On Monday’s post-Royal Rumble edition of WWE RAW, a big match for this week’s SmackDown was announced, which airs live on the SyFy Network from Hartford on Thursday night.

In what will be the third straight television match between the two, the stakes are higher than ever before now as Daniel Bryan meets Kane in a casket match.

Make sure to visit us here at the website for full results of this Thursday’s live SmackDown broadcast.

• VIDEO: Girlfriend Catches Cops On Tape Attacking And Tasering UFC Fighter!

Shaheen, co-host of The Hot Tag podcast, noted he was right by the guerrilla position last night at the Royal Rumble and said that Daniel Bryan walked by him and the people he was with. He said that Bryan clearly heard and acknowledged them.

He said that Bryan looked “super pissed” like Bret Hart looked at Survivor Series 97 when he was screwed. He said that Bryan literally looked for 2 seconds with his hands on his hips with a blank look on his face, ignored everyone and walked right out.

“Forget all of the kayfabe…he was pissed.” He said this was interesting and that there were maybe 30 people that saw this and he was not selling for the camera since there were no cameras filming him.

As noted earlier today, Dave Meltzer noted this morning that there were changes made during the show and even though they knew that the crowd would react negatively the company freaked out when they saw just how bad the reaction was at the end of the show for Roman Reigns.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsKes466H1Q

• Rusev threatens The Rock, is Bully Ray staying with WWE permanently?

– WWE World Heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar flew home to Minnesota earlier today, so he won’t be at tonight’s in-studio episode of Monday Night RAW from WWE Headquarters.

– WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross made the following comments about Roman Reigns’ Royal Rumble win in his latest blog at JRsBarBQ.com:

“Roman Reigns is now in touchy situation and how he comes out of all this is going to be provocative to follow. The Rock had some of the same issues back in the day when he debuted as in the infamous :’Die Rocky Die’ chants and signs we used to see. Seen Reigns as a big star in the future and I’m curious to see it Sunday night’s experiences will help him in the long haul.”

“What if Reigns shockingly aligned himself with Paul Heyman and the two of them conspired to beat Lesnar at WM31? Stranger things have happened.”

– Daniel Bryan tweeted this message to his fans on Monday afternoon:

https://twitter.com/wwedanielbryan/status/559807131697025024

It happened again.

All the signs were there, yet somehow WWE didn’t see it coming.

At the WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view on Sunday night, the rabid, passionate fans in Philadelphia completely turned on what is generally a very popular, fun, 30-man annual match.

Things started off just fine. The momentum was great coming out of what was an excellent triple-threat match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship between Brock Lesnar, John Cena and Seth Rollins. Everything was in place. One left turn when WWE should have gone right, however, and everything could potentially fall apart.

WWE went left.

The match began like every other year. Out first comes The Miz, followed by R-Truth.

Whatever.

But then the countdown clock hit, the fans counted from ten to one and we had our first surprise of the night. Bubba Ray Dudley, the former “Bully Ray” in TNA Wrestling, was our first unexpected entrant of the match.

The fans were hot in Philly for their former ECW original. Dudley borrowed R-Truth for a few minutes, turning him into his own personal D-Von Dudley replacement, and the fun began.

“Wazzupp?!”

“Truth! …Get the tables!”

“3-D!”

The match was going along smoothly.

Dudley was eliminated a few minutes after popping up in WWE for the first time in ten years.

That was their first big mistake.

Seven entrants later — enter the leader of the “Yes! Movement.” Straight out of the gate it was clear — Philadelphia came to see Daniel Bryan win the match that he wasn’t even entered in last year.

It was going to be an ugly night.

Daniel Bryan was only in the match for a few minutes before being eliminated by Bray Wyatt. He was the eleventh Royal Rumble entrant to be eliminated this year. From there, the rest of the show completely fell apart.

WWE clearly had a game plan. Get Bryan’s elimination out of the way early, give the fans time to get the “boo’ing” out of their system, and then hopefully we’ll go along with our business.

Well, that didn’t exactly happen, did it?

What in the world did WWE expect to happen? Did they learn nothing from 2014?

Apparently not.

I’m assuming WWE was under the impression that once Bryan was out of the way, they would get behind Roman Reigns, and if they didn’t, when The Rock came out to endorse him and help him win, surely at that point the sheer excitement of seeing a big movie star for a few minutes would make them forget that they’re favorite wrestler had been screwed for the second year in a row.

Right?

Wrong!

Of course that wasn’t going to work. There were many other options WWE could have tried that would have saved the show from completely falling apart. For those who missed it, from the point Bryan was eliminated, throughout the rest of the entire match, except a couple of pops here and there, the rabid Philly fans boo’d the living crap out of everything that was happening.

Bryan was only cleared to return to the ring a few weeks ago. Knowing the Royal Rumble was coming up, if you’re not planning on having him win the match, why even have him return? Why not wait until after the Royal Rumble to bring him back?

