Since defeating Goldberg at Wrestlemania 34, Brock Lesnar has been considered a dominant Universal Champion who shouldn’t fear many other superstars.  And when looking at some of the facts and figures, it’s hard to disagree.

Lesnar stands second in the table of longest world title reigns at 231 days, with CM Punk’s WWE Championship topping the list at 434 days.  It’s also worth noting that both AJ Styles and Brock Lesnar became 2 time WWE Champions within 2 years of joining WWE.

However there are 2 other sets of statistics that creates even more anticipation.

1. Brock Lesnar has never been defeated in a 1-1 match that features a new opponent since Goldberg in 2012.
2. Brock Lesnar has never won at Survivor Series.

So whether Lesnar wins or not, history will be made on Sunday’s Survivor Series.  If AJ Styles wins, he would have become the first person since 2012 to defeat Brock Lesnar in their first 1-1 attempt.  If Brock Lesnar wins though, he’ll have broken his Survivor Series Curse which currently stands at 3 defeats out of 3 appearances.

With all this in mind, let’s take a look back at those 3 defeats to remind ourselves that Lesnar may not be invincible as his recent dominance has shown.

2002 – Brock Lesnar VS The Big Show

“Brock Lesnar’s never been pinned; Brock Lesnar’s never submitted.” (Michael Cole’s commentary during this match)

This match lasted 4 minutes 18 seconds, it is surprisingly short.  But it contains a shocking betrayal at it’s heart which prevents Brock from securing the win after performing an F5 on The Big Show.  Paul Heyman pulls the referee out of the ring while he is counting Brock’s pin.  The Big Show then uses a steel chair, that Heyman introduced to the ring, to defeat Brock Lesnar and gain the WWE title.

Thankfully this is ancient history for Brock Lesnar, and Paul Heyman won’t be interfering – at least not to help AJ Styles.  I would count this as an unfortunate defeat for Lesnar as it wasn’t necessarily his fault, he was stabbed in the back by those around him.

The other bonus for Brock is that AJ Styles won’t weight the same as The Big Show, so performing an F5 on The Phenomenal One should be easier!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4aLwOR2WYI

2003 – Team Angle VS Team Lesnar

Survivor Series 2003 is an example of Brock Lesnar losing clean.  Not only does he submit, his whole team loses.

Team Lesnar: Brock Lesnar, The Big Show, A-Train, Nathan Jones, Matt Morgan

Team Angle: Kurt Angle, Chris Benoit, JBL, Hardcore Holly, John Cena

Hardcore Holly got disqualified early on in the match, beginning the comeback tale.  Cue a mid-match surge from Kurt Angle and a Crippler Crossface from Chris Benoit on Brock Lesnar, with a John Cena finish and there is the underdog team winning in a crowd pleasing fashion.

The key factor here: John Cena.  Lesnar made a play early on to get Cena on his team which didn’t work out as Cena solidified himself as a face within the company, joining Team Angle.

Sunday’s Survivor Series match was carded as Heel Champion vs Heel Champion with Jinder Mahal; however it has now become Heel Champion vs Face Champion, giving the crowd a clear direction for their support which should help create an entertaining atmosphere.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJ2kFGda9i4

2016 – Brock Lesnar VS Goldberg

It seems like only yesterday.  A highly anticipated showdown, with a build up to match it, and it was over in a flash.  It’s almost the opposite to Brock’s match this year, which has had minimal build up in comparison due to the late change to the card.

While this match in 2016’s Survivor Series was another clean defeat, it started Brock on a path that would end up leading him to WrestleMania 33 and the Universal Championship.  In the grand scheme, this was a necessary defeat to enable a greater overall victory and dominant reign.

Within the WWE Universe, it’s clear to say that lack of preparation and strategy lead to Lesnar’s demise.  Since AJ Styles is very different to the likes of Goldberg, Jinder Mahal, Braun Strowman, and Roman Reigns, Brock will want to make sure he’s done his homework.

In theory is appears as though Lesnar would be able to send AJ to Suplex City with an express ticket, which suggests that Styles will adopt a long-play game plan.  I do see Brock VS AJ Styles lasting over 15 minutes as AJ will look to tire out Brock rather than throwing the kitchen sink at him.  If AJ wins, I wouldn’t be surprised if it came through a submission.

A title match between Charlotte and Natalya is planned for tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live in Charlotte’s hometown.  Reports from Dave Scherer of PWInsider.com suggest that Charlotte will be winning the title from Natalya to go on and compete against Alexa Bliss at Survivor Series.

If Charlotte winning the title from Natalya has been the long-term plan for tonight, WWE has worked well to keep it under wraps as Alexa Bliss continued to prepare and promote her match with Natalya last week on RAW:

Alexa has changed her tone however as she was featured in an interview last night that saw her almost prepare to lose as she claims the Survivor Series match to be unfair, due to the limited time she has to prepare for her opponent.

It is also possible that Alexa Bliss could be at SmackDown Live, along with other RAW superstars to witness the title challenge.  If this is the case, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Alexa interfere with the match as SmackDown Live has done previously on RAW shows.

Compared to the overall impact on Survivor Series, this could be another change that sees WWE balance out the face and heel bookings within the champions matches.  Jinder Mahal was set to face Brock Lesnar, but was replaced as AJ Styles won the WWE Championship from him last week on SmackDown Live.

The main problem that would be encountered, when having multiple ‘heel vs heel’ matches, is a neutral crowd/environment; the purpose of having a face and heel competitor is to create an atmosphere and to give the crowd a side/superstar to cheer and boo.

Therefore WWE has appeared to introduce more champions late in the day, who are faces, to even everything out, with Charlotte fitting the bill.

Opinion:

WWE has a recent history of making late changes to PPV cards.  This has been due to health, as well as superstars walking out, but it seems as though anything is possible now.

Also, watch out for Carmella at SmackDown Live and Survivor Series, she needs something else to happen that enables her to cash in her Money In The Bank contract, and this week could present multiple opportunities.

After several battles with make-shift teams, The Shield will take on the Intercontinental Champion and the RAW Tag Team Champions.  Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, and Roman Reigns, face up against The Miz, Sheamus and Cesaro.

Roman Reigns has been off duty with a viral infection, causing the shock change to the TLC PPV card that saw Kurt Angle complete the 3 vs 5 main event.

Triple H also appeared at a house show in Glasgow, donning the tactical vest and ending the match-up with a 3-man powerbomb which was made famous by Roman and his fellow Shield members.

Last week saw RAW Under Siege Part 2, with The New Day raising the alarm, forcing Kurt Angle to call all superstars into action to chase off the invasion during a tag team title match: Seth Rollins & Dean Ambrose vs Sheamus & Cesaro.

The Bar was able to take advantage of the confusion, causing a surprising change of champions, who will now face The Usos at Survivor Series.

But before then, The Bar will have to team up with the Intercontinental Champion, The Miz, to take on a recovered Shield team that will feature the original 3 members.

BREAKING: #TheShield will face #ICChampion @mikethemiz and #RAW #TagTeamChampions @WWESheamus & @WWECesaro, TONIGHT! https://t.co/rmBRMjTTIX pic.twitter.com/z6P0QweydB

— WWE (@WWE) November 13, 2017

Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose will be looking to seek revenge for losing their titles, and Roman Reigns will be looking to make a statement on his return by sending a strong message to The Miz and anyone else who thinks that they can mess with The Shield.

