Ready For the Extreeeeeme!!!!

Extreme Rules
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by WWECUADOR

So, here we go again, with my predictions.  Anyone who's been following me knows that every pay per view event the WWE offers, recently, I offer my two-cents on, not just who'll probably win, but what the extracurriculars may be.  And that is where the fun is.

So far, I've done a number of event, Wrestlemania, Fastlane, and The Royal Rumble.  Check those links to see how badly I did in my predictions.  However, I am still convinced that I am very good at this.

So, without further ado, here are my predictions for April 26, 2015 edition of Extreme Rules.

First, and foremost, I want to get this out of the way.  The way things are lined up for this WWE Pay-Per-View event, it's beginning to look a good bit, like not one single belt will change hands this month.  That's kind of a shame, but whatever.

Tyson Kidd & Cesaro Vs The New Day, For the Tag-Team Champions Belts

This one seems like a no-brainer.  The New Day is barely a passable tag-team at best.  So, I can't imagine them getting the belts.  Their popularity is in the toilet, and I can't even figure out why it's them getting this shot, rather than the Lucha Dragons, other than the fact that they've recently gone bad.

Winner: Tyson Kidd & Cesaro, to retain the belts.

This one's sort of lame.  I don't even really like either of these two tag-teams.  The only thing interesting, will be the cheating that will probably come from Natalya and the third New Day guy who's name I can't even remember.  Anyway, wake me up when this match ends.

John Cena Vs Rusev, For the United States Champions Belt

This one, again, is kind of a snooze-fest.  I'm not interested in either of these two, especially since this is just a rematch of their Wrestlemania match, that saw Cena take the belt from Rusev.

Winner: John Cena

I just can't see the belt moving back to Rusev at this point.  In fact, I really wish that some up-and-comer, like NEVILLE, would actually be the one getting this shot.  Much like the above tag-team match, the best part of this match will be Lana--SHUT UP!!

Daniel Bryan Vs Bad News Barrett, For the Intercontinental Champions Belt

I'm not really sure why this match hasn't happened already.  Bad News Barrett just doesn't seem like he's really got it all together, anymore.  The thought of him beating the Yes-Man just isn't there.  He can't beat Dolph Ziggler or Dean Ambrose in a fair match, so this is kind of laughable.

Anyway, I have heard a rumor that Daniel Bryan is suffering more trouble with his real neck injury.  That is why...

Winner: NO ONE!!!

The reason is, I don't believe this match will happen.  I think it will be cancelled due to Daniel Bryan's health concerns.

But even if it did, there's no way Barrett beats Bryan for the IC title.  Can anyone remember Barrett's last win?  Me neither.

Dolph Ziggler Vs Sheamus, Kiss Me Arse Match

Dolph Ziggler, WWE
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Marc Benton

This is the match with the stipulation that the loser much kiss the winners buttocks.  I got to say, this one kind of throws me for a loop.  I can't even imagine it happening, because normally when these types of matches occur, someone is left dazed, and unconscious from a finishing move on the mat, so I'm not sure how this butt-kissing will occur.

Winner: Dolph Ziggler

The reason is, The Show Off just seems to win these crucial matches, and in the present state of things, Sheamus has yet to lose since coming back with this new attitude.  And a win by Dolph will convincingly complete this feud, so Sheamus can move on to challenge Daniel Bryan for the IC belt.

Along with this, I very much doubt that Sheamus will be kissing Dolph's butt.  I'm betting he gets out of it somehow.

Nikki Bella Vs Naomi, For the Divas Championship Belt

This one's kind of a no-brainer, because Naomi's not really over with the crowd, or much of a name on the roster, yet.  Nikki Bella is the number one name on the roster with Paige out.

Winner: Nikki Bella

This will be a short match, and I'll give Naomi a good showing, but in the end, the Bellas will win, possible with some interference from Brie.  Nobody else is getting the belt until Paige gets back in the fold.

Roman Reigns Vs Big Show, Last Man Standing Match

A last man standing match, is one in which the winner has to incapacitate the loser for a ten-count.  These battles between Reigns and Big Show are getting a little ridiculous.

Winner: Roman Reigns

Everyone knows, Big Show can't beat the Big Dog, anymore.  He'll get a big punch, and possibly a choke slam on Reigns, but Reigns will come out the winner, add Superman-Punch, followed by a Spear.  You know the drill.

Dean Ambrose Vs Luke Harper, Chicago Street Fight

A Chicago Street Fight is actually a No Disqualifications Match.  This one is going to be a doozy, as every match with Ambrose is.  I loved his all out battles with Bray Wyatt, and how we get to see the same thing against Harper.

