WWE.com
WWE hasn’t been nearly as hot as it once was during the Attitude Era or even a decade ago, but there have still been some monumental moments over the past six years. This year has already proven to be historic for WWE, as Aj Styles made his highly anticipated debut in the 2016 Royal Rumble match a little over one week ago.
Before the rumors broke at the dawn of 2016 that Styles and other New Japan Pro Wrestling stars were potentially WWE bound, no one could have ever expected The Phenomenal One to make the move to the Stamford-based organization. Widely regarded as one of the greatest wrestlers in the world today, he was perfectly content ripping it up overseas, but instead decided to take on a new challenge in signing with WWE for the first time as a main roster performer.
Needless to say, just the thought...
WWE hasn’t been nearly as hot as it once was during the Attitude Era or even a decade ago, but there have still been some monumental moments over the past six years. This year has already proven to be historic for WWE, as Aj Styles made his highly anticipated debut in the 2016 Royal Rumble match a little over one week ago.
Before the rumors broke at the dawn of 2016 that Styles and other New Japan Pro Wrestling stars were potentially WWE bound, no one could have ever expected The Phenomenal One to make the move to the Stamford-based organization. Widely regarded as one of the greatest wrestlers in the world today, he was perfectly content ripping it up overseas, but instead decided to take on a new challenge in signing with WWE for the first time as a main roster performer.
Needless to say, just the thought...
- 2/2/2016
- by Graham GSM Matthews
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
It seems like lately, each new day brings another injury for WWE. Today is no exception, as word has started to make the rounds that Alberto Del Rio is wrestling through a lower back injury, according to a report from PWInsider.
Del Rio has not wrestled for WWE since last Sunday’s Royal Rumble event, and it would appear that the back injury is the reason why. Del Rio pulled double-duty during the Rumble, first losing the U.S. Championship belt to Kalisto in a singles match early in the show, then wrestling in the Rumble match itself later on.
Del Rio did appear on Monday’s Raw broadcast, accompanying his League Of Nations partners Rusev and Sheamus to the ring for their tag team match. After the show was over, Del Rio apparently went home for the week to recuperate. He did not appear in front of...
It seems like lately, each new day brings another injury for WWE. Today is no exception, as word has started to make the rounds that Alberto Del Rio is wrestling through a lower back injury, according to a report from PWInsider.
Del Rio has not wrestled for WWE since last Sunday’s Royal Rumble event, and it would appear that the back injury is the reason why. Del Rio pulled double-duty during the Rumble, first losing the U.S. Championship belt to Kalisto in a singles match early in the show, then wrestling in the Rumble match itself later on.
Del Rio did appear on Monday’s Raw broadcast, accompanying his League Of Nations partners Rusev and Sheamus to the ring for their tag team match. After the show was over, Del Rio apparently went home for the week to recuperate. He did not appear in front of...
- 1/30/2016
- by Ryan Droste
- Obsessed with Film
wwe.com
The fact Aj Styles is now a WWE superstar is a sensational achievement in itself. Fans who remember his matches in the early 2000’s will admit that he was about as far away from WWE as you could get. It wasn’t just his normal size and look, it was the fact his ring style was thrillingly dangerous. This was at a time when a bulked up Triple H was World champion, and WWE matches were typically slow and methodical.
Well, a decade and a half later, Triple H is champion, but a lot of other things have changed. WWE moved towards smaller bodies with the likes of Cm Punk, and a “normal” look matters less than it once did. As for ring style, the company has embraced a more indie culture in the last few years, with the likes of Daniel Bryan and Seth Rollins wowing WWE audiences.
The fact Aj Styles is now a WWE superstar is a sensational achievement in itself. Fans who remember his matches in the early 2000’s will admit that he was about as far away from WWE as you could get. It wasn’t just his normal size and look, it was the fact his ring style was thrillingly dangerous. This was at a time when a bulked up Triple H was World champion, and WWE matches were typically slow and methodical.
Well, a decade and a half later, Triple H is champion, but a lot of other things have changed. WWE moved towards smaller bodies with the likes of Cm Punk, and a “normal” look matters less than it once did. As for ring style, the company has embraced a more indie culture in the last few years, with the likes of Daniel Bryan and Seth Rollins wowing WWE audiences.
- 1/26/2016
- by Grahame Herbert
- Obsessed with Film
Instagram
If professional wrestling has taught us anything, it’s that anything can happen in Royal Rumble week: Tna could release a statement claiming that they actually signed Aj Styles last year but he backed out of the deal. That would really have been something.
It’s not all been that weird of course: Nxt made another big name signing (much to Tna’s delight no doubt), Bray Wyatt finally seemed to be getting back on track and Daniel Bryan offered further assurances that he’s clear to wrestle. And with continued rumours that Styles will debut at the Royal Rumble (despite the best efforts of whoever put that statement out), Triple H has emerged as the odds on favourite for the event. All in all, a big week, just as it should be.
So with a special remit to focus on the weird, the wonderful and the Wtf of...
If professional wrestling has taught us anything, it’s that anything can happen in Royal Rumble week: Tna could release a statement claiming that they actually signed Aj Styles last year but he backed out of the deal. That would really have been something.
It’s not all been that weird of course: Nxt made another big name signing (much to Tna’s delight no doubt), Bray Wyatt finally seemed to be getting back on track and Daniel Bryan offered further assurances that he’s clear to wrestle. And with continued rumours that Styles will debut at the Royal Rumble (despite the best efforts of whoever put that statement out), Triple H has emerged as the odds on favourite for the event. All in all, a big week, just as it should be.
So with a special remit to focus on the weird, the wonderful and the Wtf of...
- 1/24/2016
- by Simon Gallagher
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
To many wrestling fans, the annual Royal Rumble is the most enjoyable PPV of the year. Sure, WrestleMania may have the glitz and glamour, but the Rumble show usually has at least one or two great matches on the card, not to mention the over-the-top titular match itself.
The reason that fans love the Royal Rumble match is down to a whole variety of reasons; there’s the anticipation of possibly seeing a debuting face; there’s the hope of an old favourite of yesteryear appearing; there’s the chance that the match is used to make somebody into a main event player; and there’s even the slightest of hope (which is seemingly getting slighter with each passing year) that will be given an unpredictable finish.
Quite often, though, the real key to a Royal Rumble match is its anchor; a superstar who slugs it out and...
To many wrestling fans, the annual Royal Rumble is the most enjoyable PPV of the year. Sure, WrestleMania may have the glitz and glamour, but the Rumble show usually has at least one or two great matches on the card, not to mention the over-the-top titular match itself.
The reason that fans love the Royal Rumble match is down to a whole variety of reasons; there’s the anticipation of possibly seeing a debuting face; there’s the hope of an old favourite of yesteryear appearing; there’s the chance that the match is used to make somebody into a main event player; and there’s even the slightest of hope (which is seemingly getting slighter with each passing year) that will be given an unpredictable finish.
Quite often, though, the real key to a Royal Rumble match is its anchor; a superstar who slugs it out and...
- 1/23/2016
- by Andrew Pollard
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
WWE held four weeks worth of television tapings on Friday evening at the Cfe Arena in Orlando, Florida. With the third biggest WWE PPV event of the year (Royal Rumble) in town on Sunday evening at the Amway Center, WWE looked to capitalize on the hype by taking their red-hot developmental brand down the road from Full Sail University to an arena that holds just under 10,000 people. This was by far the biggest event Nxt has ever held in the state of Florida.
Nxt held television tapings two weeks ago at Full Sail, so they already have several weeks of TV ready to go. Friday evening’s tapings at Cfe Arena are set to air in February in early March.
Here are the full results:
Dark Match:
Manny Andrade (La Sombra) defeated Rich Swann
February 10th Show:
Baron Corbin defeated Johnny Gargano
Zack Ryder & Mojo Rawley defeated...
WWE held four weeks worth of television tapings on Friday evening at the Cfe Arena in Orlando, Florida. With the third biggest WWE PPV event of the year (Royal Rumble) in town on Sunday evening at the Amway Center, WWE looked to capitalize on the hype by taking their red-hot developmental brand down the road from Full Sail University to an arena that holds just under 10,000 people. This was by far the biggest event Nxt has ever held in the state of Florida.
Nxt held television tapings two weeks ago at Full Sail, so they already have several weeks of TV ready to go. Friday evening’s tapings at Cfe Arena are set to air in February in early March.
Here are the full results:
Dark Match:
Manny Andrade (La Sombra) defeated Rich Swann
February 10th Show:
Baron Corbin defeated Johnny Gargano
Zack Ryder & Mojo Rawley defeated...
- 1/23/2016
- by Ryan Droste
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
Despite what World Wrestling Entertainment may instruct on-screen announcers to claim, not everyone involved in the annual Royal Rumble match has a shot at winning the thing. In a perfect world, every single entrant out of 30 men would be realistic winners, but that phrase is – ironically – very unrealistic.
