My WWE Royal Rumble 2013 Recap

The Rock's heading to 'Mania. Photo credit: WWE.com

Antonio Cesaro (c) pinned The Miz to retain the United States Championship in a largely stellar pre show bout. It exceeded my expectations with more impressive action than I was expecting, credit is due to both men for putting on fine displays. Cesaro retained after pulling Miz into the steel around the ring on the outside, then applying the Neutralizer.

Before he went out for his title contest, Del Rio came across Bret Hart backstage, who claimed the champion reminded him of a "Mexican Bret Hart." Alberto was very flattered by 'The Hitman's' kind words.

Alberto Del Rio (c) defeated Big Show to retain the World Heavyweight Championship in a Last Man Standing match. Yet again these two delivered a terrific LMS match, giving efforts to be proud of as they dramatically battled back and fourth. In the best spot of the bout, Show chokeslammed his opponent from a section of the stage set onto and through a table below.

Del Rio grabbed the victory after he cracked the giant's arm with a chair onto steel steps, then applied his signature armbreaker as Ricardo Rodriguez taped Big Show's feet to the bottom rope, much like Cena did to Batista a few years back in their LMS battle. 

Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan and Kane) (c) bested Team Rhodes Scholars (Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow) to retain the WWE Tag Team Titles in an enjoyable outing. From the opening bell it was simply a fun watch, with every man giving a worthy effort and making the most of their time, especially Bryan who as usual was on solid form. I wasn't expecting anything that memorable here,  but I'm pleased to say that it's definitely worth checking out. Good stuff.

Before the Royal Rumble began, the first entrant Dolph Ziggler claimed that the final scene of the match will be the same as the start, him standing on his own as the victor. But as the lights then went out, Chris Jericho made a very popular return as number two in the Rumble. As the match begun chants of "You still got it" reigned down on Y2J, to which he retorted "I never lost it baby!" Hard to argue with that.

Cody Rhodes was next in, who soon teamed with Ziggler to take out Jericho. Kofi Kingston was entrant number four, who helped even the odds. Is it worrying that I actually forgot about Kofi? His recent push really died out. Santino Marella was next to join in. After he attempted to eliminate all four men, they then turned their attention to the Italian for retribution and quickly eliminated him. 

Drew McIntyre and Titus O'Neil were the next two entrants, who received indifferent responses from the fans. McIntyre was the next one over the top rope after a missile dropkick from Jericho. Much to his brother Cody's dismay, Goldust then entered the RR to a big pop. Filler competitors David Otunga and Heath Slater were next out.

Last year's winner Sheamus then came out in force as he took down all the men in the ring, quickly eliminating Otunga and O'Neil. Big men Tensai and Brodus Clay were next to enter the hectic bout. Cody then eliminated his brother Goldust, which didn't go down well with the crowd in Phoenix.

Rey Mysterio entered next as number fourteen. Brodus Clay was then thrown over the top rope after a load of the participants joined up to get him out, followed by Tensai who was taken out by Kofi. Kingston was then chucked out by Ziggler, but once again gave us a memorable Rumble moment as he landed on the back of Tensai and onto the announce desk without touching the floor. But to make his way back he had to amusingly hop across on a chair, he then also eliminated Young by pulling down the top rope.

NXT regular Bo Dallas was next to join in after earning a spot by winning a battle royal at the Royal Rumble Fan Axxess. Unfortunately after all his effort Kofi was then taken out of the match after receiving a disaster kick from Rhodes. 

Another throwback in The Godfather was the following entrant, much to the pleasure of a jubilant JBL, but was then quickly eliminated in a  second after a dropkick from Ziggler. However he went out in style with his pimping outfit (yes, I said "pimping") and two girls in hand. Wade Barrett then came out to a decent response.

John Cena then made his anticipated (by some) entrance to a mixed response and in standard fashion for him began taking out everyone in his path, eliminating Rhodes and Slater. After a close call Barrett then pushed Mysterio out of the match. Rey hadn't been at his best, and still looks fairly out of shape.

Damien Sandow and Daniel Bryan were next out, with Bryan eliciting huge chants of "Yes!" as he kicked in a few fellow competitors. US Champion Cesaro next followed the countdown, then the stiff Great Khali. One of the all-time Rumble greats Kane then made his way down, along with Zack Ryder.

After eliminating Khali, Kane was then chucked overboard by his own tag partner Bryan, but he soon got payback as Bryan was thrown over the top rope and into his arms, so Kane dropped him. I imagine this is the start of a split between the two and a probable encounter at WrestleMania. 

One of my favourites to win, Randy Orton then exploded on to the scene and quickly eliminated Ryder. The final member of 3MB Jinder Mahal was next out, just before Cena eliminated Cesaro to the dismay of quite a number of fans. Just before Miz then made his way in he tanged a bit with his opponent from earlier in the night.

Jinder Mahal was next to be thrown out by Sheamus, with Sin Cara then making his return from injury as number twenty-nine. In a surprise exit Bo Dallas then took Barrett over the top rope, could this be his stepping stone onto the main roster and challenging for the IC Title? But before he could think about that, Barrett helped eliminate Dallas and cracked him with a Bull Hammer Elbow for good measure.

The final entrant Ryback then made his way out, taking Damien Sandow, Sin Cara and The Miz out of the match. Ziggler then made an unpopular elimination as he superkicked Jericho as he stood on the outside of the ropes. In quick succession Orton was then clotheslined over the top rope by Ryback and Ziggler taken out by Sheamus.

So then there were three. After Sheamus and Ryback then battled it out, Ryback managed to toss the Irishman over the ropes as he came in for a Brogue Kick. No consecutive RR win for him then. Cena then latched on an STFU onto Ryback, afterwards dragging his body over to the ropes. Ryback fought back a bit but Cena then managed to force him out to the floor and stand shocked as the 2013 Royal Rumble winner. Not a surprising victor but one that makes sense I guess.

Overall it was an enjoyable Royal Rumble match. But I think I'm always going to say that about them. You had the drama, excitement and a lot of nice action and old faces returning to make up a match that every year I'm sure I will greatly anticipate. It was a step up from last years for me, but not quite as high a standard as the previous two before that. Still it was a fun ride and did not disappoint. People will no doubt complain about Cena winning but who come on now, who really believed he wasn't going to 'Mania anyway?

The Rock defeated CM Punk (c) to obtain the WWE Championship in a tremendous main event that lived up to the hype. The high quality and drama the match delivered was hardly a surprise considering the talent and how proud both men are of their work in the ring. Punk and Rock must have meticulously planned out the bout beforehand and paced it just right. 

Punk dominated for most of the first half, logically targeting Rocky's midsection which he had injured after The Shield attack last Monday night. Of course Rock made a comeback, also targeting  a part of the champ (his leg) which he had injured slightly as he came off the top rope for a flying dropkick. But as 'The Great One' was about to hit the people's elbow, the lights went out and we were informed by Michael Cole and Lawler that The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) had triple powerbombed Rock through the announce desk.

A smug Punk then dragged Rock's body into the ring and had the ref count the one-two-three. But this was far from other. Vince McMahon then came out, reminding the champion that he had added a stipulation to the bout that if the Shield interfered then he would be stripped of the title. But as he was about to do just that, a beaten down Rock told Vince  to instead restart the match and not end the night like that, so McMahon agreed. Once again The Rock then made a comeback and this time managed to finish off the people's elbow for the win and the strap.

