– The Usos have been working out in the ring at the WWE Performance Center for the last week and are expected to return to WWE television in the near future. Jey Uso in particular has been out of action with a shoulder injury since the spring.
– Ryback is the guest on the first of two “Steve Austin Show” podcasts this week. On this week’s “Family Friendly” edition of the show, “The Rattlesnake” talks to “The Big Guy” just before his match against Kevin Owens at Sunday’s WWE Hell In A Cell pay-per-view. The official description for the show, which you can download at PodcastOne.com reads as follows:
“Ryback had a great conversation with Steve Austin just before his “Hell In A Cell” match on Sunday. They talked about growing up in Vegas, playing high school football and baseball, why Ryback is the guy to replace John Cena (when the time comes) at WWE, Ryback’s workout philosophy & strategy, why he doesn’t believe in “cheat days” when it comes to diet, what “The Secret” did for his pro-wrestling career, how Arnold Schwarzenegger motivated him back to the ring, and his “Tough Enough” experience. You’ll also hear about Ryback’s relationship with Vince McMahon, why he prefers to travel solo, and how he continues to improve his own in-ring performance.”
– WWE announced a match between NXT Champion Finn Balor and “Mr. Money In The Bank” Sheamus for the November 4th stop in Dublin, Ireland during their European tour. WWE tweeted the following about the match today:
– The official WWE website has a new poll up asking fans to vote on which Superstar has the coolest face paint. With over 3,000 votes, Finn Balor leads the pack with 43%, while Sting is just behind him with 40 percent. Other options included Goldust, Stardust, The Usos and The Ascension.
– In the following video from Xavier Woods’ WWE-endorsed YouTube gaming channel — “UpUpDownDown” — Woods and Cesaro play the old video game “Double Dragon.”
– Former WWE Superstar Funaki was backstage at the WWE “Beast in the East” special in Tokyo, Japan this weekend. Below is a photo of him with The Lucha Dragons.
– In honor of WWE’s new “The List” show on the WWE Network, the official Twitter account for WWE is asking fans to nominate who they feel has the craziest family in WWE. You can check out the tweet below.
In honor of #FathersDay, let's hear who you would nominate as having the craziest family in the @WWE . Best tweets make the show!
WrestleMania is right around the corner. Although the build has been a little subpar, it’s still WrestleMania so it should be entertaining. Here’s how yours truly expects it all to play out.
Tyson Kidd & Cesaro (Tag Team Champions) vs. The New Day vs. Los Matadores vs. The Usos
Kidd and Cesaro really deserve better than the pre-show treatment, but hey, what can you do? This is clearly between the Usos and the champs, as the other two teams are simply jobbers eating up space. Expect a few entertaining spots between the two, with Naomi and Natalya ultimately playing a role in the outcome. In the end, the champs will retain after Cesaro pins one of the Usos.
Winners: Kidd & Cesaro by pinfall
Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
Remember a few weeks back when Stephanie McMahon was on Raw promoting this battle royal as the most important thing since Hogan/Andre at WrestleMania III? So much for that, as it’s now on the pre-show. Hideo Itami has been added to the match after winning a tournament at Axxess over the weekend. I think they will use this as an attempt to put over NXT and increase viewership by having Itami pick up the win after hitting the GTS. Expect Mizdow to eliminate Miz during this one as well to set up a match between the two next month at Extreme Rules.
Winner: Hideo Itami
Randy Orton vs. Seth Rollins
This could easily be one of the most entertaining matches of the night, as Orton and Rollins are two of the best workers in the business. It will be filled with multiple near-falls, and J&J will undoubtedly try to help Rollins pick up the win. It’s hard to say what the hell they’re doing with this one, especially considering they blew the payoff for Orton weeks ago. I still think Orton wins and it will be a rough night for Mr. Money in the Bank (more on that later).
Jeff Jarrett recently spoke with Steven Godfrey of SB Nation to share his thoughts on WrestleMania 31. Jarrett predicted that Big Show is going to win the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal and The Usos are going to win the WWE Tag-Team titles in the Kickoff Show four-way tag-team match.