Instead, there are performers who fit into different roles when it comes to the Royal Rumble. There’s a reason that Kofi Kingston wheels out that ‘I can’t believe he did that’ elimination escape each year – that’s the man’s role in the match. Somehow each year Kingston manages to avoid being eliminated in some interesting, highly unlikely form or fashion, because that’s his part to play in the Rumble.
As it turns out, he’s not the only one who has a specific task to perform.
There’s always that one performer who almost goes the distance,...
Despite what World Wrestling Entertainment may instruct on-screen announcers to claim, not everyone involved in the annual Royal Rumble match has a shot at winning the thing. In a perfect world, every single entrant out of 30 men would be realistic winners, but that phrase is – ironically – very unrealistic.
Instead, there are performers who fit into different roles when it comes to the Royal Rumble. There’s a reason that Kofi Kingston wheels out that ‘I can’t believe he did that’ elimination escape each year – that’s the man’s role in the match. Somehow each year Kingston manages to avoid being eliminated in some interesting, highly unlikely form or fashion, because that’s his part to play in the Rumble.
As it turns out, he’s not the only one who has a specific task to perform.
There’s always that one performer who almost goes the distance,...
- 1/22/2016
- by Jamie Kennedy
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
Eliminations are the lifeblood of the Royal Rumble. WWE fans live for those little moments where a superstar’s hopes are snuffed out, extinguished in a matter of seconds by a merciless clothesline or callous shove. They come in all shapes and sizes – some dramatic, some hilarious, and many forgotten – but which are the best Royal Rumble eliminations of all time?
Some of the entires on this list are included for aesthetics alone. Sometimes an elimination is so perfectly executed (or, in one memorable instance, so horribly stiff) it’s impossible for them not to stick in the mind, regardless of their actual impact in terms of ongoing storylines.
Others are included for the opposite reason. Although slightly ragged around the edges, their importance is such that it would be a major oversight to forget them – either in the context of a particular Rumble, or the overall history of the event itself.
Eliminations are the lifeblood of the Royal Rumble. WWE fans live for those little moments where a superstar’s hopes are snuffed out, extinguished in a matter of seconds by a merciless clothesline or callous shove. They come in all shapes and sizes – some dramatic, some hilarious, and many forgotten – but which are the best Royal Rumble eliminations of all time?
Some of the entires on this list are included for aesthetics alone. Sometimes an elimination is so perfectly executed (or, in one memorable instance, so horribly stiff) it’s impossible for them not to stick in the mind, regardless of their actual impact in terms of ongoing storylines.
Others are included for the opposite reason. Although slightly ragged around the edges, their importance is such that it would be a major oversight to forget them – either in the context of a particular Rumble, or the overall history of the event itself.
- 1/22/2016
- by Jack G King
- Obsessed with Film
wwe.com
Daniel Bryan isn’t going to have a health check this week. He’s in Pittsburgh for an appearance at a convention, and some reports had stated he’d be seeing WWE’s doctor for a health check while in town. However, Dave Meltzer on Twitter said “No, that story is incorrect. He’s got an appearance booking in Pa.”
A fan then asked Meltzer “doesn’t mean he can’t do both, then fly to orlando”, to which the insider replied “If that was the case, then I wouldn’t have said it was incorrect, would I have?”
But he did add “He’ll be back if and when he’s cleared. Could happen tomorrow. Could happen months from now. Could never happen.”
Previous speculation had said Bryan would be seeing Dr Joseph Maroon this week, in hope of finally determining if he can return to the ring.
Daniel Bryan isn’t going to have a health check this week. He’s in Pittsburgh for an appearance at a convention, and some reports had stated he’d be seeing WWE’s doctor for a health check while in town. However, Dave Meltzer on Twitter said “No, that story is incorrect. He’s got an appearance booking in Pa.”
A fan then asked Meltzer “doesn’t mean he can’t do both, then fly to orlando”, to which the insider replied “If that was the case, then I wouldn’t have said it was incorrect, would I have?”
But he did add “He’ll be back if and when he’s cleared. Could happen tomorrow. Could happen months from now. Could never happen.”
Previous speculation had said Bryan would be seeing Dr Joseph Maroon this week, in hope of finally determining if he can return to the ring.
- 1/20/2016
- by Grahame Herbert
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
Instead of heading into 2016 with all of our favourite superstars in action every week, some of WWE’s biggest names have begun the year forced to watch the product from the sofa at home.
Rollins, Cena, Orton, Sting, Cesaro and Tyson Kidd are a few of the names that were sidelined with injuries and will likely miss the first few months (at least) of 2016 as a result. You can add Daniel Bryan to that list since, despite his own doctors having cleared him, WWE refuse to. A ploy for a shock return at the Royal Rumble perhaps, or do WWE simply not want to risk his health?
Because a number of their most popular stars are on the shelf, they have to play the hand they’ve been dealt and put some use to the talent at their disposal. There are a lot of talented individuals both on...
Instead of heading into 2016 with all of our favourite superstars in action every week, some of WWE’s biggest names have begun the year forced to watch the product from the sofa at home.
Rollins, Cena, Orton, Sting, Cesaro and Tyson Kidd are a few of the names that were sidelined with injuries and will likely miss the first few months (at least) of 2016 as a result. You can add Daniel Bryan to that list since, despite his own doctors having cleared him, WWE refuse to. A ploy for a shock return at the Royal Rumble perhaps, or do WWE simply not want to risk his health?
Because a number of their most popular stars are on the shelf, they have to play the hand they’ve been dealt and put some use to the talent at their disposal. There are a lot of talented individuals both on...
- 1/19/2016
- by Adam O'Brien
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
The Royal Rumble has come to be the single, most anticipated WWE match of the year and with good reason. It started as a response to the Bunkhouse Stampede from the Nwa then soon became a yearly favorite that would determine the #1 contender for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania.
A big part of the yearly anticipation has centered around who the surprise entrants would be in the 30-man battle royal match.
Each year several things are certain: the winner won’t be a huge shock, Kofi Kingston will make a spectacular elimination-saving athletic feat, and there will be multiple surprise entrants. After decades of only featuring the company’s top superstars as its winners, the match took a bit of a hit around the early part of the current decade when Alberto Del Rio and Sheamus became Royal Rumble winners.
While the company seems to have shifted back...
The Royal Rumble has come to be the single, most anticipated WWE match of the year and with good reason. It started as a response to the Bunkhouse Stampede from the Nwa then soon became a yearly favorite that would determine the #1 contender for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania.
A big part of the yearly anticipation has centered around who the surprise entrants would be in the 30-man battle royal match.
Each year several things are certain: the winner won’t be a huge shock, Kofi Kingston will make a spectacular elimination-saving athletic feat, and there will be multiple surprise entrants. After decades of only featuring the company’s top superstars as its winners, the match took a bit of a hit around the early part of the current decade when Alberto Del Rio and Sheamus became Royal Rumble winners.
While the company seems to have shifted back...
- 1/4/2016
- by Matt Davis
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
It’s time to write the epitaph on 2015 for WWE, and that means it’s time to ask: How should 2015 be remembered? Will fans and critics look back fondly on all the memorable moments, or will they slap their foreheads and collectively groan at all the various problems WWE encountered – both unplanned and self-generated?
There’s no sugar-coating it: Even the most diehard wrestling fan has to be disappointed in the past year. If you’re still wearing rose-colored glasses and think everything is fantastic in WWE, then you either are a true Bo-liever who channels New Day’s power of positivity, or you’re using the good stuff.
Don’t be mistaken, there have been some positive moments throughout the year, and the roster is talented enough – when healthy – to deliver a solid product that can entertain. There are several things WWE can do to right the...
It’s time to write the epitaph on 2015 for WWE, and that means it’s time to ask: How should 2015 be remembered? Will fans and critics look back fondly on all the memorable moments, or will they slap their foreheads and collectively groan at all the various problems WWE encountered – both unplanned and self-generated?
There’s no sugar-coating it: Even the most diehard wrestling fan has to be disappointed in the past year. If you’re still wearing rose-colored glasses and think everything is fantastic in WWE, then you either are a true Bo-liever who channels New Day’s power of positivity, or you’re using the good stuff.
Don’t be mistaken, there have been some positive moments throughout the year, and the roster is talented enough – when healthy – to deliver a solid product that can entertain. There are several things WWE can do to right the...
- 1/1/2016
- by Scott Carlson
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
Roman Reigns ended 2015 in a way that many fans who watched him begin the year at the Royal Rumble never thought would have happened: by winning the WWE Championship in front of a joyous, excited crowd cheering him on in Philadelphia. Following a well-done, believable ass-kicking of Triple H at the previous night’s TLC PPV, Reigns defeated Sheamus to become the WWE title holder and is likely to soon be putting an end to the rivalry involving the Celtic Warrior.