Well, they had already brought him back, so that’s out. Knowing he’s back, however, why not save him for the final two? If you’re hell bent on having Reigns win the match, at least you have the fans turn on him at the very end of the match. They boo the finish. It sucks, but it’s better than 20-30 minutes of guttural boo’ing and madness.

Going forward, Roman Reigns is expected to be “the guy.” The next John Cena, if you will. If this is his launching off point, they better have their writers quickly figure out a way to turn him heel and capitalize on momentum that is already in place, because if they think that was a one time thing, they’ve got a rude awakening coming in their future.

Fans don’t forget. Reigns’ push had already peaked and started going down several weeks ago. His promo work isn’t there yet. His matches, while good, are not so good that fans will overlook the rest of the missing pieces of the puzzle. He’s simply not going to work as the top babyface superstar in the company. It’s not going to happen. Not yet, at least.

Regardless, another Royal Rumble is in the books. Another year of fans completely turning on WWE and crapping on their choice for a top guy, or a top match for WrestleMania, and they let it be known. Now, all that’s left is to wait and see if WWE smartens up and finds a way to give them what they want.

WrestleMania 31 — Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns vs. Daniel Bryan.

Personally speaking, I don’t like the sound of that. Another triple-threat main event for the title? I’m not into it. But it’s pretty clear that the fans are choosing Daniel Bryan as their guy. Why WWE is so dead set on fighting it is completely beyond me.

But hey, I guess there’s always next year!

What are your thoughts on this year’s Royal Rumble and the fan reaction to the match? Let us know by posting your feedback below. You can also add me on Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBooneWZR and/or follow me on Twitter @MBoone420.

Vince McMahon and top WWE officials were legitimately surprised at the intensity of backlash they saw from the live crowd at Sunday’s WWE Royal Rumble match.

While WWE knew some fans would not be on board with Reigns winning the Rumble instead of Daniel Bryan, the feeling is that WWE painfully underestimated how people would react. According to Dave Melzter of the Wrestling Observer, “They panicked early, they changed a few things.”

The Rock in particular was caught off-guard by the situation, with Meltzer noting, “Dwayne was not happy.” After making a surprise appearance at the end of the show to support his cousin and help him win the Rumble, The Rock was visibly surprised and it showed in the ring and during his post-show backstage promo on the WWE Network. He tweeted after the Rumble –

Just touched down in Miami. Thank you Philly for the #RoyalRumble passion – I feel ya 100! Up in 4hrs for AM cardio.. #FackIt #LetsWork

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) January 26, 2015

Despite the #CancelWWENetwork craze, Vince McMahon is ‘dead set’ on sticking to the Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar WrestleMania main event. The feeling is that WWE caved last year by adding Daniel Bryan to the main event and most likely will not be going the same route this year. Meltzer said, “Vince feels that it would be a repeat and gone to the well one time too often.”

WWE Royal Rumble 2015 Reaction: Highs, Lows, Results & Random Thoughts

Daniel Bryan recently spoke with Miami Herald’s Scott Fishman to promote tonight’s WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view. Below are highlights from the interview.

On possibly wrestling Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 31: “Facing Brock Lesnar is my ultimate dream match for WrestleMania 31. If you asked me right now what would be your ideal situation for WrestleMania 31, it would be wrestling Brock Lesnar for the WWE world heavyweight championship in the main event. I think Brock Lesnar is the ultimate monster. He is the beast, but I also think I’m the ultimate underdog. I think it’s something the fans want to see. I definitely want to see it. So that’s what I’m hoping for.”

On his upcoming autobiography: “At first I was going to write it myself. Then I was doing so much physical therapy and all that stuff, I didn’t think I was able to do it. We had somebody that helped me write it. Then we got the first draft, and he did a really good job, but it wasn’t my voice. My career has been very different with different stories and experiences. It’s hard for anybody else to express that. Then all of a sudden you have this first draft of the first attempt on the book, and I didn’t think it was working. So since November, I went back to writing it myself again. Then because the first draft was due actually on Thursday when SmackDown moved to Thursday nights, I’ve been writing like 2,000 words a day. So when everyone is off talking and getting ready for SmackDown, I’m working to get the first draft done.”

On who he would want to induct him into the WWE Hall of Fame: “I actually haven’t really thought about it, but if I were to be, I would want William Regal to do the honors. He has been the influential person in my career by far. So I would want him. Plus he is a great speaker. I think he would be great.”

Check out the complete interview at MiamiHerald.com.

• VIDEO: Girlfriend Catches Cops On Tape Attacking And Tasering UFC Fighter [WATCH HERE >>]

Roman Reigns spoke to IGN.com this week to hype Sunday’s Royal Rumble match.

After a breakout performance at last year that saw Reigns eliminate a record 12 competitors, the former Shield member looks to make history once again and earn his first WrestleMania main event. He said:

“I don’t think anyone thought I was going to do what I did last year when I had 12 eliminations and took the record off of Kane, and then be among the final two guys in the ring. Everybody was thinking about Bryan last year because he never came out, and they were thinking about Batista too, and not really thinking about me.”