Winner: Luke Harper

Now, in case you've never read any of my other articles, I'll explain.  I love Ambrose, and I always think he's the man, but in the big fights, he never actually gets the win.  He seems more concerned with nailing the big moves, at his own detriment, which is part of what makes him awesome.

In a Miracle on 34th Street Fight with Bray Wyatt, he jumped off a ladder and put Bray through a table,  but Wyatt still landed Sister Abigail, and got the win.  Later, in an Ambulance match between the two, Ambrose jumped off the ambulance, and floored the New Face of Fear, but Wyatt again, still got the win.

Do you see where I'm going here.  Ambrose is looking for damage, not the win.  So, there's that.  Go Dean Ambrose!!!

Seth Rollins Vs Randy Orton, WWE Championship match in a cage, with no RKOs

Seth Rollins, WWE
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Anton

First off, I knew they'd have a cage match, go ahead and ask my wife.  I told her as soon as I heard about the match.  Secondly, I love the RKO, so I'm not really looking forward to an RKOless match with the Apex Predator.

Also, part of this match, J&J Security will be outside the gate, and Kane will be the gatekeeper.

Winner: Seth Rollins

There's been a lot going back and forth about Rollins and Kane not getting along, but I'm seeing this actually working against Randy Orton instead of Rollins.  In another cage match, I saw Rollins scale the cage faster than I've ever seen anyone before.  Rollins will get up and out of the cage, and win that way.  He won't need Kane, the gatekeeper.

Also, with no RKO, The Apex Predator won't be near as vicious as he usually is.  Rollins will likely wind up looking like a weany, but he'll come out the winner, and retain his belt.

Notes:

Bray Wyatt has been dropping clues as to his next target.  Who could it be?  One of the vignettes sounded a lot like Triple H, and that would be a nasty feud, if the New Face of Fear went after the top man of the WWE himself.  But in another vignette he talked about weights, and that made me think of Ryback, for some reason.  I kind of don't feel like this one's as clear as his calling out the Undertaker.  It almost feels like WWE is just waiting to see how some other things unfold to reveal who it really is, so they can't change it up, just in case someone else is a better fit.  Anyway, the two guys on my list are, Triple H and Ryback, for now.

Sasha Banks and Paige, WWE
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Megan Elice Meadows

This pay-per-view seems kind of weak, because it almost feels like there's no real contenders for any of the belts.  I'm not really pulling for anyone.  I'd really like to see someone new in the fold, especially in the Divas Division.  Maybe it's time to call up Charlotte or Sasha Banks to challenge the Bellas.  With AJ Lee leaving, it can't just be the Bellas versus Paige forever.  If the WWE wants to give the Divas a chance, they need to add a whole lot more story, and character.

Along with this being a weak pay-per-view, it's called Extreme Rules, and none of the matches seem as extreme as I'd like them to be.  Each one is a one-on-one match--no triple-threats, no fatal-four-ways.  I'm hoping the Russian Chain Match for the United States Champions belt turns out to be something fun, but the Kiss Me Arse Match, sounds a little cheesy.  I'm hoping for some huge battles to make up for what seems like a fairly simple pay-per-view.

The Road To Wrestlemania Has Bumps In It

Wrestlemania
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Ed Webster

So, here we are, a few days from Wrestlemania, on Sunday, March 29, 2015.  It's a big day, and as some people are aware, I've been trying to make predictions for the last couple of WWE Pay Per View Events, with mild success.

I consider myself to be a bit of a wrestling aficionado, so my picks are often correct.  In my last two attempt, I tried to predict the results of this year's Royal Rumble Match, and later, WWE Fastlane.  I was very confident in myself, but the results were mediocre, at best.

Fatal 4-way tag team match, between, Tyson Kidd and Cesaro, Los Matadores, The New Day and the Usos

winner: The Usos

I was shocked when The Usos lost the belts as Fastlane, but I immediately saw it as a chance for them to get it back at Wrestlemania.  They have a big rivalry going with Kidd and Cesaro, along with Jimmy Uso's wife Naomi and Kidd's wife, Natalya.

More importantly, the other two tag teams in this battle are lower cards, so they won't win.

The big thing here is, the tag-team division is weak, and needs a little more power.  I'm not sure anyone, at the moment, is more polarizing than The Usos.  They need more powerful tag teams.  Bring on The Ascension, Lucha Dragons and The Realest Guys in the Room.

Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal

This is the second year Wrestlemania has featured this event, and I believe there will be 30-men in the ring for this match.  I'm not sure of all of them, but here are a couple names I'd consider favorites--Kane, Erick Rowan, Ryback and Big Show.  Big Show was eliminated second to last last year, to the winner, Cesaro.