Below are some comments from Jarrett regarding other matches on the card:
On Intercontinental Title Ladder Match: “This is one I’m really looking forward to. I think this event has the best chance to become the show-stealer. I like Dolph Ziggler here, he’ll have the opportunity to shine through with those seven guys. There’s plenty of ammunition and plenty of targets. I think Dolph is ready to rise to the occasion; he’s got a chance here to take that next step. Bryan has to be the obvious favorite, if not the fan favorite. But I like this event because each of these seven guys are distinct enough in ability and persona. That diversity in ingredients is what could make this match really special.”
On John Cena vs. Rusev: “John not having to carry the company on his back through WrestleMania season means he can focus only on this. He gets to leave nothing on the table and exceed expectations. Rusev should bring a couple oxygen tanks to ringside because he’ll be absolutely gassed at the end of this. He’s not on Cena’s level in big money matches, at least not yet.”
On Bray Wyatt vs. The Undertaker: “For years you could never bet against ‘Taker at ‘Mania, and that went for not only wins and losses, but also match quality. I think this year’s no different. I would’ve bet you and lost last year [vs. Brock Lesnar] but I’d put the farm on Undertaker this year. He’s always exceeded what’s expected of him and Sunday will be no different.”
On Sting vs. Triple H: “From an emotional standpoint I’m invested in this match more than any other, having such a long history with Sting. I’ve watched his career from the Clash of Champions to the Starrcades to big matches in TNA, but at this stage of his career … For Sting to arrive at the biggest match of his career north of 50 years old is a testament to the man they call ‘Sting.’ I’m excited he’s got this opportunity and I wish him nothing but the best. But: If you’ve ever watched one of Triple H’s WrestleMania matches, Sting has to realize he’s not walking into a traditional wrestling match. He’ll feel the effects of this weeks, if not months to come.”
On Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar: “With the ESPN announcement and Dana White’s comments I believe the proverbial gas has been poured on the fire. There’s a lot of moving parts here: Roman Reigns is very fresh to this dance as a singles wrestler. I would say that he’s got the deck stacked against him in numerous ways. We’ll talk more about that on Sunday, but I’ve also got a funny feeling that Roman comes out of this match as the winner in more ways than a ‘1, 2, 3.'”
WWE Diva and Total Divas star Natalya is scheduled to induct former WWE Women’s Champion Alundra Blayze (Madusa) into the WWE Hall Of Fame on Saturday night.
With that now known, below is the complete list of inductees and inductors for tonight’s 2015 WWE Hall Of Fame induction ceremony, which airs live on the WWE Network at 7pm EST.
– Warrior Award: Connor Michalek, inducted by Daniel Bryan and Dana Warrior
The WWE Network is advertising a four-way tag-team match for the WWE Tag-Team Championships for the official WrestleMania 31 Kickoff Show.
The match is scheduled to feature Cesaro and Tyson Kidd vs. The New Day vs. Los Matadores vs. The Usos, which means Jey Uso is likely able to work through his shoulder injury.
The Usos recently spoke with Mike Jones of DC 101 to promote this week’s WWE SmackDown television taping in Washington, D.C. Below are highlights from the interview.
On their Money In The Bank match with The Shield: “We went to the back and it was like OHHH! The Usos can go, they can really go. We were in there with Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns and that’s what made everyone take notice.”
On being from a wrestling family: “If anything there’s more pressure on second and third generation Superstars because you have to deliver. You can’t go out there and just suck, and we almost did.”
“The path before us was already laid, and it was intimidating, because we have Yoko, Maga, my dad, Afa, and Sika.”
“As far as us, everybody knew who our family was but we had to find out who the Usos are. We have our own identity, we’re not just a number in our family.”
On liking The Ascension: “It’s always good when you have a tag team, when people see two guys come in and stick together, like me and my brother.”
