Two new entrants have been officially added to the 30-man over-the-top battle royal match at the upcoming WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view.

Current Intercontinental Champion Bad News Barrett, as well as Bray Wyatt, join the three previously announced Royal Rumble match entrants, which includes Roman Reigns, Daniel Bryan and Rusev.

The 2015 WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view event is scheduled to take place at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Sunday, January 25th.

• PHOTOS: CM Punk & AJ Lee At Dinner Together In Las Vegas Just A Few Days Ago, Hanging Out With Celebrities & MORE!

The storyline “firing” of Dolph Ziggler, Ryback and Erick Rowan, which took place on this past Monday’s edition of WWE RAW, is expected to be resolved before or during the upcoming WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view on January 25th.

As things stand right now, Ziggler, Ryback and Rowan are all expected to be participants in the 30-man over-the-top Royal Rumble match during the pay-per-view.

• PHOTOS: CM Punk & AJ Lee At Dinner Together In Las Vegas Just A Few Days Ago, Hanging Out With Celebrities & MORE!

It has been reported for a while now that WWE is planning on keeping Daniel Bryan out of the ring until his return in the Royal Rumble match at the WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view on January 25th, however that may not end up being the case.

As of right now, Daniel Bryan is listed in the advertising, promoted as wrestling Kane in a singles match at the WWE live event on January 16th in St. Louis, Missouri.

The official website for The Scottrade Center lists the following for the aforementioned 1/16 live event in St. Louis:

WWE returns to St. Louis for the first time in 2015 with a special Friday night live event at Scottrade Center on January 16!

John Cena vs. Seth Rollins
Steel Cage Match

Roman Reigns vs. The Big Show

Daniel Bryan vs. Kane

Dean Ambrose vs. Bray Wyatt

Plus more of your favorite WWE Superstars including:
Chris Jericho
Cesaro
Jack Swagger
R Truth
The Divas
And Many More!

* Card is subject to change.

• MMA Fighter Who TRASHED CM Punk Talks About Training Him Now + PHOTOS Of CM Punk In The Gym With His MMA Team

As things stand right now, Randy Orton is scheduled to make his in-ring return at the WWE live event on January 17th in Abilene, Texas.

If Orton does return on the 1/17 date in Abilene, it is likely that he underwent the operation for his deviated septum this past week, since he was supposed to be out for just a few short weeks after surgery.

It’s said that WWE timed Orton’s operation so that he would have time to recover and be able to return in time for the Royal Rumble pay-per-view on January 25th.

• MMA Fighter Who TRASHED CM Punk Talks About Training Him Now + PHOTOS Of CM Punk In The Gym With His MMA Team

(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

– The decision to add Seth Rollins into the WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view main event with Brock Lesnar and John Cena was made at some point in the past two weeks.

– WWE is scheduled to hold another tryout camp three weeks from now at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. The word going around is that there will be a lot of women trying out for the company during this latest camp.

• MMA Fighter Who TRASHED CM Punk Talks About Training Him Now + PHOTOS Of CM Punk In The Gym With His MMA Team

(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

On this week’s edition of WWE Main Event, which took place in Laredo, Texas on Tuesday night and aired live on the WWE Network, another entrant into the 2015 WWE Royal Rumble match was announced.

In what is now the third participant for the 30-man over-the-top-rope annual classic, WWE United States Champion Rusev is now officially entered into the match.

Rusev joins Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan as the first three entrants into this year’s Rumble match, which takes place at the 28th annual Royal Rumble pay-per-view, scheduled for January 25th at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

• UFC Champ JON JONES Fails Drug Test For COCAINE & Enters Rehab! Jones, UFC, Dana White & Daniel Cormier Comment …

On Monday’s RAW, Seth Rollins was added to the Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena WWE Championship match at the Royal Rumble.

WWE officials had been talking about adding Rollins to the match for several weeks prior to the announcement and went back and forth a few times before officially changing the match.