Overall I felt Royal Rumble was a hugely successful show. I enjoyed every single bout, some weren't up to the standard of others but I still had fun watching them. The main event and actual Rumble match itself were the predictable highlights of the card, with the WWE Title contest especially bringing the excitement and drama. For me it was one of the best all round wrestling PPV's in a while. 

My WWE Royal Rumble 2013 Predictions

Pretty intense poster, no smiling Cena here. Photo credit: WWE.com

Pre show United States Championship Match - Antonio Cesaro (c) versus The Miz:

Should be a fairly enjoyable contest I reckon, it's rare Cesaro isn't on form so I'm looking forward to it. I'm surprised with the build up (not massive I know, but reasonable for a mid card title nowadays) that it's ended up on the pre show but hopefully it'll interest fans. Not expecting to be blown away but I'll take it. Cesaro to retain too, with the faith people backstage seem to have in him I can't imagine he'll drop the strap just yet to Miz.

Winner: Antonio Cesaro

WWE Tag Team Championship Match - Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan & Kane) (c) versus Team Rhodes Scholars (Damien Sandow & Cody Rhodes):

Again I'm expecting a fairly fun outing here, but nothing outstanding. Bryan seems the obvious choice for the stand out performer. Hopefully whoever the victors are this feud will come to an end too, I feel it's gone as far as it can now and is dragging a bit. 

Winners: Team Hell No

Last Man Standing World Heavyweight Championship Match - Alberto Del Rio (c) versus Big Show:

I'm a bit confused as to why they're having a title rematch under the same stipulations they had a couple of weeks ago, but I'm not complaining, should hopefully be another stormer of a clash. So far Del Rio's face turn has been a big success in my opinion, and I never thought I'd type this but Big Show has also impressed me in the ring and out since his surprisingly solid feud with Sheamus last year. I'd also be surprised if Del Rio dropped the belt so soon, and I'm not envisaging Ziggler cashing in just yet either, I think it'd seriously diminish the World Title if he still entered the Rumble holding it. 

Winner: Alberto Del Rio

WWE Championship Match - (If The Shield intefer in this match, CM Punk will be stripped of the title) - CM Punk (c) versus The Rock:

Now onto the big one, which should be a superb bout and a have a very interesting outcome. I've been back and fourth with who I think will walk out the champion, thinking of all the possible repercussions of the WrestleMania card. But I see the 'People's Champion' being victorious. It may seem obvious to some, and even as I'm writing this I have my doubts, wondering if perhaps WWE have another plan up their sleeve? But it just seems the most feasible thing to happen. Rock wins. Retains at Elimination Chamber. Faces Cena in the main event of 'Mania and drops the strap before leaving. Leaving Punk to face 'Taker in what should be a tremendous build up if they allow 'The Deadman' to become more human again. But who knows? Maybe Lesnar will face Undertaker instead? It could all change. I'm just going to sit back and enjoy the ride as always.

Winner: The Rock

30-Man Royal Rumble:

Now, here I have three possible men in mind to win the big match and go onto the WrestleMania. First of all the most likely, Cena. As I already said, it seems too well set up to have him win and get retribution on Rocky and win back the WWE Title after a long (and refreshing) period without it. But is that too obvious? 

Second is Ryback. With the monster push he's received since late of last year, I could imagine him outdoing twenty-nine other men and holding up the WWE or World Championship on the big stage as the icing on the cake. I may not be his biggest fan (I don't mind him) but he's proof that when Cena is absent, WWE can still push a wrestler the right way.

And finally third is Randy Orton. I have a sneaking suspicion that backstage they may fancy throwing everyone off by having someone win who isn't quite so obvious. This may sound daft considering he's a nine-time World Champion, but most people will be picturing a Cena victory with all the pyros and such, just like me. With rumours of a wise heel turn looming very soon it would make sense too, with Del Rio or Sheamus (or perhaps both?) the most likely candidates to face him at 'Mania.

Winner: John Cena

Hope everyone enjoys the show, there's always excitement when the Royal Rumble comes around at the start of the year, and I'll see you back here tomorrow with my review.  

My WWE SmackDown, 25th January 2013 Recap

Will Punk still be holding the strap come Monday? Photo credit: WWE.com

Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan & Kane) came out to address the rumours that they've somehow gone soft after their (brilliant) Anger Management Graduation ceremony from this week's Raw. Kane then went on to claim that he will win the Royal Rumble match this Sunday, to which Bryan naturally argued with him about, also claiming that he will be victorious in said match.

Big Show then joined them and warned the tag team not to challenge him at WrestleMania if they do happen to win the Rumble after predicting a World Title win against Del Rio this Sunday. Team Rhodes Scholars (Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes) also came out and told Team Hell No to be more concerned with their Tag Team Title defence against them rather than the RR. As Rhodes Scholars and Show were about to then take on the tag champs, Alberto Del Rio evened the odds in their favour and faced off with the giant. GM Booker T then (in a blue brand tradition) booked a six-man elimination tag match with everyone in the ring.

Sheamus defeated Wade Barrett in a fair, if a bit of a drab contest. The match had some decent moments towards the end, but the first half was fairly lacklustre. I just felt like I'd seen it all before between these two. Pretty unmemorable on the whole.

Natalya forced Rosa Mendes to submit in a mediocre affair. I'm not quite sure why this even took place except to fill up some time that I'm sure could've been better used on other talent. The match was also overshadowed by the guest commentary of Khali, Hornswaggle, Epico and Primo, with JBL getting in a few cracks at Hornswaggle's expense.

WWE Champion CM Punk came out and admitted that he was afraid of his own potential after his momentous title reign, and also of the fact that The Shield could cost him his strap if they interfere in his bout this Sunday against The Rock after Vince McMahon added the stipulation this Monday. So to clear things up and prove that he wasn't affiliated with them, Punk called out the trio of Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns, and sure enough they soon joined the champ. Punk simply told them all to stay out of his match at the Rumble, and without a word The Shield then left.

A cocky champion then once again stated that he will retain his title come Sunday because much like all the fans, Rocky is "inferior" to him. This cued The Rock's iconic theme and out stepped 'The Great One' to join Punk in the ring, where he warned his future opponent that when he hits the Rock Bottom in their clash time will stand still and he'll realise that "It's over." For me it was the strongest promo he's given in his feud with the WWE Champion.

Randy Orton won via disqualification versus Drew McIntyre after Jinder Mahal ran in to try and help his fellow 3MB member, unfortunately for him and Heath Slater it didn't work as 'The Viper' RKO'd them both. The match itself was brief and forgettable, but it did its job in pushing Orton as a possible Rumble winner I guess, which could very well happen.

The Miz bested Darren Young in an average bout, with passable action but little interest to be had. Fortunately it was kept relatively short. It wasn't terrible by any means but I wouldn't blame you for skipping it. Afterwards Miz faced off with his opponent this Sunday Antonio Cesaro, who'd provided guest commentary.

Alberto Del Rio and Team Hell No defeated Big Show and Team Rhodes Scholars in a highly enjoyable and engaging six-man elimination tag contest. Del Rio was the stand out performer for me, putting in a terrific and exciting display here. He really has taken on his face role well too.