But what does Roman Reigns’ 2016 look like from there? His WrestleMania opponent may be an easy one to predict at this point (then again, maybe not), but what about beyond the Show of Shows? Who should WWE have lined up to take on their new hopeful flagship performer?
Obviously, there are many potential challengers for Roman Reigns in 2016, but only a handful of them are A) a...
Roman Reigns ended 2015 in a way that many fans who watched him begin the year at the Royal Rumble never thought would have happened: by winning the WWE Championship in front of a joyous, excited crowd cheering him on in Philadelphia. Following a well-done, believable ass-kicking of Triple H at the previous night’s TLC PPV, Reigns defeated Sheamus to become the WWE title holder and is likely to soon be putting an end to the rivalry involving the Celtic Warrior.
But what does Roman Reigns’ 2016 look like from there? His WrestleMania opponent may be an easy one to predict at this point (then again, maybe not), but what about beyond the Show of Shows? Who should WWE have lined up to take on their new hopeful flagship performer?
Obviously, there are many potential challengers for Roman Reigns in 2016, but only a handful of them are A) a...
- 12/24/2015
- by Matt Davis
- Obsessed with Film
wwe.com
The Royal Rumble is always one of WWE’s best efforts, which is reflected in the fact that it is usually only second to WrestleMania in traditional PPV buys.
What’s even more exciting about next month’s show is that it is going to be lay the foundation for WWE’s biggest event ever. WrestleMania 32 is aiming to break the WWE attendance record, with a potential 100,000 people filling Cowboys Stadium in Dallas,Texas on April 3rd, 2016.
In order to put on a show worthy capable of drawing that crowd, WWE will need to establish the main event matches on January 24 at Royal Rumble in Orlando, Florida.
The early signs are very positive. In taking a look at the lay of the land after TLC, you can see that WWE is positioned for much better things going forward. Roman Reigns is finally over, having earned “Yes” chants and...
The Royal Rumble is always one of WWE’s best efforts, which is reflected in the fact that it is usually only second to WrestleMania in traditional PPV buys.
What’s even more exciting about next month’s show is that it is going to be lay the foundation for WWE’s biggest event ever. WrestleMania 32 is aiming to break the WWE attendance record, with a potential 100,000 people filling Cowboys Stadium in Dallas,Texas on April 3rd, 2016.
In order to put on a show worthy capable of drawing that crowd, WWE will need to establish the main event matches on January 24 at Royal Rumble in Orlando, Florida.
The early signs are very positive. In taking a look at the lay of the land after TLC, you can see that WWE is positioned for much better things going forward. Roman Reigns is finally over, having earned “Yes” chants and...
- 12/20/2015
- by Grahame Herbert
- Obsessed with Film
twitter
Roman Reigns’ unique WWE Title plates have been added to his championship belt. WWE posted a close up photo of the new plates on Twitter, alongside the caption “A #NewChampion deserves new personalized plates on his #WWE World Hvt. Title, @WWeRomanReigns starts off #Smackdown!”
The plates are a novel way of making each Champion unique, as well as being a ploy to sell merchandising replicas. It is also perhaps an indication that Reigns is going to be on top for a while, some fans could interpret it as a clue that this current run will last long into 2016. That said, Sheamus did have plates made for his recent championship run, which ended up lasting only twenty two days.
With Reigns, even if the plates come off again soon, they’ll be back on again. As WWE’s number one project, you can expect him to have either a long reign,...
Roman Reigns’ unique WWE Title plates have been added to his championship belt. WWE posted a close up photo of the new plates on Twitter, alongside the caption “A #NewChampion deserves new personalized plates on his #WWE World Hvt. Title, @WWeRomanReigns starts off #Smackdown!”
The plates are a novel way of making each Champion unique, as well as being a ploy to sell merchandising replicas. It is also perhaps an indication that Reigns is going to be on top for a while, some fans could interpret it as a clue that this current run will last long into 2016. That said, Sheamus did have plates made for his recent championship run, which ended up lasting only twenty two days.
With Reigns, even if the plates come off again soon, they’ll be back on again. As WWE’s number one project, you can expect him to have either a long reign,...
- 12/18/2015
- by Grahame Herbert
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
Monday Night Raw is in a very strange place right now. Without even delving into the realm of typical fan complaints, the show is in dire need of some fresh ideas. Images surfaced this week of fans leaving the arena before a main event segment featuring Roman Reigns and Sheamus. One of those men is the WWE World Heavyweight Champion, the other is WWE’s great big hope for the babyface future.
It’s hardly inspiring to imagine people electing to leave rather than see the World Title match participants scrap. In fairness to the company, they perhaps have no choice right now but to continue trying to feature these names. Star power is at a real low currently, and it will take time to build up performers to a sufficient level.
TLC took place this Sunday, and what happened on the pay-per-view will have a direct bearing...
Monday Night Raw is in a very strange place right now. Without even delving into the realm of typical fan complaints, the show is in dire need of some fresh ideas. Images surfaced this week of fans leaving the arena before a main event segment featuring Roman Reigns and Sheamus. One of those men is the WWE World Heavyweight Champion, the other is WWE’s great big hope for the babyface future.
It’s hardly inspiring to imagine people electing to leave rather than see the World Title match participants scrap. In fairness to the company, they perhaps have no choice right now but to continue trying to feature these names. Star power is at a real low currently, and it will take time to build up performers to a sufficient level.
TLC took place this Sunday, and what happened on the pay-per-view will have a direct bearing...
- 12/14/2015
- by Jamie Kennedy
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
WWE remain in the strange place right now. Over the past decade or so, the time immediately before the end of the calendar year has become quite the burden for the company creatively. It really seems like the creative team attempt to write filler, hoping to see things through in relatively painless fashion to the Royal Rumble. Then, WrestleMania season can begin, and everything feels rosy again.
Over the past few weeks, Monday Night Raw has certainly had that feel to it. Looking at things another way, WWE have no choice but to press ahead and try to feature talent which – right now, at least – isn’t pulling in big ratings. Names such as Roman Reigns, Sheamus, Alberto Del Rio and The Wyatt Family will continue to be pushed, regardless of the sagging TV rating situation.
This past week’s Raw tried to revamp the heel side of the equation.
WWE remain in the strange place right now. Over the past decade or so, the time immediately before the end of the calendar year has become quite the burden for the company creatively. It really seems like the creative team attempt to write filler, hoping to see things through in relatively painless fashion to the Royal Rumble. Then, WrestleMania season can begin, and everything feels rosy again.
Over the past few weeks, Monday Night Raw has certainly had that feel to it. Looking at things another way, WWE have no choice but to press ahead and try to feature talent which – right now, at least – isn’t pulling in big ratings. Names such as Roman Reigns, Sheamus, Alberto Del Rio and The Wyatt Family will continue to be pushed, regardless of the sagging TV rating situation.
This past week’s Raw tried to revamp the heel side of the equation.
- 12/5/2015
- by Jamie Kennedy
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
The WWE Universe has changed quite a bit in the last week following a Survivor Series event that saw Sheamus become the World Champion after cashing in the briefcase against Roman Reigns. The first WWE Title reign of Roman’s career lasted only about five minutes with the expectation that he’ll get that WWE Title back between now and WrestleMania.
The when and where for that Reigns title win is up for debate. It may not happen as soon as the December 13th TLC event when Sheamus defends against Reigns in a TLC match, but a title change at the Royal Rumble seems very likely.
Other feuds that look to be shaping up for TLC include Kevin Owens vs. Dean Ambrose for the Ic Title, Alberto Del Rio vs. Jack Swagger for the Us Title and the Tag Team Champions The New Day seem to have their...
The WWE Universe has changed quite a bit in the last week following a Survivor Series event that saw Sheamus become the World Champion after cashing in the briefcase against Roman Reigns. The first WWE Title reign of Roman’s career lasted only about five minutes with the expectation that he’ll get that WWE Title back between now and WrestleMania.
The when and where for that Reigns title win is up for debate. It may not happen as soon as the December 13th TLC event when Sheamus defends against Reigns in a TLC match, but a title change at the Royal Rumble seems very likely.
Other feuds that look to be shaping up for TLC include Kevin Owens vs. Dean Ambrose for the Ic Title, Alberto Del Rio vs. Jack Swagger for the Us Title and the Tag Team Champions The New Day seem to have their...
- 11/28/2015
- by John Canton
- Obsessed with Film
WWE
To celebrate the release of the forthcoming WWE: 2015 Annual DVD, we’ve teamed up with WWE to offer you the chance to win one of three DVD copies.
