big Show, Jack Swagger, Cesaro and Christian was the direction Vince McMahon wanted to go on Monday.
Christian was not cleared to wrestle, but even if he had been, The Observer report states that McMahon still would have changed the match.
Ultimately, McMahon didn't think the four-way was going to position the new contender as strong as this tournament would do. Therefore, he made the decision to change the match, regardless of Christian's involvement or not.
Vince likely took Big Show out of the match since the tournament would cause him to lose clean, be disqualified, or some other screwy finish, and Show wasn't ever planned to be the winner. The four-way would have allowed Big Show to lose without ever being pinned.
Cesaro was actually slated to be the winner of the four-way, according to The Observer report, and I would imagine he is still the odds-on favorite to win the tournament. The winner, of course, will go on to face Big E for the title at WWE Extreme Rules.