However, I'm going with a wildcard.

Winner: Damien Mizdow

My reasoning is, I just can't see The Miz/Mizdow thing continuing without Mizdow getting some kind of success that will further strain the relationship with The Miz.  I think it's time for Mizdow to rise up, and gain a little confidence.  For him to take a shot at The Miz--maybe even eliminate The Miz.  Now, there's an angle.

Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns, WWE Championship Match

Roman Reigns, WWE
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Miguel Discart

Winner: Roman Reigns

Sorry, but I just can't see all this build up not leading to Reigns getting the belt at Wrestlemania.  Reigns is the RIGHT NOW GUY, and there's no reason why the WWE can't manufacture another controversy to strip The Samoan of the belt, and give it back to Lesnar to continue to defend from afar.

They've been pushing Reigns so hard, I just can't see him losing, at this point.  The other angle is Seth Rollins cashing in his Money in the Bank, but with his match against Orton on the same day, I just can't see it happening at Wrestlemania.

Sting vs Triple H

This one's kind of got me baffled, but so far, I really can't see the Stinger losing.  It doesn't really behoove him, Triple H or the WWE.

Winner: Sting

If Sting loses this match, he goes away, and I just can't see that happening.  I believe he wins, but I'm really not sure how this one's going down.  I guess the bat and sledgehammer will come into play, but I'm not even sure, at this point, if an actual match will take place.

The bigger picture is, what does it mean for the WWE if Sting does win.  Does the battle continue?  What of The Viper and The Stinger?  I'm eager to find out.

7-Way Ladder Match For the Intercontinental Championship (Bad News Barrett, R-Truth, Stardust, Luke Harper, Dean Ambrose, Dolph Ziggler and Daniel Bryan)

Daniel Bryan, WWE
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Krystal Bognar

I am really looking forward to this match more than any other.  If nothing else, this will be a crazy slugfest, full of all kind of insanity from Dean Ambrose, Stardust, Luke Harper, R-Truth, and the others.  It's really more about the show, here.

There's a lot of reasons to think this is a two-horse race.  It's really either Dolph Ziggler or Daniel Bryan, and I'm sure a lot of people see Dolph Ziggler as the front-runner, but I'm not one of them.

Winner: Daniel Bryan

Daniel Bryan is the leader of the Yes-Movement, and no one gets the crowd jumping like he does.  He just lost the battle to take a shot at Brock Lesnar, to Roman Reigns.  He's a former Heavyweight Champion, and one of the most exciting performers in the WWE, at the moment--not to mention, he's a wiz on the microphone.

Imagine The Beard as the IC Champion, for a moment!

I know, I just got goose bumps, too.  But, do you know what I'm thinking?  Eventually, Seth Rollins will cash in that briefcase, and I doubt he does it on the WWE Champion.  I just can't see him winning, right now.  But I can see him using his Authority goons in an assist to take the IC belt away from the worlds strongest Vegan.

Think about that for a moment.

Bella Twins vs AJ Lee and Paige, Tag Team Match

Paige, WWE
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Anton

This one's a toughy, because AJ Lee and Paige are clearly better than the Bellas, but they've been a little more unstable.  The thing is, this isn't a title match, so it's more of a message sending match than anything else.

Winner: AJ Lee and Paige

I'm thinking this turns into a fairly decent scrum between the ladies, and all hell breaks loose.  So, my money is on the ladies who already seem to have some screws loose.

I'm also thinking this is just another lead in for Paige to get another crack at the Divas Championship at another Pay Per View Event.  She's just too good, not to have the belt.

The Undertaker vs Bray Wyatt

Bray Wyatt, WWE
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Anton

I would be surprised if this didn't turn out to be a coffin match.  It just seems fitting.

I'm also sort of struggling to decide who I think will win.  Wyatt has been all over Raw and Smackdown, talking about ending The Undertaker, and how The Undertaker is weak, after last years loss to Brock Lesnar.  That says to me, Wyatt is the clear favorite.

However, the fact that Wyatt is the favorite should give the picture that more will go down than that.  And this is clearly no ordinary match.  So, who will win, who will win, indeed???

Winner: Bray Wyatt

I can't help but go with my gut here, and Wyatt just seems like the likely choice now, since this is more of a torch passing battle.  However, I actually wouldn't be surprised if this were less of a match, and more of a ceremony, where The Undertaker literally passes a torch to "The New Face of Fear."

So, go ahead and mark that down.  If Wyatt wins, I get one-point, but if he wins, and The Undertaker passes him a flaming piece of wood, I totally get some kind of bonus points.