“They’re together and they just have to find what works. They have the old school Legion of Doom feel and we’ll cross paths soon enough.”
On working With Tyson Kidd and Cesaro: “I feel like the matches we had with The Wyatts, we can put on a higher quality match with those two.”
“I know Cesaro and Kidd are two guys put together but these guys really compliment each other.”
WWE taped the following matches for this week’s edition of Main Event prior to Tuesday night’s SmackDown taping in Washington, D.C.
Dark Match
– Natalya def. Sasha Banks in Divas action to kick off the taping. Nattie picked up the win by submission after locking Sasha in the Sharpshooter.
WWE Main Event
– Fandango def. Curtis Axel in the first match taped for this week’s Main Event. Fandango won what was described as a pretty basic match with a roll-up.
– Adam Rose def. Zack Ryder in singles action. Rose picked up the “W” when he caught Ryder coming in the ring by smashing his head into the ring.
– Paige def. Summer Rae in Divas action. Paige picked up the victory after getting Summer with her PTO.
– The Usos (with Naomi) def. The Ascension in tag-team action in the final match taped for this week’s Main Event. The Usos got the win when Jey hit the top rope splash for the 1-2-3.
Dark Match
– The Lucha Dragons def. Bo Dallas & Tyler Breeze in tag-team action in another dark match. The Lucha Dragons picked up the win by pinning Dallas.
– This past Saturday NXT live event in Tampa, Florida drew over 500 fans, setting a new record for the venue.
– NXT star Finn Balor is advertised to appear at the WWE live event in Warsaw, Poland on Tuesday, April 14th. Matches advertised for the show include Dolph Ziggler vs. Bad News Barrett, Big Show vs. Roman Reigns in a street fight, The Miz & Damien Mizdow vs. Los Matadores vs. The Usos vs. Tyson Kidd & Cesaro.
– TNA President Dixie Carter posted the following congratulatory message to Hulk Hogan following his “Appreciation Night” at Madison Square Garden this past weekend.
WWE is gearing up for their annual post-WrestleMania European tour, with the following matches being advertised:
The “A-Crew” will be headlined by John Cena vs. Rusev for the United States Championship, Bad News Barrett vs. Dean Ambrose for the Intercontinental Championship and Randy Orton vs. Seth Rollins.
For other touring roster will feature Roman Reigns vs. Big Show in the main event, Daniel Bryan vs. Bray Wyatt, Dolph Ziggler vs. Luke Harper and Tag Team Champions Tyson Kidd and Cesaro vs. The Usos.
While this doesn’t reveal anything big about what could transpire at WrestleMania, it does give an idea of which feuds will be continuing.
Raw was held in Nashville this week as the build to WrestleMania continues. The event featured a Tag Team Championship match, a few promos, and a bunch of other stuff that wasn’t really music to most fans’ ears. Here are the pros and cons from this week’s episode of Raw.
Pros
As soon as they announced the Usos were planning to invoke their rematch clause, it was obvious fans were going to be in for another treat. As one would expect, the action was fast paced and frequently spilled over to ringside. Kidd’s heel work has been top notch over the past few weeks, frequently using his wife as a human shield in order to gain an upper hand.
The Tag Champs work so well together too, using combination moves such as a catapult into a big uppercut, and a Cesaro swing into a dropkick. Although the match didn’t end clean, it featured some solid action and was probably the highlight of the night. Kidd and Cesaro are the best team in the WWE by far right now. They should get these guys some merch and push them to the moon.
I loved the backstage segment between the Miz and Damien Mizdow. It was awesome (no pun intended) to hear the Miz talk up the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal and act like a win would elevate his career to new heights. (That worked out real well for Cesaro last year.)
Bad News Barrett vs. Dolph Ziggler was a decent opening match. There were honestly only a handful of wrestling moves utilized throughout the match, with most of the action consisting of punches, rest holds, and brawling action outside of the ring. With that said, there were a few impressive sequences. Ziggler countered Wasteland twice, once into a DDT and another into a sunset flip. The sequence where Barrett ended up hitting Winds of Change was also nice.
