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.

Wrestlemania 31, As Epic As Expected

Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns at Wrestlemania
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Ver en vivo En Directo

Did you see Wrestlemania?  No, well you missed a dandy of an extravaganza.  It was pretty spectacular, and I have to admit, I was wowed, and astonished, but a number of the things that went down.

There superstars past and present, along with some surprises, like Women's UFC Champion, Rhonda Rousey, who took down both Triple H and Stephanie McMahon.

Anyway, previously, I did try to make some predictions on how the Show of Shows would go down.  Let's take a look at how I did in my predictions.

1. Fatal Four-Way Tag Team match

I picked the Usos to win, and regain their championship belts.

WRONG!!!

This was a fatal four-way tag team match, that also included Los Matadores, and New Day.  It was a pretty epic tag team match, and I don't really like the tag teams that much, either.  But this one had it all.  Including some action by the Divas, Natalya and Naomi, as well as some interference from Kofi Kingston and Los Matadores' bull.  In the end, though, Cesaro and Tyson Kidd retained the belts.

2. The Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal

I went off the reservation, and picked Mizdow.

WRONG!!!

I kind of feel like I should get at least a half a point of this one, because in the end, it was a battle between Mizdow and Big Show and Mizdow put up a hell of a fight with the giant.  But in the end, it was the Big Show that proved triumphant.

I feel pretty good, though, because picking Mizdow wasn't much of a sure thing, and I nearly got it on the nose.  Way to go Mizdow.  Maybe now, he'll get a little respect from The Miz (NOT).

3. Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns For the WWE Championship

I picked the badass Samoan

WRONG!!!

As luck would have it, Mr. Money in the Bank Seth Rollins saw his opportunity, and he cashed in.  Seth Rollins became the new WWE Heavyweight Champion, as both Lesnar and Reigns writhed on the mat.

In hindsight, I feel disappointed, I didn't at least have an inkling of this one, because it seems so obvious, now.  Good on you WWE, and I look forward to all the anger directed towards the new champ.

4. Sting vs Triple H

I picked Sting

WRONG!!!

It brought out D-Generation X and NWO to the rescue, and Stinger had his chances, but Triple H won out.  I guess it was inevitable.  But in the end, The Game, and The Stinger, shook hands in mutual respect, so maybe that's not the last we'll see of Sting.  Let's hope not.

5. 7-Way Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match

I Picked Daniel Bryan

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSS!!!

After watching Dean Ambrose put on a hell of a show, taking everyone out from the top of a ladder, the Yes-Man had it out with Dolph Ziggler at the top of the ladder in a head-butt fight (OUCH).  The leader of the Yes-Movement, finally won out.  Way to go Daniel Bryan.

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

6. Bella Twins vs AJ Lee and Paige

I picked AJ Lee and Paige

Correct, again!

It was a short match, with AJ on the ground outside for most of it, while the Bellas had their way with Paige, but eventually the tricky Diva got in, and she made Nikki pay with her submission  move, The Black Widow.

7. The Undertaker vs Bray Wyatt

I picked Bray Wyatt

WRONG!!!

Wyatt looked shaky from the start.  It looked like it could go either way at different points, but the Deadman won out with a second tombstone piledriver.

So, the question now is, what happens to Bray Wyatt?  He needs some kind of redemption after all this.

8. Rusev vs John Cena For the United States Championship

I picked Rusev to retain

WRONG!!!

Cena won out, with a little help from Lana trying to interfere on Rusev's behalf.  She got in the way, and the Cenation leader was able to pin the Russian, and take the United States Championship away.

Still, I'm going to wager he doesn't hold it for long.

9. Randy Orton vs Seth Rollins

I picked Orton

CORRECT!!!

Randy Orton at Wrestlemania
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Ed Webster

The Apex Predator had RKOs for everyone, leaving J&J security passed out at ringside, so that he could deliver the final RKO to Mr. Money in the Bank for the win.  I guess Mr. Money in the Bank did eventually get the last laugh, and he can't be called Mr. Money in the Bank anymore, but anyway, The Viper won this one.