With Reigns and Daniel Bryan the two odds-on favorites to be the last man standing, IGN asked reigns what he thinks about Bryan’s involvement. Based on his comments, it doesn’t appear that Reigns views Bryan as much of a threat.

“It doesn’t change anything for me. He’s considerably smaller than I am and this match isn’t about submissions or pinfalls, it’s about throwing a guy over the top rope. So I clearly have a weight advantage. I’m far more explosive. I think, if anything, I have the upper hand in a Royal Rumble match.”

Head on over to IGN.com to read the full interview.

• VIDEO: Will Ferrell Accidentally KOs TNA Knockout With A Basketball While Filming His New Movie!

– There are some reports that claim Finn Balor suffered an injury during a triple-threat match with Hideo Itami and Adrian Neville at the NXT live event in Cocoa Beach on Friday night. After the match was over, Balor left to the back in a hurry and was apparently noticably limping. We will keep you posted.

– WWE Hall Of Famer Hulk Hogan posted the following tweet this weekend, predicting Daniel Bryan to win this Sunday’s Royal Rumble match.

A lot of prospects for #RoyalRumble but I gotta go with my man @WWEDanielBryan for the Rumble. #YesYesYes all the way to Mania brother HH

— Hulk Hogan (@HulkHogan) January 23, 2015

• JIM ROSS and JOSH MATHEWS Involved In EPIC Twitter War! [READ HERE >>]

The following are highlights of a new interview with Seth Rollins from The Independent in the U.K.:

On facing John Cena and WWE World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar on Sunday: “It is certainly in my plan to walk out as the WWE World Heavyweight Champion by hook or by crook. Things don’t always go according to plan, but I’ve been pretty successful in putting my plans into action over the course of the last few months, so yes I’m extremely excited for this opportunity.

If you look at the list of guys who have had matches with Brock Lesnar since his return it’s pretty small to say the least, so to be in that company is quite rewarding personally and professionally. To be on the marquee with Cena and Lesnar in such a high profile PPV is pretty awesome for me as well, and another feather in my cap for what has already been an incredible run over the last year.”

On Daniel Bryan possibly winning the 30-man main event: “For this year, it’s an interesting situation, as there are so many possibilities. I wouldn’t mind Daniel Bryan winning the Royal Rumble and going on to face me for the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania, because if you look at what Daniel Bryan did last year, what a tremendous story and if he does it again this year, I’d like to be the guy who stomps out his dream. I think that’s a great story, so it would be very interesting for me to be in that situation in the Wrestlemania main event with Daniel Bryan, considering we’ve had matches in much smaller venues in front of much less people.”

On NXT: “I watched the last Takeover special, R-Evolution, and I thought it was pretty awesome. It’s really cool to see guys I’m familiar with, my friends being shown as the stars that they are. Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Finn Balor and Hideo Itami, these guys are people that I’ve worked with in different parts of the world or that I’ve watched and respected for years, so it’s great to see them get to enjoy that atmosphere that is NXT, and get to really capitalise on what NXT has to offer. I’m looking forward to seeing those guys on the main roster with me headlining PPVs, it’s a really cool time to be a part of our crew.”

Check out the complete interview at Independent.co.uk.

• VIDEO: Will Ferrell Accidentally KOs TNA Knockout With A Basketball While Filming His New Movie!

The following are highlights of a new Talk Sport interview with Daniel Bryan:

On if he feels pressure headed into the Royal Rumble and if the fans will be as hot for him as last year: “To be honest, I don’t feel any pressure like that. I’m pretty confident to go out there and do what I’ve got to do. What’s interesting to me to see if the crowd stays as hot for me as last year, that was pretty intense. I’m hoping that they do.”

On how he feels physically in the ring since returning: “To be honest, I had my first two matches last week and when I got home my body felt horrible. Your body adapts to pretty much anything but when you’re not used to wrestling it’s very physically tough, not to mention the travel. Last week I did three live events, then Raw and then SmackDown so when I got home on Wednesday my body was feeling pretty beat up. Yesterday it was back to being good, I’m back to feeling mobile and my neck feels really strong – yeah, it feels good!”

Check out the complete interview at TalkSport.com.

• VIDEO: Will Ferrell Accidentally KOs TNA Knockout With A Basketball While Filming His New Movie!

Poll: Who Will Win The 2015 WWE Royal Rumble?

Tonight, fans will be treated to perhaps the most exciting sixty-plus minutes of action all year. Bodies will be flying, dreams will be shattered, and ultimately, one man will punch his ticket to WrestleMania. However, there are still many questions to be answered before we start discussing ‘Mania. Most importantly, here is how I believe this Sunday’s Royal Rumble will play out.