Rusev vs John Cena

What to say, what to say???  Well, each of these goliaths have had their way with each other, at one time or another.  Rusev as the United States Champion just makes sense in the way it works, because, let's face it, he's some kind of Russian Super Athlete, and that just rubs redneck America the wrong way.  So, WWE would be stupid to change it.

Winner: Rusev

However, I do have a few other ideas about this match.  Where has Lana been?  What's going on there?  There's no chance of her not being in attendance at the Show of Shows, right?  She'll show up, at some point--possibly as a distraction.

There's also been rumors of Sheamus, The Celtic Warrior's, return.  Do you know what happened to him?  He was a part of the Cenation team trying to take down The Authority, but The Authority targeted him, and injured him, so he couldn't compete.

You could say The Authority is to blame for his injuries, but the actual men who were sent to injure him were Mark Henry and Rusev--the Russian being the one to deliver the debilitating blow.

Are you seeing where I'm going?

It's likely The Great White will exact his revenge.  How and where I don't know, but a title match versus Cena would be a good spot.  He'd take out Rusev, annihilating the Russian, Cena would lose by disqualification after brutalizing him and then Sheamus and Rusev could begin a feud towards eventually seeing Sheamus crowned the next United States Champion.

There you go.  It almost writes itself.

Randy Orton vs Seth Rollins

Seth Rollins, WWE
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Anton

Seth Rollins matches are the hardest to predict.  One thing you have to know is, J&J Security will be at ring-side causing problems for Randy Orton.  That is for certain.  But Orton hasn't had any problems, yet, handling the smallish security detail, causing Rollins to run and hide for cover.

Winner: Randy Orton

The variable here is, will Rollins have any other help at ring-side?  Big Show and Kane will be in the Battle Royal, so they probably won't be there.  Triple H goes against Sting, so he probably won't be there.  J&J won't be able to handle The Viper.  The real question is, will Rollins take any type of beating, or will Orton just take out his aggressions on the security team, and allow Rollins to get away.

I believe Orton will chase Rollins, this time, and the two will have a brawl in a back area, or  parking lot, or something crazy like that.  I'm just saying, look for something crazy.  Is that specific enough for ya?  I mean it is Randy Orton, The Apex Predator.  Who knows what the voices in his head are telling him to do.

Notes:

Sheamus, WWE
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Simon Q

Sheamus is due to return at any time.  It's probably at Wrestlemania, and it will probably be in some capacity that leads us to believe he's turned bad-guy, and he is eyeing one of the belts.

The Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal will have one entrant from the winner of an NXT (the development territory for the WWE) tournament.  I'm thinking, high-flyer, Adrian Neville will be the guy.

Who else will be in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.  It's a 30-man match, that so far, has only about 20-men listed.  There appear to be some openings.  At the Royal Rumble Match a couple of months ago, there were a few surprise entrants, including  Diamond Dallas Page, The Boogeyman and Bubba Ray Dudley, from TNA Impact Wrestling.  Who could surprise us this year?  Do you know who AJ Styles is?  Look him up.

After his incidents in Mexico, could Ray Mysterio be returning for the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal?  I'm thinking the answer is, YES!!!

Earlier, I suggested that Bray Wyatt would take The Undertaker's mantle.  Would this mark the end of The Undertaker?  I think not.  The idea of a match between The Phenom Undertaker and The Vigilante Sting is too good to pass up, for the WWE.

The Fastlane To Wrestlemania

Seth Rollins
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Anton

So, prior to this past  Sunday's WWE Fastlane Pay-Per-View event, I made some predictions on how I saw things going down.  Not just the winners and losers, but the extracurriculars that typically go along with wrestling, as well.  By that, I mean, the fun stuff.

I'd say I did pretty good, this time.  I batted around five-hundred.  Let's take a look.

Dolff Ziggler, Ryback, Erick Rowen vs The Authority

I picked the good guys, and specifically, I expected Ziggler to be the one to pin, Rollins.

I couldn't have been more wrong, here.

Seth Rollins curb-stomped them all over again.  It was basically a rehash of the previous Smackdown, except for one thing.  Randy Orton, The Apex Predator, showed up to take out The Authority, and run them out.

I'm not real sure where this is going, yet.  But I do love the Apex Predator.

Goldust vs Stardust

I picked Stardust

WRONG

Goldust technically won the match, however, Stardust got the last laugh back stage, by demolishing Goldie, and telling off his dad.  The makeup smeared, but didn't come off.  This rivalry will continue for a while, to no ones enjoyment.

The Usos vs Tyson Kidd and Cesaro

I picked the Usos

WRONG AGAIN

I gotta tell ya, I was stunned to see the Usos lose their belts to Tyson Kidd and Cesaro.  This one blew me away.  The Usos are the most polarizing tag-team in the WWE, and they just lost their belts to two of the least interesting players in the tag-team division.  That's lame, but whatever.  A rivalry is born.