The Show Off picked up the win after hitting the Zig Zag, allowing for Ambrose to show up and taunt Barrett with his Intercontinental Championship before staring Ziggler down. What are the chances that Barrett never touches his beloved title again? I’d usually say it’s about as likely as the Cubs winning the World Series this season, but they actually decided to crack open the checkbook over the winter so that might not be the best analogy.
#Axelmania. Enough said.
The Daniel Bryan/Roman Reigns promo was one of the more interesting moments all night. It was nice to see Daniel Bryan once again acting as the voice of the fans, saying, “The biggest Roman Reigns doubter is right here in Daniel Bryan,” while also echoing fan sentiments regarding Reigns only being in the main event because of his size and look. At the same time, he also put Reigns over for winning the match, ending the segment with a handshake.
Heyman’s interaction with Reigns was also intriguing, as he said he would put his money on Reigns over anyone, including guys like Hogan, Austin, and the Rock – anyone except Brock Lesnar, of course. Reigns was confident and composed during the back and forth with Heyman as he continues to improve on the mic. It’s easy to picture these two guys hooking up in the near future.
The Bray Wyatt promo was more of the same, but still entertaining nonetheless. I can’t wait for the Undertaker to show up respond to Wyatt’s challenge.
WWE Fastlane was held in Memphis last night at the FedEx Forum. It was a fitting venue, seeing as they pretty much mailed it in for most of the night. After a night of action, we now have a pretty clear idea of what WrestleMania will look like in five weeks. Here are the pros and cons from last night’s WWE Fastlane pay-per-view.
Pros
After a night of non-finishes and botched endings, the main event between Daniel Bryan and Roman Reigns was an absolute treat. These two guys started off a bit slow, but once they got going, they really gelled well. Bryan’s wrestling style went so well with the brawling style of Reigns, and it was nice to see both guys getting support from the crowd.
A few of the highlights included Reigns countering Bryan’s dive to the floor into an overhead belly to belly suplex, Bryan countering the spear into a beautiful small package, and also Reigns turning a potential hurricanrana into a brutal powerbomb from the top rope. These two also employed some solid in-ring psychology due to Reigns selling Bryan’s kick to the liver as he tried to hit a Superman punch. Overall, it was an exciting match, both guys looked great, it ended clean, and it’s always nice to see a main event end in a handshake.
The tag team match was a close second for match of the night. These two teams have so much chemistry and it’s really a pleasure to watch them do their thing. Cesaro’s half crab Cesaro swing was cool, as was the combination of Cesaro’s suplex from the apron into a springboard from Kidd.
The Usos looked good as well, teaming up for a double team Samoan drop that I don’t recall seeing them bust out before. In the end, new champions were crowned after Kidd picked up the victory with a swinging fisherman suplex. After their victory, it was nice to find out that they are “still the new WWE Tag Team Champions” (perhaps suggesting the outcome was changed last minute, as the odds shifted after the “smart money” was in).
The Bray Wyatt segment was enjoyable. He had the crowd going nuts in anticipation of the Phenom, only to shatter their dreams by popping out of the coffin. Wyatt called himself “the new face of fear,” and said: “At WrestleMania, I will claim the soul of the Undertaker.” This feud should be entertaining, but it would have been nice to see Wyatt play up the fact that fans weren’t getting ‘Taker, as the company needs more dislikable heels right now.
I’m not totally sure how I feel about the Sting and Triple H segment, so I’ll go ahead and put it in the pros section. Triple H of course continued to bury a long dead company, stating: “My legacy is putting your legacy out of business.” He also threatened Sting with the Benoit treatment, saying he would wipe him from the history books if he didn’t cooperate. It was cool to see Sting use his signature black bat though, and Hunter was very intense throughout the segment. Overall, it could have been better, but it was a decent setup for their match at WrestleMania.