While the match won’t feature any title changes that affect Survivor Series, it holds potential to be an extremely good showdown between the 2 groups before The Shield takes on The New Day on Sunday.

Opinion:

Whether you have a positive or negative opinion of Roman Reigns, it’s hard to not feel excited about seeing all members of The Shield in the ring together taking on the current top heels in the brand.

The final round of the Madden 18 Tournament on UpUpDownDown saw 3 time champion Seth Rollins (The Champ) take on Jason Jordan (Dick Wellington).

The video starts with a confident Seth Rollins reliving his victories against AJ Styles and discussing how annoyed and upset The Phenomenal One was with the defeats.  Jason Jordan reminisced about Styles playing Madden backstage at shows, and how dedicated he was with the tournament.

By half time of Rollins vs Jordan, the two superstars are caught at a 7-7 draw, with Jordan scoring an interception in the last 20 seconds of the half.  And so began a second half of intense football that will never be forgotten.

Early in the second half Seth Rollins asked the question: “What happens if we go into overtime”.  Jason Jordan replied to the question by adding 6 points to the board and denying Rollins the chance to score any.  The Champ is no more.

Rollins has openly shown how nervous he can become while playing Madden, and this is no exception.  He was caught rocking back and forth as he tries to work out why and how he is losing; Jordan meanwhile remains cool, calm and collected.

Early in the game, the two discuss how greed caused the interception that led to Dick Wellington‘s first half score.  Later they continued by turning the events into wise lessons for all on the pitfalls of greed, adding a moral tone to the video.  Unfortunately Seth wasn’t able to hide his frustration and anger in the closing moments as he walked up with a few seconds still left on the clock.

This is the first time in Madden Tournament history that Seth Rollins has lost.  He is no longer invincible and there is now a guaranteed new Champion in this year’s tournament.  Safe options for this year’s Champion would be AJ Styles, Luke Harper or Kofi Kingston.

Highlights of the video:

1. Just how close Seth Rollins gets to the screen in the final plays of the game.
2. Seth Rollins’ monologue as he leaves the game, resulting in some well timed dolphin sounds to censor his emotions.
3. This quote from The Champ: “Fudge me.  Fudge me right in the fudging fudge”.
4. Jordan’s sheer delight at the end of the video, he can’t contain his happiness as Rollins rants down the corridor.
5. The fact that Jordan never practiced, or played the latest Madden game.

Dick Wellington joins the winner of the SmackDown Live showdown that was released yesterday, Luke Harper who shocked Jimmy Uso with a solid performance.

Bonus Question:

Does this mean that Seth Rollins will have to change his GamerTag on UpUpDownDown as he is no longer The Champ?

The penultimate match in Round 1 of the 2017 NFL Madden 18 Tournament included a new face to UpUpDownDown, and Seth Rollins should be worried.

Jimmy Uso reached the quarter final stage last year against AJ Styles which resulted in an entertaining match.  The highlights of that game are:

1. The amount of censorship required in the final minutes to keep Jimmy Uso family friendly.
2. AJ Styles’ delight in securing outrageous interceptions.

The Prince of Phenomenal made his way into the SmackDown Live semi finals, to face Jack Swagger, with a 24-17 win over UCE.

Unfortunately for UCE, he didn’t have much luck in this year’s tournament either as he came up against a surprising adversary.  Out of all the superstars, Luke Harper does not spring to mind as someone who would be video game savvy, yet he proved any doubters wrong.

While his in-ring persona suggests that he may not be familiar with electricity, let alone Xbox One or PS4, he is more than capable of taking the challenge to Seth Rollins in the 2017 tournament.  A mixture of good football knowledge and understanding of how to convert that knowledge onto the virtual pitch is exactly what made Seth Rollins The Champ.  However, Luke Harper has proven that he has all those skills too.

What’s even better about this video is the amount of fun that each superstar had; it doesn’t even seem like Harper has missed a beat or bean away at all from SmackDown Live.

Highlight of the match:

Jimmy Uso repeatedly trying to rip his shirt and off and failing.

WWE has revealed a new poster for WrestleMania 34 to support the ticket sales of the event at New Orleans on April 8th next year.  The WWE Universe is expecting to have Roman Reigns come up against Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship, while AJ Styles could face Shinsuke Nakamura for the WWE Championship title.

However, givemesport.com has highlighted concerns over the new poster that is featured on the WWE website.

The report focuses on Jinder Mahal being featured ahead of the new WWE Champion AJ Styles, who won the title at SmackDown Live last Tuesday.  The main focus of the report highlights the negative response on Twitter, with fans being less than happy to see Jinder Mahal and not AJ Styles on the poster.

Jinder Mahal followed the defeat on Tuesday with a post on instagram to try and solidify his position as a dominant force in WWE.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbPYTbVDVkl/

Mahal’s run as WWE Champion has not been popular with fans.  He, and the company have been consistently criticized over the experiment to gain more viewers in India.  This was emphatically proven as the ratings were released, highlighting a significant increase as AJ Styles won the title from Mahal.

Therefore fans of the WWE Universe may be concerned when they see the former WWE Champion feature on a poster for WrestleMania 34, ahead of AJ Styles.  If this poster was an accurate representation of what to expect at WrestleMania 34, then fans should be frustrated to not see the current WWE Champion, but a crucial piece of information has been missed.

The poster was initially released via this article on wwe.com which was put up on October 30th, over a week before AJ Styles won the WWE Championship from Jinder Mahal.  While the showdown between Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar has had speculation since the end of WrestleMania 33, Styles’ role in New Orleans has not had as clear a path.

Fans appear to be jumping up and down, assuming that Mahal is guaranteed to win the title back off AJ Styles, however it’s not that clear cut when all of the information is put together.

Others have pointed out Naomi’s appearance on the poster ahead of Natalya or Charlotte, but with 6 months to go, there are numerous women who could be champion by WrestleMania 34, Naomi is just one of many.

Opinion:

WWE would not have wanted to accidentally give away any spoilers through this poster, and I am sure updated posters will be revealed closer to the event as the matches and feuds become more clear.  Jinder has improved as a talent in the ring, he’s a heel, he’s meant to be disliked; but I think AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura will be the match-up at WrestleMania 34.

Ms Money in The Bank has increased her publicity recently by taking part in interviews ahead of her debut on Total Divas, 2 weeks before Survivor Series.  Is WWE preparing for Carmella to cash in her Money in The Bank contract?

During the U.K. tour, Carmella spoke to The Sun to discuss her career in WWE. The interview ranged from her career before entering sports entertainment, to making history and becoming 2 time Money in The Bank winner.

“After starting off in NXT and then getting here to SmackDown Live, all I ever wanted to do was to create history and be a part of the women’s revolution. Natalya, Naomi, Becky Lynch, Charlotte, everyone is making history and I wanted to be a part of it and now my name will always be forever etched in history – and that’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

Carmella was also featured in this Total Divas advert:

The Sun’s interview delved deeper into her experience working in the UK with Carmella commenting on her work at NXT Takeover in London. She reminisced about the PPV being in the U.K. explaining that it was like nothing she had felt before. On the topic of another PPV in the U.K. Carmella added her support, saying that it would be amazing if WWE were to hold a PPV in the U.K. again.