A storyline point that’s been discussed is for Brock Lesnar to be upset that Rollins is being added to the match, since he could lose the WWE Championship without being pinned or submitting.

Additionally, Heyman’s loyalty to Lesnar has been discussed as a major storyline as we head into WrestleMania season.

As you can imagine, Daniel Bryan and Roman Reigns are currently viewed as the two front runners to win the 2015 Royal Rumble match and earn a spot in the main event of WrestleMania 31.

According to Reddit user MetsFan4Ever, the WWE locker room is very divided regarding which man should win the Rumble. The people who support Reigns are making the usual argument that he’s the next “face of the company” and WWE should continue with the original plan to have Reigns walk out of WrestleMania as the WWE World Heavyweight Champion. With Bryan being out of action for a good portion of 2014 due to complications from his neck surgery, there is some concern that Bryan will have a hard time staying healthy this year. Some even buy into the Authority storyline that Bryan really is a “B” level player.

The Bryan supporters feel that Reigns simply isn’t ready to be “the guy” and WWE might face major backlash if they pull the trigger on Reigns when a good portion of the WWE Universe is still behind Daniel Bryan recapturing the gold.

• Comment below and tell us who you think should win the 2014 Royal Rumble.

During this week’s edition of WWE RAW in Corpus Christi, Texas, the first episode of the show in 2015, The Authority made their return and immediately made an impact.

During the beginning of this week’s RAW, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon announce that at the WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view, there will be a change to the main event. The new main event will now be a triple-threat match, with Brock Lesnar defending the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against John Cena and Seth Rollins.

WWE Royal Rumble 2015 takes place on January 25th at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

• DIRECT LINK: MORE Photos — CM Punk & AJ Lee At Dinner, Hanging With SHAQ At UFC & More!

When I was a youngster, I remember how I used to have to beg my parents to let me order a WWE pay-per-view every once in a while. The thing is, I didn’t mind doing it because I knew that if I ordered the show, whatever feuds were going on at the time would culminate in the matches on the pay-per-view.

These days? Not so much.

I can’t imagine being a kid now-a-days that has to bug your parents to let you buy a WWE pay-per-view, so that you can see your favorite wrestlers finally blow off their program in a match inside the squared circle, only to come out of the show and realize that the next pay-per-view features the same matches.

Basically, your begging and nagging ways sound something like this. “Mom, dad, PLEASE let me buy SummerSlam! It’s the second biggest WWE show of the year and I just HAVE to see John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar!!”

Let’s say you convinced them. Your begging and nagging worked. They let you buy SummerSlam.

Good stuff right? Wrong.

You come out of SummerSlam and head into the following week of WWE television, only to find out that you didn’t see the culmination of the Cena-Lesnar feud at all.

Not even close.

As it turns out, SummerSlam was only the beginning. You find out that a rematch is going to take place between the two at the next WWE pay-per-view, Night Of Champions.

Now what do you do?!

“Mom, dad PLEASE let me buy Night Of Champions! I just HAVE to see John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar!!”

Their response will probably sound something like this. “But Timmy, you said that last time!”

Poor fella.

Now let’s say you figured out a way to order Night Of Champions. You went to a friend’s house, you found an illegal stream online, you robbed a 7/11. You figured it out somehow, someway. Brock Lesnar disappears afterwards, only to re-appear and begin the build-up to what? You guessed it!

Cena vs. Lesnar III at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view in January.

Do you even bother bugging your folks to let you buy it? Do you even bother going to a friend’s house? Do you even bother risking finding an illegal stream on the internet? Do you even bother risking your butt robbing that 7/11?

At what point do you say enough is enough?

Maybe we’ll find out when the numbers come in for the Rumble, who knows. Be sure to save a couple of bucks, because hell, we might have Cena-Lesnar IV at WWE Fast Lane in February!