Damien Sandow was first eliminated after receiving a Chokeslam from Kane, then Kane via count out after receiving a KO punch from Show, ditto for Bryan, then Del Rio gave Big Show some of his own medicine by kicking him whilst on the ropes, causing the giant to tumble out and also be eliminated via count out. Finally Del Rio then won via pinfall on Rhodes after applying an enzuigiri.
Afterwards an angry Big Show then speared and KO punched Del Rio, following up by tipping the announce table over him. He then counted to ten (they will be competing in a Last Man Standing match at the Royal Rumble). It was a nice ending I thought, good set up to their title bout.

It was an enjoyable SmackDown at parts, with solid promos from CM Punk and The Rock and a great main event, unfortunately no match (bar the six-man tag) felt particularly worthwhile at all, but more like filler. I'll take it though, after the show had ended I felt satisfied (which can be rare for the blue brand nowadays) and that bit more hyped for the Royal Rumble, so as far as I'm concerned it was a success, just don't expect much from most matches. 

My WWE Raw, 21st January 2013 Recap

Nice to see Bryan made the effort with his hair. Photo credit: WWE.com

Vickie Guerrero, with Paul Heyman accompanying her, announced that she had banned The Rock from entering the building that night after he had embarrassed both her and Heyman on last week's Raw with his concert. We then witnessed The Rock backstage warning the San Jose police that he was "relentless" and would eventually find a way into the building anyway.

Randy Orton defeated Antonio Cesaro in 11:36 as part of the Beat the Clock Challenge. It was a decent contest, with solid enough action as expected from these two. For a 'Beat the Clock' match there were moments were both men were taking their time though, it looked a bit daft. 

Big Show beat Zack Ryder in a brief squash match. Ryder also had on his self-made Internet Title belt on his way to and during the bout, this really did a lot for the strap I'm sure. It's almost hard to believe how relevant Ryder was back in 2010. Afterwards Show claimed that the same thing will happen at the Royal Rumble when he faces Del Rio. The most entertaining thing about the match was actually Brad Maddox's impromptue guest commentary as he jumped from the crowd onto the announce desk. This guy's got character, which they could really use right now.

Ryback bested Heath Slater in a short and average outing, with the victor dominating for the majority. Ryback managed to also take out 3MB members Jinder Mahal and Drew McIntyre towards the end, and then apply a Shell Shock to Slater for the one-two-three. Ryback then stated that the Royal Rumble match was the kind of environment he thrived in, and the stepping stone for him getting to WrestleMania.

Backstage Vickie Guerrero offered Rocky a way into the show by apologising to her. But The Rock refused, claiming once again that he'll find a way into the ring anyway.

WWE Champion CM Punk came to the ring and stated that he was "the man" and spoke about how hard he'd worked to get to his current position, refusing to let The Rock take the strap from him. He went on to call 'The People's Champ' a fool for choosing to support the fans rather than be arrogantly honest such as himself. You could sense the raw honesty from him as he told everyone how he'd earned the championship through years and years of blood, sweat and tears. As usual it was a stellar and engaging promo from the champ.

Dolph Ziggler beat The Miz at 10:56 in the BTC Challenge. It was a disappointing bout, with quite a few clumsy and sloppy moments marring it. Ziggler worked well enough, unfortunately Miz seemed off his game a bit, wrongly applying the Figure Four Leglock being the worst part of his display.

In a highly amusing segment, Doctor Shelby officially graduated Daniel Bryan and Kane from his Anger Management course. Naturally it wasn't long before the tag team began arguing, so to settle things Shelby asked them if they'd feel comfortable hugging it out if everyone else did too. So Team Hell No had everyone in the arena hugging, including Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler. Even Doctor Shelby began getting his own chants going. It all ended with Kane, Bryan and Shelby all sharing a group hug.

Kaitlyn beat Alicia Fox in a pretty forgettable affair. Nothing about it was particularly engaging, and the action wasn't terrible but just unremarkable.

Paul Heyman came to the ring on his own and called Vince McMahon a "tyrant" who was hell bent on taking the WWE Title from Punk. He also added that The Rock, like the people, was stupid for mocking him rather than concentrating on the man he's going to face this Sunday in what should be a very good match up. The Rock himself then joined Heyman, producing a ticket as an excuse to be in the arena legally, and told him to leave.

'The Great One' then told Punk that it was his very last night on Raw as the WWE Champion, and went on to claim that he'd worked his "ass off" to earn the title shot at the Royal Rumble after ten long years since he last held it. The lights then went out, and as they came back on we witnessed The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) take out Rocky, applying their signature three-man-powerbomb.

CM Punk then told the fallen 'People's Champ' that although it's nice he has a dream, eventually we all wake up from them and he simply wasn't good enough to bring down the "best in the world." Rock sold the attack from Shield tremendously, even spitting out blood in the ring for added effect. 

Sheamus failed to beat Wade Barrett in time in a BTC Challenge match. 'The Great White' had Wade lined up for a Brogue Kick, until AJ Lee, Ziggler and Big E Langston all came down and distracted the Irishman, causing Barrett to mount a brief comeback. Sheamus did manage to then apply his signature kick, but it was too late as the clock ran down. The bout itself had been fair, certainly watchable but nothing exceptional.

Afterwards Vickie informed a jubilant Dolph Ziggler in her office that the two entrance numbers for the Royal Rumble he gets to pick from after winning the Beat the Clock Challenge was either one or two. The odds aren't looking good for old Dolph this Sunday then.

Vince McMahon warned CM Punk backstage that if The Shield interfere in his title clash with The Rock this Sunday then he will be stripped of his championship. He also added that if there is any evidence of his involvement with the trio than he'll find it. 

Alberto Del Rio defeated Tensai in a fun watch. Although it was quite short, the action they did provide was enjoyable enough. Del Rio grabbed the winning pinfall after an off-target moonsault.

Bob Backlund was announced as the next inductee into the 2013 Hall of Fame. A worthy candidate, although I admittedly haven't seen many matches of him in his prime. But anyone that holds a World Title for six years is an inevitable candidate.

John Cena came out and spoke about Sunday being a day for everyone to recover and recuperate, and then asked a young fan what he does in his luxury time and began harmlessly arguing with with him about beating him online at Black Ops 2, admitting his username was "skid marks one-eighty-seven." Yeah, it was the standard kind of humour expected from Cena.

After some more light banter with a couple of fans he then turned his attention to this Sunday, which will not be like every other Sunday for him, and proclaimed himself the victor of the coming Rumble match to a mixed reaction. Sheamus, The Prime Time Players, Randy Orton, the Miz, Team Hell No, Antonio Cesaro and 3MB, along with a host of other wrestlers then all came out claiming they would instead win the RR, which instigated a brawl between them all in the ring.

Overall it was a fair show, with the CM Punk promos, effective Shield beat down and Anger Management Graduation being my personal highlights. Most matches were okay, but none exceptional or particularly memorable to be honest. It wasn't a bad Raw by any means, and with a few segments I'd recommend checking out I'd call that a win. 