On the rivalry between RAW and SmackDown Live, Ms Money in The Bank stated that she uses the pressure and competition to improve her own performance:

“It’s nice to have that rivalry because it makes you work that much harder and you always want to be better than the other side.”

And it appears as though she has done just that.  Carmella has certainly stepped up her game over the past few months.  She has used James Ellsworth well and can hopefully cash in her Money in The Bank contract successfully to begin her reign as SmackDown Live Women’s Champion.  When she’ll cash in, or whether she’ll be able to hold on to her title is another question though.

In the final part of the interview, Carmella gave her opinion on the RAW vs. SmackDown rivalry and reveals she made a promise to the other women on the SmackDown roster.

“I don’t know where people get that Smackdown is the B show – I couldn’t disagree more […] all the women in our locker room came together and vowed to make us the A show and show we are the best women’s division.”

It definitely looks as though all the SmackDown Live women are on the same page in this video at Nottingham, England…

Opinion:

Be on the look out at Survivor Series though, with a diminishing relationship with James Ellsworth, she’ll be looking to move forward.

The 10th of August 1997 marked the day that D-Generation X was formed and has since marked itself permanently into the history books of sports entertainment, alongside other legendary groups like the nWo.  Therefore WWE are celebrating their 20th anniversary throughout 2017.

They previously released this backstage video of a photo shoot where modern day superstars pay respect to the rebellious legends.

Now, WWE has released a special collection of GIFs on Giphy for the WWE Universe to use.  The trove of GIFs features Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Road Dogg, X-Pac, The New Age Outlaws and more from their era defining band of superstars.

Here is a selection of what you can expect to find in the collection to use on Whatsapp, Twitter and most other forms of social media.

The question now: Will the likes of The Shield still be household names and celebrated within the WWE Universe by 2032?  I think D-Generation X has a reply…

Added bonus:

Here is my personal favourite DX moment… (although strictly speaking, this is just Shawn Michaels and Triple H)

Cody Rhodes is a prime example of someone who left WWE and reached even greater levels of success on his own terms on the independent scene.

While working for WWE is the dream of most professional wrestlers, there are a lot of performers who we think have more potential in other promotions.

Here are 5 WWE superstars who I think would benefit from working elsewhere:

Dolph Ziggler:

Dolph Ziggler

Recent reports have suggested that Dolph Ziggler isn’t content in his current role at WWE.  Having introduced Shinsuke Nakamura and Bobby Roode to the main roster with opening feuds that have seen him on the losing end overall, Dolph isn’t exactly progressing towards significant title opportunities that he was accustomed to previously in his career.

His current entrance, with no music, sums up his entire direction and drive at the moment: there is none!  I don’t believe that this is due to him personally, but how he is being used within the company.  The perfect example is his absence from this month’s Survivor Series PPV.

The plan for Dolph Ziggler should be to leave WWE, re-invent himself having toured other companies, and return to WWE a new man!

Zach Ryder:

The Hype Bros just don’t have the hype anymore; some may ask whether they ever had any hype at all.  And since returning from a knee injury after 6 months off, Zach Ryder has been involved in more losing matches than winning.  One of his last memorable moments came in the form of Wrestlemania 32:

But this is rumoured to have only come about because Neville had broken his ankle.

Since partnered with Mojo Rawley, The Hype Bros have been able to work their way into number 1 contender positions, but haven’t been able to convert these opportunities into meaningful  title reigns. With Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin being pushed, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn potentially working as tag-team partners, as well as the return of Luke Harper and Erick Rowan as The Bludgeon Brothers, The Hype Bros aren’t likely to feature in many significant matches in the near future.

Another problem Ryder faces is his one-dimensional tag team partner, Mojo Rawley.  Mojo Rawley won the Andre The Giant Battle Royale Memorial Match… and has done nothing with it; the year before Baron Corbin won the same match.

Ryder could simply part ways with his tag partner, but it then appears difficult to place him in the ring with other superstars who have overtaken him in the singles division.  The worry would be that he ends up doing nothing, much like he is doing now.

Given the chance to leave WWE, Zach Ryder is just about young enough to alter his persona and break away from WWE, whilst also using his experience to put on good matches and build himself up out on the independent circuit.

It may seem unlikely, but let’s remember that Simon Gotch has done extremely well for himself since leaving WWE.

Gentleman Jack Gallagher:

Jack Gallagher is a shadow of his former self.  The 205 Live superstar was a fantastic face, with brutal headbutts and an umbrella named William the Third!  He has since turned heel and lost all moment that he had.  I personally believe that he should have won the Cruiserweight Championship from Neville.

However, the main reason why Jack Gallagher should move away from WWE is centred around the division he is in: 205 Live.  The show isn’t big enough for more than 1 or 2 main superstars, everyone else takes a backseat and can’t develop their career.  Furthermore, after the departure of Austin Aries and Neville, WWE brought in Enzo Amore and Kalisto – they didn’t even promote superstars from within the division!

Jack Gallagher needs to leave and continue this persona with other companies where he can earn and take genuine steps forward, rather than being ignored.  If I were him, I would be talking to Neville and other promotions, starting in the UK.

Chad Gable:

Unlike Zach Ryder, Chad Gable is currently part of a tag-team which could deliver in the next year.  Gable has teamed up with Shelton Benjamin after Jason Jordan parted ways with American Alpha to seek success as a singles competitor.  The truth is, Chad Gable is just as impressive on his own, and deserves to be on the singles scene as much as Jordan.  Unfortunately for Gable, Jordan was given priority.

While Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin were able to defeat The Usos via countout, many say the match appeared weird and suspect an injury forced a quick end.  However WWE’s willing to have the match at all shows a desire to push the newly formed tag-team which could lead to title opportunities in the future.

The main point is: if Chad Gable becomes a singles competitor, he should leave WWE.  If he stays in a tag team, he should remain where he is already established.  Chad Gable had a few singles matches, and put on a great performance against AJ Styles, but didn’t appear to be rewarded for it.  He needs to be somewhere that casts him as a legitimate champion, which I believe is more achievable for him outside WWE.

Rusev:

Rusev looks the part, sounds the part, and sells an RKO better than anyone else.  He is also active outside the ring, and entertaining on twitter.

The bad news for him is that WWE have cornered him into a stereotypical role that has no freedom or creativity.  Getting Rusev to pursue nationalistic goals, like flag matches and Rusev Day, doesn’t develop his character and he just ends up helping others look better than he is.

Much like Dolph Ziggler, Rusev has also missed out on this month’s Survivor Series and is sat on the sidelines.

When he was featured on UpUpDownDown however, he didn’t appear as his in-ring character, and we were able to see the real Rusev which was much more entertaining.  It appears that the in-ring persona is largely controlled by the WWE creative team, which is holding Rusev back.  That’s not to say that Rusev isn’t successful in WWE, but I believe he has the potential to achieve even more outside the company.

There is no doubt that Rusev would draw huge numbers to any promotion outside of WWE; and he could finally explore new creative avenues that would only boost popularity among fans.  I believe people would go to see him as an ex-WWE superstar, but then continue watching to see how he develops on his own.

Unfortunately I can’t see him make the move away from WWE as the lure of potential success remains present for him, but I wish he would take the opportunity to set himself free.