This mammoth 6 disc collection, which runs over 16 hours, covers not only the very best of Raw and Smackdown from 2014, but also some of the company’s greatest pay-per-view matches from that historic year, too. Amongst the choice PPV scraps is Daniel Bryan’s incredible collision with Bray Wyatt from the Royal Rumble, both of his matches from WrestleMania XXX along with matches inside the Elimination Chamber, a Money in the Bank ladder match and more.
Aside from reliving those epic moments, you will also be be able to watch the beginning of the Yes! movement and Bryan occupying Raw. Other major Raw and Smackdown moments featured include Paige’s WWE debut, the return of Evolution, the breakup of The Shield, Vickie Guerrero...
To celebrate the release of the forthcoming WWE: 2015 Annual DVD, we’ve teamed up with WWE to offer you the chance to win one of three DVD copies.
This mammoth 6 disc collection, which runs over 16 hours, covers not only the very best of Raw and Smackdown from 2014, but also some of the company’s greatest pay-per-view matches from that historic year, too. Amongst the choice PPV scraps is Daniel Bryan’s incredible collision with Bray Wyatt from the Royal Rumble, both of his matches from WrestleMania XXX along with matches inside the Elimination Chamber, a Money in the Bank ladder match and more.
Aside from reliving those epic moments, you will also be be able to watch the beginning of the Yes! movement and Bryan occupying Raw. Other major Raw and Smackdown moments featured include Paige’s WWE debut, the return of Evolution, the breakup of The Shield, Vickie Guerrero...
- 10/26/2015
- by Lewis Howse
- Obsessed with Film
Deviantart
Earlier this year Charlotte, Becky Lynch and Nxt Women’s Champion Sasha Banks all made their debut on the WWE’s main roster to spark the beginning of the Divas Revolution. However, despite the fact that the Divas Division is now packed with a number of very talented wrestlers these days the so-called “Revolution” has largely been a failure.
The reasons for this failure are numerous, however it mainly comes down to the decision to put the Divas into random nonsensical factions, a lack of any real storyline and a failure to make proper use of the more talented Divas involved in the Revolution.
As a result the WWE fans have largely lost interest in the Divas Revolution storyline and they made their feelings clear at the post-Summerslam Raw when they hijacked a match between Team Pcb and Team Bella by chanting “Jbl” and “Sasha Banks” and engaging...
Earlier this year Charlotte, Becky Lynch and Nxt Women’s Champion Sasha Banks all made their debut on the WWE’s main roster to spark the beginning of the Divas Revolution. However, despite the fact that the Divas Division is now packed with a number of very talented wrestlers these days the so-called “Revolution” has largely been a failure.
The reasons for this failure are numerous, however it mainly comes down to the decision to put the Divas into random nonsensical factions, a lack of any real storyline and a failure to make proper use of the more talented Divas involved in the Revolution.
As a result the WWE fans have largely lost interest in the Divas Revolution storyline and they made their feelings clear at the post-Summerslam Raw when they hijacked a match between Team Pcb and Team Bella by chanting “Jbl” and “Sasha Banks” and engaging...
- 10/11/2015
- by Kevin Latimer
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
This past week on Monday Night Raw, WWE’s creative team made their ‘Mr. Money In The Bank’ briefcase holder look weak once more. It’s a confusing strategy, and it can only be theorised that the company don’t feel wins and losses really matter in the grand scheme of things. Some fans have covered this by saying it shows everybody can beat everybody else, but that excuse doesn’t really wash.
The promotion are handling some top names very oddly at the moment, booking them as cowards or losers. In the long run, this will surely do nothing for characters like Sheamus or Seth Rollins. Thankfully, in the case of the latter, Raw was a return to some resemblance of being a deserved double champion. This past week, Rollins was booked less like a scared little boy, although he did once again run away from Sting...
This past week on Monday Night Raw, WWE’s creative team made their ‘Mr. Money In The Bank’ briefcase holder look weak once more. It’s a confusing strategy, and it can only be theorised that the company don’t feel wins and losses really matter in the grand scheme of things. Some fans have covered this by saying it shows everybody can beat everybody else, but that excuse doesn’t really wash.
The promotion are handling some top names very oddly at the moment, booking them as cowards or losers. In the long run, this will surely do nothing for characters like Sheamus or Seth Rollins. Thankfully, in the case of the latter, Raw was a return to some resemblance of being a deserved double champion. This past week, Rollins was booked less like a scared little boy, although he did once again run away from Sting...
- 9/20/2015
- by Jamie Kennedy
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
During a conference call to promote the WWE Nxt Takeover event on Saturday, Triple H mentioned that WWE is planning on doing more Nxt events at bigger arenas just like like Takeover in Brooklyn. That’s no surprise considering WWE has sold out Barclays Center on Saturday for Takeover, Sunday for SummerSlam and Monday for Raw.
Hunter said he wants to run those Takeover events “a few times” per year while feeding off of the “epic” WWE PPV events, such as SummerSlam. He didn’t mention it, but that likely means that future Takeover specials could be around Royal Rumble, WrestleMania and Survivor Series. They could run the Takeover specials on Saturday nights and in the case of WrestleMania, it would probably be Friday night because the Hall of Fame ceremony takes place on Saturday.
Since the “big four” PPV events tend to attract fans that travel from out of town,...
During a conference call to promote the WWE Nxt Takeover event on Saturday, Triple H mentioned that WWE is planning on doing more Nxt events at bigger arenas just like like Takeover in Brooklyn. That’s no surprise considering WWE has sold out Barclays Center on Saturday for Takeover, Sunday for SummerSlam and Monday for Raw.
Hunter said he wants to run those Takeover events “a few times” per year while feeding off of the “epic” WWE PPV events, such as SummerSlam. He didn’t mention it, but that likely means that future Takeover specials could be around Royal Rumble, WrestleMania and Survivor Series. They could run the Takeover specials on Saturday nights and in the case of WrestleMania, it would probably be Friday night because the Hall of Fame ceremony takes place on Saturday.
Since the “big four” PPV events tend to attract fans that travel from out of town,...
- 8/19/2015
- by John Canton
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
As wrestling fans, it’s virtually impossible not to fantasy book matches and storylines as they play out; particularly when it comes to main event feuds and big events like WrestleMania, Royal Rumble and SummerSlam. As such, when a dedicated grapple fan sees that a promoter is playing with the perfect hand, failure to cash in with an amazing storyline can leave a long-lasting scar that’s hard to forget.
So what makes great storyline turn sour? While there can be many factors involved, the death of most would-be classics usually boils down to one or more of the holy trinity of bad booking: disappointing pay-offs, poor planning or backstage politics.
In the last ten years alone, we’ve seen the “Million Dollar Mania” fiasco, the whole “Illegitimate Son” debacle and the cluster that was the “Anonymous Raw Gm” gimmick; all of which are perfect examples of non-existent...
As wrestling fans, it’s virtually impossible not to fantasy book matches and storylines as they play out; particularly when it comes to main event feuds and big events like WrestleMania, Royal Rumble and SummerSlam. As such, when a dedicated grapple fan sees that a promoter is playing with the perfect hand, failure to cash in with an amazing storyline can leave a long-lasting scar that’s hard to forget.
So what makes great storyline turn sour? While there can be many factors involved, the death of most would-be classics usually boils down to one or more of the holy trinity of bad booking: disappointing pay-offs, poor planning or backstage politics.
In the last ten years alone, we’ve seen the “Million Dollar Mania” fiasco, the whole “Illegitimate Son” debacle and the cluster that was the “Anonymous Raw Gm” gimmick; all of which are perfect examples of non-existent...
- 7/29/2015
- by Martyn Grant
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
It has been a frustrating year for every single member of the Yes Movement.
Daniel Bryan’s against all odds WWE World Heavyweight Championship win was The feel good moment of 2014. But since his hand was raised and he embraced Connor ‘The Crusher’ Michalek, almost nothing has gone right for the former ‘Goat Face’.
Almost immediately, he was sidelined with a neck injury that threatened to end his illustrious career and was stripped of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship before making one of the most anticipated returns of recent memory in the build up to the Royal Rumble.
However, he hasn’t been afforded the opportunity to make the sizeable impact almost all of the WWE Universe thought he should have. Poor booking and a seemingly open attempt to hold him back in many respects has resulted in a pretty tragic fall from grace in less than 12 months.
It has been a frustrating year for every single member of the Yes Movement.
Daniel Bryan’s against all odds WWE World Heavyweight Championship win was The feel good moment of 2014. But since his hand was raised and he embraced Connor ‘The Crusher’ Michalek, almost nothing has gone right for the former ‘Goat Face’.
Almost immediately, he was sidelined with a neck injury that threatened to end his illustrious career and was stripped of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship before making one of the most anticipated returns of recent memory in the build up to the Royal Rumble.
However, he hasn’t been afforded the opportunity to make the sizeable impact almost all of the WWE Universe thought he should have. Poor booking and a seemingly open attempt to hold him back in many respects has resulted in a pretty tragic fall from grace in less than 12 months.