Finally, the Rusev and John Cena match was far from perfect, but it worked out well. There was some hard-hitting action throughout, including a big spinning side slam from Rusev. The action was slow-paced and methodical, but it was entertaining for the most part. It of course ended in another non-clean finish, but it worked well in this case. I have to say, seeing Cena stagger out of the arena was pretty satisfying, even though it means he will definitely get redemption at WrestleMania.
– Sting challenged Triple H to a match at WrestleMania 31 at the WWE Fastlane pay-per-view on Sunday night. During the “face-to-face” confrontation between the two, Sting pointed to the WrestleMania sign with his bat over and over again until Triple H started to agree. Ultimately, Sting took Triple H out with a bat and left him laying, with the announcers hyping a match between the two at WrestleMania.
– The team of Cesaro and Tyson Kidd defeated The Usos in tag-team action at the WWE Fastlane pay-per-view to become the new WWE Tag-Team Champions.
The Road to WrestleMania will become a lot clearer after Sunday’s pay-per-view. Fastlane is available for free to all new WWE Network customers, and even those who previously cancelled their account and re-subscribed, so there’s really no reason to miss out on the action. Here is how I expect the event to play out.
Goldust vs. Stardust
Man, they really should have saved this one for WrestleMania, but I guess there is only room on the card for one tag team breakup storyline, and it looks like that’s going to be Miz and Mizdow. Expect these guys to put on one hell of a match, as they have been lobbying for it for what seems like years. After a solid ten-minute contest with a number of near-falls, Stardust will pick up the win with Cross Rhodes.
Result: Stardust via pinfall
Rusev (United States Champion) vs. John Cena
These guys have done a pretty good of building up this match over the past few weeks, and it genuinely seems like Cena is interested in winning the United States Championship, which is always a plus. It’s almost guaranteed that this feud is going to continue into WrestleMania, so I expect Rusev to pick up the win, but certainly not clean.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHA5g_T227k
Lana will become involved at some point, possibly distracting Cena long enough for Rusev to pounce and pick up the win via the deadliest finisher in all of wrestling (the distraction roll-up), or by using the title as a weapon to knock out Cena while the Ravishing Russian distracts the referee. This will set up a rematch at WrestleMania where Cena will most likely go over.
Result: Rusev via pinfall
Nikki Bella (Divas Champion) vs. Paige
Paige is the most popular diva in the entire company by far right now. They are going to want her to capture the title at WrestleMania. Nikki wins with help from her sister before dropping the title to Paige next month.
As we all know, Raw is tonight. By show of hands, how many people are planning to bail before the end of the program? If this question were posed to last week’s viewing audience, over 250,000 hands would be in the air right now. That number represents the number of viewers who tuned in for the first hour but were long gone by hour three, and that’s not even counting the 600,000 viewers from the previous week who called in sick and didn’t show up at all.
Since Raw 1000, the program has been a three-hour fixture on Monday night, even though the company has done little with the additional hour in most cases. In all, the numbers show that it’s time to turn back the clock to Raw 999 and cut back to two hours.
Emma vs. Summer Rae in a dance-off? No thanks!
There are a number of reasons this makes sense. Most importantly, this roster is as thin as a two-dollar blanket right now. Take last week’s show, for instance. The company bookended the show with the nearly identical matches – neither of which was particularly memorable. By the end of the first hour, the crowd had already seen every participant in the main event compete in a match (aside from J&J, but they interfered in the Rollins/Ryback match). And please don’t get me started on how many times we’ve seen the Usos battle Miz and Mizdow over the past few months.
It would be a massive understatement to say that the shows have lacked direction in recent months too. I went back and watched a few episodes of Raw from 2012, right before Raw was permanently extended to three hours. Mind you, this was during the dreadful John Cena/Kane “embrace the hate” program, and even those shows featured more direction than the current product.
If the past is any indication, expect to see The Authority opening tonight’s episode of Raw.
By putting less stress on the writers and limiting exposure, they were able to establish a conflict (Kane attempting to terrorize Zack Ryder/John Cena), provide a climax near the middle of the show (Cena kissing Eve while Ryder hilariously looked on), and finally a resolution in the form of a catastrophe (Kane launching Ryder off of the stage).