On May 22nd 2017, Manchester Arena was targeted during a terror attack at an Ariana Grande concert. The attack resulted in the death of 23 people, as well as causing injuries to another 500, only 2 months after a previous terror attack in London.

During the terror attack in London, an off duty police officer, Charlie Guenigault jumped into service and assisted those in need. The heroic amateur rugby player was stabbed while protecting another officer, by tackling 1 of the 3 attackers to the ground. Charlie sustained injuries to his leg, head, back and stomach, literally putting his body on the line to protect and serve – even when off duty.

A month afterwards, Charlie Guenigault was surprised by Triple H who presented him with a custom made WWE Championship Title, to honour and respect his pure heroism in the face of an extreme and horrific situation.

.@TripleH meets Charlie Guenigault, a London police officer wounded in the attack at London Bridge, to personally thank him for his heroism. pic.twitter.com/kBOn14iX08

— WWE (@WWE) June 20, 2017

Prior to the presentation, Sami Zayn had sent a personal video message as the officer wore Zayn’s “Worlds Apart” t-shirt.

Last night, @TripleH paid a visit to heroic London police officer Charlie Guenigault, and brought with him this message from @iLikeSamiZayn. pic.twitter.com/89h96guwkg

— WWE (@WWE) June 20, 2017

A similar gesture was made to the staff of the Manchester Arena, and the local Manchester emergency services, as WWE superstars presented another custom Championship title.

Titus O’Neil, Matt Hardy, Bailey, and Mickie James took part in the presentation on behalf of WWE who are currently taping RAW and SmackDown Live at the Manchester Arena during the UK tour.

Matt Hardy gave the following short statement:

To the staff of the Manchester Arena and the incredible Emergency Services who put their lives before others to help, we thank you. As a token of our respect and gratitude, we present you with this WWE Title, our way of recognising true champions.

Titus O’Neil added:

WWE has a fantastic and longstanding relationship with the Manchester Arena, dating back almost 20 years. As we have done for two decades, as we will tonight and tomorrow night, and as we will into the future… we stand with you, and we stand with Manchester.

Austin Creed’s YouTube channel, UpUpDownDown, is in the middle of it’s 2017 Madden 18 Tournament.  Previous years have been dominated by The Champ: Seth Rollins.  He is still undefeated and continues his pursuit, looking to add a third championship to his cabinet.

Previous match ups have included Baron Corbin VS Kofi Kingston, as well as Titus O’Neill VS The Miz; both showdowns saw the former football athletes struggle.  While Corbin and Kingston were able to stay relatively lighthearted, with smiles and laughs on both sides, The Miz was unable to stop talking for the entire 26 minute video as he took on the head of Titus Brand Worldwide.  It’s difficult to not feel sorry for Titus as he sat silently throughout the unwarranted barrage of advice and taunts; however, it’s also extremely amusing and enjoyable.

The Hollywood A-Lister advanced through to the next round of the tournament in a 24-09 win and will come up against a member of The Miztourage: Curtis Axel, who beat Brian Kendrick 37-0.

The latest Madden 18 game to feature on Austin Creed’s YouTube channel was between two WWE superstars making their debut in the tournament: TJ Perkins and Luke Gallows.  This match-up potentially represents the most experienced video game player, overall, against the least experienced.  TJP based his in-ring persona on retro gaming, using 8-bit logos and music to support his character, which seems to be most inspired by Megaman games.

The only knowledge Luke Gallows was able to pick up before the start of the match, came from his old friend “Uncle AJ”; unfortunately it still wasn’t very helpful and Gallows had to sit as he was beaten by a nerd.

The beauty of this episode is found in the continuous jokes that each superstar bounces off.  They both have a great rapport with each other and work together, especially as TJP appears to look up towards Gallows, constantly wanting a Too Sweet.  While he destroys his inexperienced opponent, it seems as though TJP just wants to be liked by his older relative, and at the same time – his older relative just wants to fit in.  It’s an amusing insight into an unusual combination that wouldn’t be seen in-ring together.

Opinion:

Recent rumours have run around the internet about Gallows and Anderson potentially leaving the company, fueled by the removal of WWE from their Twitter descriptions.  Whether these rumours are true or not, it’s clear to see that Luke Gallows is a respected and admired superstar in the locker room.

Chris Jericho will be returning to Japan when he faces Kenny Omega at New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Wrestle Kingdom 12 event on January 4, 2018 from the Tokyo Dome.

After weeks of back and forth trash talking on Twitter, this weekend’s NJPW Power Struggle show featured a video of package of Jericho challenging Omega (Video). Jericho said, “Let’s see who’s really the best, b*tch”

Since Jericho wrapped up his most recent run with WWE, Jericho has been touring with his metal band Fozzy and announced his Rock ‘n’ Wrestling Rager cruise, which will feature appearances by The Young Bucks, Marty Scurll, Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler, Diamond Dallas Page, Mick Foley, Rey Mysterio and matches featuring talent from Ring of Honor.

At this time it appears that Jericho is working as a free agent and it’s unclear what (if any) involvement WWE had with this appearance for the number two wrestling promotion in the world.

Jericho wrestled in Japan early in his career and competed in New Japan Pro Wrestling back  in 1997-1998 when WCW had a working relationship with the promotion.

Chris Jericho posted the following on Instagram hyping the dream match:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbHNVIDF41Q/?taken-by=chrisjerichofozzy

Having had “unacceptable specimens and documents” rejected by the USPTO in May, PWInsider.com has reported that Matt Hardy increased his efforts to fight for the legal rights to the “Broken” gimmick which he used to reinvent himself before returning to WWE at Wrestlemania with his brother Jeff.

Jeff Hardy is currently recovering from a shoulder injury which required surgery to support a torn rotator cuff; so Matt Hardy has stepped into matches that haven’t involved a strong,  continuous story-line or direction, and it appears as though he needs something new to reinvigorate himself.  Putting the long-drawn legal battle with TNA to bed would surely give Matt, and the WWE creative team, some freedom to explore all avenues available to them.

That’s not to say that Matt Hardy has been floating and useless; matches with Braun Strowman and The Miz show a desire to stretch his abilities and continue to be the best he can.  It is just unfortunate that the legal proceedings are having an impact on his current career and development in WWE.

Last week’s RAW saw Matt take on The Miz for the Intercontinental Championship, a potential idea that was suggested here.

To boost his legal efforts, a lawyer specialising in intellectual property has been added to the team representing Matt Hardy based in Nashville.  Since the rejected documents in May, new evidence has been presented to the USPTO which they hope to clarify Hardy’s ownership of the “Broken” gimmick.  The new evidence is a promotional poster from an event with CWF Mid-Atlantic Wrestling which has not been revealed to the public.

Opinion:

Whether Matt Hardy uses the Broken gimmick or not, it will be a relief for him when it is over, enabling him to concentrate on his future and not having to spend time arguing about his past.

WWE will add an AJ Styles collection to the network on Monday, and have revealed the matches and feuds that appear.  Looking over the challenges and performances that The Phenomenal One has put on, it is hard to argue with the idea that he is the top superstar in the company at the moment; especially when you consider the fact that AJ Styles has been with WWE for less than 2 years.