Unfortunately, while this isn’t anything new, it seems to be happening more and more lately. The pattern seems to be that wrestler A and wrestler B begin an issue, it boils for four weeks or so and a match takes place at a pay-per-view. Then you turn around and the very next pay-per-view look nearly identical to the previous one.

As I see it, the ONLY silver lining to all of this is this: at least these days when you throw your money down the toilet, you’re only throwing away $9.99 a month!

ZING!

What do you guys think? Let us know by posting your feedback in the “Comments” section below. You can also add me on Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBooneWZR and/or on Twitter @MBoone420.

The following is the official list of WWE DVDs and Blu-rays scheduled to be released in 2015:

January 12th – Best PPV Matches of 2014 DVD (European exclusive)

January 13th – TLC 2014 DVD

February 3rd – Best of RAW and SmackDown 2014 DVD

February 17th – The Destruction of The Shield DVD and Blu-ray

February 24th – Royal Rumble 2015 DVD and Blu-ray

March 10th – The Road Is Jericho: Epic Stories & Rare Matches from Y2J DVD and Blu-ray

March 17th – The Flintstones and WWE: Stone Age SmackDown DVD and Blu-ray

April 14th – The Ultimate Warrior: Always Believe DVD and Blu-ray

April 21st – Fast Lane 2015 DVD

April 28th – ECW Unreleased Volume 3 DVD and Blu-ray

June 30th – Monday Night War Volume 1: Shots Fired DVD and Blu-ray

• PHOTOS: CM Punk & AJ Lee Together In Las Vegas This Past Weekend

– Kane recently spoke to the folks at Caller.com to promote tonight’s WWE RAW show. He also spoke about the 2015 Royal Rumble during the interview and noted that Roman Reigns is poised for “big things” in the 30-man over-the-top battle royal match. You can check out the interview at Caller.com.

– Sitcom star Ed O’Neill, best known for his role as “Al Bundy” on the series “Married with Children,” continues to playfully “challenge” CM Punk to be his first opponent in the UFC. O’Neill, who is a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu, recently tweeted the following to Punk.

https://twitter.com/RealEdOneill/status/551477868233232386

• PHOTOS: CM Punk & AJ Lee Together In Las Vegas This Past Weekend

– WWE will officially begin announcing some additional entrants for the 2015 Royal Rumble match on tonight’s edition of RAW. As things stand now, Daniel Bryan and Roman Reigns are the only two participants confirmed thus far.

– Matt Hardy has launched a new online video blog called “Thoughts from the Throne.” Below is the first installment.

• PHOTOS: CM Punk & AJ Lee Together In Las Vegas This Past Weekend

As noted last week, there has been some talk within WWE regarding some recent creative changes in plans and matches for WrestleMania 31 season. It’s said to be clear at this point that at least some suggestions were made about some of the plans for WrestleMania.

After the news came out that certain top WWE officials knew that Daniel Bryan would be back for the Royal Rumble, that is likely when some of the rumored changes were made.

Now that Bryan is going to be factored back into storylines, it will obviously lead to some creative changes in original plans. When there was doubt as to whether or not Bryan would be back in time, he was not factored into future plans.

• PHOTOS: CM Punk & AJ Lee Together In Las Vegas This Past Weekend

– The following is an excerpt from a new interview with Beth Phoenix where the former WWE Diva talks about competing in the 2010 Royal Rumble match and looking up to Chyna.

“I gotta tell ya, it’s hard to put any sort of priority on these moments that meant a lot to me, but the reason that that in particular was so special, I looked up to the character that Chyna was while she was in WWE because that character was just empowering to women. Just something really, really special. And there was something about me that felt I could do that in my own way. I could just be an example for girls that you don’t have to just accept the minimum, shoot for the stars!”

You can check out the complete interview at CauliflowerAlleyClub.org.

– Below is a photo of Vince McMahon arm-wrestling Senator Pat Roberts during the company’s recent Tribute to the Troops taping in December. You can check out a full gallery of photos from their time with the troops this year at Community.WWE.com.

