My WWE Raw, 27th May 2013 Recap

Jericho gets in Heyman's face. Photo credit: WWE.com 

WWE Champion John Cena made his Raw return and admitted that even though Ryback deserved a title rematch after the no contest end to their Last Man Standing match, he accused his rival of not thinking things through after challenging him to an Ambulance match at Payback next month. So to make sure there was a definitive end to their next championship clash, he announced that they would compete in a 3 Stages of Hell contest, starting with a Lumberjack match, then a Table match and finally the Ambulance match. 

Ryback then marched out and welcomed the challenge, claiming that he'd already deliberately tried to take Cena out at Extreme Rules so he'd have no quarrels doing it again. After Ryback had left, Paul Heyman introduced his latest client Curtis Axel, and challenged the WWE Champion to a match on behalf of Axel. Cena stated that Curtis had guts, but that he should stay away from Heyman and accepted the match. I was personally hoping that they'd save Axel and Cena's first confrontation for a little later down the road, make it a bit more memorable. 

Alberto Del Rio pinned Big E Langston in a fair encounter, and one of Big E's better match ups since joining the main roster. Both men gave decent enough displays, but there was nothing outstanding here. Del Rio managed to roll up Big E for the winning pinfall after he'd gone head first into a turnbuckle that AJ Lee had exposed earlier.

Backstage Kane tried (but failed) to calm down a frustrated Daniel Bryan, who was still paranoid about being called the "weak link" in their team. It took the kind words of Bret Hart (who unsurprisingly received a huge reaction from his hometown of Calgary) to put Bryan at ease, who explained that Kane saying the same thing to him failed because he was "just Kane."

Dean Ambrose (c) defeated Kofi Kingston to retain the United States Championship in an enjoyable back and fourth affair. Once again these two worked well together, with well executed sequences. Kofi was clearly being booed by the strong fans in attendance too, his persona really needs a shake up soon I reckon.

Afterwards Team Hell No then stormed down as The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reign) were about to attack Kofi, which instigated the Tag Team Title match. 

The Shield (Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) (c) bested Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan and Kane) to retain the WWE Tag Team Championship in an awesome bout. Once again these two teams provided an exciting and thoroughly engaging contest, with the action crisp and fast. Bryan was especially on red hot form. These two teams have provided better tag team matches than we've had in years in WWE.

Fandango pinned Wade Barrett after Special Guest referee The Miz was pushed by Barrett, so he applied a Skull Crushing Final to the IC Champion and counted Fandango's winning pinfall. The bout itself was kept brief, but it was better than I'd anticipated to be fair to both men. Afterwards Miz then booted Fandango in the head for good measure.

Tons of Funk (Brodus Clay and Tesnai) and The Great Khali beat 3MB (Drew McIntyre, Heath Slater and Jinder Mahal) in an average and forgettable six-man tag outing. McIntyre was the only stand out performer for me. Afterwards the victors then celebrated Natalya's birthday by singing Happy Birthday along with the fans.

Chris Jericho introduced Paul Heyman for his latest edition of the Highlight Reel, where he mentioned Curtis Axel and admitted that Heyman had a knack for discovering top talent in pro wrestling, including himself.

Y2J then went on to quiz his guest about the exit of CM Punk after WrestleMania XXIX, but Heyman had no answer for him. So Jericho then challenged Punk via Heyman to a match at Payback, which happened to be taking place from Punk's hometown of Chicago. So after aggravating Heyman, he accepted on behalf of his client. It was a strong segment, with solid mic work from both men.

Nikki and Brie Bella bested Natalya and Kaitlyn in a mediocre and occasionally sloppy tag bout. Natalya gave a decent enough showing to be fair to her, but unfortunately for her she was accidentally speared by Kaitlyn and then pinned by one of the Bellas (I forget). Maybe this is the start of Natalya turning on Kaitlyn.

We then witnessed a VT for the arrival of Bray Wyatt to the main roster. If you're not aware of the current NXT talent, you should go and check out his promos online. He's a cult-like leader, and a very interesting character and solid in the ring too. This is a very exciting prospect.

Sheamus and Randy Orton defeated Team Rhodes Scholars (Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes) in a passable tag affair. The wrestling was consistent throughout, but it just lacked that bit of excitement needed to really gain my interest.