My WWE SmackDown, 18th January 2013 Recap

The show kicked off with Alberto Del Rio's very own fiesta celebrating his World Title win last week. Shortly into it however, Dolph Ziggler (accompanied by Big E Langston and AJ Lee) interrupted the champ and warned him that the strap over his shoulder was nothing more than a target as he owned the Money in the Bank contract. An upset Big Show then also joined everyone, not saying a single word.

As things looked bad for Del Rio, Sheamus also arrived and put his differences aside and congratulated the champ on his title victory last week over Show and shook hands. In a SmackDown tradition GM Booker T then came out and and calmed things down by booking a tag team match for the main event between Ziggler, Show, Sheamus and Del Rio. After AJ, Ziggler, Langston and Show left the party started up again, with Booker and even Sheamus getting in some dancing. It felt a bit goofy but harmless enough.

Antonio Cesaro defeated Kofi Kingston in a decent encounter. While it was never exactly edge of your seat stuff, it contained solid action and a good effort from both men. The highlight was the impressive ending when Cesaro caught Kofi as he came off the top rope and turned it into a Neutralizer for the one-two-three. 

The Great Khali bested Tensai in a brief, drab and worthless match up. The only solace was that it was kept short.

Backstage Kane hinted at the poor state of Bryan's beard, which of course led to an argument before Orton turned up. Bryan advised 'The Viper' to control his anger like he and Kane had, telling him to take it one step at a time and even include a group hug. Randy naturally refused. It was an okay segment, not one of Hell No's best.

Randy Orton and Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan and Kane) beat Wade Barrett and Team Rhodes Scholars (Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes) in an enjoyable six-man tag bout. It was simply a fun watch, with each man doing well enough with their limited time in the ring. Orton grabbed the win after applying an RKO to Sandow. Afterwards Bryan and Kane amusingly had a group hug with Orton, I couldn't help but smile at Bryan's priceless face.

The Miz beat Primo in a passable contest. Their displays were okay, but I just failed to find the interest. It never engaged me at any point. Miz won via submission after paying tribute to Ric Flair by applying a Figure Four.

Kailyn bested Aksana in a pretty mediocre and forgettable clash. It just felt like filler really, an excuse to use the new Divas Champion. They desperately need to bring up some of their developmental female talent to freshen things up and bring some much needed life to the division.

We were then shown another VT from The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) where they explained why they've attacked and targeted Sheamus, Orton, Ryback and Mick Foley (on this week's Raw) ending the footage by simply warning them "Believe in The Shield." 

It was especially funny hearing Ambrose bringing up his reasons for the attempted Foley take down, considering the reality and controversy behind it and the stir it made last year when he called out the 'Hardcore Legend' in his FCW days. For those that are unaware of what happened (really? I'll let it go this time, okay?) Ambrose called out Mick, accusing his hardcore style of wrestling and stunts he performed a bad influence on younger talent, forcing them to up their game and go one step further, causing severe injuries and ending careers. There's an argument to made for both sides so I won't be getting into it just now, maybe another time.

Sheamus and Alberto Del Rio defeated Big Show and Dolph Ziggler in a stellar tag bout. The top period was between Ziggler and Del Rio, but to be fair I had fun watching the whole match so it doesn't really matter. Granted, it isn't going to be the greatest tag match you've ever seen, but you should be able to sit back and simply enjoy it, with solid action from all four men and a bit of a different finish. As Show was about to reenter the ring, Del Rio pulled out a bucket of water (unknown at the time) that Ricardo Rodriguez had brought down to and threw it over the giant. A stunned Big Show just stood there, then decided the embarrassment was the last straw and left, being counted out. 

Overall it was a pretty fair SmackDown compared to its usual standard (that normally meaning a few decent enough matches but nothing that eventful happening). Both tag outings were the highlights, providing good quality match ups, and the Kofi versus Cesaro bout is worth a watch too. Outside of them there wasn't anything that entertaining really, except for The Shield VT perhaps. 

My WWE 20th Anniversary Raw, 14th January 2013 Recap

Big E attempts to help out his pal Ziggler. Unsuccessfully. Photo credit: WWE.com

Vince McMahon appropriately kicked off the 20th anniversary of Raw, and thanked himself for the success of the show, proclaiming to be a "certifiable, iconic genius" (he hasn't mellowed with old age, eh?) and also thanked the fans. Big Show then joined the Chairman and asked him to address the "travesty" that occurred on SmackDown last week, that being Del Rio beating him for the World Title in a great Last Man Standing match. He asked that the new champion be stripped of the strap after accusing GM Booker T of being biased against him. 

Alberto Del Rio then of course joined them and called Show a baby after the way he was complaining, and challenged him to a Title match that night to settle things. But the giant refused, instead choosing the Royal Rumble as a more suitable battleground. After some more banter Big Show then went for Ricardo Rodriguez, so Del Rio intervened and applied a hurricanrana and enzuigiri to send his future opponent packing. It was a fun segment to get the show started, and so far Del Rio's face turn has worked out nicely, he really needed a shake up with his previously stale persona.

Wade Barrett defeated Randy Orton in a decent contest. The action was largely solid, albeit a bit familiar perhaps. With these two having faced each other so many times the excitement and interest has been watered down, but it was still a worthy display from both men and worth a watch. The biggest note from the bout was the fact that Barrett beat Orton cleanly, yes you read that right. This is a very good sign for the fellow Brit, could he be a contender to win the Rumble match?

Before their check up with Doctor Shelby, Daniel Bryan and Kane agreed to just pretend that their anger management issues were behind them to pass the test. After answering a couple of questions, Shelby asked in Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow to try and antagonise the Tag Team Champions. After criticising his technique and ability, Shelby had enough of Team Rhodes Scholars and Bryan and Kane threw them out. It was as usual an amusing segment from Hell No, much like their earlier days.

Kane beat Damien Sandow in a quite forgettable and average affair. The wrestling was never bad, it was just too brief and uneventful to leave a lasting impression.

Mick Foley came out after being announced as the first inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame 2013, but shortly into his speech The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) made their way out to the ring. This then prompted Ryback, Sheamus and Orton to race out and gain some payback on the trio. I'm predicting a six-man between them all at the Royal Rumble, which should be quite enjoyable I think. Ryback then promised in an interview with Josh Matthews that he will have retribution on Shield after all they've taken from him.

Kaitlyn bested Eve (c) to obtain the Divas Title in a fair bout. I'll give them both credit, they put in pretty worthy efforts and tried to actually give us a decent and engaging Divas match up. Unfortunately it wasn't that special but certainly watchable, and it's a suitable time for Kaitlyn to win the strap I reckon.

CM Punk defeated Brodus Clay in a passable contest. Clay was a bit sluggish at parts, while Punk worked hard and pulled out a good display to up the overall quality of the bout. Afterwards the WWE Champion stated that it was "fact" that he was the "best in the world" and once again reiterated that he will topple The Rock at the Royal Rumble. 

3MB (Heath Slater, Drew McIntyre and Jinder Mahal) bested Sheamus in a three on one over the tope rope challenge. It was about as entertaining as you'd expect, so not very. It wasn't terrible to be fair, but it just felt pretty worthless. I can't help but think something much more worthy could've had the spot. Slater managed to last eliminate Sheamus with the help of his two team mates who'd already been thrown out, so as payback the Irishman took out the entire band.

