User blog comment:Dracosaurian/Discussion of The Week: Monster Rivalries/@comment-5020152-20141124010636

1) Yes, monster rivalries are pretty cool! Not only do they add another layer of realism onto the series, since there are quite a few animal rivalries in the real world, but they also give the monsters some more background and ecology for writers like me to use!

2) See above.

3) My favorite rivalry is undoubtedly the Seregios/Rathalos conflict. As you said, Rathalos has been the undisputed King of the Skies ever since the first MH game, and no monster has ever managed to claim its title (well, there's Amatsu, who's the Goddess of the Skies). And then here comes Seregios, swooping in from out of the blue to cut Rathalos down to size! Get off your high horse, 'Los, because the Usurper of the Skies has come to fight for your throne.

My second favorite rivalry is that between Gurenzeburu and the local Highland carnivores. I find it fascinating that the barbaric Gurenzeburu is actually a part-time peacemaker! He's like a Wild West cattle rancher that comes to protect his livestock from rustlers. Only thing is, Kuarusepusu and Hyujikiki (and let's not forget the new whale wyvern, Poborobarumu) are rustlers that are more than a match for the rancher.

Oh, and my third favorite is probably the Uruki against the Forokururu.

4) Diablos/Cephadrome. It just seems kind of random to me.

5) You forgot Brachydios and Agnaktor! Those guys have a rivalry, don't they? But if I were to create a rivalry between two existing monsters, I'd like to see Royal Ludroth and Purple Ludroth clash.

6) Creating a Snake Wyvern and then having it duke it out with a mongoose-themed Pelagus would be awesome. Or maybe a Piscene Wyvern having to deal with a lamprey-like Leviathan.