Royal Rumble Fallout

WWE's 2016 Royal Rumble has come and gone. Well, What do I think WWE did right and What did they get wrong, and where do I think they will go from here and where do I think they should go from here?

Lets get right down to Brass Tax here. Spoilers, I mean I wouldn't call it a fallout If I weren't going to mention who wins and what happened. So on to the PPV.

Pre-Show usual stuff at least Graves was there. Renee actually spoke real words this time and didn't stutter near as much. I guess she was awake for this one. There was a match, kind of. Normal Run of the Mill spots for a few tag teams. We got to see the Dudley's and the Ascension lock up. That could make for a good mid-card Tag Team lock up. The Dudley's seem super comfortable with their nostalgic role in the WWE, so why not put the Ascension over in an nice drawn out Feud. It could make for some really good matches. This one. Not so much. The team of Mark Henry and Jack Swagger took the victory. To make it into the Royal Rumble. The team's combined time in the Royal Rumble match  was less than the celebration after the match that won them the opportunity to be in the Royal Rumble match. This was your A-Typical waste of Television time, However, not nearly as bad as 3MB vs. Los Matadores stuff they had done in the past. I'm not even bothering Spell checking the misspelling because I seriously could care less about that team. stupid gimmick. Ok, on to the Actual
PPV.


We Kicked this off with a Fantastic showing. Intercontinental Championship Dean Ambrose(C) VS. Kevin Owens. I'm here to tell you that this match, was hands down the best match of the night. Not the best moments, but match quality, it's hard to get better than these guys putting it all out there for you. Owens and Ambrose both sold like the Pros they are. Owens went through what 4 tables in that match? Ambrose went through at least one. Chairs were broken and smashed. A few great spots. The two Chairs set face to face spot, Owens Teased the Powerbomb and was back dropped on them. So good. Fantastic work with the Steps, the 8-9 counts were believable, The Hits were hard and taken with great selling. The Top Rope Spots were great. The Crowd was Hot! They were on point Cheers went way up for both competitors and the final spot was jaw dropping. Lets play out this ending. Owens Sets up 4 yes 4 chairs face to face like a nice little bed from Hell, then he throws a broken chair on top for nice comforter from the spike pits of Outworld. He then Knocks down Ambrose and lays his move less body on the chairs, He then goes to the top rope at which point the Crowd at the Stadium goes absolutely BONKERS, even the people who were at my house watching stood up in disbelief. The same thought going through our heads. "This Crazy SOB is going to moonsault onto four chairs. and injure himself for sure" Just as he went to leap backwards Ambrose shoots up and pushes him off where he lands through TWO tables and that's the end of the match. You honestly feel jipped and thankful at the same time. Ambrose most certainly saved Owens from a world of hurt from the moonsault, but what the hell; I wanted to see him do it. The Two tables spot is a natural ending to the match and worked out well. Start to finish an absolute Killer match. Ambrose Retains. More on these two later.

So What Could WWE have done Different. I'll get to these guys later. I'm cool with how it ended because they leave room for what happens in the Rumble match.

WWE Tag Team Titles The New Day (C) Vs. The Usos. Wait. What? I missed something. The Usos are relevant again? Oh Wait! No, they're not. They still suck. The New Day Delivered. Best opener for the New Day yet introducing a new Trombone. They are so good. So entertaining, hands down one of the best groups the WWE have and will ever see. Xavier Woods is so over the top the entire time it's Hilarious. He takes amazing bumps for the team and Kofi has always been top quality, and you still have the Amazing In ring Talent and hypersexual antics of Big E. These Guys should stay in the Tag Team scene, I don't know? for the next few years. They are innovative and brilliant. The Usos gave a lack luster and pathetic performance. Hey ASSHOLES!!! This is the Royal Rumble, you're supposed to bring your A game. Good thing Big E and Kofi had their crap together. High Spots. Xavier woods absolutely demolished an Uso with a Tornado DDT on the outside. It was right in the Cameras face and just looked nasty, probably because the USO was just a rag doll with little to no effort. Big E leaped at least 500 Ft in the air and splashed. Xavier Woods Yelling into the Commentators Mics from across the table. The best part is you can Tell JBL loves it and respects them, all the while trying to be professional. On the same Note you can tell Cole Hates it so much, but deals with it because he is a professional. The New Day Retain. The Usos don't show up again, and shouldn't for a while.