The Miz introduced Ric Flair as his special guest on 'Miz TV' and asked 'The Nature Boy' what his favourite ever memory of Raw was, so  Flair said the night after he'd retired, which was an extremely memorable and fitting send off to the Hall of Famer (at the time). After a VT of famous catchphrases over the years, Flair was tearing into his classic one but Antonio Cesaro then interrupted him and accused 'Naitch' of spending so much money to keep up an illusion of a time long gone. In retaliation Flair and Miz then took out the US Champion, finishing up with Miz applying a Figure Four. 

Daniel Bryan beat Cody Rhodes in a brief outing. Why couldn't they have cut the Sheamus 3MB match and allocated more time to these two talents? They could've had a much more worthwhile match. The action itself was decent enough, Bryan caught the win with his signature No Lock. 

We were then shown footage from the WWE Active App where Eve announced that she'd had enough of the company and her poor treatment and quit. So now there's even less female talent on the main roster, time for the likes of Paige and others to enter the fray and freshen up the division I think.

John Cena defeated Dolph Ziggler in a Steel Cage match. It was the top match of the night (which doesn't say much I'll admit) and best televised bout of the year so far. The action was highly enjoyable from start to finish, with exciting moves from Ziggler and dramatic escape attempts. It's probably the best match these two men have had with each other.

For the finish AJ Lee started to climb the cage, allowing Big E Langston to enter the steel structure and be accidentally cracked in the head by Dolph with his Money in the Bank briefcase, with Cena then applying an AA for the one-two-three. The ending made Ziggler look goofy and stupid, just what you want for your MITB holder right? No. But aside from that my only major gripe with the match was with the victor, with the help of Big E Langston (who thwarted a few escape attempts by Cena) a win for Dolph here would not have hurt Cena, and he needed it a lot more. The day Cena retires will be a very positive one for any up and coming talent.

The Rock performed a rare Rock Concert for the fans in Texas. His first song was dedicated to Paul Heyman, mocking his weight and small, well, manhood. He then asked Vickie Guerrero to come on out and dedicated a cover to Eric Clapton's 'Wonderful Tonight' to her, or as he put it "No be-atch, you look horrible tonight." As childish as it was, I have to admit it was quite amusing.

After Vickie stormed off Rocky turned more serious and called out CM Punk, warning him that despite his promo last week he is not god and that he will take the title from him on the 27th. Punk then sprinted towards the ring and the two collided in a brawl until they were split up. It was a nicely executed and heated scrap between the two, and a nice progression seeing them get physical like that. Strong end to the show I thought.

For the most part it was an enjoyable Raw, with Barrett versus Orton, Team Hell No segment, promos from Punk and Rock and especially the cage match being the highlights. Unfortunately the rest of the bouts were quite forgettable and felt more like filler, which is poor enough for a normal broadcast never mind an anniversary show. I would've like to have seen some time cut from certain clips and contests and added to other areas (such as the Bryan versus Rhodes encounter). I don't want to complain too much though, overall a fun show. 

My WWE SmackDown, 11th January 2013 Recap

An emotional Del Rio after his momentous World Title victory. Photo credit: WWE.com

General Manager Booker T announced that Big Show and Del Rio will clash over the World Title in a Last Man Standing match that night, which cued an upset Big Show to come out and accused the GM of trying to encourage the latino-heavy Miami crowd to embrace Del Rio. The champ then decided to convince Booker to change his mind by grabbing him round the throat, but halted once Del Rio raced out and kicked him out of the ring. 

Randy Orton versus Antonio Cesaro ended in a no contest after The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) attacked and triple powerbombed 'The Viper'. The match itself had been decent enough, with solid ring work from both men, it was just lacking that real excitement or intensity.  

We were then shown a message from WWE Champion CM Punk for The Rock that had been recorded at the Sun Life Stadium, where his aforementioned future opponent last wrestled and won against John Cena last year. The champ compared the Orange Bowl Arena (where Rocky played college football) which is now non-existent to the past WWE/F that was home to The Rock's prime years in pro wrestling, claiming that 'The Great One' was no longer the top dog, but he now was. As standard with him it was a terrific promo from Punk. 

AJ Lee and Dolph Ziggler bested The Great Khali and Natalya in a mediocre and quite forgettable tag outing. Ziggler was limited in the ring with the stiff Khali, and unfortunately we didn't get anywhere near the best from Natalya against AJ. For the finish AJ bit into Natalya's ear and applied a slow and quite awkward looking corner springboard cutter for the one-two-three. Big E Langston (who as usual had accompanied Ziggler and Lee) and Dolph then further attacked Khali and Hornswaggle afterwards.

Once again we witnessed a message from CM Punk at the Sun Life Stadium where he stated that he was "the best in the world" and far superior to 'The People' that The Rock stands for, adding that "the people can rot in hell" for all he cares, claiming it's what they deserve. This time Paul Heyman also chimed in by warning Rocky that his vision of conquering the evil CM Punk and taking the WWE Title to WrestleMania doesn't matter, since no one can surpass the champ.

The Rock finally came out to a great reception from his home of Miami, and confessed his disappointment that CM Punk hadn't turned up to the show to receive some further pain from 'The Great One'. He also went on to say that home for him isn't just Miami or SmackDown, but kicking CM Punk's ass and obtaining the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble. 

Team Rhodes Scholars (Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes) then interrupted Rock and asked him to leave, telling him that it was now their time, not his. Rocky admitted that it took guts with the way the duo were dressed to come down to the ring and tell him to go. After some amusing back and fourth with Cody involving his moustache, Sandow issued a challenge to Rock to answer three general knowledge questions correctly, and if not then he would have to leave. So after answering the first two correctly, Rock turned the tables and asked Rhodes Scholars a question. Sandow of course answered correctly, and as a special prize received a Rock Bottom, and not forgetting about Rhodes who received a People's Elbow for his troubles. It was an entertaining segment, with all three men being genuinely amusing.  

Sheamus defeated 3MB (Heath Slater, Jinder Mahal and Drew McIntyre) in a brief Handicap match. The trio decided to leave Sheamus at the start, only for Slater to then attempt a sneak attack from behind and instead receive a Brogue Kick and a look up at the lights as the Irishman pinned him, with a tepid McIntyre and Mahal looking on. 

Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan & Kane) beat the Prime Time Players (Darren Young & Titus O'Neil) in a passable tag bout. As usual the PTP didn't bring anything special or particularly exciting to the match, but they were okay, and fortunately a solid performance from Bryan brought the interest and excitement up.

Alberto Del Rio defeated Big Show (c) to obtain the World Heavyweight Championship in a Last Man Standing match. And what a main event this was. From start to finish both men put in more than worthy efforts and provided an engaging and dramatic title battle. Del Rio took his fair share of battering from the giant, but as any good face does he managed to scrape and claw his way back and cracked Show with some steel steps and buried him under the announce desk, with no way back up Del Rio was announced the new champion. His and Ricardo Rodriguez's face was a look of pure joy and relief when the bell rung, and bloody genuine looking, if he was acting he did a superb job there. 

If I'm honest I wasn't expecting anything that outstanding here, and certainly not a new champion being crowned, but boy was I glad I was proven wrong. Definitely one worth checking out if you normally skip the blue brand.