The New Day vs. Cesaro, Tyson Kidd, and Adam Rose

It’s sad to see Kidd and Cesaro once again relegated to the pre-show, but at least they are getting some airtime, I suppose. On one hand, I expect Adam Rose to find a way to screw things up and cost Kidd and Cesaro the match. With that said, the New Day got the upper hand on Raw by picking up a clean victory, so based on WWE logic, it’s Kidd and Cesaro’s turn to win.

Winners: Cesaro, Tyson Kidd, and Adam Rose by pinfall

The Usos (Tag Team Champions) vs. The Miz and Damien Mizdow

Am I going crazy, or have we seen this matchup way too often in recent months? It seems unlikely that Miz and Mizdow would pick up the titles shortly after dropping them, especially as they continue to tease tension between the two. I think Miz once again tries to steal the show and refuses to tag Mizdow, eventually costing the team the match. This will further tension between the partners, eventually resulting in a breakup and payoff match at WrestleMania.

Winners: The Usos by pinfall

Paige and Natalya vs. The Bella Twins

This was basically slopped together so there’s not much to analyze or discuss. Either Paige or Natalya (whichever they want to challenge for the Divas Championship next month) forces Nikki to submit for the win.

Winners: Paige and Natalya by submission

– WWE’s upcoming Daniel Bryan autobiography will be released on Friday, April 3rd to coincide with WrestleMania.

– Tickets are sold out for NXT’s first-ever live event outside of Florida, which takes place on March 5th from Columbus, Ohio at the LC Pavilion.

– Goldust is denying reports that he’s planning to retire after WrestleMania:

https://twitter.com/goldust/status/558654287912656899

This time of year is always thought of as the “Road to Wrestlemania” and is supposed to be a moment in which a career is made, a legacy is increased, or a hall of fame spot is cemented.  With such a grand prize at the helm, it’s no wonder the Royal Rumble is one of the most anticipated matches of the year.  Between the surprise returns, the elimination teases, the underlying stories, or the sheer number of superstars in the ring at one time, there’s no denying the excitement that the January event brings with it.  This Sunday will host the latest installment of the event, which is sure to thrill, as Seth Rollins joins John Cena and Brock Lesnar in a battle for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.  The build-up for this match thus far has been amazing, with each superstar taking turns to look as good as possible, with Lesnar being the most recent destroyer.

But the best part about the Royal Rumble is that it’s more than just a match; it’s a full-scale event, complete with it’s own card, stories, and unique twists.  In fact, some of the best matches in WWE history took place at this battlefield, and a few times in history, those matches overshadowed the Rumble itself.  When you’re not one of the thirty men in the match, you have to take matters into your own hands.  You have to make sure that the fans don’t forget about you, and you have to make sure that you compete at a level that you may only reach once or twice a year.  Just as Cena, Rollins, and Lesnar look to do this Sunday night, superstars in the past went out there to steal the show, and make sure the Rumble didn’t steal their spotlight.  Let’s take a look at the top-five matches that stole the Royal Rumble.

#5.  Daniel Bryan vs. Bray Wyatt, 2014.

What was otherwise a disappointing Royal Rumble was fortunate enough to see one of the best one on one match-ups in Royal Rumble history.  I was lucky enough to be just five rows away from this incredible match when it happened, and even now as I look back on it, it was by far the best live match I have ever seen.  Daniel Bryan and Bray Wyatt met after weeks and weeks of build-up, which included Bryan joining the Wyatt family for a brief period of time, as well as a series of other strange and unusual situations.  Disappointingly, the overall feud itself mostly fizzled, as Wyatt was not truly portrayed as a cult leader, and Bryan was portrayed as a hero who moved too quickly through the events that unfolded.  The truth was, Bryan being so over made it impossible to capitalize on him becoming a heel in the Wyatt family, so the plug was pulled prematurely, and the feud ended up changing neither man for the better or worse.

While the feud itself may have been sub-par and disappointing, Bryan and Wyatt proved that night that they had chemistry in the ring, and understood each other completely.  It was a match filled with high-risk spots, high-impact moves, and false finishes, and eventually saw Wyatt taking the win.   Some of the best moments included Wyatt nailing the “Sister Abigail” on the barricade, Bryan selling a Wyatt clothesline like a champion, and Bryan nailing a number of suicide dives.

#4.  Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels, 2004.

A lot of people look back at RAW from 2002-2004 as Triple H’s “reign of terror.”  He was the 2002 Royal Rumble winner, and somewhat exclusively traded World Championships back and forth with Shawn Michaels and others between then and 2005. 2003 also saw the rise of “Evolution”, a group dedicated to keeping Triple H on top of WWE, which took over most of the Monday Night Raw storytelling up until Wrestlemania 21.     Despite Michaels and Triple H being one of the best feuds of all time, this period in history is widely looked at with a negative annotation, usually referred to as “boring” or “predictable.”