I think a win for Rhodes Scholars would've been a smarter way to go too, those two had far more to gain from a victory than Orton and Sheamus here and this essentially kills off a potential feud between Sandow and the Irishman after the clean win. It almost seems Sandow and Rhodes are destined to float around the midcard position for the rest of their careers, although I hope I'm proven wrong.

Curtis Axel won via count out versus John Cena in a mixed bag of a main event. While Axel looked solid here, unfortunately Cena contributed his bare minimum and was visibly mouthing instructions at certain points, as he has a tendency to do. The count out occurred when Cena left the ring to inspect a suspicious ambulance that had parked up at the stage. Ryback then attacked Cena from behind, and was about to send him through the LED display (as he did at Extreme Rules) when the champ made a comeback, so Ryback decided to leave him for now.  

The biggest cheer during the bout was actually to do with a fight that broke out in the crowd. Apparently a few fans who'd been drinking a fair bit and giving abuse to people were finally escorted out by security after swinging a punch at one of them. Some people, eh? I've also heard that they shouted stuff at a young kid wearing a Cena T-Shirt, I sincerely hope that isn't true. A lot of fans, young and old just want to come and enjoy the show and have fun, there's no excuse for that kind of behaviour. 

Overall it was a decent show, with a few average segments but enjoyable enough on the whole. My highlights were Ambrose versus Kingston, Team Hell No versus The Shield, Jericho's Highlight Reel and the news that Bray Wyatt will be joining the main roster soon. Outside of those aforementioned match ups there were pretty average or drab outings. 

My WWE Raw, 20th May 2013 Recap

Apparently Kane enjoyed that missile dropkick. Photo credit: WWE.com

Ryback kicked things off by arriving in the back of an ambulance, challenging Cena to an Ambulance match at Payback next month after the champion had refused to enter one the previous night after Extreme Rules. He went on to then call all the fans "weak" and "pathetic," living their lives with no direction or purpose. 

Chris Jericho and The Miz beat Fandango and Wade Barrett in an amusing tag bout. The action was okay, but it was Fandango that made the match memorable by leaving his partner Barrett halfway through the match and dancing with his usual dance partner Summer Rae. Afterwards Jericho and Miz then chased off Fandango, leaving Y2J to dance a little with Summer and get some retribution by putting his hand in her face and embarrassing her. 

Sheamus pinned Titus O'Neil in a fair outing. There were some drab periods but on the whole it was a watchable match up, with O'Neil being made to look very competitive against the Irishman.

Paul Heyman came to the ring and boasted about his client Brock Lesnar being remembered forever as a beast, while Triple H a "looser" after their Steel Cage match the previous night. He then revealed his brand new client Curt Axel (formerly Michael Mcgillicutty) and claimed that he hadn't already earned a main event spot because his families legacy, saying that management in the back didn't appreciate it. 

Triple H then joined them and stated that he wasn't embarrassed by his loss to Lesnar, that he was proud that he took the fight to and went to war with him. Axel then fronted 'The Game', warning him that things had changed, so Trips responded with a punch and announced that he'll face him in a match that very night.

Heyman's terrific mic work would normally be my highlight for most segments involving him, but to be honest this time it was just the fact that a young talent (and one that's proven to be more than capable in the ring) received a worthwhile spotlight. A rare thing in WWE as of late.

Big E Langston bested Alberto Del Rio in a largely pedestrian contest. There were a few decent moments but it was never any remarkable. Langston grabbed the win after AJ Lee had distracted the referee, allowing him to thumb Del Rio in the eye and apply a Big End.

AJ Lee beat Layla in an average and forgettable affair. Neither lady gave a display to boast about, which was a bit disappointing for Layla who's never outstanding but reliable. AJ grabbed the submission victory with her Black Widow octopus hold. 

Cody Rhodes pinned Zack Ryder in a filler match up. Neither man gave a bad display but they didn't exactly go out there to set the world alight either. Afterwards Ryback stormed out and attacked Ryder further, eventually Shell Shocking him and putting him into the parked ambulance which drove away. 