Overall it was an enjoyable (and at times very engaging) SmackDown for the most part, which makes a nice change from the usual pedestrian broadcast we get. CM Punk's promos, the main event and The Rock and Rhodes Scholars segment were the highlights of the show for me. Above average SmackDown for sure, but unfortunately I can't help shake that feeling that next week will all be back to normal. 

My WWE SmackDown, 4th January 2013 Recap

Randy Orton kicked things off by announcing that he had his sights set on the World Championship and that he would be entering the 2013 Royal Rumble match. Sheamus then joined 'The Viper' and also announced that he'll be participating in the same match. After some fairly heated words between the two, World champion Big Show also came out and boasted that it doesn't matter who challenges him for the title, since he'll be victorious anyway. US Title holder Antonio Cesaro as usual then berated Americans for their obesity rate. In Teddy Long-like fashion Booker T then booked all four men in a tag match for later on. 

The Miz bested Heath Slater in a fair outing. They both put in decent enough efforts, with Slater especially looking like he was trying to up his game. It wasn't anything outstanding or that exciting, but no aspect of it was bad. During the bout fellow 3MB members Drew McIntyre and Jinder Mahal were asked to leave by the referee.

The Great Khali, Natalya and Hornswaggle beat Rosa Mendes, Epico and Primo in a largely worthless tag bout. Epico and Primo ate talents who deserve far better than 'comedy' routines with Hornswaggle and trying to get something out of the rigid Khali.

Wade Barrett (c) defeated Kofi Kingston to retain the Intercontinental Title in an enjoyable enough contest. A bit more fun then their previous effort this past Monday, but still lacking that little something for me. On the whole a worthy title display form both men, worth a watch.

Tamina beat Layla in a passable Divas outing. Pretty run of the mill match up in front of an indifferent crowd, but no clear mistakes so I'll take that from the current Divas division.

Sheamus and Randy Orton defeated Antonio Cesaro and Big Show in a solid main event tag bout. The strongest period of this enjoyable (and intriguing, but I'll get to that in a bit...) contest was the first third with the always stellar Cesaro tangling with Sheamus and Orton. As Josh Matthews noted on commentary the US Champion didn't look out of place at all with the former World Title holders. Show also looked okay here, and put in a passable effort.  

For the finish Sheamus tagged himself in, which upset Orton and encouraged him to RKO Cesaro as the Irishman was about to Brogue Kick him. It was an interesting end to the match because I reckon this is the slow start in the heel turn we've heard rumours of for 'The Viper'. And he really needs it, his character has to freshen things up and it's probably the best way to do it.

Overall it was a decent show, although there was a large amount of content that was quite forgettable. The main event and the IC Title clash were the highlights for me, both decent, especially the tag match. As I said though there was just too much time spent on mediocre or drab matches and promos, typical for the blue brand I guess.  

The Undertaker not appearing at WrestleMania 29?

Photo credit: WWE.com

Posted by: Ben Kerin of WrestlingNewsSource.com on Oct 24 2012

Source: PWInsider.com

'The Undertaker's "end of an era" match from this year's WrestleMania against Triple H may really have been the end for a big time WrestleMania match featuring The Deadman. PWInsider.com is reporting that The Undertaker is not in good shape and the hip replacement he had a few years ago is badly damaged which has left him back at square one with the possibility of more surgical work down the line. Currently he is seeing specialists in New York but he is so beat up now that WWE has been flying the doctors to his home in Texas instead.

WWE would like to use Taker at January Royal Rumble, as a surprise entrant and perform a few memorable spot before being eliminated but that is far from being set in stone. As it stands there are no plans for Taker to work WrestleMania 29 and he may choose to skip the event however, WWE will make room for him should he wish to wrestle.'

If given the choice I, along with most other fans, would much rather see Taker at WrestleMania than the Royal Rumble. But of course if he's in as bad a shape as their saying then I don't believe it's worth risking his poor condition for either event. But if he is than I'd personally like to see him maybe win the Rumble match and go on to WrestleMania to obtain the World Title and retire there and then.  

My WWE Royal Rumble 2012 recap

Daniel Bryan (c) defeated Mark Henry and Big Show to retain his World Heavyweight Championship in a Steel Cage Match. The bout itself was decent enough. Big Show and Henry were each allowed their spell of dominance during it, while Bryan would try and escape when he could and take advantage of the other two wrestlers when they were down, which suits his current character perfectly. Bryan won after escaping to the outside when Show had a hold of his wrists in an exciting moment as Bryan was just dangling there, but the champ was able to break out of it and land to the floor. The result seemed to please the crowd in attendance, and myself.  
Beth Phoenix, the Bella Twins and Natalya defeated Kelly Kelly, Tamina, Eve and Alicia Fox in an average Divas tag team match. The audience seemed indifferent towards the bout for the majority of it and like myself I imagine they were just waiting for it to end. At least Beth picked up the win, it's good to see her back in action.    
Kane versus John Cena ended in a double count out. The match itself was actually more entertaining then I had anticipated, maybe that was because Kane was given more offense during it I'm not sure. Afterwards they both carried on the fight into the back where 'The Big Red Monster' got the upper hand after a few chair shots to Cena's back. He then spotted Zach Ryder's dressing room, so he broke into it and choked out the former US Champion. Kane then wheeled out the injured Ryder into the ring, where he Tombstone Piledrivered him in front of a pleading Eve. A valiant Cena came racing back to the ring, only to then be Chokeslammed.    
Brodus Clay defeated Drew McIntyre in another one of his recent squash matches. Although to be fair Drew was made to look a little more competitive here then 'The Funkasaurus's' recent opponents. So the loosing streak that does nothing for McIntyre continues...
CM Punk (c) defeated Dolph Ziggler to retain his WWE Championship in an awesome contest between the two. Both men who clearly take pride in their craft put in a great effort here in this competitive bout, filled with nice action and near falls. Before the bell rang John Laurinaitis announced that he would not be officiating the match in the ring but outside it and also banned Vickie Guerrero from ringside to appear fair and impartial, with his impending evaluation coming up on tonights Raw.
Towards the end of the title bout Punk had Ziggler tapping to the Anaconda Vice, but unfortunately the referee was knocked out at ringside and Laurinaitis spent anunusually long time checking on his condition. The same happened again when CM Punk had Dolph in a roll up pin far exceeding the three count. Eventually the ref made his way back and as he counted for Punk's winning GTS on the challenger, Laurinaitis raced into the ring to also make the count along with him. I'll give him credit, the current Interim Raw GM is certainly making things interesting.   
The Miz kicked off the Royal Rumble Match with a mic in hand announcing that he was going to prove everyone wrong as he has done before and win the Rumble as the number one entrant. The Miz eliminated the second entrant Alex Riley after a decent period of action between them. Fourth entrant Cody Rhodes and The Miz began double teaming on the third entrant R-Truth until Justin Gabriel and Primo entered to fasten the pace a bit. The Miz then threw R-Truth over the top rope for a surprisingly quick exit for him. Mick Foley then entered to a huge ovation and quickly eliminated Primo.  
Then Alberto Del Rio's music hit, but as a much more crummier car appeared around the corner then we're used to seeing from the Mexican aristocrat, his ring announcerRicardo Rodriguez instead was the next entrant. As he entered the ring there were chants of "Ricardo!" sounding in the arena, it was a brilliant moment as the pale and a little out of shape announcer imitated his bosse's usual entrance, complete with the trademark white scarf. Him and Mick Foley then teamed up to eliminate Justin Gabriel. The next entrant Santino Marella then had a brief comedy period with Ricardo until he wedgied him and threw him over the top rope.
Then we had a genius moment with a face off between Foley's Mr. Socko and Marella's Cobra, which the crowd just ate up. They had a brief break as they used their trademark hand puppets to eliminate Epico. Cody Rhodes and Miz then teamed up to throw over Marella and Foley. Kofi Kingston next entered to an awesome and fast paced sequence, for some reason Booker decided to put on an awful Jamaican accent during this time. Cody Rhodes next eliminated Jerry Lawler from the Rumble. The Great Khali entered the bout (I really hope this doesn't mean he's back permanently)  and quickly eliminatedJinder Mahal and Ezekiel Jackson. In an extremely memorable Royal Rumble moment Kofi Kingston was thrown over the top rope by The Miz, only to then handstand his way on the outside back to the steel steps and into the ring. Needless to say, the fans were very impressed.
Cody Rhodes made another elimination as he threw over Jim Duggan, the winner of the first ever Royal Rumble. Khali and Booker were then simultaneously eliminated by The Miz and Cody. Booker and Lawler then helped eliminate surprise entrant Michael Cole as they both pulled him off of the apron after he'd ran off scared from the returning Kharma, it was a pleasant surprise to see her back. She managed to throw over (and I mean literally throw over) Hunico, but was then eliminated by Dolph Ziggler. The next entrant Sheamus managed to eliminate Kofi after a Trouble In Paradise attempt. 'Road Dogg' Jesse James then raced in and applied his trademark Pumphandle Slam and knee drop to chants of "You still got it!"
Wade Barrett made his way to the ring and made quick work of Road Dogg as he threw him over. Randy Orton entered and applied his trademark Powerslams and Hangman DDT's to Ziggler and Rhodes before eliminating Jey Uso and Wade Barrett. Chris Jericho then came out to a big ovation and for the first time since his return got physical in the ring and threw over David Otunga. The Big Show then arrived to a lukewarm reception and helped Sheamus eliminate Jack Swagger before he'd even entered the ring. He carried on to eliminate The Miz and Cody Rhodes simultaneously, then Dolph Ziggler.
So we were then down to the final four, Big Show, Sheamus, Chris Jericho and Randy Orton. 'The Viper' managed to chuck Show over the top rope after him, Sheamus and Jericho had triple teamed the giant. This was followed by a quick throw of Orton over the ropes by Y2J. The finishing sequence between Sheamus and Jericho was thrilling, with a few near eliminations for both wrestlers. But Sheamus managed to apply the Brogue Kick to Chris Jericho as he was on the apron and eliminate him to become the surprise victor.
Your Royal Rumble 2012 winner: Sheamus.                     