Here is the introduction and list revealed by WWE, along with some clips:

Beyond Phenomenal Intro

‘Considered one of the greatest sports entertainers alive, the quest to be the best led AJ Styles straight to the bright lights of WWE. Relive the meteoric rise of The Phenomenal One with this WWE Network Collection and see why he’s been dubbed ‘The Face That Runs the Place’. From his rivalry with Chris Jericho to his first WWE Championship victory and action-packed encounters with the likes of Kevin Owens and John Cena! Join the club and be a part of the action with this “too sweet” Collection!’

11/6/17

A Phenomenal Debut

Royal Rumble 2016 – The WWE Universe is left in awe when AJ Styles makes his surprising debut in the 2016 Royal Rumble Match.

1/24/16

Instant Chemistry

RAW 1183 – Just a day after his surprising debut, AJ Styles finds himself going one-on-one with a new rival in Chris Jericho.

1/25/16

In the Fastlane

Fastlane 2016 – The rivalry between AJ Styles and Chris Jericho accelerates when they meet each other in singles competition.

2/21/16

A New Day for Y2AJ

RAW 1189 – The alliance between Chris Jericho and AJ Styles loses momentum when Y2AJ challenges The New Day for the WWE Tag Team Titles.

3/7/16

Welcome to the Grand Stage

WrestleMania – In his first appearance on The Grandest Stage of Them All, AJ Styles faces off against Chris Jericho.

4/3/16

Four Men, One Opportunity

RAW 1193 – AJ Styles battles Kevin Owens, Chris Jericho and Cesaro in a Fatal 4-Way Match for a shot at the Universal Championship.

4/4/16

Challenging the Roman Empire

RAW 1195 – With a shot to challenge Roman Reigns for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship coming up, AJ Styles confronts the Roman Empire.

4/18/16

THE Guy and The Phenomenal One

Payback 2016 – AJ Styles looks to ascend to the top of WWE by challenging Roman Reigns for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

5/1/16

Join The Club

RAW 1197 – AJ Styles forms a new Club by partnering with Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson to take on Roman Reigns and The Usos.

5/2/16

Going to Extremes

Extreme Rules 2016 – AJ Styles takes things to a new level by challenging Roman Reigns for the WWE World Heavyweight Title in an Extreme Rules Match.

5/22/16

Your Time is Up!

Money in the Bank 2016 – Worlds collide when AJ Styles takes to the ring to go one-on-one with ‘The Face that Runs the Place,’ John Cena.

6/19/16

The Chosen Battleground

Battleground 2016 – AJ Styles and his Club face off against John Cena, Enzo Amore and Big Cass in a Six-Man Tag Team Match.

7/24/16

A Clash of Styles

SummerSlam 2016 – The heated rivalry between John Cena and AJ Styles rages on in this incredible confrontation.

8/21/16

AJ Talks Smack

Talking Smack 889 – AJ Styles shows how he measures up verbally when The Phenomenal One addresses his upcoming battle with WWE Champion Dean Ambrose.

8/30/16

On the Fringe of Success

Backlash 2016 – AJ Styles sets out to make history by challenging Dean Ambrose for the WWE Championship.

9/11/16

Getting Crazy

SmackDown 893 – Dean Ambrose looks to reclaim the WWE Championship by challenging AJ Styles for the title.

9/27/16

Less Than Worthy

SmackDown 895 – Dean Ambrose serves as the Special Guest Referee when AJ Styles goes one-on-one with James Ellsworth.

10/11/16

A Dangerous Environment

TLC 2016 – AJ Styles puts the WWE Championship on the line against Dean Ambrose in a Tables, Ladders and Chairs Match.

12/4/16

Second Chances

SmackDown 905 – AJ Styles gives James Ellsworth the opportunity of a lifetime by defending the WWE Championship against him.

12/20/16

Overcoming the Odds

SmackDown 906 – As 2016 comes to a close, AJ Styles defends the WWE Title against Baron Corbin and Dolph Ziggler in a Triple Threat Match.

12/27/16

A Matter of Respect

SmackDown 910 – With John Cena set to challenge him for the WWE Championship, AJ Styles takes to the ring to demand the respect he deserves.

1/24/17

The Champ Who Runs the Camp

Royal Rumble 2017 – AJ Styles looks to cement his place in WWE history by defending the WWE Championship against John Cena.

1/29/17

Ego and Vengeance

WrestleMania – AJ Styles returns to The Grandest Stage of Them All to settle a score with SmackDown LIVE Commissioner Shane McMahon.

4/2/17

The House that AJ Styles Built

SmackDown 920 – With the landscape of WWE set to change in the Superstar Shakeup, AJ Styles lets the world know what his intentions are.

4/4/17

A New Opportunity

SmackDown 921 – AJ Styles faces Sami Zayn and Baron Corbin in a bout to name the Number One Contender for the United States Championship.

4/11/17

The Howl of a Lone Wolf

SmackDown 923 – While Kevin Owens watches from ringside, AJ Styles faces off against Baron Corbin in singles action.

4/25/17

An American Prize

Backlash 2017 – AJ Styles takes to the ring to challenge Kevin Owens for the coveted United States Championship.

5/21/17

Trying to Break the Bank

Money in the Bank 2017 – AJ Styles looks to seize the ultimate opportunity by competing in his first-ever Money in the Bank Ladder Match.

6/18/17

Phenomenally Patriotic

SmackDown 933 – AJ Styles sets out to reclaim gold by facing Chad Gable to qualify for a special Independence Day Battle Royal.

7/4/17

Gold and Old Friends

SmackDown 936 – Things get very familiar when AJ Styles faces Kevin Owens and a returning Chris Jericho for the United States Championship.

7/25/17

The Face of America

SummerSlam 2017 – With Shane McMahon officiating, AJ Styles defends the United States Championship against Kevin Owens.

8/20/17

“Stone Cold” Podcast

WWE Hall of Famer and Icon “Stone Cold” Steve Austin has a no-holds-barred live interview with “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles.

There hasn’t been a genuine contender for the Intercontinental Championship on WWE for quite some time.  The Miz has successfully held the title with the help of The Miztourage against the likes of Jason Jordan and Roman Reigns, but he has been focused on a power struggle with The Shield and Kurt Angle in recent weeks.

Survivor Series will see The Miz take on the United States Champion, Baron Corbin in a non-title championship showdown.

The next RAW PPV is The Royal Rumble in January, and it seems likely that The Miz will be able to hold on to his Intercontinental Championship until then.  The interesting news comes from The Wrestling Observer which has provided inside information regarding the plan to have Braun Strowman as the next superstar to challenge The Miz for his title.

Between now and then, it looks like The Miz will want to keep Kane by his side but, if this is the plan, it won’t be long before Braun Strowman works his way through The Big Red Machine to make for The Miz and his IC title.

It wasn’t long ago that Braun Strowman took on Brock Lesnar.  Here’s Paul Heyman’s take on the gigantic match at No Mercy:

Opinion:

Hopefully this will add some much need interest to the Intercontinental Championship which has taken a backseat while The Miz has played a key part in reuniting The Shield.  The main question building up to this title challenge is: How could Braun Strowman not defeat The Miz?  Even with The Miztourage, it seems like an obvious match to call.