However, despite the criticism, there’s no denying that Triple H and Shawn Michaels put on some of the best matches throughout the early 2000’s, and on that list is their Last Man Standing match from the 2004 Royal Rumble.  It was a match that followed months of assaults, abuse, torture, injuries, and bad blood, and led to one of the best Last Man Standing matches of all time.  Michaels and Triple H put each other through hell and back, and then some, and overshadowed not just the Rumble match itself, but the entire event.  (Not to mention, WWE would most likely want you to forget who won that year.)

For the full build-up promo video, click here:

Daniel Bryan sat down with Robert Leigh of The Sun to talk about Sunday’s Royal Rumble. Bryan also gives his thoughts on Sting, Triple H, Paul Heyman, and his ideal scenario for WrestleMania 31 with Brock Lesnar.

Thanks to Robert Leigh of the Sun in the UK for sending us the following quotes:

On Sting vs Triple H –

“I think he’d do very well. But it will be interesting because there’s a lot of pressure in WWE. And he’s older now.

“Let’s see how he handles that kind of pressure, whether it is a Wrestlemania match or doing something at the Royal Rumble.

“It has been a long time since he’s performed in front of a crowd that big.”

On Paul Heyman –

“Paul Heyman’s been an incredible performer for years and he’s been able to change and evolve with the way the business has evolved,” said Bryan.

“To me, I feel like he’s very ahead of the curve.

“If you talk to Paul Heyman, he’s like a wrestling genius. He understands the fanbase, he knows what people want.

“He’s an amazing performer.”

On Brock Lesnar –

“Literally, my ideal scenario for Sunday would be I win the Royal Rumble, Brock Lesnar wins his WWE World Heavyweight championship match and then we wrestle in the main event of Wrestlemania.

“That’s what I hope happens.

“It’ll be interesting to see what actually does happen.”

You can read the full interview by clicking here (behind a paywall).

• PHOTOS: Renee Young and Dean Ambrose dating?

WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley has posted a new blog update on Facebook discussing his “wish” for Sunday’s WWE Royal Rumble event. Foley says Daniel Bryan winning the Rumble and going on to face Brock Lesnar for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship is the best possible scenario for WWE, and frankly, we couldn’t agree more. Foley wrote:

“Quite simply, I want to see Daniel Bryan win the Rumble, so that Paul Heyman can take the reigns and dazzle us with promos which will make Bryan vs Lesnar the greatest David vs Goliath story in recent memory. The Authority can put their stamp on some other match on the card but I would love to see the WWE World Heavyweight championship be about the GUYS IN THE MATCH- and not about who is in power in the company.”

After returning to action last week for the first time in nearly a year, Foley says Bryan is the perfect underdog opponent to challenge the unstoppable force that is Brock Lesnar.

“At Wrestlemania, I would like to see Daniel Bryan systematically chip away at that wall, knock it down, and give the WWE universe a victory they can savor…and more importantly, look forward to. The best present is the one that sits under the tree, neatly wrapped, ready to be torn into on Christmas Day. There’s no need to overthink it. Tie it up in a bow with a Bryan victory at the Rumble, and let us all start counting down the days until we get to open it.”

• Photos: Triple H BREAKS CHARACTER During RAW Reunion To Console A Crying Young Fan

A lot can change over the course of a year, especially in the WWE. At last year’s Royal Rumble, Batista earned the opportunity to headline WrestleMania, going from fan favorite to Bootista in a matter of moments.

It will be Daniel Bryan, Roman Reigns, and a whole slew of others hoping to earn that opportunity this time around, as the card for this Sunday’s Royal Rumble appears to be officially set. Here is a look at the superstars who have taken a leap forward over the past year, as well as those who have taken a step backward.

Progression

1. The Shield

Nobody has progressed over the past year more than the three men who formerly comprised The Shield. Roman Reigns set the record for the most eliminations at last year’s Rumble, although he was never really seen as a serious threat to win it all. This time around, he’s the odds-on favorite to win the Rumble and headline WrestleMania.

Reigns eliminated his former partners at last year’s event as a means to tease tension between the former Hounds of Justice. Both of those men have moved onto better things. Seth Rollins will be challenging for the title this time around, and Ambrose is seen as one of the most credible entrants in the Royal Rumble match. Believe that.

2. Brock Lesnar

Lesnar destroyed Big Show’s back at last year’s Rumble, walloping him with a chair about 50 times in a match that lasted two minutes. His character’s direction was unclear at the time, having engaged in various feuds in 2013 that didn’t really go anywhere, largely due to Lesnar’s limited schedule.

A few accomplishments have been added to his resume since last time around. Most importantly, he apparently broke some sort of WrestleMania undefeated streak that fans held dear to their hearts. Cena and Rollins will attempt to slay the Beast this year, as he comes in as WWE World Heavyweight Champion and undisputed top dog in the company.

– Brock Lesnar is featured on this week’s WWE “Five Things” video, which you can check out below.

