I think the big difference this time around is that there's actually something at stake aside from the championship itself and everything it encompasses. For one, there's the "not letting Guzma win" plot and the Masked Royal exhibition battle as a prize, battle which has had a fair amount of buildup ever since his first appearance as Masked Royal in SM063.

There's obviously still the likely possibility of him not winning this time, but for the first time ever it feels like there are actual consequences to losing the league, again, asides from not winning the league.

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