They were able to build around this central storyline by sprinkling in five matches and a few entertaining segments that highlighted other members of the roster, ultimately creating a neat two hours of wrestling (or sports entertainment, whichever term you prefer). In recent weeks, the program has been an absolute mess, with the typical structure usually as follows:
The Authority starts the program by cutting the same boring 20-minute promo they cut every week and setting up a main event involving Kane and/or Big Show. Next is a match that they say will start after the break, usually trying to invoke some sense of suspense as to which superstars will be involved, but the roster is so thin that we know it will be Seth Rollins or an over-the-hill Authority goon competing against either Dolph Ziggler, Daniel Bryan, Ryback or Roman Reigns – usually ending in a non-finish. We next get a sagging middle with “comedy” matches and backstage segments that rarely go anywhere. Paul Heyman is sent out somewhere near the middle to try to save the crowd. A few more filler matches typically come next, and finally a tag match to end the show, which also usually ends in a non-finish. Eat. Sleep. Lose A Quarter Million Viewers. Repeat.
Even with the help of Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar, Raw lost over a quarter of a million viewers by the end of last week’s program.
The overexposure is killing everyone involved in the process, including talent, announcers, and even the fans, hence the reason they aren’t sticking around for the full three hours. I get that the company is trying to appease shareholders, and increased ad revenue is one of the easiest ways to do so, but in the end, they are doing long-term damage in exchange for short-term ad revenue.
This is also not to say that a wrestling promotion can’t put on an entertaining three-hour program. It is simply stating that this wrestling promotion has proven they are incapable of doing so. There are a lot of problems with the current product, from hotshotting anything that is remotely popular to underutilizing some of the company’s best talent to even dragging out storylines fans are disinterested in. However, the biggest problem with Raw, and perhaps the company as a whole, can be summed up in one word: overexposure.
How would you feel about Raw going back to two hours? Do you think it would improve the product? Voice your opinion in the comments section.
The Road to WrestleMania took a brief detour last night, stopping at THE Ohio State University for Raw. Sting finally answered Triple H’s challenge, and the show was bookended by a pair of nearly identical matches. Without further ado, here are the pros and cons from last night’s episode of Raw.
Pros
The highlight of the night was easily Dolph Ziggler vs. Bray Wyatt. These guys have competed over the past two weeks, and have exhibited amazing chemistry on both occasions. There were a number of impressive spots in this one, including Wyatt delivering a brutal blow to Ziggler’s midsection and a devastating clothesline outside the ring that eventually set up Sister Abilgail for the win. Wyatt later cut another promo, presumably directed toward the Dead Man.
Triple H calling out Sting was a close second. The video package, which featured Sting’s makeup being transposed onto Triple H’s face, was both eerie and entertaining. The only downside to this was the absolutely dreadful Sting doppelganger they sent into the ring. With that said, I absolutely can’t wait to see what these guys have planned for Fastlane.
The Usos squared off with Tyson Kidd and Cesaro. Kidd and Cesaro put in some decent heel work by crashing the dinner party on SmackDown, and it’s certainly nice to see them getting some television time.
Rusev continues to improve on a weekly basis, in my opinion. I loved his promo, where he made claims such as, “You don’t want me. I am a hero.” His brawl with Cena was also entertaining and helped further their feud heading into Fastlane.
The opening promo was also entertaining, but nothing to really write home about. Reigns seems to be more confident on the mic each week, despite a minor flub. It was also nice to see Bryan on the mic, taking a humorous shot at Triple H for his involvement in the Katie Vick storyline.
It’s nice to see Axel getting more time on the mic. His promo was humorous, even if he was quickly dispelled after being hit with Dirty Deeds. Barrett’s new BNZ segment could also be entertaining, but I’m not totally sure how much shelf life it has.