– The official WWE website has a new article up on Daniel Bryan where he reveals his 15 greatest matches of all-time. The list reads as follows:

15. John Cena vs. Daniel Bryan — WWE Championship Match (SummerSlam 2013)
14. Daniel Bryan vs. Randy Orton — WWE App Vote Street Fight (Raw; June 24, 2013)
13. CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan — WWE Championship Match (Over the Limit 2012)
12. Daniel Bryan vs. Takeshi Morishima — Fight Without Honor (Ring of Honor Final Battle 2008)
11. Daniel Bryan vs. Seth Rollins – WWE App Vote Match (Raw; June 10, 2013)
10. Daniel Bryan vs. Cesaro (Raw, July 22, 2013)
9. Daniel Bryan vs. Nigel McGuinness (Ring of Honor Unified 2006)
8. Daniel Bryan vs. KENTA (Ring of Honor Glory By Honor 2006)
7. Daniel Bryan vs. William Regal (‘WWE Superstars’, November 11, 2011)
6. Team Hell No & Ryback vs. The Shield — Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match (WWE TLC 2012)
5. Team Hell No & The Undertaker vs. The Shield (Raw, April 22, 2013)
4. Sheamus vs. Daniel Bryan — 2-out-of-3 Falls World Heavyweight Championship Match (Extreme Rules 2012)
3. Daniel Bryan vs. Triple H (WrestleMania 30)
2. Randy Orton vs. Daniel Bryan vs. Batista — Triple Threat WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match (WrestleMania 30)
1. Robbie Brookside vs. Daniel Bryan — EWP Intercontinental Championship Match (EWP Gilde Wrestling Festival 2003 — Tag 3)

• PHOTOS: Triple H BREAKS CHARACTER During RAW Reunion To Console A Crying Young Fan!

Last night’s Raw was held in Dallas, TX and was the final episode before the Royal Rumble. There were plenty of surprises, and after weeks of terrible programming, perhaps the biggest shocker was that the company put on an episode of Raw that wasn’t half bad. Without further ado, here are this week’s pros and cons.

Pros

There were a few highlights to choose from, but for me, the final segment easily takes the top spot. The action during the contest was commendable, but the real excitement occurred after the match. Sting’s appearance was completely unexpected, especially an in age where nearly everything is spoiled online beforehand. The Stinger looked great (much better than he did at Survivor Series, imo) and held the pose long enough to make everyone wonder if it was a picture to distract the Authority, or whether he was really in attendance.

Fans quickly found out the answer, making a match between Triple H and Sting at WrestleMania all but official. Sting’s appearance, followed by Lesnar’s destruction of everything in sight, was an amazing way to end the show and sell Sunday’s Rumble. Speaking of Lesnar, the crowd is dying to cheer this guy. He could have a monster face run if he decides to stick around after ‘Mania.

A close second goes to the nWo reunion. The Ascension is completely laughable and unconvincing as intimating heels (Hall was straight-up laughing at them throughout the segment). I predict they will be dancing on the WWE comedy circuit within a year. With that said, it was awesome to see JBL finally take out his anger on these fools. It was hard not to mark out at the Clothesline From Hell, and it was pleasant to see actual planning and some sort of payoff for once.

The legends panel was decent, even if it’s the same three guys that are there every time a group of legends rolls into town. However, it was nice to see three Rumble winners talk about their victories, with Shawn Michaels saying, “There would be no Mr. WrestleMania without the Royal Rumble.” It was also humorous to watch Big Show bring up talking points from about two decades prior and refer to anyone as “three washed-up has-beens.”

In terms of wrestling action, the best match of the night, in my opinion, was Dean Ambrose and Bad News Barrett. These two had good chemistry and pulled off a number of impressive spots. In particular, Ambrose’s reversal of Wasteland into Dirty Deeds was an awesome way to end the match. I wouldn’t mind seeing these guys work a program for the IC Title at WrestleMania.

Finally, Sandow posing as X-Pac backstage was absolutely hilarious. This guy deserves bigger and better things. Hopefully the company comes to the same realization before it’s too late.

On Monday’s WWE Royal Rumble “go-home” edition of RAW, which was also the RAW Reunion special, another stipulation was added to the Daniel Bryan vs. Kane match scheduled for this week’s SmackDown.

The Kane-Bryan match will now be a No Disqualification match, where if Bryan loses, he forfeits his opportunity to compete in this year’s 30-man over-the-top-rope Royal Rumble match.

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WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart was interviewed for January’s issue of Total Wrestling Magazine, which you can read for free online at Issuu.com.

The 5-time WWE Champion spoke about his classic match with Davey Boy Smith at SummerSlam 1992, the legendary Hart family dungeon and his brother Owen. Here’s what he makes of the current WWE product and who his favorite superstars are:

“CM Punk, is an exceptional talent who’s really raised the bar in the last few years. I don’t know how many wrestlers in the past few years that I can say that about. In wrestling theres a lot of repeat, not a lot of innovation but Punk raised the bar and Daniel Bryan is a great talent too. He reminds me of Owen, a quiet kid who’s very talented. I love the way he wrestles, he does a lot that Owen did, like the dropkicks off the top, the nip-ups, there’s a lot of little Owen traits in everything Bryan does.”