10. On another note, I picked that Sheamus would return, and possibly being involved in the Rusev /Cena match.  That didn't happen.  I guess we'll have to wait a little longer for the Celtic Warrior's return.

11. There was a member of NXT in the Battle Royal.  I had predicted it to be Adrian Nevelle, but it turned out to be Hideo Itami, instead.  Oh well.  He's good too.  Itami had a hell of a kicking session with Tyson Kidd.  Who knows what will happen to him, but it was pretty cool for a little while.

12. Speaking of the Battle Royal, would there be any surprises on the entrants list?  Well, sort of.  Bo Dallas, who's actually the real life brother of Bray Wyatt made an appearance, before ridiculously eliminating himself while doing a celebration around the ring.  The other noteworthy was Alex Riley, who's another name from NXT.  He could be another guy on his way up.

13. I was thinking Rey Mysterio might make an appearance.  That was not the case.

14. Is this the final battle for The Undertaker?  He looked as good as ever, and it looks like he'll have more battles.

Well, three right, and six wrong.  That's not a real good ratio, but I've done worse.  Anyway, next up is Extreme Rules on April 26.  See ya, then!

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.

Top Five NXT Divas

Summer Rae, NXT Event
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Taryn

If you haven't already heard, NXT is where the WWE develops their new young talent before they're ready for the big stage.  Or more likely, they prune out those they can't see making it all the way.

NXT is kind of like the minor leagues of the professional wrestling ranks.

It began as kind of a reality show on SYFY Channel, but was later moved to the WWE Network, and converted from a reality show format, to a more general wrestling format that allows the performers to develop their personas and rivalries, more like in the WWE.

Each episode is filmed in Florida, and it's producing a good amount of interesting talent.  It's where they found such stars as Bad News Barrett, Titus O'Neil and Paige.

They have both the male superstars, and the Divas Division, just like in the WWE, so let's take a look at the top five most interesting Divas in NXT.

5. Becky Lynch

Becky Lynch is one of the clear brawlers, rather than a finesse performer, and she came over from Ireland, with another NXT superstart, Finn Balor.  She seems like the kind of chick that would go to a rock concert, and get into the mosh pit, throwing up the devil signs.

She's been well received as a bad-girl, and she just got a title shot, in a fatal-four-way.  She didn't win, but she put up a great showing.

4. Dana Brooke

Her real name is Ashley Sebera, and she began as a fitness model, dancer and gymnast.  She's got plenty of moves, and one of the hardest bodies in NXT.

Dana will be around awhile, and she'll be in some interesting matches.

3. Carmella

Carmella is a hell of a hotty.  She's playing up the whole Staten Island, New York thing, which makes her the female version of Zack Ryder.  He's not exactly the most popular, but at least he has a schtick, and he's in the WWE.

Imagine if Ryder was a hot chick like Carmella.

2. Sasha Banks

If you were thinking, what the WWE really needs is a wrestler just like J-Lo, then here she is.  Sasha Banks, is the current reigning NXT Champion.  She defeated Charlotte, Bayley and Becky Lynch in a fatal-four-way.

She's loud, boisterous, doesn't play well with others, and she's go the booty to handle it.  She's also the cousin of rapper Snoop Dog.

1. Alexa Bliss

Alexa Bliss is a super hot little blond cheerleader, with a background in gymnastics and bodybuilding.

She was initially used as a ring-announcer, and later used in a few skits, such as Triple H's entrance into Wrestlemania XXX.  It wasn't until May 8, 2014 that she had her first match, but she made quite an impact.

So, there they are!  The top five Divas of NXT.  Let me know what you think.  Did I leave anyone out?

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.

Step Into the FastLane

Triple H, WWE
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Ed Webster

This Sunday night, February 24, in Memphis, Tennesee, will be the WWE's next pay-per-view event, WWE Fastlane.  That sounds exciting, right?