Speculation over the Survivor Series Champion vs Champion matches has been cast by wwe.com.  A RAW preview has stated that while Brock Lesnar and Jinder Mahal are set, other title holders may not be champions by Survivor Series.

“Though anything can happen in WWE, Universal Champion Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman seem fairly focused on WWE Champion Jinder Mahal, so perhaps The Beast is secure for the time being. But, that same cannot be said for all other Raw titleholders.”

The main focus of the preview from WWE was on Alexa Bliss’ title.  With Mickie James and Asuka presenting themselves as the most obvious and lethal of threats

“Alexa Bliss has consistently represented Team Red as a formidable Raw Women’s Champion, but her attempts to brag about her successful title defense against Mickie James at WWE TLC were spoiled by the six-time Women’s Champion, who took out Little Miss Bliss with a wicked DDT last week on the red brand. Without a doubt, Mickie isn’t done with the “goddess.””

The statement further suggests that Asuka is likely to go after the RAW Women’s Championship and look to continue her undefeated run.  A WWE poll also asked fans to vote for who they think should be the superstar to end Asuka’s amazing performance; the current winner of that poll is Charlotte Flair.

The last superstar to be cast with doubt over his title was The Miz:

“In his collective reigns, The Miz has held the Intercontinental Title longer than all but two past Superstars, but can The A-Lister remain champion if he continues to antagonize dangerous forces such as Raw General Manager Kurt Angle and The Shield in his never-ending search for respect?”

Either Seth Rollins or Dean Ambrose could aim to pick up the Intercontinental Championship, but the preview suggested that they would be more focused on retaining their Tag Team Championships ahead of the PPV in November.  And with a successful return to the ring at TLC, the Intercontinental Championship seems a bit beneath Kurt Angle at this stage in his career.

However it wouldn’t be too far-fetched for Kurt Angle to throw other superstars towards The Miz who could pick up the IC title from The A-Lister.

Opinion:

It would seem drastic to change title holders ahead of Survivor Series, especially with The Miz’s twitter battle with Baron Corbin.

The main superstar to be under threat is Alexa Bliss.  I believe that Asuka has the best chance at gaining the title as she continues her spectacular run, but I can’t see why WWE would want to suddenly change the title over, 3 weeks before Survivor Series.

A week after the successful return to the ring at TLC, Kurt Angle is fully involved with more plans for his competitive future in WWE.

The Olympic gold medalist featured in the main event which saw The Shield take on The Miz, Sheamus, Cesaro, Kane, and Braun Strowman.  As Roman Reigns was ruled out of The Shield’s PPV return due to a viral infection, Kurt was medically cleared to compete in WWE for the first time in 11 years.

Here is the RAW General Manager’s take on his emotional return to the ring:

Since Sunday’s TLC, it appears that WWE has given Kurt Angle the green light to move forward with more in ring appearances.  He recently posted this photo on instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BazcCDMA6gm/

At TLC Angle wore a tactical vest, a must for any member of The Shield.  Therefore, a photo of him working on his patriotic attire tells us that WWE want to use him in the ring again, and not just as a replacement.

To add even more fuel to this, WWE have released a poll asking the fans who Kurt Angle’s next opponent should be.  To be absolutely clear though, it does state “If Kurt Angle were to compete…”.

AJ Styles, Cesaro, and Brock Lesnar feature as the top three competitors that fans want to see against Kurt Angle, while Bray Wyatt is last with 0% of the vote.

Opinion:

Kurt Angle won’t have many big matches left in him.  While WWE appear to be giving him what he deserves, the matches he features in will need to be chosen carefully to make the most of this golden opportunity.

The next step for Kurt Angle however, is taking control of his roster and delivering at Survivor Series after Shane McMahon and SmackDown Live ransacked RAW.

Al Snow recently sat down with Harry Kettle of CLICKON Sports to discuss everything pro wrestling; here are the main highlights from the interview:

Al discussed his simplistic view on gimmicks within sports entertainment and selling a character or persona to an audience:

“If they cannot describe you to their friends and family in a sentence or less, then you’re no good. You’re not gonna be successful, or as successful as you can possibly be. If you’re not able to do that, no matter how talented an individual may be, male or female. Steve Austin was always a beer drinking, ass kicking redneck. You have to deliver on what you’re selling to the audience.”

Thankfully for him, Al Snow’s character was very easy to describe in just one word: insane.

“I was involved in a lot of interesting storylines and things like that, and a large part of that was because my character was insane. I was free because of my insanity to do absolutely anything. A lot of guys say Al Snow was a comedy wrestler, but I wasn’t a comedy wrestler. I didn’t do any of it for comedy, I did it to be entertaining.”

However he contrasts the beauty of being free with his view on the possibility of missed opportunities:

“Sometimes you’re in the forest so deep that you can’t see the trees. You don’t even see the opportunities that are there until you get further out, and then you realise ‘oh that was an opportunity’ or ‘oh I blew that one’. As far as regrets though, I never regret being a professional wrestler. I’ve lived an amazing life, and the only regret is that at some point it’ll have to come to an end. That’ll be hard.”

One opportunity that he didn’t miss was the chance to work as a trainer and to help those around him become successful.  For those who are unaware of who he’s helped, here’s what he had to say about training some WWE greats:

“Steve Austin came and spent several days with me at one point when I had my school in Ohio to kind of get the ring rust off. Glenn Jacobs [Kane], D’Lo Brown, CM Punk spent time with me, Beth Phoenix, Alicia Fox, Cody Rhodes, and I can go on and on. I had a hand with some of these guys either from the ground up or later on, so I’ve had quite a lot of wrestlers who are enjoying some level of success in professional wrestling that I played a factor in.”

Al expanded upon his professional training with how perceives his personal success.

“It’s a big thrill for me to watch my students succeed on any level. I’m just so proud of them, and I really believe and have determined that whatever legacy I leave behind in wrestling is going to probably be my training. I’ve been blessed to have been an in-ring performer for going on 36 years, and in that time I’ve made a lot of mistakes, so that gives me a wealth of experience that I can pass on. They can understand where I made my mistakes, and I can help to prevent them from making it themselves.”

In the final high-light, he offers a piece of advice on permission versus forgiveness.

“You’d be surprised at how much control a performer actually has once they step foot in the ring. Something may work, or not work, but that’s on you. The phrase that’s used the most is ‘always ask for forgiveness, never ask for permission’. If you ask for forgiveness, then you take your chances. You may have to come back and say you screwed up, but at least you took your shot.”

Catch the whole interview with CLICKON Sports here:

Seth Rollins has appeared on multiple videos recently for Austin Creed’s YouTube channel: UpUpDownDown.  The Champ, as he is known as on UpUpDownDown, is most notable for becoming the three time, undefeated Madden Champion.  However his latest adventure saw him take on WWE 2K18 with Austin Creed.

Check out their first tag-match, joined by Corey Graves!

The main event of this feature was the Royal Rumble that they entered as their own characters in the game.  While they watched the entrance of Seth Rollins, who entered at the number 1 position, Creed began an extremely interesting insight into the current state of RAW.

The host of UpUpDownDown asked whether Rollins still considered himself to be The King Slayer or whether he had moved up to the mantle of ‘The King’.  Rollins replied that he slayed The King, referring to his match with Triple H at WrestleMania, but that The King Slayer doesn’t automatically become The King afterwards.