He also spoke about patching up his relationship with Vince McMahon several years ago.

“He was one of the first people to call me and ask how I was after my stroke, and we cleared a lot of the air, I’m really grateful for that call. I eventually got to beat him at WrestleMania 26 which I think is a better ending for us. I would say he’s on the very best of terms with me now.”

WWE Superstar Daniel Bryan continues to do the media rounds, with two more interviews being published over the weekend.

Bryan spoke to Scott Fishman of the Miami Herald and said he wants to be the top wrestler on SmackDown. He also spoke about WWE management advising him to tone down his in-ring style to prevent future injuries.

“They  have told me, ‘Hey, maybe you shouldn’t be doing the diving headbutt or this or that,” Bryan said. “I have always marched to the beat of my own drum. We are all individual entities. Not to say I ignore their advice, but you also have to know your own body and where you’re at physically. Part of the thing about coming back is it’s a trial-and-error. If I started doing the top-rope dropkick and notice it jarred me, then it may be something I stay away from. I won’t know until I try. I’m not afraid to go out there and give it my all.”

He said that his style will evolve, but not necessarily due to his health. Bryan added that he was not cleared to return to action until the December 29th episode of RAW, when he made the announcement that he’s back.

“I started healing in November, as far as thinking, ‘Wait a second. Things are starting to turn around for the better.’ It was that December episode of Raw I went on to say I was finally able to be cleared by WWE where they said, ‘You’re ready to go.’”

During an interview with Fansided.com, Bryan talked about wanting to be “The Face of SmackDown.”

“I’ve been very open about that with management, and told them, ‘Let me be the face of Smackdown, give me the opportunity to show what I can do and by the end of the year Smackdown will be getting just as many viewers as Raw if not more.’”

As for ways to improve SmackDown, Bryan said he’s been pushing WWE to bring back the King of the Ring tournament as a SmackDown-exclusive event.

“I would like to have the King of the Ring tournament on Smackdown. The King of the Ring tournament is something that the WWE used to do on a usual basis, and they’ve gotten away from it.” He added, “One, I love tournaments. Two, I think if you do the tournament exclusively on Smackdown the fans will get really excited about it and they’ll get geared up for it. Then crowning a King of the Ring champion on Smackdown, I think that would be awesome. That’s one of the many ideas I have for Smackdown in 2015.”

– Daniel Bryan talks about his in-ring return from this week’s WWE SmackDown on the latest edition of “SmackDown Fallout,” which you can watch below.

– WWE Tag-Team Champions The Usos are the latest guests on Chris Jericho’s “Talk Is Jericho” podcast. The official description for the episode reads as follows:

TIJ – EP109 – WWE Tag Team Champs The Usos

“Current Tag Team Champs, and real-life twin brothers, The Usos give a detailed account about their famous wrestling family, their cousins – Roman Reigns & The Rock, their failed Smackdown audition, their inspired face painting, their memorable RAW debut, and the loss of their beloved Uncle Eckie aka Umaga! You’ll also hear the pranks they pulled in school that only twins can… and the day jobs they gave up in Florida to pursue a pro wrestling career!”

You can download the show right now at PodcastOne.com.

• WWE Planning On Major JOHN CENA vs. RUSEV Feud & Match At WRESTLEMANIA 31

There are a lot of words that could be used to describe WWE’s 2014 campaign, and some of them are better than others. While the 2014 year did give us some great moments, like Wrestlemania 30, or the squash of John Cena, it was also filled with moments that left us scratching our heads, and planting our faces in our hands. Understandably, not everything a major promotion like WWE does will be a success, but there’s a big difference between something failing, and something going neglected.

WWE had a number of chances to do big things last year, like pushing Cesaro to the main event, or building on the destruction of The Shield, that they simply did not capitalize on, or at least not to the level they were capable of doing. Because of this, a lot of people are afraid that WWE 2015 may suffer some of the same fates, and it very well could, if in the following year, some of the same decisions are made. If WWE wants to avoid the path of decline, and produce a gripping, fan-friendly product, than they must do the following five things:

5. WWE Must Improve Its Booking.

It was brought to my attention by Reddit’s top wrestling community, /r/SquaredCircle recently that, not counting battle royals or one on one matches, The Usos have faced the Rhodes Brothers over twenty times across the last year. To put that to scale, let’s say The Usos & The Rhodes Brothers have one tag match a week for twenty weeks. This means that, on RAW, you would see The Usos face The Rhodes Brothers from January to April / May every single week. That is almost half a year that you would see the same match over and over again. From a practical standpoint, let alone an entertainment standpoint, this is absolutely unacceptable. Putting the same four superstars in the same match over and over again is boring. Imagine if John Cena and Randy Orton fought every single week for almost half a year. Oh, wait…

You may also remember the stipulations leading up to Hell in a Cell; John Cena and Dean Ambrose had a match to determine who would get Seth Rollins, as each man felt like they had a legitimate quarrel to settle. Dean Ambrose ended up winning, and going on to Hell in a Cell to face Rollins, but the very next night on RAW, the main event was John Cena vs. Seth Rollins. Combined with the dirty finish at Hell in a Cell which set up an average-at-best feud between Ambrose and Bray Wyatt that also somehow erased that past number of months from Dean Ambrose’s head, John Cena circumventing the event and going right after Rollins the next night basically rendered all of October meaningless.