But, can we all agree all roads lead to Wrestlemania, at this point.  I mean, every time anyone wins a match, or any kind of drama arises, Wrestlemania is always the event that gets addressed.  This Fastlane business, is like the middle son, in a family where the eldest son is a football star, and the youngest son in a concert pianist.

So, anyway, as a recent wrestling aficionado, I made predictions on The Royal Rumble, which turned out to be rather bad predictions.  So, with that, I'd like a chance to redeem myself, because, as I said before, I've found that I am rather good at picking the winners and losers, and also the in between stuff, which in wrestling is the most fun.

In the words of the Joker, "Here we go!"

Goldust vs Stardust

Ho hum.  Seriously!  Is this really happening?  Anyway, I'll take a stab.

Winner: Stardust

There's about as much relevance to this match, as there would be if Adam Rose finally had it out with his Rose Buds.  Nobody cares about Stardust and Goldust, and their elderly dad, Dusty.

This will be a feud that eventually culminates in Stardust relinquishing the makeup and re-embracing his family ties, and going back to the equally irrelevant Cody Rhodes.  His career will continue down the path of mediocrity.  WHOO!!!

Rusev vs John Cena

Rusev and Lana, WWE
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Megan Elice Meadows

This is a match for the United States Champions belt.  John Cena is just off his loss to Brock Lesnar for the WWE Champions belt, at the Royal Rumble, and this seems a bit like a consolation prize for the 12-time WWE Champion.

I got to say, it's a bit of a shocker.  The two have had a couple of slug fests, and pissing contests on the weekly Smackdown and Raw episodes, each one getting the better of the other at one time or another.  I guess the easy money would say, John Cena will win, because, as he said himself, he is "The Face that runs the place."  But the truth is, that's exactly why taking the United States Champions belt would by kind of a slap in his face.

Can you imagine the face of the franchise defending the lowly United States Champions belt.  I mean, at this point, Cena is more important than any of his titles.  He's the guy who got rid of The Authority, and then had to bring them back.

At the same time, Rusev is a super athlete, who has never been defeated.  He's beaten Jack Swagger, Mark Henry, Big Show, and he took the United States Champions belt from the Celtic Warrior, Sheamus.  As I said, he's never been pinned as a member of the WWE roster, and that won't go away easily.

Winner: Rusev

But my real prediction is, this won't be the end of the Rusev/Cena feud.  Rusev will likely beat Cena at Fastlane, with less than honest methods.  Cena will, at times, have him on the ropes, ready to give in, but Rusev will win out, using whatever means necessary, possible even some intervention by The Authority.

Rusev and Cena will feud for a few weeks, following Fastlane, setting up his real title defense in some type of extreme rules match at Wrestlemania.  Right now, I'm thinking CAGE!

One other thing.  Cena's role in the WWE has been as a set up man lately.  He can carry a storyline like few others, but lately he's just been a rider.  Dolff Ziggler beat The Authority out of the WWE, Lesnar pinned Seth Rollins at The Royal Rumble, so I'm thinking Rusev's first loss, and the loss of his title, will be set up by Cena, but the rewards won't go to him.  I'm thinking someone else, will eventually beat Rusev at Wrestlemania.

Nikki Bella vs Paige

Paige and Nikki Bella, WWE
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Megan Elice Meadows

Here's another title defense.  Nikki Bella puts her Divas title on the line, against the UK goth, Paige.  First of all, Nikki never travels without her sister Brie at her side.  So, Paige will be at an immediate disadvantage.  Also, the Bella Twins have been torturing Paige, like the queen bees in high school to the geeky girl in glasses.

All the while, Paige has handled it with the greatest of grace, setting her up as the better diva.  However, that's not enough for her to win.  Not at Fastlane, anyway.

Winner: Nikki Bella

But, my real prediction is, this will be a ten-minute, or less match, with the Bella's cheating for the win, and only making Paige look better.  This will be a big charade to set up Nikki's second title defense against Paige, at Wrestlemania.