• VIDEO: Jon Jones & Daniel Cormier Get Into It AGAIN At Behind-The-Scenes Fighter Meeting [WATCH HERE >>]

For those wondering, Sting is not expected to be a surprise entrant in the 2015 WWE Royal Rumble match. As things stand now, the plan is still for Sting to work a match against Triple H at WrestleMania 31. If those plans end up changing, we should hear about it in the near future.

As far as Triple H and The Authority are concerned, apparently the plan was set for some time to bring them back, and the decision to bring them back sooner than originally expected was said to not be a reactionary move to recent declining ratings.

After a few months of uncertainty, top WWE executives were informed approximately three weeks ago that Daniel Bryan would be able to return to the ring. At that point, the decision was said to have been made to put Daniel Bryan in the 2015 WWE Royal Rumble match.

Now that Bryan is in the Rumble match, there’s speculation about whether or not this will change WWE’s rumored plans for Roman Reigns. This issue, however, has reportedly not yet come up within the WWE creative team.

As things stand now, the current working plan is for Reigns to win the Royal Rumble match and go on to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 31 as scheduled.

• MMANEWS.COM: Jones/Cormier Coverage, CM Punk’s First UFC Opponent, Lesnar’s UFC Return & Del Rio/MMA Update!

(Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

Former WWE World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan, who announced his return and entrance into the 2015 Royal Rumble match in January, is featured on this week’s edition of RAW Fallout.

Check out the video above to see Bryan talking to Renee Young backstage after making his announcement on RAW.

Daniel Bryan made his promised “crossroads announcement” on the final RAW of 2014 on Monday night in Washington, D.C.

Bryan talked at length about many moments of his career and how he spoke to other past WWE Superstars who have been in career-ending injury situations. He said you get to a point where you ask if all of this is worth it. He asks the fans if his career is over. They chant “No! No! No!” He then says “No” as well.

He goes on to say that the announcement he was at RAW to make was that he is back and ready to fight and will be competing in the 2015 Royal Rumble match. He leads the fans in a big “Yes!” chant after making the big announcement.

The following are highlights of a new website Q&A update by WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross:

On CM Punk: “Cash and creative strikes again and Punk isn’t the first nor will he be the last to leave a wrestling promotion in less than favorable circumstances. Sounded like Punk was burn out, banged up and needing a sabbatical. I’d say his wresting days are over.”

On Lawrence Taylor vs. Bam Bam Bigelow at WrestleMania: “LT needed the money…Bam Bam was a great booking because of his skill set and professionalism. I think that Pat Patterson and Tom Pritchard worked with both men a great deal. No backstage ‘heat’ or no controvsersey…great performance by both men considering what their role was on the biggest show of the year.”

On whether or not he’ll attend the Royal Rumble in Philadelphia: “Not sure but not at this time. I will watch it nonetheless.”

On Rusev’s future: “Some day Rusev will be WWE Champion or so I feel. Might be sooner than we think.”

Check out more Jim Ross Q&A updates on his official website, JRsBarBQ.com. You can also order JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.

The following are highlights of the latest Jim Ross blog:

On Ronda Rousey in WWE: “Loved the comments made by my favorite MMA star @RondaRousey who said recently that if she ever appeared in WWE she would prefer to be a villain. That would be easy to execute and would make a great presentation IMO. I predicted long ago that Ronda and the Four Horsewomen would be outstanding additions to a WrestleMania card. It’s a one off, fun opportunity that earns Ms Rousey and company some extra cash and provide UFC with ample, NEW promotion and PR.”

Ronda Rousey Talks About A Possible Run In WWE

On NXT talents that could potentially headline WrestleMania one day: “Get asked daily who has the best chance of headlining a future WrestleMania from the current NXT roster and that’s an impossible question for me to answer. I will say that from what I see of the NXT roster that their cupboards are far from empty. It largely depends on continued good coaching and MENTORING and the athletes themselves going the extra mile to improve their game in all phases. It’s not only about the PUSH or the GIMMICK but the work rate and ability to out prepare their peers by these formative, young talents.”