Triple H vs Sting

I picked Sting

I guess in a way, I was correct, although they didn't have an actual match.  The two tried to get the drop on one-another, and Sting got the better of Triple H.  He even had Triple H corned with a baseball bat, and motioned towards the Wrestlemania sign, indicating that they should meet again, there.  Triple H agreed.

Then Sting dropped Triple H on his head, knocking him unconscious.  I'm going with Sting won, sort of.

The Bella Twins
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Give Me Gimmicks

Nikki Bella vs Paige

I picked Nikki

Fairly Correct

Nikki did win, and retained her title, but I also predicted that she'd need to cheat to beat Paige.  But it looked to me like she pinned her fair and square.

Afterwards, Paige protested, saying Nikki grabbed her belt or butt, or something, but in wrestling, that's hardly cheating.

Dean Ambrose
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Anton

Bad News Barrett vs Dean Ambrose

I picked Bad News Barrett, but I also picked Ambrose to get disqualified by being way too crazy, after beating the hell out of Barrett.

DING DING DING DING DING!!! RIGHT ON ALL ACCOUNTS!

Ambrose did beat the hell out of Barrett, before Barrett tried to literally grab his belt and completely escape the arena from any exit he could find.  Ambrose beat him and beat him and yelled and taunted the Intercontinental Champion, until he finally cornered the staggering Brit against the turn-buckle.

Then he bashed Barrett with kicks and punches, as the referee warned him to stop.  Ambrose wouldn't, and was eventually disqualified.

But then, here's the part I didn't see.  Ambrose grabbed the Intercontinental Belt, and took off with it, even though he lost.

YOU GO DEAN!!!

Bray Wyatt
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Anton

Bray Wyatt and The Undertaker

I predicted Bray Wyatt going after the creepyest spot on the WWE roster, and he did indeed.

The Undertaker's music began to play, a number of torch bearers walked out in a line, and then a coffin was slowly wheeled out to the ring.

Out popped Bray Wyatt, and he called out the Undertaker for Wrestlemania.  So, there you go.

Guess what Bray Wyatt?  After the Undertaker, watch out for Finn Balor.

Rusev vs John Cena

I picked Rusev, with some outside assistance

TOTALLY CORRECT

For the most part, I got this one correct.  Cena and Rusev beat the hell out  of each other, each man having a legitimate chance of winning, until Lana, Rusev's lady friend, or whatever, stepped into the ring, to distract the referee, and Rusev gave Cena a shot in the stones.

Winner Rusev, but by less than legitimate means.

Daniel Bryan vs Roman Reigns

I picked NO ONE, filled with The Authority interference.

I was dead wrong

It was a slugfest, and the battle was awesome.  Both men had a chance to win, but Reigns pinned Bryan fair and square, securing his spot at Wrestlemania.

Good for you Roman Reigns.

Sheamus
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Ed Webster

Sheamus

I also predicted the return of Sheamus.  I didn't happen.  Instead, Randy Orton came back.

When will the Celtic Warrior be returning?  I can't believe we'll have to wait until Wrestlemania.

Closing Notes:

All in all, I thought this was gang-busters.  On my predictions, I went 5-for-5, and it was miles above last months Royal Rumble.  The Daniel Bryan vs Roman Reigns was epic, Randy Orton returned with vigor, Bray Wyatt offered his own little crazy, and Dean Ambrose, well, you know.

I wish the Divas got a little more time.  And I was disappointed that the Usos lost the belts.  But most importantly, why does a Goldust vs Stardust match even need to happen?

But I don't want to gripe over the little things.  I thought this was a great event.  Good job WWE.  I thought they did this one right.

Royal Rumble, Come and Gone...What Happened?

Yesterday was the 2015 Royal Rumble, and in my last blog update, I made some wild prediction.  I'll be honest, I felt pretty good about them, so how did I do?

Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns, WWE
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Megan Elice Meadows

NOT SO GOOD!

New Day

Match #1 was Kofi Kingston and Big E of New Day, versus Cesaro and Tyson Kidd.  First off, I thought it was a six-man tag-team match, but I was wrong right there.  It was just a tag-team.

I predicted New Day would beat their rivals will plenty of cheating to go around.  I was incorrect, as Cesaro and Kidd took the match, however, there was a bit of cheating.

But what I really predicted was that this match wouldn't matter, and I was right.  The Philly wrestling fans booed New Day, and when the match was over, and they lost, it was like it never happened.