The exchange continued with Austin Creed asking if anyone had taken the throne after Triple H, with Rollins replying:

“I don’t know, no one’s really taken the throne I suppose […] RAW, there’s a lot of claims to the throne, no one has actually taken it.”

Seth went on to explain that he would take up the role of The King Slayer again, when a King returns to RAW, acting as a superhero.  This suggests that Seth Rollins will remain as a face within the company after The Shield, and that he expects to challenge the main role on RAW when the time comes.

While this was a brief side thought in a video that focuses on promoting the WWE video game, it reflects the absence of Brock Lesnar and RAW’s lack of a week in week out leading star.  As Rollins said, there are a lot of contenders, but no one has claimed the throne.  Some would argue that The Miz fits the job description as he is RAW’s biggest heel.  However The King needs to dominate and rule as the most powerful superstar on the brand, holding the leading championship or corporate power.

Check out the full Royal Rumble match on UpUpDownDown here:

It’s no secret that Enzo Amore has gained heat in – and out of – the ring over the past few months.  Some feel that the current Cruiserweight Champion doesn’t deserve his title, or that others are more deserving of it.  Whether you like the Certified G, the positive within all of this is that Enzo is getting people talking about 205 Live.

Neville attacks Enzo Amore during his championship celebration on the 9/25/17 episode of WWE RAW.
(Photo Credit: WWE.com)

Unfortunately for WWE it appears that it was all too much for Neville who walked out on RAW and saw himself removed from the intro package to 205 Live.

In an interview on Hot Ones with Sean Evans, Chris Jericho discussed trash talkers in WWE, wrestling in Japan compared to the U.S., as well as his real life dislike of Triple H in 2002.

“Triple H. In 2002, we didn’t like each other. I think we were almost pitted against each other in a lot of ways. We had great chemistry, great matches…I just didn’t like him, he didn’t like me, and there was no falseness. Now I love him. Great guy.”

Catch the full Hot Ones interview here:

Y2J has never hidden his relationship with The Game from 2002 and has previously explained that the conflict came from Jericho’s time at WCW which saw him trash talk and slate the WWE roster to battle the Monday night war for ratings.  So when he moved to WWE, some of the locker room held a grudge towards him and his on-screen persona that was arrogant and cocky.

The main question is: does Enzo have the capability to follow Chris Jericho’s example and work through whatever heat he has?  Perhaps Y2J would be kind enough to offer Amore some words of advice? It really does seem as though Jericho (circa 2002) and Amore have a lot in common and it would be extremely smart to use this connection to their advantage.

Opinion:

The other way to think of it is: Enzo doesn’t need any help, he’s still in the company, he’s featured weekly on multiple shows, he’s still champion… he’s doing alright!  The main problem that Cruiserweight Champions have faced in the past is: where do they go after losing the title?  Most former champions have faded into the background.  Enzo needs to ensure that he bounces back to the main roster to secure a solid future for himself in WWE.

The Miz is currently tied up in a feud with Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose’s makeshift Shield which featured Kurt Angle in an explosive TLC main event that saw Braun Strowman leave in a dumpster truck.  On the following RAW, Rollins and Ambrose took on the Intercontinental Champion’s team with SmackDown Live’s AJ Styles filling in for the absent Roman Reigns.

Unfortunately, the IC title itself is yet again being misused and lacking in development or growth.  The positive aspect is that The Miz is a great heel and has done some fantastic work on Miz TV and with Kurt Angle on the build up to Sunday’s TLC, however he hasn’t taken his title anywhere and it has become stale, predictable, and boring.

The card for Survivor Series has been announced, and it seems that the IC title isn’t going anywhere as a match up between The Miz and Baron Corbin is set to feature alongside all other respective title champions.  So, in no particular order, here are 5 superstars who would elevate the Intercontinental Championship after Survivor Series:

Finn Balor

Finn Balor has been floating in the WWE Universe for too long.  He needs something to solidify himself and provide a purpose.  Finn is also a prime example of a superstar who could be deemed “above” the level of the IC title, therefore enabling him to raise it up.

It is clear that the WWE creative team rate Finn; he is a former NXT Champion, and was the first Universal Champion.  Unfortunately he has had to deal with injuries which resulted in him taking a back seat to everyone else.  Apart from being stuck in a feud with Bray Wyatt, which started when Bray moved to RAW in April!  That’s almost a 6 month on and off feud.

After a 4* match against AJ Styles at TLC it is clear that Finn Balor would give the Intercontinental Championship the boost it so desperately needs.

Bray Wyatt

In complete and direct contrast to Finn Balor, Bray Wyatt would without a doubt turn the IC title on it’s head.  Bray had a brief stint as WWE Champion which ended all too suddenly against Randy Orton at WrestleMania.

Since moving to RAW, Bray has been lacking direction and specific purpose while working on and off with Finn.  Furthermore, the Eater of Worlds has been struck with a viral illness that kept him away from his match with The Demon at TLC.  On his return, Bray could certainly provide an alternative approach to being Intercontinental Champion, almost the complete opposite to The Miz’s shiny Hollywood appearance.

I’m not going to add Sister Abigail as a separate entrant on this list, but it’s worth mentioning that Bray’s alter-ego could also be used effectively in the Intercontinental scene.  Imagine having Sister Abigail featured on Miz TV during the build up to Bray’s reign.  Absolutely bizarre.

Matt Hardy

Matt Hardy could open up the Intercontinental Championship to new avenues.  He would be perfect as a transitional champion to enable other superstars to get involved in the title picture.

Matt has already revealed that a change is coming to his WWE character, so why not use this opportunity to bring some change to the IC title as well?

25 years of EVOLUTION..

And change is almost upon me AGEEN. pic.twitter.com/H9mHXLqomA

— MATT HARDY (@MATTHARDYBRAND) October 4, 2017

It has been noted previously that Jeff Hardy is more valuable to WWE in terms of champion material but while his brother is recovering from surgery, Matt could be the perfect superstar to bring new life to the Intercontinental Championship.

Check out his match against Braun Strowman and the Torando DDT he worked in against The Monster Among Men.

Jason Jordan

Jason Jordan should have won the IC title from The Miz when the opportunity was there.  Unfortunately the explosive athlete that was given a huge push as Kurt Angle’s son has now faded into the mid card territory.  If Jordan could transfer his brute strength into a heel position, he could easily dominate in the ring.

Check out what he was able to do with the likes of John Cena.  Of course there was only going to be 1 winner, but Jordan was still able to demonstrate his pure talent.

Samoa Joe

It is important to note that Samoa Joe is due back soon – very soon.  Before encountering knee problems, Joe was facing the likes of Brock Lesnar, Braun Strowman, and Roman Reigns.  Therefore it is easy to see how The Destroyer could pose a legitimate dominance over the Intercontinental Championship scene as he builds himself back up into the unstoppable force demonstrated here:

Although Samoa Joe managed to get a rare clean win over Roman Reigns, Wrestlemania speculation is to have the Big Dog take on Brock Lesnar, which means Joe will be looking for an angle of his own.

Like most of the names on this list, it seems like some superstars would be demoted to working the Intercontinental Championship, however it’s all about raising the title beyond that of its current position.  While Samoa Joe appears to have WWE Champion and Universal Champion in his future, he would also make a fantastic dominant Intercontinental Champion too.