On a possible new SmackDown announce team: “Will WWE get a new announcing team for Smackdown when it move to Thursday night? I would be willing to ‘guess,’ likely so. That would provide the duo of @MichaelCole and @JCLayfield a much needed break and keep them fresher and extend both their shelf lives.”

On Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena at the Royal Rumble: “I’m thinking that the Cena vs.Lesnar WWE World Title match at the Royal Rumble in Philly will be one of the more compelling WWE Title matches that we’ve seen a good while. Does Lesnar stay or does he go? Is Brock going back to MMA or is he staying around. Does Cena prepare Brock for Reigns or another young talent WM31? Is there a return match in the works for Cena and Lesnar? Will Rollins cash in his MITB Contract? Could a new ‘player’ step into the title picture in some manner?”

Check out the complete blog at JRsBarBQ.com. You can also order JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.

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As noted in the past, WWE has been planning on having Roman Reigns win the Royal Rumble match in January and go on to defeat Brock Lesnar for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 31. At this point, however, there is beginning to be some skepticism regarding whether or not Reigns is ready for that big of a push.

Despite the fact that Reigns is viewed as someone who needs to work on his promo skills, and as someone who isn’t good enough to carry lengthy main-event singles matches on big shows, WWE is in need of a new top babyface star and the belief is that spot is his regardless.

While WWE has plans on continuing Randy Orton’s babyface turn, he is not a new star. Daniel Bryan is not what WWE wants in a top babyface star, no matter how fans react to him. Additionally, there’s uncertainties with Bryan due to his neck and arm injuries.

This leaves Reigns and Dean Ambrose as the two leading candidates for the top babyface spot. Ambrose is a better in-ring performer and delivers better promos, however he fits less into WWE’s mold of what they view as a top babyface star.

While Ambrose and Reigns both do strong merchandise numbers, including Ambrose’s new hoodie being number one during Thanksgiving week, neither are doing the type of numbers that a top guy traditionally does on a consistent basis.

Despite all of this, the belief is that WWE will stick with their plans for Reigns heading into WrestleMania, as he is still considered the top choice by the top people behind-the-scenes.

– In a correction from a previous article, Brock Lesnar has apparently not been pulled from the advertising for the big “RAW Reunion” show on January 19th in Dallas, Texas. This is the show that features the returns of Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall and Shawn Michaels, and is also the “go-home” show for the WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view.

– Tommy Dreamer and former WWE Diva Ashley Massaro are some of the latest names from the wrestling industry that have started using Diamond Dallas Page’s “DDP Yoga.”

As noted earlier today, WWE is hyping up the January 19th edition of RAW as a “RAW Reunion show,” with Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall and Shawn Michaels all advertised to appear.

What’s also interesting in terms of the advertising side of things is that Brock Lesnar is no longer listed. Originally, the advertising was built around Lesnar, however he is no longer included in the ads for the show.

As things stand now, the tentative plan is for the announcement of WrestleMania 32 at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, Texas, where the 1/19 RAW takes place, to be made on that show, or close to it.

Also advertised for the show is a John Cena vs. Seth Rollins “Lumberjack Match” with 30 lumberjacks in a match that is being billed as “the biggest lumberjack match in the history of Dallas.” It’s believed that the match will serve as the actual television main event of the show, with all 30 lumberjacks hitting the ring for the finish to simulate the wildness of a 30-man Royal Rumble match, as the show is also the “go-home” show for the Royal Rumble pay-per-view.

– Below is the promo for the “Final Battle” between Brock Lesnar and John Cena at the WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view on January 25th.

– Speaking of the Royal Rumble, below is the official promo for the match. As noted earlier today, Roman Reigns is the first official entrant in the match.