The Ascension vs New Age Outlaws

This one I got right.  I picked The Ascension, and they took out the not so New Age Outlaws, who catered quite well to the Philly crowd, but were dominated in a short match with the colorful young upstarts.

However, I'm still of the opinion that The Ascension is a sideshow that won't get much respect, unless they can take on the Usos, and win.

The Usos vs The Miz and Mizdow

Speak of the devil, The Usos are really the only cool horse in the tag-team race, at this point.  Miz and Mizdow put up their typical bafoonary, as expected.  Mizdow never really got in the match, and The Usos defended their tag-team championship belts.

Again, I love the Usos high-flying, but without a rival that makes any sense, they're only as good as their competition.  Is The Ascension the rival they're looking for?  Was this a set up for Wrestlemania?  Maybe...But who knows.

That's two-for-three, so far, but that's the last match I predicted correctly.

Paige and Natalya vs The Bella Twins

Natalya and Paige, hold up Brie Bella, WWE
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Dave White

In a short match, as is usual with the divas, the Bella Twins, took down Paige and Natalya.  It was a little disappointing, because I thought Paige was the big up-and-comer of this match, and this was a chance for her to shine, but she did't get much screen time at all.

Instead, Natalya battled the Bella's, nearly on her own, as the twins tagged back and forth, keeping the blond Canadien girl under control.  There was a short battle between Brie and Paige, but not much to say.  

I also thought Paige was the bad girl of this bunch, and I expected more cheating from her, but the UK Goth didn't do much out of control.  The Bella's looked more out of control than her.  It was a little disappointing.

Still, I'm hopeful this will just fuel the feud between the divas.

Triple Threat Match, Brock Lesnar vs John Cena vs Mr Money in the Bank, Seth Rollins

This match was off the chain.  It was well worth the disappointment on who won, for all the carnage that was caused.

The Philly fans seemed thrilled with Lesnar, and even a little with Rollins, but they booed Cena.  That was surprising enough that even one of the commentators said something.

The match had everything--AAs, F5s, curb-stomps, Lesnar was thrown by Cena through a baracade, and then set up on the announcers table, for Rollins to launch himself off the turn buckle, and into Lesnar's chest, breaking the table.

It looked like a two man race, with Lesnar out, and Paul Heyman shouting for a medic.  They wheeled out a gurney to carry off the wounded defending champ, as Rollins and Cena traded pin chances, and big moves, including Cena's five-knuck shuffle, that garnered boos from the crowd.

But then, Lesnar appeared, from the apron, took out Cena, then Rollins, and pinned Rollins in the middle of the ring, to retain his title for another day.

It was awesome!

30-Man Royal Rumble Match

This was the first time I'd ever seen a Royal Rumble, and I didn't really know what to expect, but I have to say, I thought it was a little lame.  It was so long, and so many guys came in that just shouldn't have been there, like Diamond Dallas Page who looked like he just came in from an old folks home.

Or the Boogeyman, who spent about 30-seconds posturing, and trying to out freak-out Bray Wyatt, before Wyatt finally dispatched him with a single move.  Or what about The Miz, and Mizdow, who had their little tiff at the side of the ring, only to be thrown out in under 10-seconds, each.

I guess the biggest loser of all came when Titus O'Neill trash talked his way down the ramp, and into the ring, only to be tossed right out, in under 4-seconds.  Poor Titus just can't get a break.  There were others I can't really remember, but to be honest, there were so many moving parts to this, it was hard to keep track.

I had made my prediction that Daniel Bryan would come out victorious, so when he entered at #11, and only lasted until about #17, I was a little heart broken.  So much so, that I couldn't really enjoy my real favorite guy in the match, which was Dean Ambrose.

I knew Ambrose wouldn't win, but I like his whole disheveled look, as if he just woke up in a gutter, realizing there was a fight, and charged in with reckless abandon to help out his friends.

It came down to Ambrose and Roman Reigns, the old Shield buddies, versus Big Show and Kane.  Ambrose would be taken out first, leaving Reigns to be man-handled by the two big men.

But in a moment where Kane was about to toss Reigns, Big Show saw an opening to eliminate them both, and took it.  This led to a shoving match between the two giants, that Reigns was able to take advantage of, for the win.  Big Show and Kane re-entered the ring, though, and began the beatdown of Reigns, until some unsuspecting help arrived.

THE ROCK!

That's right, The Rock showed up to help his cousin Reigns in the ring.  After that, it turned out Rusev was still eligible, so he came in for about 10-more seconds, before Reigns easily tossed the fat Bulgarian out, and then pointed at the Wrestlemania sign.

So, there you have it.  The main event at Wrestlemania will feature Roman Reigns versus Brock Lesnar.  Who will win?  I have a sneaky suspicion that with Lesnar's contract ending in March, Reigns will find a way to beat The Beast.