The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) came out and bragged about taking out The Rock, The Undertaker and pushing Ryback so far he snapped, and added that the fans had no choice but to believe in them now after obtaining the WWE Tag Team and US Titles at Extreme Rules. For me they're the most entertaining act in the company right now.

The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) defeated Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan and Kane) and Kofi Kingston in an enthralling six-man tag bout, and probably the best Raw match of the year so far. The action in the second half was blistering, especially from a superb Bryan, with an exhilarating final sequence. For me it's one of The Shield's top outings to date. I can't really recommend this match much more, just do yourself a favour and watch it.

Randy Orton beat Jack Swagger in a decent enough outing. Both men provided stellar wrestling, but there was a lack of drama or excitement and I was struggling to find the interest to be honest. Orton grabbed the one-two-three after applying an RKO. Looks like Swagger's hopes of gaining the World Title anytime soon are quickly vanishing. 

Triple H versus Curtis Axel ended as a No Contest after Triple H seemed to apparently suffer a concussion and have to be dragged away. Up until that point the match had been okay, with 'The Game' dominating for the most part and Axel getting in a fair bit of offense. I think a win over a suffering Triple H would've been the way to go for Axel myself, even a cheap win would've helped him out that bit more.

Overall it was a pedestrian show for the most part, but fortunately Heyman's Curtis Axel announcement and the terrific Shield versus Kofi and Team Hell No contest made it worth watching. Plus Triple H's concussion gave us an intriguing ending, was he drugged by Heyman perhaps? Here's also hoping Axel gets the same dedication as The Shield from the booking team, although I would've loved Cesaro to have been in that spot too, but Axel is capable.  

My WWE Extreme Rules 2013 Recap

The Shield celebrate with the gold. Photo credit: WWE.com

The Miz beat Cody Rhodes in a rather lacklustre and sloppy pre-show bout. Miz looked a bit out of sorts here and made more than a few errors, while Cody gave a pretty unremarkable showing too. 

Chris Jericho pinned Fandango in a fair encounter. Much like their WrestleMania match Jericho did most of the hard work, while Fandango looked alright, but still has some work to do in the ring. Jericho gained the one-two-three after applying a nicely executed Codebreaker as Fandango came off the top rope in the highlight of the match.

Dean Ambrose defeated Kofi Kingston (c) to obtain the United States Championship in a solid contest. Both men gave worthy efforts, albeit a few slightly sloppy moments but that wasn't enough to spoil an otherwise enjoyable match up. Afterwards the new champ's Shield teammates joined him to celebrate. 

Sheamus bested Mark Henry in a Strap match. Perhaps not the most exciting match of this kind but it was decent enough for the most part, with both men giving passable displays. 

Before Swagger versus Del Rio kicked off, Zeb Colter started blaming the government and the people for the state of America in this day and age, confusingly then bringing up the poor showings from St. Louis' baseball teams. The promo felt like a waste of time and dragged on far too long, I'm hoping this whole gimmick is killed off soon.

Alberto Del Rio beat Jack Swagger in an I Quit match, thereby becoming number one contender to the World Title. The action was decent enough, although it lacked that extra drama that you normally get from far superior I Quit bouts from the past. The referee had to restart the match after discovering that Colter framed Ricardo Rodriguez for throwing in the towel for Del Rio, so a struggling Del Rio heroically managed to apply his signature armbreaker to force Swagger to scream "I quit!"  

Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns defeated Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan and Kane) (c) to obtain the WWE Tag Team Championship in a Tornado Tag contest. Wisely the match wasn't kept too long, which kept the action exciting and at a fast pace throughout. A fun watch, and nice work from every wrestler involved. Afterwards Ambrose joined his teammates and the trio posed with their new gold, I'm so glad the WWE have kept the momentum going for this great young act.

Randy Orton pinned Big Show in an Extreme Rules match. It was fair enough for the majority, although I was personally expecting a bit more excitement from it. Neither man did a poor job on any level but for an Extreme Rules match it didn't really live up to the name, Big Show's body splash onto a ladder balanced on two chairs was the only remotely 'Extreme' thing that happened. I can't help feel two other wrestlers would've made more from this stipulation. Orton finished off Show with a punt kick, which was a nice touch.