Like usual, it was a thoroughly entertaining Royal Rumble match. And it was nice to see the younger wrestlers get as much time as they did to really shine. I'll admit I was hoping for the returns of Christian and Alberto Del Rio but I'm sure they'll both be back in time for WrestleMania anyway so that's the important thing.  

My WWE SmackDown, January 27th 2012 Recap

Big Show started off SmackDown and apologised publicly for accidentally barging through AJ a couple of weeks ago on the show. He stated that AJ had forgiven him but was having trouble forgiving himself. He also told us how he'd always felt like an outcast, a "freak" until he'd found a home in WWE. But after the incident with AJ he admitted that he wasn't sure that he had the heart to carry on his career there. Daniel Bryan then joined Show and said that as a kid he believed that the WWE was a place for "athletes, not genetic freaks" and added that Big Show's remorse was false. That he had fooled everyone into believing how sorry he was. He then charged at him with a barrage of insults which eventually ended in him slapping Big Show. After which he screamed at him "You're not a man, you're a monster!" That was the boiling point for Show who then charged at the World Heavyweight Champion and gave him a stern warning before tossing him aside. 
This was then the cue for Mark Henry to arrive, who wanted to remind both men that at the Royal Rumble he was also joining them in the Steel Cage match for the World Heavyweight Title. He also got straight to the point and added that he didn't care about Big Show's hurt feelings or a "95 pound girl in a training bra," just the World Title. Teddy Long then informed them that Big Show would face Mark Henry on the show later on, much to Bryan's delight. It was a pretty decent start to the show,Daniel Bryan's heel promos are still being delivered very solidly.     
Cody Rhodes defeated Justin Gabriel in quite an entertaining match up. The only thing I would say is that it would have benefitted with maybe a little more time allocated. Rhodes has been mentioned as a possible victor of the Royal Rumble match, but I'm predicting that he'll face his brother Dustin Rhodes at WrestleMania instead.    
Sheamus defeated Drew McIntyre in a very enjoyable bout with both wrestlers putting in a good effort. I'm certainly not McIntyre's biggest fan, nor have I ever been but I have to admit that he looked pretty good here. I can see this storyline possibly leading to Drew getting a very big win fairly soon, and maybe turn face in the process.
Epico and Primo defeated Santino Marella and Yoshi Tatsu in a short but adequate tag team match. It was nice to see Yoshi appear on the blue brand for a change.    
Backstage Daniel Bryan advised Mark Henry to seriously hurt Big Show in his match before the Royal Rumble on Sunday. He used the times that Big Show had injured Henry and AJ to try and convince him.
Wade Barret spoke before his match with the returning Randy Orton and claimed that he had it on very good authority that Orton had "allowed his ego to get the best of him." That Orton was returning too soon form his injury and that his spirit had been broken by Wade himself. Then 'The Viper's' music hit and we saw Orton make his way from the backstage area (nice touch I thought) and race to meet Barrett on the ramp where they began exchanging punches before the bell had even rung.
The fighting continued with Orton gaining the upper hand, but for some strange reason they never commenced the match. Instead they had referees and then other wrestlers come down under Teddy Long's order and try to separate the two men. During this Barrett managed to escape, but Randy wasn't done as he then RKO'd all the wrestlers surrounding him. It was a nice return for Orton, and very well received by the crowd in attendance. It's also very well received by myself, who felt that Orton was one of the most consistent performers in the company last year. And someone who was also involved in the best in-ring feud of last year with Christian.      
Hunico defeated Ted DiBiasse in a fast paced and nicely executed bout. I've fast become a big fan of DiBiasse's work in the ring over the last few months. For me he's earned a push on SmackDown (along with the talented Hunico) possibly a feud with a top level heel?  And some more time on the mic wouldn't hurt either.  
After the match Hunico stomped on the injured hand of DiBiasse while his bodyguard Camacho held him down. An excuse for the time off Ted's most likely going to have now for the legit injury. 
Brodus Clay defeated Alex Riley in a squash match with his What The Funk finisher. The uber charismatic 'Funkasaurus' Clay had a little moment with Riley before the match where they compared dance moves, until he had enough and suplexed Riley. Boy has Riley's career gone downhill, he was the same guy that cleanly defeated former WWE Champion The Miz on pay-per-view last year, right?    
Aksana defeated Natalya with a quick roll up pin after Natalya went to the ropes to call out for Tamina. Afterwards Natalya applied the Sharpshooter on her until Tamina came to Aksana's rescue and then Superfly Splashed Natalya. Well at least Tamina's certainly gotten more interesting, even if that means ripping off her Dad's old gimmick.   
Big Show defeated Mark Henry via count out in a nothing match. Mark Henry collapsed during the bout and couldn't make it back to the ring in time. It's thought that as Henry swung for a punch he actually hyper-extended his knee at the taping, so they had to quickly finish the match up. 
Afterwards Daniel Bryan ran in and attacked Big Show with a steel chair. Unfazed by this, Show gave chase until Bryan managed to dropkick him in the knee and continue the attack with the chair. Once back in the ring, Bryan applied the LeBell Lock until Big Show powered out of it. Show then Chokeslammed the World Champion, leaving a warning sign for the triple threat on Sunday at the Rumble.  
Overall, yet again, it was an enjoyable show for the most part. SmackDown unlike Raw right now gives us a healthy dose of enjoyable and solid match ups. Plus the rivalry between Henry, Show and Bryan has progressed brilliantly. With the storyline making sense and not being rushed like most have over the last year. I'm sure the Cage match won't be any classic but it should have it's entertaining moments considering what Bryan's been able to do with Henry and Big Show in the ring so far.
Next up people: The Royal Rumble!  