The thing is, this opens up some interesting narratives.  Obviously, Reigns has a rivalry with Big Show, Seth Rollins and The Authority, so this brings up a number of possible story lines for him.

The Philly crowd, and much of the WWE Universe was disappointed that Daniel Bryan didn't win, but after thinking about it, I have to agree, Bryan is better kept as an underdog.  I enjoy his charisma, and I especially enjoy when he enters the ring angry.

There's another factor here, as well.  When Bryan defeated Kane in his first match back from injury, he was jumped by The Authority, but Ambrose and Reigns came to his rescue, to even the odds.  Then Triple H decided those three would have a six-man tag versus Big Show, Kane and Rollins, and Bryan won the match.

So, I don't think losing the Royal Rumble takes Bryan out of the storyline.  In fact, I think it brings him to the forefront.

Some Other Notes:

Bubba Ray Dudley, WWE
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Nick Noid

Did you see who came in at #3?  That was Bubba Ray Dudley, or Bully Ray as he's called in TNA Impact.  That was his first appearance in the WWE, since very early on.  I thought he was great.  His presence in the ring was very interest.

I saw toughness, humor and a lot of character.  I especially liked his stand-off with Bray Wyatt.  I think those two could have a hell of a rivalry.

Kurt Axel never actually made it to the ring.  Does that mean he has a legitimate complaint as to having not been eliminated?

The truth is, Axel wouldn't have had much of a chance, because standing there was Wyatt and Luke Harper, obviously as a team waiting to pounce.  Erick Rowan entered, instead, and the three went at each other until Rowan was tossed along with Harper.

What is up with that guy Boogeyman?  Please WWE, do NOT bring him back.  He was just gross.  I was glad to see him gone, so quickly.

And will there be any kind of repercussions for Damien Mizdow with The Miz for what he did?  I'm kind of curious, and I'd like to see The Miz versus Mizdow, at some point.  I'm just saying, I don't get the schtick, anymore.  It was funny for a while, but enough already.

After this title loss, what happens to John Cena?  Will he continue to go at Lesnar, or will there be another target.  In The Royal Rumble Fallout, Cena was seen going head-to-head, literally, with Rusev.  Does this mean, Cena will now go after the United States Champion belt?  That's kind of a step down for him.

Roman Reigns, WWE
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Megan Elice Meadows

But most importantly, can you see Roman Reigns as the WWE Champion?

The Royal Rumble Is Almost Here! My Predictions!

Daniel Bryan, WWE
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Megan elice Meadows

Sunday night, in Philadelphia, PA, will be the 2015 Royal Rumble, which will set up the championship match for Wrestlemania on March 29, 2015.

Some people know, I've become somewhat of a WWE fan in the past year, and although I won't be at the Royal Rumble, I will most definitely be watching.

Now, I'll admit, I'm an older man, and I certainly don't watch wrestling for the excitement of wondering who is going to win.  The truth is, I almost nearly watch with a preconceived idea of who will win.  It's not about the winners and losers.  I just watch for the entertainment.

But one thing is, I've become rather proficient at picking the outcomes, and since the Royal Rumble is a big event, I'd like to make a few predictions on the matches.

New Day vs Adam Rose, Cesaro and Tyson

This is a six-man tag-team match, and it's a rivalry that's been over-used in the last few weeks.  I'm not sure how many times these guys have faced off, however, I do believe New Day has always won, and they are likely to win this one.

Winner: New Day

However, that's not really a prediction.  The prediction I'd like to make is, the most entertaining part of this fight will be watching the women who travel to the ring with Adam Rose, Cesaro and Tyson Kid shake their booty's.  Everything after that will be a snoozefest.  New Day and the other three nobodies should be put to bed.

The Ascension vs New Age Outlaws

The Ascension was originally cast as being one of the most dominant tag-teams to enter the WWE, since the Road Warriors, however, all they've done is behave like bafoons, and lose matches.

The New Age Outlaws have outlived their time, and they aren't likely to win this match, but The Ascension beating them will be kind of like watching Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy on Sponge Bob try to win a wrestling match.

Winner: The Ascension

But my real prediction for this match is, if The Ascension doesn't beat a legitimate tag-team, like The Usos, forget about them ever rising to the top.  They will forever be a sideshow.

Natalya and Paige vs the Bella Twins

This match sees the first belt appear, and likely will be the first match with any real relevance.  The divas of WWE don't usually get much time to wrestle, and they don't get to develop any kind of decent rivalries, but the Bella Twins have been the hot item among the divas for some time, now.