The Usos vs Tyson Kidd and Cesaro

I'm not even sure why this match is happening.  Recently, these guys had singles matches between them, that both Tyson Kidd and Cesaro had won.  They also had three-way matches, that included the wives of Jimmy Uso, Naomi and Tyson Kidd, Natalya.  Most recently, Jimmy Uso had a match against Tyson Kidd, that never finished.  Rusev barged in, demolished everyone, screamed a bunch of Russian, and John Cena, and that was it.

Winner: The Usos

This rivalry has been played up ad infinitum, lately, but just like when Cesaro, Tyson Kidd and Adam Rose had their feud with the New Day, this match is irrelevant.

The tag-teams right now, look just a little too much like, The Usos, and then everybody else.  I mean, Gold and Stardust are battling each other.  The same is true for The Miz and Mizdow.  The New Aged Outlaws have disappeared, probably to a retirement home.  And after that, who is there?

Wait, I know.  THE ASCENSION!

That's right.  The Ascension is the only other polarizing force in the tag-team world, right now.  They crushed the New Aged Outlaws.  They beat The Miz and Mizdow.  They quickly dispatched the New Day.  Next, will probably be the Primetime Players, who've recently reunited, due to Titus O'Neil stepping in to save Darren Young from The Ascension.

The Ascension should basically cut a swath through every possible tag-team combination, towards Wrestlemania, until it's obvious they are the only plausible number one contenders worthy of facing The Usos for the belts.

And then, they should have themselves a hum-dinger of a match.

Bad News Barrett vs Dean Ambrose

Dean Ambrose, WWE
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Anton

Don't ya just love Dean Ambrose?  I mean the guy basically said, he's going to get an Intercontinental title shot, no matter what.  So, what did he do?  He took out former Intercontinental Champions, Kurt Axel and Luke Harper, before ambushing Bad News Barrett after his match with Damien Sindow, and tied his hands to the post.  Then forced him to sign the contract.

Yah, what court of law would actually uphold this?  The WWE of course.

Ambrose will go into this fight with a face only a mother could love, and Barrett will take advantage of Ambrose's crazy.

Winner: Bad News Barrett

Don't get me wrong.  Ambrose has already beaten Barrett, and he'll get the better of him here.  But just look at Ambrose's record, with all of his feuds.

After the shield broke up, he made a bee-line for Seth Rollins.  Do you know, he never beat Rollins, not even once?  Even when it looked like he was going to win, something crazy would happen.  In his last match with Rollins, he was about to win, before Bray Wyatt intervened, and l\cost him the match.

His feud with Wyatt, was even greater.  Those two had some epic battles.  He lost the first by disqualification due to using a steel chair.  Then there was the tables, ladders and chairs match they fought, where a monitor blew up in Ambrose's face.

He also lost a Miracle on 34th Street fight, and the final ambulance match, that closed the rivalry.  The only time he beat Wyatt, was in a no disqualifications match at Tribute for the Troops, but if you look at each of the winners of that event, the most popular guy always won.

So, it's very likely, Barrett retains his belt through a disqualification win, and this sets up at least a few epic battles between the two.

There's also the fact, that Barrett is from England, and the WWE heads to Europe in the beginning of April, so they'll need their English stars to be headlining matches.

Dolff Ziggler, Ryback and Erick Rowen vs The Authority

This ones been somewhat exciting, because The Authority has been demolishing these three guys (especially Erick Rowen), for the past few weeks.  And this past week at Smackdown, Seth Rollins actually curb stomped, each of them, so they are all looking for some payback.

Winner: Dolff Ziggler, Ryback and Erick Rowen

Ziggler has the most to gain here.  He's the guy who usually rises to the challenge, and he'll likely take out J&J security, and then pin Rollins, after getting fired up, and hitting him with is best moves.

This will all happen after The Authority appears to have the three good guys basically crippled or unconscious.  But they'll find a way.  I have a feeling.