- 3/19/2015
- by Ross Tweddell
- Obsessed with Film
If you feel like WWE is careening wildly down the Road to WrestleMania, you’re not alone. WrestleMania Xxxi (play button) is four weeks away, and only four matches have officially been announced – and one of them is an annual battle royal. Of the remaining three, one is a title match that was set in motion at the Royal Rumble and another is an Intercontinental Championship ladder match where the participants haven’t been announced yet.
This does not mean that WWE is a rudderless ship racing out of control. While only a handful of matches have been locked down, there are several others that look to be safe bets for Mania. That makes Monday’s Raw a pivotal episode. There are only four episodes left before WrestleMania, and with the last episode a go-home/wrap-up show, things will need to start moving forward with the other feuds soon. WWE...
This does not mean that WWE is a rudderless ship racing out of control. While only a handful of matches have been locked down, there are several others that look to be safe bets for Mania. That makes Monday’s Raw a pivotal episode. There are only four episodes left before WrestleMania, and with the last episode a go-home/wrap-up show, things will need to start moving forward with the other feuds soon. WWE...
- 3/1/2015
- by Scott Carlson
- Obsessed with Film
The WWE says it has proof that Cm Punk Never had a baseball-sized lump on his back at the Royal Rumble -- and insist they have the video that shows he's lying through his singlet. Punk first brought up the alleged lump on a podcast back in November -- when he claimed he was misdiagnosed by a WWE ringside doctor ... and it eventually led to a life-threatening staph infection. The doctor filed a $1 million defamation...
- 2/21/2015
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
WWE.com
Year eight of the World Wrestling Entertainment career of Sheamus finds the master of the Brogue Kick possibly at a career crossroads. A three-time World champion, two-time United States champion, Royal Rumble and King of the Ring winner, he’s reached a point where in having done possibly everything that one wrestler can do in WWE, he may be in need of a career refresh.
That point could be now, as rumors have him scheduled to return to face Daniel Bryan at Wrestlemania in a match that few “smarter” pro wrestling fans want to see, as they’d prefer the “Yes Movement” leader in the main event at the showcase of the immortals.
It’s moves like having Sheamus wrestle Daniel Bryan for the third time at Wrestlemania that may be part of Sheamus’ stalled career. He’s certainly agile, skilled at grappling, charismatic and wholly entertaining. However,...
Year eight of the World Wrestling Entertainment career of Sheamus finds the master of the Brogue Kick possibly at a career crossroads. A three-time World champion, two-time United States champion, Royal Rumble and King of the Ring winner, he’s reached a point where in having done possibly everything that one wrestler can do in WWE, he may be in need of a career refresh.
That point could be now, as rumors have him scheduled to return to face Daniel Bryan at Wrestlemania in a match that few “smarter” pro wrestling fans want to see, as they’d prefer the “Yes Movement” leader in the main event at the showcase of the immortals.
It’s moves like having Sheamus wrestle Daniel Bryan for the third time at Wrestlemania that may be part of Sheamus’ stalled career. He’s certainly agile, skilled at grappling, charismatic and wholly entertaining. However,...
- 2/16/2015
- by Marcus K. Dowling
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
WWE didn’t quite hit the reset button this week, but it sure looks like they’re feeling a little shaky about what to do at WrestleMania. Two years in a row now the Royal Rumble winner was greeted with escalating hostility. Next year maybe they’ll look to start an all-out riot and let Sheamus win again. Are they trying to buy time hoping fans will come around to Roman Reigns? Or are they just needlessly teasing them some more by letting them think that Daniel Bryan could main-event another Mania?
In times like this, it’s best to assume the usual: they have absolutely no idea what they’re doing!
In other wrestling questions this week, couldn’t Ethan Carter have found some electric clippers that didn’t need to be plugged in so he could shave Rockstar Spud’s hair? At least he could have...
WWE didn’t quite hit the reset button this week, but it sure looks like they’re feeling a little shaky about what to do at WrestleMania. Two years in a row now the Royal Rumble winner was greeted with escalating hostility. Next year maybe they’ll look to start an all-out riot and let Sheamus win again. Are they trying to buy time hoping fans will come around to Roman Reigns? Or are they just needlessly teasing them some more by letting them think that Daniel Bryan could main-event another Mania?
In times like this, it’s best to assume the usual: they have absolutely no idea what they’re doing!
In other wrestling questions this week, couldn’t Ethan Carter have found some electric clippers that didn’t need to be plugged in so he could shave Rockstar Spud’s hair? At least he could have...
- 2/8/2015
- by Andrew Soucek
- Obsessed with Film
wwe.com
Randy Orton is advertised and expected to return on Monday’s WWE Raw broadcast from Denver, Colorado. He has been ready to come back for some time now, but WWE continually delayed the return as they felt it would be diluted up against Daniel Bryan’s recovery and Roman Reigns’ Royal Rumble win.
Orton had been advertised for other Raw and Smackdown tapings in January, in addition to being advertised for the Rumble show right up until the last minute. As such, some fans are taking his advertised role for Monday with a bit of scepticism. There’s always a chance his return could be delayed again, but there’s really no good reason why he shouldn’t be back this week. He can be the focal point of this week’s Raw and kickstart his expected feud with Seth Rollins for WrestleMania.
Orton had been away filming...
Randy Orton is advertised and expected to return on Monday’s WWE Raw broadcast from Denver, Colorado. He has been ready to come back for some time now, but WWE continually delayed the return as they felt it would be diluted up against Daniel Bryan’s recovery and Roman Reigns’ Royal Rumble win.
Orton had been advertised for other Raw and Smackdown tapings in January, in addition to being advertised for the Rumble show right up until the last minute. As such, some fans are taking his advertised role for Monday with a bit of scepticism. There’s always a chance his return could be delayed again, but there’s really no good reason why he shouldn’t be back this week. He can be the focal point of this week’s Raw and kickstart his expected feud with Seth Rollins for WrestleMania.
Orton had been away filming...
- 1/31/2015
- by Grahame Herbert
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
Daniel Bryan didn’t win the 2015 Royal Rumble, much to the dismay of a lot of WWE fans. For a lot of people, he would have been the right choice to win simply because he gets the loudest ovation out of any wrestler in WWE. It’s not just the “yes” chant that is popular, it’s him.
Now that Bryan appears to be out of the WWE Title picture at WrestleMania 31, they have to find a role for him. He’s too important to not be in a really big match at the show. Fans love the guy and want to see him featured prominently. In addition to that, his return after missing eight months of action due to neck surgery makes him something of a hero to a lot of people and that shouldn’t be ignored.
There was a report earlier in the week mentioning...
Daniel Bryan didn’t win the 2015 Royal Rumble, much to the dismay of a lot of WWE fans. For a lot of people, he would have been the right choice to win simply because he gets the loudest ovation out of any wrestler in WWE. It’s not just the “yes” chant that is popular, it’s him.
Now that Bryan appears to be out of the WWE Title picture at WrestleMania 31, they have to find a role for him. He’s too important to not be in a really big match at the show. Fans love the guy and want to see him featured prominently. In addition to that, his return after missing eight months of action due to neck surgery makes him something of a hero to a lot of people and that shouldn’t be ignored.
There was a report earlier in the week mentioning...
- 1/30/2015
- by John Canton
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
The obvious joke to make is that hell froze over because even The Rock couldn’t save the Royal Rumble Sunday night, so New England got slammed with a blizzard, forcing the cancelation of Monday Night Raw. But that wouldn’t hold up in a court of law, so we’re left to chalk it up to mere coincidence.
Still, with WWE reeling after a PPV that directly led to #CancelWWENetwork trending on Twitter well into this week, a state of emergency in Connecticut might have provided the saving grace the company needed. Roman Reigns was booed out of the building at the end of Royal Rumble, with a hostile Philadelphia crowd spending the last half-hour of the Rumble viciously lashing out after Daniel Bryan was eliminated. Had Raw been live Monday night in front of 15,000-plus fans – especially in Hartford, Conn. – the result might have been more of the same.
The obvious joke to make is that hell froze over because even The Rock couldn’t save the Royal Rumble Sunday night, so New England got slammed with a blizzard, forcing the cancelation of Monday Night Raw. But that wouldn’t hold up in a court of law, so we’re left to chalk it up to mere coincidence.
Still, with WWE reeling after a PPV that directly led to #CancelWWENetwork trending on Twitter well into this week, a state of emergency in Connecticut might have provided the saving grace the company needed. Roman Reigns was booed out of the building at the end of Royal Rumble, with a hostile Philadelphia crowd spending the last half-hour of the Rumble viciously lashing out after Daniel Bryan was eliminated. Had Raw been live Monday night in front of 15,000-plus fans – especially in Hartford, Conn. – the result might have been more of the same.