But since Paige exploded from NXT, won the Divas Championship belt from AJ Lee, it appears that she is the rising star, and a rivalry has brewed between her and Nikki Bella.  Natalya and Paige have had their way with the Bella Twins in recent weeks, and they will probably do it again this week.

Winner: Natalya and Paige

The real prediction, however, is Stephanie McMahon will likely make an appearance, and indicate that this victory demonstrates that Paige is the number one contender, and at Wrestlemania, Nikki Bella will have to defend her Divas title against Paige.

GO PAIGE!!!

The Usos vs The Miz and Mizdow

The Usos are the current tag-team champions, and they'll have to defend their titles against the tag-team they won it against, The Miz and, and his quirky stunt-double, Mizdow.

The Usos have easily handled The Miz in the past, and they recently tried to sew the seeds of dissension into their opponents by telling Mizdow to be his own man.  What really makes this strange is The Miz and Mizdow, are both entrants in the later 30-man Royal Rumble main event, so how can they put up much of a fight here, and then expect to win the Royal Rumble.

Winner: The Usos

However, my real prediction, is that The Miz and Mizdow will continue their bafoonary, and this will be their final match as a tag-team.  Mizdow will go on to eliminate The Miz in the Royal Rumble event, and all in attendance will cheer.  HURRAAAAAY FOR MIZDOW!!!

Unfortunately for Mizdow, this will mean he will go back to being the disconnected B-list wrestler he was before.

John Cena, WWE
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by edin designs

3-Way Threat Match, Brock Lesnar vs John Cena vs Mr. Money in the Bank, Seth Rollins

This is one of the matches I'm really looking forward to, and after what John Cena did on Raw the previous week, I am even more excited.  Something like that doesn't happen just to have a guy lose his title shot--not in WWE, anyway.

So, I expect that this match will be long, full of action, back-stabbing, curb-stomping, top-rope jumping and all sorts of body throwing.  I also expect The Authority to get their dirty little hands involved.

The thing here is, I've come to realize that Brock Lesnar isn't much of a WWE wrestler, or a champion.  Sure, he's a physical speciman of perfection, but hand him a microphone, and don't expect much.

Also, I learned that Brock Lesnar is leaving the WWE in March to rejoin the UFC, where all he needs are his muscles, not his brain.  He can handle that.  So, I'm thinking someone else will win the belt, right here, and headline Wrestlemania on March 29.

Winner: John Cena

But, whoa whoa whoa, not so fast.  I did say that The Authority would probably get involved, and that is my prediction, here.  The face of the company, the champion, will have just enough time to stand shirtless and soaked in sweat swaying from the excessive body-slams, to hold the belt up to the crowd, before...

BIG SHOW, KANE, J&J SECURITY AND MR. MONEY IN THE BANK himself, get involved.  They'll gang up on him, and sucker punch him, until Rollins inevitable curb-stomps him into unconsciousness.  Then, with Cena down motionless, the evil Rollins will cash in the briefcase for another shot at the title, right then and there.

WINNER: SETH ROLLINS

30-Man Royal Rumble Match, Main Event

Going into something like this, there's plenty to think about.  There are a number of cool names to consider as possible winners, but there was a bit of a give away this past Thursday, on Smackdown.

On Smackdown, Daniel Bryan, in order to qualify for the Royal Rumble match, had to defeat Kane in a no-disqualifications match.  To try and ensure victory, Kane brought J&J Security with him to help from ring-side.

The two smallish security guards were not enough, as the buzz-saw, Daniel Bryan took down J&J, and then pinned Kane.  His victory set off a sneak attack from Big Show, that brought Bryan into a 4-on-1 beatdown that also included Kane and J&J.

The other wrestlers that had to qualify, however, came to Bryan's rescue, that included Dolff Ziggler, Ryback and Erick Rowen.  More wrestlers poured out of the back, and into the ring, until it was probably thirty-men, all shoving one-another out.

The last standing men, were Ziggler, Ryback, Bryan, Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns, with Kane and Big Show on the apron.  These are the who's who of who actually matters.  However, not all of them actually will.

I've already predicted that Seth Rollins will win the championship belt, and the winner of this match will face him at Wrestlemania, it needs to be someone that will make sense.  Big Show and Kane will obviously be gone.  Ziggler, Ryback and Rowen have different rivalries, so Rollins isn't in their picture.

The three relevant players are Bryan, Ambrose and Reigns.

Winner: Daniel Bryan

Reigns is the favorite, but you don't fight off Kane as well as J&J Security for the win, to come up short.  At least not in the WWE.

I look forward to seeing Daniel Bryan versus Seth Rollins at Wrestemania.

YES! YES! YES!
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Megan elice Meadows