My WWE Raw, January 23rd 2012 Recap

CM Punk started off the show by talking about his upcoming opponent at the Royal Rumble Dolph Ziggler, and the special guest referee for the WWE Championship match John Laurinaitis, who he called a "failure." A failure as a former pro wrestler, at life and at his current job. Punk also presented the footage from last weeks Raw where Laurinaitis admitted to Mick Foley that he will screw over Punk for the title as referee. CM Punk then invited Laurinaitis out to say that to his face in the ring. But instead of the interim Raw GM making an appearance, John Cena joined Punk. The WWE Champ explained that it wasn't this John he was after, to which Cena retorted with "Sorry, I was sick of hearing you ramble." Was that Cena with some attitude? Nice change. Cena also demanded that Laurinaits come out, plus give Zach Ryder his United States Championship rematch and also resign as General Manager.
John Laurinaitis claimed that he stood by what he had said the week before and that he wasn't going to be intimated by either of them. He also announced a Falls Count Anywhere match for later on between Zach Ryder and Kane, and warned that if Cena gets involved at all then Ryder will never get a Unites States Championship rematch again. Laurinaitis then also booked a tag team match for right then and there with Cena and Punk versus Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger.
Dolph Ziggler warned CM Punk before their match that it doesn't matter that Laurinaitis will be in his corner, because he's going to beat him anyway. Jack Swagger also threatened that Cena was "dead meat" after his attack on the United States Champion last week. It felt like an average way to start the show after last weeks strong finish. I don't think there was any need for Ziggler and Swagger to talk too, that could have been cut for how irrelevant it was.    
Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger defeated CM Punk and John Cena in an average tag team bout that at least picked up in quality once the bumbling Cena tagged in Punk. Ziggler managed to score a roll up pin on CM Punk after John Laurinaitis distracted the WWE Champion on the apron.
Afterwards CM Punk then once again challenged the Executive Vice President of Talent Relations and Interim General Manager of Raw to a match. Laurinaitis, then to the surprise and delight of the crowd in attendance accepted the match. 
Chris Jericho then appeared for the return of his Highlight Reel (without uttering a word of course) but quickly left to go grab a T-Shirt gun. After teasing shooting off a T-shirt into the crowd he instead then grabbed a camera from a nearby cameraman and began mucking about with it. After dropping that he then urged the audience to hush and played a VT of some of his greatest moments. Then, in a shocking moment that provoked a big reaction, he finally spoke since his return. Saying that "This Sunday at the Royal Rumble, it's going to be the end of the World as you know it." I certainly applaude the direction Jericho and the backstage team have gone in for this current storyline of his. Makes a nice change of pace that we're having something play out slowly rather then be rushed out like most story lines have been in WWE over the last year. 
Kane versus Zach Ryder in a Falls Count Anywhere match ended in a no contest.The bout itself that Kane largely dominated wasn't bad but also wasn't anything spectacular, it served its purpose of advancing the John Cena and Kane rivalry so it did its job. Ryder and Kane during the match ended up going through the crowd and eventually onto the stage where Kane Chokeslammed Ryder through the floor. Afterwards Cena joined Eve who had been ringside for most of the bout as Ryder was stretchered away into an ambulance. Just before they drove him away Eve told Cena that it was all his fault. 
Sheamus defeated Jinder Mahal in a fairly brief but entertaining match up. Sheamus has even added a standing rolling fireman's carry slam to his move repertoire, nice addition there. Wade Barrett had been on commentary during the bout, mainly to plug the Royal Rumble and the return of Randy Orton to SmackDown this Friday. After the match Sheamus warned Barrett, who had threatened to enter the ring but instead backed off, that he should get used to the sight of a victorious 'Great White' as he was going to win the Royal Rumble match on Sunday. Chris Jericho is still my current favourite to win it.
Backstage, in a bit of an amusing segment R-Truth (pretending to be a market researcher) began to antagonise The Miz  by calling him the number one "whiner" and such. An angered John Laurinaitis then interrupted them, saying that he couldn't even think with all the noise they were making. So he added a stipulation to their match stating that whoever lost would be the number one entrant in the Royal Rumble match.  
Brodus Clay defeated Heath Slater in another one of his squatch matches. I'm hoping after the Royal Rumble that Clay's put into a real feud with someone in the lead up to WrestleMania.
R-Truth defeated The Miz in a solid encounter between the two. I wasn't expecting a classic but these two certainly delivered in my opinion. Although after the way their feud has been building up it felt a little anticlimactic that it should end on a one on one televised match. Miz should be an interesting number one entrant into the Rumble match though.
Before CM Punk versus John Laurinaitis could commence, David Otunga was asked to read out a fax that had been sent to the Interim Raw GM. It stated that due to his recent actions, his status was under review and that next week on Raw it would be determined whether or not he stays on as General Manager. And the review will be conducted by COO, Triple H. Well that should prove interesting then, eh?
Laurinaitis called this a "wake up call" and formally apologised to CM Punk and all the fans. He also admitted to making a mistake last week and announced Mick Foley's entrance into the Royal Rumble match. CM Punk stated that he hopes that if Triple H has inherited anything from Vince McMahon, it's his trademark "You're fired!" 
Laurinaitis also announced that David Otunga would be stepping in for him as a substitute in their match up. CM Punk made quick work of Otunga and forced him to submit to the Anaconda Vice. Afterwards he gave Otunga a couple of kicks and applied the Go To Sleep to Mr. Laurinaitis. Ziggler then snuck in and not wasting any time Zig Zagged the WWE Champion for the final image of the show.
Overall Raw was more an advancement show for current rivalries and story lines. No matches were particularly outstanding, although they weren't bad. This is the edge SmackDown currently has over Raw right now, they're pulling off these solid story lines (such as the Bryan, Big Show and Henry triangle) and providing us with entertaining matches each week. I just hope they start to give a little more attention to the actual action in the ring after the Rumble on Sunday.