John Cena (c) versus Ryback in a Last Man Standing match for the WWE Championship ended in a No Contest after Ryback forced the champ through part of the stage display. The fans in attendance booed the unresolved ending to the bout. The match itself had been a dramatic and engaging one, with both men playing to their strengths and utilising weapons and the outside ring environment to keep the interest going.

For me this was a much more entertaining WWE Title clash than the one at WrestleMania last month, and definitely exceeded my expectations. The ending did feel like a bit of a cop out, but it was a fair way of preserving both men's status and keeping the feud going into Payback next month.  

Brock Lesnar defeated Triple H in a Steel Cage match. As expected it was an intense and drama-filled main event, filled with effective near falls and battling till the bitter end. I know there are many fans out there who weren't particularly into Lesnar versus Triple H at 'Mania, but I was, so it's hardly a surprise that I ate this up and enjoyed it from the opening bell when 'The Game' skipped his entrance altogether and attacked his rival from behind.  

Paul Heyman of course also played his part as manager superbly, low blowing Triple H and taking a Pedigree along the way and keeping the support for his client going vocally throughout. For me he's certainly the finest manager I've ever seen in pro wrestling. Going into this I already knew I was going to enjoy it, and it didn't disappoint. I can understand people's issues with Triple H and his style of matches he plans out, but there's always excitement and there's always a story to be told, which is more than can be said for most bouts you'll see on a Raw or SmackDown. Lesnar grabbed the winning pinfall after cracking Trip's sledgehammer into his head and then applying an F5.  

Overall it was an enjoyable card for the majority, with a few dips along the way. My highlights were Ambrose versus Kofi, The Shield versus Team Hell No, the WWE Title match and the main event. The last two bouts mentioned especially salvaged the event for me, giving it some much needed drama and excitement. But the biggest thing I'm probably taking away from Extreme Rules is the continued push of The Shield, it's a relief that the most exciting young act in the company is still getting the attention they deserve.    

My WWE Raw, 13th May 2013 Recap

Triple H and Lesnar battle it out in the cage. Should be a great one on Sunday. Photo credit: WWE.com

Jerry Lawler kicked things off by bringing out Fandango and Chris Jericho for a dance off. But as Fandango got started his partner Summer Rae accidentally tripped and couldn't continue. A furious Fandango then decided to abandon his dance partner, but made a quick return to cheap shot Jericho, eventually taking him out of the ring and cracking a bit of the flooring from their contest into Y2J's head. It was then revealed that it was all a ruse as Summer jumped up and danced away with Fandango.  

Ryback pinned Zack Ryder in a brief and forgettable squash match. Nothing much to see here.

Prime Time Players (Darren Young and Titus O'Neil) bested Tons of Funk (Brodus Clay and Tensai) in a short and average tag bout. It was passable, but there were no remarkable performances to be found. O'Neil grabbed the winning schoolboy pin after Young had struck Clay in the throat. I can't say a feud between these two teams will exactly set my World alight.  

Teddy Long announced that due to Dolph Ziggler's injury (he suffered a concussion during last week's SmackDown taping) he would not be able to defend the World Championship at Extreme Rules, so instead there would be a number one contenders match for the title pitting Del Rio against Swagger in an I Quit match. The announcement was met with indifference and boos, fans grew tired of seeing these two face each other a long while ago. 

Kofi Kingston defeated Damien Sandow in a fair encounter. I'd personally like to see the US Champion do well, but he's had pushes stopped and started so often it's hard to invest in him, nevertheless he's on good form at the moment. 

After a brief interview, Mark Henry used Josh Matthews as an example of how to win a Strap match after pushing him over and dragging him around the ring, then letting him go. Henry then asked Sheamus to join him in the ring to get an taste of what's to come this Sunday, which the 'Celtic Warrior' did, but not before grabbing his own strap and managing to whip Henry out of the ring. 

Randy Orton beat Antonio Cesaro in a decent outing. Both men looked solid in the ring, with crisp action as expected from these two talents. It just needed a bit more time to make more of a lasting impression.

Absurdly during the match we had Michael Cole urging us to get the WWE app so we could see a live interview with Big Show, amongst other things while the show's going on. Where's the sense in having other segments happening at the same time match ups are taking place? Just daft.