Roman Reigns vs Daniel Bryan

Daniel Bryan as WWE Champion
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Megan Elice Meadows

Here's the thing.  Roman Reigns is not very good with a microphone, so rivalries aren't his thing.  It's pretty obvious, they are taking advantage of Daniel Bryan's charm, and the "Yes, Movement!" to carry Reigns to Wrestlemania.

The Authority has been putting these two guys through the ringer the past couple of weeks, and this past week on Raw, the two of them finally went at it, and it was a slugfest.  I mean, if that's what their battle will be like at Fastlane, I'll be very happy.

They went at it in the ring, out of the ring, into the crowd, and back again.  Each man jockeying for control.  It was epic.  I'm looking forward to the match.

Winner: NOBODY

WAIT, WHAT!  These two haven't been able to do anything without The Authority getting involved.  I'm thinking this match will be no different.  Big Show, Kane and/or Seth Rollins will get involved somehow, and affect the match.

There will be a double disqualification

This will give Triple H, another opportunity to come out on Monday Night Raw, and announce another "contraversy."  So, he can placate the WWE fans, and make the match at Wrestlemania a Triple-Threat match, between Reigns, Brock Lesnar and Bryan.  Or, could there possibly be another.  See my notes below.

Let's just face the facts.  In the past few weeks, I think we've all seen Reigns' true colors.  He looks great, and he's a tremendous athlete, but he can't carry a narrative.  He needs Bryan to help him along.

Triple H vs Sting

I gotta tell ya, I have no idea, so I'll go out on a limb, here.

Winner: Sting

This will offer a great rivalry between the vigilante and The Authority, where Sting will get to interrupt Triple H with more mind-blowing multimedia.  It'll be fun and exciting to see the Stinger in the WWE, and all signs point to some very interesting story telling.  I'm looking forward to seeing what this will become, because, I'll be honest, I'm not really sure what Sting is capable of.  Maybe someone could help me out here.

Other Notes:

Sheamus

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

There have been ads declaring Sheamus' return, where he says, "I love to fight."  However, there's been no word on when he'll return.  Could he show up at Fastlane?

It's a possibility.  But will he be a good guy, or bad?  My money is on BAD GUY!

WAIT A SECOND, BUT HOW!

Remember above when I said The Authority would interfere in the Reigns vs Bryan match.  Sheamus is the perfect guy to take both of these men out.  I'm just saying.  Can you imagine the Celtic Warrior showing up to Brogue Kick Reigns and Bryan, and then declaring that he should have had a shot at the Royal Rumble if not for his injuries.

Then, Sheamus, the newest hit man for The Authority demands to be included in the Main Event at Wrestlemania.  Above, I said it will be a Triple-Threat match, right.  Well, guess what?  They did that last year.  This year, what about a fatal-four-way?  Reigns, Bryan, Lesnar and Sheamus for the WWE Championship.

I JUST BLEW MY OWN MIND!

Bray Wyatt

The cryptic Eater of Worlds has also been displayed in vignettes lately, where he appears to be calling someone out.  Who could it be?  It's really intriguing.

Most people have identified that he appears to be driving a nail into a coffin in one of them, and that might indicate that Wyatt is targeting the Undertaker.  It would make sense, because Wyatt is easily the next in line to take the Dead Man's eerie job, as the creepiest WWE rostered member.

However, The Undertaker has defined himself at Wrestlemania, so it's rumored that Wyatt will challenge him then, and not before.  So, what about from now until then.

Have you heard of Finn Balor?

Now you have!

Top Five WWE Divas

AJ Lee, Paige and Nikki Bella, WWE
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Megan Elice Meadows

A few days ago, I reviewed the Top Five TNA Impact Knockouts.  So, now it's the Divas of WWE who get a turn.

Unlike TNA, the WWE doesn't put much emphasis on their Divas division, and the Divas they do have, don't stand out with the same chutzpah of the TNA Knockouts, but all the same, I figured they deserved a fair look.

I've also taken a closer look into this, and how the WWE shouldn't forget about them.  They should really try to inject a little more attitude, and relevance into the Divas.

Anyway, I believe the Divas of the WWE deserve a closer look see, so how about it?  Are you ready?