- 1/28/2015
- by Scott Carlson
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
Over the past decade, when World Wrestling Entertainment has been hot, the company’s been tremendous, entertainers up and down the card working in synergy to deliver a great product. However, when WWE’s been off the mark, they’ve been fairly terrible, a hodge-podge of a program delivered by the “Land of Misfit Toys” of pro wrestling.
Royal Rumble 2015 was more the latter than the former, a show where The Rock’s cousin (yes, we know his name is Roman Reigns, but the message was clear that Roman Reigns Is Related To The Most Charismatic Man In Sports Entertainment History) won the Rumble and Daniel Bryan or Dolph Ziggler didn’t.
It’s a tough time for WWE right now, attempting to switch their business mindset from classic to progressive, their content delivery methods from traditional to digital, and attempting to integrate some of the most athletic...
Over the past decade, when World Wrestling Entertainment has been hot, the company’s been tremendous, entertainers up and down the card working in synergy to deliver a great product. However, when WWE’s been off the mark, they’ve been fairly terrible, a hodge-podge of a program delivered by the “Land of Misfit Toys” of pro wrestling.
Royal Rumble 2015 was more the latter than the former, a show where The Rock’s cousin (yes, we know his name is Roman Reigns, but the message was clear that Roman Reigns Is Related To The Most Charismatic Man In Sports Entertainment History) won the Rumble and Daniel Bryan or Dolph Ziggler didn’t.
It’s a tough time for WWE right now, attempting to switch their business mindset from classic to progressive, their content delivery methods from traditional to digital, and attempting to integrate some of the most athletic...
- 1/26/2015
- by Marcus K. Dowling
- Obsessed with Film
Daniel Bryan’s appearance at the 2015 Royal Rumble Sunday night in Philadelphia marked his comeback from a neck injury that saw him stripped of his WWE title – so fans were more than shocked at how early his defeat was scripted. Daniel Bryan At Royal Rumble During the WWE Network’s pay-per-view 30-man wrestling match, Bryan […]
The post WWE Under Fire For Daniel Bryan’s Early Exit In Royal Rumble appeared first on uInterview.
The post WWE Under Fire For Daniel Bryan’s Early Exit In Royal Rumble appeared first on uInterview.
- 1/26/2015
- by Chelsea Regan
- Uinterview
WWE.com
Update: For what it’s worth, the Xl Center website has posted on their events page;
Monday Night Raw will take place as scheduled.
There is a massive snowstorm heading to the northeast United States on Monday night and will cause massive travel delays for the next couple of days. Tonight’s edition of Raw is supposed to take place from the Xl Center in Hartford, Connecticut, but it may not actually happen. It’s not too far from WWE headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut.
Last night’s Royal Rumble was in Philadelphia and talent likely drove to the Hartford area last night without problem, but the storm is coming into the area tonight. There have already been over 4,000 flights cancelled in the northeast Us for Monday and Tuesday with more of them possibly being cancelled the following days as well. It’s been called a “historic” storm in...
Update: For what it’s worth, the Xl Center website has posted on their events page;
Monday Night Raw will take place as scheduled.
There is a massive snowstorm heading to the northeast United States on Monday night and will cause massive travel delays for the next couple of days. Tonight’s edition of Raw is supposed to take place from the Xl Center in Hartford, Connecticut, but it may not actually happen. It’s not too far from WWE headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut.
Last night’s Royal Rumble was in Philadelphia and talent likely drove to the Hartford area last night without problem, but the storm is coming into the area tonight. There have already been over 4,000 flights cancelled in the northeast Us for Monday and Tuesday with more of them possibly being cancelled the following days as well. It’s been called a “historic” storm in...
- 1/26/2015
- by John Canton
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
The great thing about the Royal Rumble is the fact that there are endless topics that can be broken down when you talk about the match itself. There are so many facts and figures and would make a baseball sabermetrician happy for days on end. How many wins came from which entrant, longest time spent in the ring, shortest time spent in the ring, most eliminations, and so on. That is what makes the match unique and a great kickstart to the “Road To Wrestlemania”.
This Sunday will mark the 28th Royal Rumble in WWE history, and per usual, the winner of the match will get a shot at the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania 31 in the Bay Area of California. The direction of this Rumble can go in a lot of ways. Will they still give the keys to Roman Reigns? Will Daniel Bryan have the ultimate comeback story?...
The great thing about the Royal Rumble is the fact that there are endless topics that can be broken down when you talk about the match itself. There are so many facts and figures and would make a baseball sabermetrician happy for days on end. How many wins came from which entrant, longest time spent in the ring, shortest time spent in the ring, most eliminations, and so on. That is what makes the match unique and a great kickstart to the “Road To Wrestlemania”.
This Sunday will mark the 28th Royal Rumble in WWE history, and per usual, the winner of the match will get a shot at the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania 31 in the Bay Area of California. The direction of this Rumble can go in a lot of ways. Will they still give the keys to Roman Reigns? Will Daniel Bryan have the ultimate comeback story?...
- 1/23/2015
- by Jeremy Bennett
- Obsessed with Film
wwe.com
It probably goes without saying that WWE’s Royal Rumble is the most unpredictable match of the year. It is the one event even the most casual of fans make it a point to see. Between the surprise entrants, miraculous feats of athleticism, and drama that develops from the opening bell, it is a guaranteed crowd pleaser.
Over the past two years, WWE has made it a point to use the Rumble as an opportunity to showcase some of the talent it has been developing in Nxt. In 2013, Bo Dallas won a tournament to earn a spot in the match. His debut performance lasted over twenty minutes and sparked a short feud with Intercontinental Champion Wade Barrett.
Last year, we saw the debut of “The Bulgarian Brute” Rusev. The 300 lb. super athlete flew around the ring like a cruiserweight, unleashing pain on everyone in his path. It ultimately...
It probably goes without saying that WWE’s Royal Rumble is the most unpredictable match of the year. It is the one event even the most casual of fans make it a point to see. Between the surprise entrants, miraculous feats of athleticism, and drama that develops from the opening bell, it is a guaranteed crowd pleaser.
Over the past two years, WWE has made it a point to use the Rumble as an opportunity to showcase some of the talent it has been developing in Nxt. In 2013, Bo Dallas won a tournament to earn a spot in the match. His debut performance lasted over twenty minutes and sparked a short feud with Intercontinental Champion Wade Barrett.
Last year, we saw the debut of “The Bulgarian Brute” Rusev. The 300 lb. super athlete flew around the ring like a cruiserweight, unleashing pain on everyone in his path. It ultimately...
- 1/21/2015
- by Eric Delgado
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
Before Smackdown marks its big return to Thursday nights with the in-ring return of Daniel Bryan, there was the business of plowing through the last Friday Night Smackdown for the blue brand. Nearly a decade of airing on Fridays has rendered Smackdown as the afterthought of WWE, Raw’s red- (blue?) headed stepchild.
So as Smackdown winds down its time on Fridays, what was in store for fans? Were there any big surprises? Any big announcements? If Bad News Barrett and Bray Wyatt announcing that they’ll be in the Royal Rumble match qualify as big announcements, then yes. Otherwise, we were treated to a breezy, low on substance episode that sends Smackdown off with more of a whimper than a bang.
It’s unclear if the move back to Thursdays will result in a change in philosophy with how the show is viewed. A while back, this...
Before Smackdown marks its big return to Thursday nights with the in-ring return of Daniel Bryan, there was the business of plowing through the last Friday Night Smackdown for the blue brand. Nearly a decade of airing on Fridays has rendered Smackdown as the afterthought of WWE, Raw’s red- (blue?) headed stepchild.
So as Smackdown winds down its time on Fridays, what was in store for fans? Were there any big surprises? Any big announcements? If Bad News Barrett and Bray Wyatt announcing that they’ll be in the Royal Rumble match qualify as big announcements, then yes. Otherwise, we were treated to a breezy, low on substance episode that sends Smackdown off with more of a whimper than a bang.
It’s unclear if the move back to Thursdays will result in a change in philosophy with how the show is viewed. A while back, this...
- 1/10/2015
- by Scott Carlson
- Obsessed with Film
wwe.com
Daniel Bryan will return to WWE in-ring wrestling with a main event berth on the new Thursday Night Smackdown. He will then take part in a series of house show dates and presumably resume weekly matches on Raw and Smackdown.
All of this is following eight months on the sidelines with a neck and elbow injury.
His return to the ring will be a nice warm up for his role in the 30 man Royal Rumble. He’s expected to be a favourite to win that match on January 25th, and could then go on to the main event of WrestleMania 31. Despite main eventing Mania 30 and becoming WWE Champion last year, his potential was largely unrealised due to the immediacy of his injury. Perhaps WWE and Bryan will correct that in 2015, making this the year of the Yes Movement.