The Miz beat Heath Slater in a passable contest. Miz gave a decent effort here, and Slater looked okay, but the wrestling never reached a particularly high standard. Miz gained the submission victory after applying the Figure Four Leglock. I don't mind him using the move like a lot of fans, but I'd like to see him break down the legs of his opponent a bit more beforehand.   

John Cena and Team Hell no (Daniel Bryan and Kane) won via disqualification versus The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) in a stellar six-man elimination tag match. The contest contained plenty of exciting action and some terrific displays, especially from Bryan, Ambrose and Rollins.

Kane was first eliminated via DQ after he assaulted Ambrose on the outside with the covering for the announce desk. An angered 'Big Red Machine' ran rampant through the trio just before he was sent to the back. Next his Team Hell No teammate Daniel Bryan was eliminated after being pinned by Ambrose. Rollins was then pinned after a poorly executed AA from Cena, and Reigns next DQ'd for shoving the referee.

As Cena then looked to make Ambrose tap with the STFU, the other two Shield members ran in to attack the WWE Champion and Triple Powerbomb him, causing the ref to ring the bell for another disqualification and end the bout. Ryback then marched out and looked to leave Cena alone, but decided otherwise and then smashed a steel chair onto his injured ankle.

Jack Swagger won via count out versus Big E Langston in a pretty pedestrian encounter. Swagger was selected over Del Rio to face Big E via a vote on the WWE app, which did surprise me a little. To be fair the match was certainly watchable, which exceeded my expectations, and Big E looked like he'd improved a bit in the ring, although he still has a fair way to go. As Big E dominated on the outside he was caught out by the wily Swagger, who managed to get back into the ring before the ten count. 

Alberto Del Rio then ran out and after tussling with Big E and Swagger, managed to lock on his signature armbreaker on the 'All American'. To be honest Del Rio's actions were more heel-like here than anything.

AJ Lee bested Natalya in a drab affair up until the very end when AJ pulled out a nice submission for the win as Natalya went for a sidewalk slam.

Rightfully Divas Champion Kaitlyn asked on commentary during the bout why Nikki and Brie Bella were even out there. They have nothing to do with the current title picture and it did seem quite odd, plus it overshadows AJ and Kaitlyn's feud. Add all that to the Divas champ receiving another gift from her secret admirer during all this and it seemed overkill.   

Triple H stood in a steel cage and stated that earlier in his pro wrestling career he was advised to "hate" in order to succeed and advance himself, and had learnt to hate and damage people because of it, which he claimed he would do at Extreme Rules. He then dared Lesnar to join him in the cage right there and then, Paul Heyman then came out with Brock Lesnar and urged his client not be lured by 'The Game'.

Heyman went on to state that "hate" was an appropriate word for the COO's situation, since he would hate facing all his loved ones after loosing to Lesnar this Sunday and failing them. Triple H had enough and claimed that Heyman was holding Lesnar back because he was his meal ticket and he couldn't afford for him to loose his mystic by falling to him once again, and finally asked if Lesnar was the beast, or if he was "Brock Lesnar, the bitch." This was enough excuse for Lesnar to storm down to the ring, where the two had a heated brawl until Triple H managed to send Lesnar through the cage door and into Heyman. It was a strong end to the show, with the fans well into it.

Overall it was a decent enough show, and above average for this year. The highlights were the entertaining six-man tag, Orton versus Cesaro and the heated battle between Lesnar and Triple H, now that is how you end a Raw heading into a PPV. The only poor periods for me were the divas match (with way too much going on), the Prime Time Players versus Tons of Funk and the constant mention of the WWE app. That kind of thing doesn't normally bother me, but when they're telling you to check out what's happening backstage when a match is actually taking place it's just ridiculous. 

My WWE Raw, 29th April 2013 Recap

Reigns tears through Cena for the winning pinfall. Photo credit: WWE.com

Ricardo Rodriguez bested Zeb Colter and Big E Langston in a surprisingly enjoyable Triple Threat bout. Granted the action itself wasn't anything remarkable, but fortunately the amusing moments from Ricardo and distractions from Alberto Del Rio, Jack Swagger and Dolph Ziggler helped keep the interest up. As a result of the win Ricardo was allowed to pick the stipulation for the World Heavyweight Title match at Extreme Rules. 