In recent weeks, RAW has seen Enzo Amore and the Cruiserweights take the main event spot which was previously reserved for the likes of Roman Reigns, John Cena, Brock Lesnar, and other big name superstars.

Amore has used this to his advantage, creating more heat for his character as he competes against Kalisto for the Cruiserweight Championship.  Check out this prime example of Enzo before his main event against Kalisto:

“I am your biggest superstar in the locker-room”

After Amore’s win over Kalisto at TLC, the two time Cruiserweight Champion is likely to repeat a similar reaction tonight, demanding more attention and respect from the RAW locker-room and General Manager: Kurt Angle.

While other sources have speculated that WWE is pushing 205 Live and Enzo Amore, or that Vince McMahon enjoys watching The Certified G being beaten up on such a grand stage; Kevin Eck, a former writer for WWE, has appeared on The Wade Keller podcast and suggested that ratings have a lot to do with it:

“…[W]hen you look at the ratings, you always see consistently the third hour drifts off, and you see a higher rating during the second hour[…] There is some prestige to appear at the end of the show, but I don’t think it’s the same to when I worked there[…]Vince has seen the rating trend that people aren’t sticking around, no matter what they put in[…] so why are you going to put your most important segment in the hour to where people are tuning out?”

Eck’s business sense does demonstrate a logical strategy, featuring the most popular wrestlers during the highest ratings.  But WWE will, at some point, want to reveal a huge surprise with lasting impact, which requires the final moments of the show to make the most effective cliff-hanger.

Opinion:

Don’t expect Enzo or the Cruiserweights to remain in this spot for too long.  The recent outbreak of viral infections will have caused multiple plans to change, evidenced by last night’s TLC PPV, and with the return of Brock Lesnar, plus build up to Survivor Series, WWE will surely resume normal service as Amore becomes repetitive and old.

The Miz has appeared on his own in recent weeks at RAW shows as Maryse is off pregnant with the #ItBaby.  Fortunately for The Miz, he’s had the company of Sheamus, Cesaro, Braun Strowman, and now Kane as he prepares for the main event at TLC against the reunited make-shift Shield.

Due to viral illness, Kurt Angle has stepped up in place of Roman Reigns.  AJ Styles has also had to cover for Bray Wyatt, while Bo Dallas has been off for a while recovering.  Miz took to twitter to make sure everyone knew who’s show TLC really was:

https://twitter.com/mikethemiz/status/921789249250299904

In his tweet, Miz refers to the confrontation between himself and SmackDown Live general manager: Daniel Bryan.  Let’s remind ourselves of THAT episode of Talking Smack in 2016.

Sadly, these two superstars were never able to confront each other in the ring over this heated dispute as WWE will not allow Bryan to come out of retirement due to medical reasons.  But if things became as fractious as this with Kurt Angle, there may be different results.

Later that day, The Miz and Maryse dressed up as Prince Charming and Cinderella to post a video as they cut the now traditional cake to reveal the gender of their unborn baby.

https://twitter.com/mikethemiz/status/921847681449938954

Opinion:

Will The Miz becoming a father change his in-ring persona?  I don’t think so, he works best as a heel.  The more immediate question is, will Miz fall out with RAW gm Kurt Angle like he did with Daniel Bryan?  With RAW talent struck down, Kurt may be called up again to fill in for a more physical feud after TLC.

The Bulgarian Brute showed his lighter side as he laughed, mimicked and joked around with a quieter AJ Styles on the UpUpDownDown Madden Tournament.  The two superstars played out a rematch of the 2017 Super Bowl between AJ’s home town team: the Atlanta Falcons; and Rusev’s choice: the New England Patriots.

Before watching the amusing match up, it is worth checking out the final from the previous tournament that featured AJ Styles and Seth Rollins which became heated in the final moments of the game.

AJ walked out before the game had finished, exclaiming that his loss came from the match being played on PS4 rather than Xbox.  Style’s then threw his runner-up trophy on the floor, breaking it and causing a piece to fly off and injure a WWE official!

A rematch was declared using an Xbox instead:

Sadly this did not favour the Prince Of Phenomenal as The Champ (Seth Rollins) picked up the big W again.

In contrast, safe in the knowledge that Rusev has little NFL knowledge, AJ appeared much more relaxed and tolerant of the Bulgarian’s comedic value.

Throughout the encounter Rusev provided an unorthodox style that contrasted AJ’s methodical dominance, resulting in a secure win for the Prince Of Phenomenal.  However, from the moment the camera’s started rolling, AJ couldn’t keep a straight face.  Rusev even broke into song, serenading AJ with his own version of “I Believe I Can Fly”.

The beauty of UpUpDownDown’s Madden Tournament is seeing superstars in their natural environment backstage.  Sometimes it’s possible to tell when an act is being put on, but it’s great to see Seth Rollins nervous, or Rusev laughing and joking as he clumsily tries to play a game that he’s learning properly for the first time.

If you watch all of the rounds, it’s easy to catch guest appearances from other superstars who just walk into the room by accident.  Titus O’Neil, Jimmy & Jey Uso, and the rest of The New Day all make regular appearances as they take sides and cause chaos, while also giving us a unique insight behind the scenes of WWE superstars.

Here is a bonus video that hi-lights the beautiful hilarity which UpUpDownDown captures:

WWE’s Women’s division has been picking up momentum in recent months.  The recent Mae Young Classic highlighted female talent from around the world, and the imminent arrival of Asuka to RAW holds the potential for a great step forward that all superstars want to be a part of.

Kurt Angle’s teasing of a Women’s Elimination Chamber match further demonstrates just how much development and progress is being planned and made within the division.

Charlotte Flair has recently made her return to the ring, challenging Natalya for her SmackDown Live title.  Along the way, Charlotte has also teamed up with Becky Lynch and shown a clear change from her previous heel stance as The Queen to become a face.  Although the change has not been as successful, this firmly enables Charlotte to be on the same team as the other former Four Horse Women.

While Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch have been able to remain in action, Bailey had to recover from a shoulder injury that was picked up during a match with Nia Jax.  Bailey has since returned and been able to compete in recent matches.

With Survivor Series looming, this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter has presented new details about The Four Horse Women of MMA undergoing extensive wrestling training, adding actions to their previous verbal challenges with WWE’s Four Horse Women.

Shayna Baszler began training at the WWE Performance Center, while Ronda Rousey has been training in California with Brian Kendrick.  Marina Shafir, fiancée of Roderick Strong, has been training in Orlando, and Jessamyn Duke has been training for the last few months at the Santino Bros Wrestling Academy in California.

It’s clear that preparations are underway for the MMA superstars to make their way to WWE, and that this match up will come together at some point, however whether this happens in time for Survivor Series, as rumours have suggested, is another question.

Opinion:

Another big question that will have a lasting impact on the women’s division is: will Rousey, Shafir, Duke, and Baszler remain in the WWE Universe beyond one in ring showdown, or whether they will be given a contract that sees them join the women’s division?  The potential problem comes from the number of available spaces in the division, with the added MMA superstars taking up four slots, will there be enough space for anyone from NXT be able to break through?  I personally believe that the next step would be to create women’s tag team champships, which has never been able to take flight previously due to numbers.