However, there has to be huge concerns over Bryan’s return.
Daniel Bryan will return to WWE in-ring wrestling with a main event berth on the new Thursday Night Smackdown. He will then take part in a series of house show dates and presumably resume weekly matches on Raw and Smackdown.
All of this is following eight months on the sidelines with a neck and elbow injury.
His return to the ring will be a nice warm up for his role in the 30 man Royal Rumble. He’s expected to be a favourite to win that match on January 25th, and could then go on to the main event of WrestleMania 31. Despite main eventing Mania 30 and becoming WWE Champion last year, his potential was largely unrealised due to the immediacy of his injury. Perhaps WWE and Bryan will correct that in 2015, making this the year of the Yes Movement.
However, there has to be huge concerns over Bryan’s return.
- 1/9/2015
- by Grahame Herbert
- Obsessed with Film
wwe
Daniel Bryan will return to WWE action next week. The company is pushing his in-ring return as the main attraction for Smackdown’s return to Thursday nights, with the tapings taking place on Tuesday in Baton Rouge. He will then start house shows with events on 1/16 in St. Louis, 1/17 in Abilene and 1/18 in San Antonio.
The return of Bryan to in-ring activity was originally expected to take place at Royal Rumble. He’s already entered himself into the 30 man match. The decision to bring him back even sooner, as part of the new Thursday Night Smackdown, is smart booking on WWE’s part. It gives viewers a solid reason to check out the new show.
Bryan hasn’t wrestled in over eight months. A long term issue with his neck and elbow sidelined him for much of 2014. It was thought to be a nerve issue, and initial surgery failed...
Daniel Bryan will return to WWE action next week. The company is pushing his in-ring return as the main attraction for Smackdown’s return to Thursday nights, with the tapings taking place on Tuesday in Baton Rouge. He will then start house shows with events on 1/16 in St. Louis, 1/17 in Abilene and 1/18 in San Antonio.
The return of Bryan to in-ring activity was originally expected to take place at Royal Rumble. He’s already entered himself into the 30 man match. The decision to bring him back even sooner, as part of the new Thursday Night Smackdown, is smart booking on WWE’s part. It gives viewers a solid reason to check out the new show.
Bryan hasn’t wrestled in over eight months. A long term issue with his neck and elbow sidelined him for much of 2014. It was thought to be a nerve issue, and initial surgery failed...
- 1/9/2015
- by Grahame Herbert
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
The old Christmas song “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year” is very fitting when it comes to the first pay per view of the WWE each year, the Royal Rumble. It is the official beginning to the “Road To Wrestlemania” as the winner of the Rumble match has a guaranteed shot at the title at Wrestlemania a couple months later. Though we have Battle Royal matches a few times throughout the year, nothing is like the Royal Rumble match, and that is why it is a special time.
Each year (with the exception of a couple), 30 superstars will enter the match, and only one will become victorious. One great thing that is associated with the Royal Rumble are the stats that come with it. While we’ll review those stats and numbers later on this month, on this article, we are going to focus on...
The old Christmas song “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year” is very fitting when it comes to the first pay per view of the WWE each year, the Royal Rumble. It is the official beginning to the “Road To Wrestlemania” as the winner of the Rumble match has a guaranteed shot at the title at Wrestlemania a couple months later. Though we have Battle Royal matches a few times throughout the year, nothing is like the Royal Rumble match, and that is why it is a special time.
Each year (with the exception of a couple), 30 superstars will enter the match, and only one will become victorious. One great thing that is associated with the Royal Rumble are the stats that come with it. While we’ll review those stats and numbers later on this month, on this article, we are going to focus on...
- 1/7/2015
- by Jeremy Bennett
- Obsessed with Film
wwe
To say Daniel Bryan endured a tumultuous twelve months in 2014 would be something of an understatement. He entered the year riding a wave of fan support, but it seemed like the higher-ups in WWE had no interest in doing much with him, beyond an entertaining albeit abridged feud with Bray Wyatt.
Fans were dismayed when he wasn’t in the Royal Rumble, and that outcry led to him not only main eventing WrestleMania 30, but winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Unfortunately, not long after his victory he lost his father, as well as his biggest fan Connor Michalek, and would eventually vacate the championship due to a neck injury.
Daniel Bryan would then spend the rest of the year in a limbo of uncertainty, and speculation was rife that more surgery was need. As the year came to a close, there were still no answers and it seemed more...
To say Daniel Bryan endured a tumultuous twelve months in 2014 would be something of an understatement. He entered the year riding a wave of fan support, but it seemed like the higher-ups in WWE had no interest in doing much with him, beyond an entertaining albeit abridged feud with Bray Wyatt.
Fans were dismayed when he wasn’t in the Royal Rumble, and that outcry led to him not only main eventing WrestleMania 30, but winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Unfortunately, not long after his victory he lost his father, as well as his biggest fan Connor Michalek, and would eventually vacate the championship due to a neck injury.
Daniel Bryan would then spend the rest of the year in a limbo of uncertainty, and speculation was rife that more surgery was need. As the year came to a close, there were still no answers and it seemed more...
- 1/5/2015
- by Kieran Shiach
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
The 1990 Royal Rumble came at a time when it felt like WWE was ready to make some big changes. Even though Hulk Hogan was still the man, it was the 1990s and there were questions about how long he was going to keep being featured as the top guy.
The Ultimate Warrior was really catching fire and gaining popularity while Hogan was in his sixth year as the top guy. Both were in the Rumble match, so if we were looking at it the way we look at wrestling 25 years later, the smart thinking would be for Warrior or somebody else to win the match. That’s not what happened, though.
It was also a time when the roster wasn’t really that good on the heel side. There were the likes of Mr. Perfect, Ted Dibiase and Randy Savage in heel roles. They are some of the best heels ever,...
The 1990 Royal Rumble came at a time when it felt like WWE was ready to make some big changes. Even though Hulk Hogan was still the man, it was the 1990s and there were questions about how long he was going to keep being featured as the top guy.
The Ultimate Warrior was really catching fire and gaining popularity while Hogan was in his sixth year as the top guy. Both were in the Rumble match, so if we were looking at it the way we look at wrestling 25 years later, the smart thinking would be for Warrior or somebody else to win the match. That’s not what happened, though.
It was also a time when the roster wasn’t really that good on the heel side. There were the likes of Mr. Perfect, Ted Dibiase and Randy Savage in heel roles. They are some of the best heels ever,...
- 1/4/2015
- by John Canton
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
The 1989 Royal Rumble was a historic show because it was the first time the Rumble was a pay-per-view show. The previous year’s Rumble was a three hour event on USA Network that was done as a counter to an Nwa PPV on the same night. After the success of that show in 1988, WWE decided to make it an annual PPV event.
With the launch of the Rumble as an annual January PPV event, it meant that WWE would have four standard PPVs every year with the Rumble starting the year off, then WrestleMania in late March or early April, SummerSlam in August and Survivor Series in November. They became known as the “big four” events in the WWE year until King of the Ring started in 1993 and monthly PPVs began in 1995.
The WWE Champion going into the show was Randy Savage, who held the title for nearly ten months at this point.
The 1989 Royal Rumble was a historic show because it was the first time the Rumble was a pay-per-view show. The previous year’s Rumble was a three hour event on USA Network that was done as a counter to an Nwa PPV on the same night. After the success of that show in 1988, WWE decided to make it an annual PPV event.
With the launch of the Rumble as an annual January PPV event, it meant that WWE would have four standard PPVs every year with the Rumble starting the year off, then WrestleMania in late March or early April, SummerSlam in August and Survivor Series in November. They became known as the “big four” events in the WWE year until King of the Ring started in 1993 and monthly PPVs began in 1995.
The WWE Champion going into the show was Randy Savage, who held the title for nearly ten months at this point.
- 1/2/2015
- by John Canton
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
The Royal Rumble is one of WWE’s biggest shows of the year. For a lot of fans, it’s second only to WrestleMania. WWE likes to bill it as one of their “big four” because it’s an event that goes back to 1988 as a regular January show that was a great way to build things up to WrestleMania in the spring.
Throughout the month of January, I’ll be posting “7 Things You Should Know” about every Royal Rumble event starting with the first one in 1988 right up to the 2014 event. A new one will be posted every day leading up this year’s Royal Rumble on January 25. Since there are 27 of them in all, there will be a couple of days with two posts that go up. Be sure to visit WhatCulture daily to see all of the Royal Rumble features this month.
To start it all off,...
The Royal Rumble is one of WWE’s biggest shows of the year. For a lot of fans, it’s second only to WrestleMania. WWE likes to bill it as one of their “big four” because it’s an event that goes back to 1988 as a regular January show that was a great way to build things up to WrestleMania in the spring.