As a part of World Wish Day, Make a Wish regular John Cena granted three wishes and made three young boys WWE Superstars for the day. 

Randy Orton pinned Cody Rhodes in a decent effort by both men. Fortunately (and surprisingly) Rhodes was made to look quite competitive against Orton here, which made a nice change for the moustached one. Towards the end Cody applied the Cross Rhodes for an effective near fall, but Orton managed to get in a nice RKO as Rhodes came in for a Disaster Kick. 

Naomi won via disqualification versus Nikki Bella in a forgettable outing. As usual Nikki switched with her sister Brie who gained the winning pinfall towards the end. But this time Cameron informed the referee who then called for the DQ. Apparently no one's ever thought of doing that in the many, many times the Bellas have switched.

The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) came to the ring and spoke about all the wrestlers they'd taken out since Survivor Series last November. But as they were talking about their unfinished business with The Undertaker, 3MB (Heath Slater, Drew McIntyre and Jinder Mahal) interrupted them, wanting some retribution. 

This didn't last long however as Shield soon beat down the band. Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan and Kane) then chased off the trio and decided to let out their frustration on 3MB by taking them out.   

Dolph Ziggler defeated Kofi Kingston in a stellar contest. Both men gave a high standard of display here, providing exciting action with Kofi especially giving one of finest performances in a long while. Afterwards Big E Langston then applied a Big Ending on the US Champion for the exclamation point. 

Jack Swagger beat Zack Ryder in a pedestrian match dominated by the 'All American American'. You could skip this one and not miss much to be honest, there was nothing exceptional to be found during it.

Mark Henry bested Tensai and Brodus Clay each in a tug of war contest. Sheamus then joined Henry and goaded him into a tug of war contest also, which he lost after letting go of the rope and Brogue Kicking the 'World's Strongest Man'.

Alberto Del Rio defeated Antonio Cesaro in a solid back and fourth affair. As usual Cesaro proved that he could hang with (and is this case surpass) the main eventers of the company, I still have faith that he'll get there given time. Afterwards Del Rio then announced that the Triple Threat World Title match at Extreme Rules will be a Ladder match. Well I'm happy with that, I always look forward to those. 

The Great Khali and Natalya won a drab dance contest against Fandango and Summer Rae. The fans booed both parties as host Jerry Lawler determined the winners, but to be fair I wouldn't call anyone a winner here. An upset Fandango then took down Khali and applied his signature flying leg drop.

The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) toppled Team Hell No (Kane and Daniel Bryan) and John Cena in a largely exciting six-man tag main event. Each man delivered a worthy showing, bar Cena but he has an exaggerated leg injury so it's understandable. In a surprise ending Reigns speared a struggling Cena for the one-two-three, an extremely rare sight on Raw seeing Cena being pinned. Good result here that only enhances Shield.

Afterwards Ryback then turned up after appearing to leave the arena earlier in the show (he'd refused to take Cena's place with Hell No in the main event) and looked on at the WWE Champion. I'm not expecting much from their title clash but hopefully I'm proven wrong and they plan out a bout that works to their strengths. 

Overall it was a fair Raw this week, with Orton versus Rhodes, Kofi versus Ziggler, Cesaro versus Del Rio and the enjoyable main event being the highlights. Unfortunately there weren't any promos or segments that were particularly memorable at all, but the aforementioned matches were decent watches and made up for it. The lack of Lesnar, Heyman or Triple H was also a little bit of a letdown for me. 

My WrestleMania XXIX Predictions

Photo credit: WWE.com

Pre-Show Intercontinental Championship Match - Wade Barrett (c) versus The Miz:

I'm not expecting anything outstanding here but these two should provide an enjoyable pre-opener to get things going, with respective efforts from each man. Like most I feel pushing this to the pre-show position was an unfair choice, especially considering the mixed tag made it onto the card, these two deserved to be on the main show and the IC Title could certainly use the attention. But as for the winner I'm going with Miz, he's fallen short too often over the last few months involving the IC and US straps and a title change will grab people's attention just before the event kicks off.