If 2015 is going to be better than 2014, one thing that must change is bookings. New match-ups and match possibilities must be created. The same seven or eight people cannot be used week in and week out for main events. Titles cannot just go back and forth, especially between two or three people. WWE must take the time and seriously commit resources to increasing the depth of their show, and the number of people invested in the main angles of the product. Otherwise, we may see yet another Gold & Stardust vs. The Usos half-year battle.

4. John Cena Must Begin Playing A Smaller Role.

When Daniel Bryan was injured last May, John Cena stepped in and replaced him in the title picture. At the time, I was upset by this because it felt like they were trying to use Bryan’s popularity to push a stale product who was already over, but in retrospect it easily made the most sense; John Cena is a reliable, proven commodity, who can not only handle singles feuds, but carry them, and with the direction WWE was heading, there was no way they could have chanced that spot with an unproven rising star like Reigns or Wyatt.

However, as of Smackdown tonight, Daniel Bryan is back in action, and barring something like a re-aggravation of his injury or bad writing decisions, his rise to the top is almost guaranteed. The truth is, there is plenty of money to still be milked from the “Ultimate Underdog Daniel Bryan” angle, and only a fool would miss a chance to milk that cow while it’s prime. What that means is that Daniel Bryan must take back his spot from John Cena. Otherwise, it won’t feel authentic, and it wouldn’t be nearly as interesting or gripping as it needs to be. If Daniel Bryan stays in the shadow, there’s no sense of urgency, or worth. He’s just another name. An over name, but just a name all the same.

Promoting SmackDown moving to Thursday nights, Daniel Bryan spoke to Joshua Stewart of NewsDay.com. During the interview, Bryan reveals that he was originally not scheduled to compete in the main event of WrestleMania 30. Rather, he was supposed to face Sheamus in the fifth or sixth match on the card.

“I can tell you 100 percent for a fact that I was not supposed to be in the main event at WrestleMania 30,” Bryan said. “That is one of the coolest things about WWE and wrestling in general. The fans have this very unique voice, and this very unique power, and in no other sport and no other form of entertainment can the fans make their voices heard and it affect change.”

Bryan also talked about believing that his neck injury may end his wrestling career, the sessions that fixed him and more. The full article is available here.

• Vince McMahon wants to stop pushing two WWE stars – details

The following are highlights of a new U.K. Mirror interview with Chris Jericho:

On WWE inducting Randy Savage into the Hall Of Fame: “Well, absolutely it’s one of the guys that needed to go in there to make it a legitimate Hall of Fame. They’ve done a great job over the last few years, putting in those last few guys like Bob Backlund, Bruno Sammartino, Bret Hart, and now Savage, those were the holdouts that needed to be in there to give that Hall some semblance of credibility. Now that Savage is going in, it’s kind of closing the book on the outstanding that needed to be in there – like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame needs to put Deep Purple in there before I can ever take it seriously. Until they do, it’s kind of a joke to me. The fact Savage is finally going in is great.”

On returning to WWE for the next two months, but not working TV or PPVs: “Just for January and February, working the live events – no TV matches, no pay-per-view matches. I happen to have January and February off because in March I’m going back to the UK with Fozzy, so it was a good time to go back to WWE for a few matches. It’s based around Fozzy’s schedule, and it’s been that way since 2010. You see me come and go for a month here, a month there, that’s why I didn’t want to do any TV this year in January or February because it’s too short of a timeframe. Considering it’s WrestleMania time, there’s really no reason to come back [on TV] because I’m not available for WrestleMania, nor do I want to be around just for a couple of months. It’d be too quick.”

On Vince McMahon’s “brass ring” speech: “I grabbed it so I don’t really have … he’s right, it’s all up to him, and whatever mood he’s in and whoever he decides has it at the moment will get a chance. It’s Vince, he says things and whatever is in his head. When I’m not in WWE, I don’t watch a lot of WWE. There’s guys there grabbing the brass ring and others will over time, and there’s people you never expected to make it huge that will make it huge – that’s the nature of the business. Look at Daniel Bryan, the company never expected him to get as big as he got and probably didn’t even want him to get as big as he got, but some guys just do.”

Check out the complete interview at Mirror.co.uk.

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