Throughout the month of January, I’ll be posting “7 Things You Should Know” about every Royal Rumble event starting with the first one in 1988 right up to the 2014 event. A new one will be posted every day leading up this year’s Royal Rumble on January 25. Since there are 27 of them in all, there will be a couple of days with two posts that go up. Be sure to visit WhatCulture daily to see all of the Royal Rumble features this month.
To start it all off,...
- 1/1/2015
- by John Canton
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
There was a lot of speculation going into Monday’s Raw due to a tweet sent out by injured former WWE Champion Daniel Bryan about three hours before the show: “Everyone comes to a crossroads in their life and I’ve come to mine. I look forward to telling you all about it tonight on #Raw.”
Fans began speculating that maybe Bryan was going to have to retire from wrestling for good. We didn’t receive any significant updates on his health for such a long time that it was a legitimate possibility that he might have to retire. When Bryan appeared on Raw in the final hour (not in the main event), there was a lot of anticipation of what he might say whether it was good news or bad news.
Bryan did a promo about how amazing it was to headline WrestleMania 30 and become WWE Champion.
There was a lot of speculation going into Monday’s Raw due to a tweet sent out by injured former WWE Champion Daniel Bryan about three hours before the show: “Everyone comes to a crossroads in their life and I’ve come to mine. I look forward to telling you all about it tonight on #Raw.”
Fans began speculating that maybe Bryan was going to have to retire from wrestling for good. We didn’t receive any significant updates on his health for such a long time that it was a legitimate possibility that he might have to retire. When Bryan appeared on Raw in the final hour (not in the main event), there was a lot of anticipation of what he might say whether it was good news or bad news.
Bryan did a promo about how amazing it was to headline WrestleMania 30 and become WWE Champion.
- 12/30/2014
- by John Canton
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
WWE will finally unofficially turn the page on a dreadful 2014 after Sunday’s TLC PPV, putting to rest a year that started with a great deal of potential and ended with a proverbial whimper. The image of Daniel Bryan hoisting the WWE World Heavyweight Championships titles skyward at the end of WrestleMania XXX is a distant memory that has little to no bearing on the product at this moment. Instead, the image of a man in a bunny costume is far more prevalent on WWE TV.
The good news is, WWE can wipe the slate clean and start 2015 fresh with a good buildup to the Royal Rumble, which is the official kickoff to the road to WrestleMania. But getting through TLC in a good position for the Rumble is essential. The company can ill-afford a misstep that further kills momentum. Storylines that need to wrap up should end...
WWE will finally unofficially turn the page on a dreadful 2014 after Sunday’s TLC PPV, putting to rest a year that started with a great deal of potential and ended with a proverbial whimper. The image of Daniel Bryan hoisting the WWE World Heavyweight Championships titles skyward at the end of WrestleMania XXX is a distant memory that has little to no bearing on the product at this moment. Instead, the image of a man in a bunny costume is far more prevalent on WWE TV.
The good news is, WWE can wipe the slate clean and start 2015 fresh with a good buildup to the Royal Rumble, which is the official kickoff to the road to WrestleMania. But getting through TLC in a good position for the Rumble is essential. The company can ill-afford a misstep that further kills momentum. Storylines that need to wrap up should end...
- 12/11/2014
- by Scott Carlson
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
Cm Punk’s departure from WWE earlier this year has had the wrestling world talking about one issue, and one issue only. Will he return?
Yesterday, on his long-time friend Colt Cabana’s podcast, we got a pretty emphatic no. Punk cited a number of different reasons as to why he left the company the night of the Raw following the Royal Rumble. This was mainly down to monetary, creative and medical related issues. For a full run down of the issues he brought up, click here.
Punk’s disagreements with management is nothing new. It is merely the latest chapter in the most interesting of novels.
Wrestlers have big egos. They all want to be the guy who is at the top of the card, holding the biggest championships and selling out arenas around the world.
Unfortunately, not everyone can hold those spots and the superstars deal...
Cm Punk’s departure from WWE earlier this year has had the wrestling world talking about one issue, and one issue only. Will he return?
Yesterday, on his long-time friend Colt Cabana’s podcast, we got a pretty emphatic no. Punk cited a number of different reasons as to why he left the company the night of the Raw following the Royal Rumble. This was mainly down to monetary, creative and medical related issues. For a full run down of the issues he brought up, click here.
Punk’s disagreements with management is nothing new. It is merely the latest chapter in the most interesting of novels.
Wrestlers have big egos. They all want to be the guy who is at the top of the card, holding the biggest championships and selling out arenas around the world.
Unfortunately, not everyone can hold those spots and the superstars deal...
- 11/29/2014
- by Ross Tweddell
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
WWE taped a segment at last night’s Smackdown tapings in Houston, Texas in which Big Show announced Daniel Bryan will require further surgery on his problematic elbow. Show then went on to lead the crowd in a “Yes” chant which he said would be recorded and sent to the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion to help him through this difficult time in his career.
Details of Bryan’s surgery are not yet known, and it is unclear at this stage whether the Big Show segment will even make it onto the Smackdown broadcast, however the announcement certainly doesn’t come as a surprise to most of us. Bryan – who has been out of action since May 4th of this year – was originally scheduled to undergo Tommy John surgery back in August but doctor’s decided to wait while a series of tests were carried out. If the...
WWE taped a segment at last night’s Smackdown tapings in Houston, Texas in which Big Show announced Daniel Bryan will require further surgery on his problematic elbow. Show then went on to lead the crowd in a “Yes” chant which he said would be recorded and sent to the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion to help him through this difficult time in his career.
Details of Bryan’s surgery are not yet known, and it is unclear at this stage whether the Big Show segment will even make it onto the Smackdown broadcast, however the announcement certainly doesn’t come as a surprise to most of us. Bryan – who has been out of action since May 4th of this year – was originally scheduled to undergo Tommy John surgery back in August but doctor’s decided to wait while a series of tests were carried out. If the...
- 10/29/2014
- by Matt Aspin
- Obsessed with Film
wwe.com
Daniel Bryan will not be back for WWE’s January Royal Rumble, reports Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio. The latest news is that Bryan needs another surgery, after failing to recover any strength in his right arm. Doctors had put that surgery off back in August, but the lack of progress proves that decision was an error. They’ll now proceed with the surgery, thus meaning the star will miss his initial January return aim.
There isn’t any certainty to why Bryan isn’t recovering his strength, which explains the lack of definite timetable for his return. What we do know is that his next surgery could rule him out anywhere between six months to a year.
“It doesn’t look like Rumble,” Meltzer said of the WWE star’s return. In fact, sescoops.com reports that there’s some concern backstage in WWE that Bryan may never wrestle again.
Daniel Bryan will not be back for WWE’s January Royal Rumble, reports Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio. The latest news is that Bryan needs another surgery, after failing to recover any strength in his right arm. Doctors had put that surgery off back in August, but the lack of progress proves that decision was an error. They’ll now proceed with the surgery, thus meaning the star will miss his initial January return aim.
There isn’t any certainty to why Bryan isn’t recovering his strength, which explains the lack of definite timetable for his return. What we do know is that his next surgery could rule him out anywhere between six months to a year.
“It doesn’t look like Rumble,” Meltzer said of the WWE star’s return. In fact, sescoops.com reports that there’s some concern backstage in WWE that Bryan may never wrestle again.
- 10/14/2014
- by Grahame Herbert
- Obsessed with Film
wwe
Sting has used his Facebook to tease upcoming big news, at the same time as a WWE insider has said the WCW Icon will debut with the WWE in January.
The self professed insider is reddit user MetsFan4Ever. He has broke some big WWE stories in the past, including Cm Punk’s wedding to Aj Lee. He has now stated that he has inside knowledge that Sting will debut in WWE around late January.
This would definitely work timing wise; you could even say that MetsFan4Ever is just making an educated guess that has a pretty good chance of being true. The reason it works so well is because that would place Sting debuting at or around the Royal Rumble, which would then lead to the inevitable WrestleMania 31 match we’ve all been expecting.
In another notable story, Sting himself has fanned the flames of speculation. The...
Sting has used his Facebook to tease upcoming big news, at the same time as a WWE insider has said the WCW Icon will debut with the WWE in January.
The self professed insider is reddit user MetsFan4Ever. He has broke some big WWE stories in the past, including Cm Punk’s wedding to Aj Lee. He has now stated that he has inside knowledge that Sting will debut in WWE around late January.
This would definitely work timing wise; you could even say that MetsFan4Ever is just making an educated guess that has a pretty good chance of being true. The reason it works so well is because that would place Sting debuting at or around the Royal Rumble, which would then lead to the inevitable WrestleMania 31 match we’ve all been expecting.
In another notable story, Sting himself has fanned the flames of speculation. The...
- 10/6/2014
- by Grahame Herbert
- Obsessed with Film
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