Winner: The Miz

8-Person Mixed Tag Team Match - Tons of Funk and The Funkadactyls (Brodus Clay, Tensai, Cameron and Naomi) versus Team Rhodes Scholars and The Bella Twins (Damien Sandow, Cody Rhodes, Nikki Bella and Brie Bella):

Oh boy, I'm trying to stay neutral and optimistic here so let me just say that considering some of the talent here this might not be so terrible, in fact it might actually be a fairly fun watch, but don't quote me on that. This is meant to be a feel good outing just for some laughs so I expect Tons of Funk to win and give us a little dance afterwards, and a toilet break too.

Winners: Tons of Funk and The Funkadactyls

Mark Henry versus Ryback:

Should be a typical big man versus big man encounter, in other words drab. Sorry but I'm struggling to find any interest in this bout at all, my prediction for worst match of the night. I'm going with Ryback for the victory due to his string of losses on pay-per-view lately.

Winner: Ryback

Chris Jericho versus Fandango:

I'm actually quite looking forward to this one, Vince is obviously high on Mr. Fan...dan...goooo (I had to) and I don't see past him winning on his in-ring debut, a loss would be senseless to me. Should have some good action too. 

Winner: Fandango

WWE Tag Team Championships Match - Team Hell No (Kane and Daniel Bryan) versus Dolph Ziggler and Big E Langston:

I think this one could succeed expectations and be a highly enjoyable tag contest, looking at the talent involved it's hard to imagine this won't be entertaining, and I'm actually quite relieved that the tag titles are being defended on the grand stage. I'm going with Team Hell No to retain simply due to my suspicions that Ziggler will cash in his Money in the Bank contract very soon (but just not tonight like most are anticipating) and it'd be a waste having him hold the tag strap also.  

Winners: Team Hell No

6-Man Tag Team Match - Sheamus, Randy Orton and The Big Show versus The Shield (Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose):

To be honest I've found the build up to this one pretty tiresome, we all knew Big Show would eventually join Orton and Sheamus, and we've just seen Shield doing the same things over and over. But forgetting the poor build up I optimistic about the quality of the bout, especially considering Shield's stellar outings so far. I'm also going with the same trio to come out victorious, I see no reason for them to loose their unbeaten streak here against a make shift unit.

Winners: The Shield

World Heavyweight Championship Match - Alberto Del Rio (c) versus Jack Swagger:

I'm predicting a solid title clash, but nothing out of this world. I've actually very much enjoyed the build up to it too, granted it's lost steam but I'm still grateful for Swagger's push. As for the winner I'm going with Del Rio. To be fair it could go either way and I'm still not sure as I'm even typing this, but Del Rio would make more sense if Ziggler is going to cash in in the near future.

Winner: Alberto Del Rio 

No Holds Barred Match - Brock Lesnar versus Triple H:

Lesnar's had some terrific matches since returning and I expect no less tonight in what should be an extremely dramatic and intense affair. Adding the no holds barred stipulation was a smart move and these two should excel with it. I can't see past Triple H to win here, with his career on the line and to even the odds with his rival, but I also can't help but see a twist happening here tonight, we'll see. I would give this my prediction for match of the night if it wasn't for the next contest...

Winner: Triple H 

The Undertaker versus CM Punk:

Here we go! Now I'm not going to beat around the bush, Taker's going to win here, so that's that. But this should be a great contest nonetheless, with an intriguing and top build up leading into the event. Expect good things. 

Winner: The Undertaker

WWE Championship Match - The Rock (c) versus John Cena:

And then there's the main event, 'Twice in a lifetime' as it were, the rematch not many fans were even interested in. But looking past that I think it should be a fair main event, and although I can see it being superior to their effort last year I don't see it being worthy of it's spot and build up. But hopefully I'm proven wrong. Oh, and Cena to even the odds and obtain the title to lead into a rematch at Extreme Rules.

Winner: John Cena

Well hopefully you all enjoy the show, granted the build up hasn't been outstanding but looking at the majority of the card I think it should be a strong and memorable 'Mania on the whole. I just hope Cesaro turns up on the way. 

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 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.