Finally, the main event helped further the tension between Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan. The match was nothing incredible, by any means, but there were a few memorable moments, including Dolph Ziggler getting involved at the end. Roman’s spear to Bryan was also the perfect way to end the show. It seems like the next step in Roman’s evolution will be to turn him heel and possibly pair him with Heyman following WrestleMania.
– The Usos are expected to induct their father Rikishi into the WWE Hall of Fame this year.
– There was no dark main event after last night’s RAW. There was a brief comedy segment with Daniel Bryan and Jamie Noble.
– As seen on last night’s RAW, The Miz bragged that he invented the Figure Four leglock. Ric Flair’s daughter, NXT Women’s Champion Charlotte, called him out on Twitter:
– In the Fallout video from last night’s RAW, Goldust addresses the issues with his brother Stardust. Goldust says he doesn’t want to see Cody fall into the same trap that he once did.
– WWE confirmed Rikishi as the next official inductee into the 2015 class of the WWE Hall Of Fame. Rikishi’s video package played after The Usos’ match on Monday’s RAW. Once the video was done airing, The Usos, who were still in the ring, applauded their father along with the fans in Columbus.
– It was also confirmed on Monday’s RAW that the match between John Cena and Rusev at the upcoming WWE Fast Lane pay-per-view will in fact be for Rusev’s WWE United States Championship.
The following is the final advertised lineup for tonight’s WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view, which takes place from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and airs live on the WWE Network.
WWE Royal Rumble Kickoff Show
– Big E., Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods vs. Cesaro, Tyson Kidd & Adam Rose
– Booker T interviews Shawn Michaels
WWE Royal Rumble Pay-Per-View
– The Bella Twins vs. Paige & Natalya
– The Ascension vs. New Age Outlaws
– The Usos vs. The Miz & Damien Mizdow (WWE Tag-Team Championship)
– 30-man over-the-top Royal Rumble match
– Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena vs. Seth Rollins (WWE World Heavyweight Championship)
Make sure to join us here at the website tonight for the best WWE Royal Rumble live play-by-play results coverage on the web!
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.
The following was taped on Tuesday night for this week’s edition of WWE Main Event in Austin, Texas.
– JBL and Tom Phillips came out to a good reaction from the crowd.
– Kofi Kingston def. Tyson Kidd with a roll-up after countering a Sharpshooter attempt. Adam Rose and Cesaro, who were at ringside, joined in to beat down The New Day afterwards.
– The Miz and Damien Mizdow def. Los Matadores when Miz hit his Skull Crushing Finale for the 1-2-3.
– Natalya def. Summer Rae in Divas action.
– Bray Wyatt def. Jack Swagger with his Sister Abigail finisher for the pin.
– The Usos def. Goldust and Stardust in a non-title match, which served as the main event of the taping.
On Monday’s WWE Royal Rumble “go-home” edition of RAW, which was also the RAW Reunion special, two additional matches were made official for this Sunday’s pay-per-view.
The Usos will be defending their WWE Tag-Team Championships against the team of The Miz and Damien Mizdow.
Another tag-team match was made official as well, as the New Age Outlaws, who appeared as part of the RAW Reunion special, will return once again this Sunday to compete against The Ascension.
Make sure to join us here at the site this Sunday night for live WWE Royal Rumble play-by-play results coverage.
– 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!”
As things stand right now, aside from the 30-man over-the-top Royal Rumble match itself, there are only two matches that have been officially announced for the 2015 WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view, those being Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena vs. Seth Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, and The Usos vs. The Miz & Damien Mizdow for the WWE Tag-Team Championship.
It appears that Nikki Bella vs. Natalya for the WWE Divas Championship will be added, and with the Rumble match itself being such a lengthy match, and one with so many competitors involved, there’s a good possibility that only one or two additional matches will end up being added to the card.
Matches such as Roman Reigns vs. Big Show and Ryback vs. Rusev were being pushed, however three of those four are announced as Rumble participants, and nothing can be officially booked for Ryback until WWE wraps up the “firing” angle from last week’s RAW.