Well, alright then.  Without further ado, here are the top 5 Divas of the WWE.

5. Brie Bella
She's married to the inspirational beard, Daniel Bryan, and she's the older sibling in the Bella Twins.  In many ways she's the forgotten Bella, but she did have a fierce rivalry with her own sister, but now she kind of just follows her younger like a shadow.  Either way, though, she's definitely one of the best in the Divas division, and she comes in here at #5.

4. Naomi
She's married to one-half of the tag-team champion Uso brothers, and she's a force to be reckoned with on her own.  Naomi is clearly one of the most athletic Divas in the WWE, and her booty itself places her near the top of any man's list.  On this one, she finds herself at #4.

3. Natalya
Natalya is the veteran of this group, and the first ever third-generation female wrestler.  It's in her blood, as she came from the infamous Hart family that also produced Bret and Owen Hart.  She's married to up-and-comer Tyson Kidd, but she can hold her own with her six-shooter special finishing move.

2. Nikki Bella
Nikki is easily the most popular of the Bella Twins.  She's married to John Cena, and she's the current Divas Champion.  But it's her back-side swing entrance that most people remember her for.  She and her sister Brie are rarely seen apart, and they've recently begun playing the part of heels, torturing the other Divas that challenge them for their status.

1. Paige
Paige is not your typical Diva.  She's from Norwich, Norfolk, England, and she's the only Diva to hold both the NXT Divas Championship and the Divas Championship at the same time.  She's clearly the next big thing in the Divas division, and Nikki Bella will have all she can handle in this up coming FastLane, when she has to defend her title against the ravishing Paige.

There you have it.  The top five Divas of WWE.  Did I get them all right?  Who would you add?  There are plenty I left off, like AJ Lee, Cameron, Summer Rae, Eve, or what about STEPHANIE MCMAHON HERSELF!

Go on, and make your own list, and tell me all about it.  Good luck!

Top Five TNA Impact Knockouts

Velvet Sky, TNA Knockout
Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons License by Mike Kalasnik

Recently, I did an article about TNA Impact Wrestling, and what they've been doing that isn't exactly working.  But one thing they handle with the precision of a surgeon, is their ladies division, called the Knockouts.

TNA has a dedicated ladies division with rivalries, storylines, good gals and bad ones.  It's a thing of beauty.

I'd like a take a closer look at the best of the Knockouts division, because it is quite bountiful, and beautiful, to say the least.  So, without further ado, here are the top five Knockouts of TNA.

5. Madison Rayne

Madison Rayne was once one-third of the Beautiful People, she was the Knockouts champion once, a Playboy Playmate and also spent a short amount of time in the WWE, starts off the list at #5.

4. Taryn Terrell

Taryn Terrell started in TNA as a controversial referee.  She was later added to the roster, as a Knockout.  She became a Playboy Playmate, and she's the current Knockouts Champion.

3. Angelina Love

Angelina Love was the leader and architect of the Beautiful People.  She spent a good bit of time as the Knockouts Champion, and she routinely entered the ring with another of the top Knockouts, Velvet Sky.  It's her entrance to the ring that gains her the #3 spot.

2. Velvet Sky

As I put this list together, I actually had Velvet Sky listed at #1.  I'm a huge fan of everything she does, including her amazing Beautiful People ring entrance, to her bootylicious behind, all the way to her antics in the ring.  She's likely the most popular Knockout, but after looking at some video of one other Knockout, I just had to place her at #2.  Nothing against Velvet, but the winner is a bonafide booty champion.

1. Brooke Tessmacher

And, without futher ado, the winner is Miss Brooke Tessmacher.  It's the twerking that I couldn't get over.  I'm amazed I was able to settle on the below video, because there were so many more.  Brooke is a former swimsuit model, who's won competitions all over the country.  Her body is amazing, but her moves bring it all home.  She's also a dancer, who's appeared in numerous music videos, shaking her backside.  That's what won her the #1 spot.  Go Brooke!

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?