What Could WWE have done Different. Put a different Tag team in there. Yeah, Ok, The Kids love the Usos, but the Kids also love a few other teams that are way more relevant and can actually currently go. Here's the Deal. I don't like the Usos. It's no secret. However, They used to be able to go before the Broken leg and Back Injuries. They truly used to bring it. I honestly think they are just back to early. Sit them on the back burner for a little while. I'm not saying permanently, they are way too valuable for that. They really can go. They aren't bad to watch in the ring when they can go. However, they are definitely missing a step. They haven't healed up enough and they still; even after a few months; look rusty. Uso's need a little more down time so that they can come back strong. They should have mixed the Prime Time Players back into it. I know WWE is trying push Titus O'neil over, but it isn't working. The Tag Team world is a delicate beast. You need a constant rotation of quality teams. WWE has quality teams. We just came off of a Dudley Boys Run, The Lucha Dragons are done, because of Kalisto's single push, so neither of those teams would work, BUT there are some good quality contenders here that are just completely overlooked. Wyatts for one. Let the New Day fight the Wyatts a little trade the belts around a bit. Have the New Day win by cheating and out thinking the brutes. Have Bray interfere and l
et his boys Harper and Rowan take the belts as a "reward" for their servitude. The Ascension are underused. I like the Team of Henry and Swagger even though they are both super tired out gimmick wise. You could have this new stable of Social outcast have a Tag run with Bo Dallas and Adam Rose.

Naturally, it's a good time to bring up Enzo and Big Cass. these guys have been ready for a long time. I would say one of the other Teams from NXT, but honestly I don't think any of them are quite main roster ready. A few are close. Vaudevillans, Chad and Gable, and Dash and Dawson. NXT needs to continue to work on Blake and Murphy and a few others.

What did WWE do right. They left the belt on The New Day and opened up a possibility for new contenders for the belts with a clean win.


The United States Title Kalisto vs. Alberto Del Rio (C). I don't have much to say about this match. I thought it was a top quality mid card match, A lot of nice moves, Del Rio sold to Kalisto and vice Versa. It was well mapped out and felt natural. I don't think anyone thought Del Rio would retain. Kalisto's time to shine is now. They broke the Feud clean and now have room to put Kalisto with someone great.

What Could WWE have done Different. Not much. I think the Kalisto push is good timing. I think WWE has some good competition in this direction with Neville, Zayn, Styles, Kofi, Etc. I think this was the right move. Del Rio is a bigger star and needs a complementary Feud, Belt less maybe, but can still go in the right direction heading to Wrestlemania. I think high flyer feud at Wrestlemania would be fun. A Triple Threat Kalisto V. Neville V. ???.

What did WWE do right. They pretty much got this one right. Now onto something that they  completely screwed the pooch on.

WWE Divas Championship. Becky Lynch Vs. Charlotte (c) The Match was Decent. They gave them enough time to lay in some NXT Diva type moves. However, Dammit with the cheap Ric Flair interference ending. We get it WWE! we understood months ago, The Dirtiest player in the Divas Game Charlotte Flair. For Gods sake the Rick Flair stuff needs to stop. He is straight up Stealing the spotlight from his Daughter and KILLING The Divas Revolution. People are saying it's Awkward and I agree. There is enough Diva talent in that Locker Room where if Charlotte needs people around her to help her cheat she should could build a Stable. 4 Horsewomen anyone? It's SOOO doable and would be entertaining as heck. It's so sad that a good performance by both Lynch and Flair ends in such a dastardly way. I don't mind the Cheating. I'm just over Ric being in his daughters corner. I think the entire wrestling world gets it.

On the Other hand. Does Ric deserve the ability to do whatever he damn well pleases? maybe.

Afterwards we get set up for the next few months. Sasha Banks comes out and makes it know her intentions to knock out everyone and take the belt from Flair. There is a reason that during Charlottes rise to fame, title wins and main roster move that Sasha Banks vs. Bailey won Divas Match of the year in NXT. Why? Because Sasha Banks carried Charlotte on her back to the main roster. To Hell with that! Sasha Banks carried Charlotte and Becky Lynch to the main roster on her back. Banks Vs. Paige is what we all want to see. Charlotte and Becky are less talented, but because Becky has that Sexy that Vince likes and Charlotte is Rics Daughter we get Becky Vs. Charlotte. Ugh. Well, Paige is hurt so that doesn't help. NXT is grooming Emma to be Charlotte's other bad girl along with Alexis and Dana Brooke.

What Could WWE have done Different. Clean Finish anyone. How about Lynch Screws Charlotte. How about a Debut of a Diva to start the Four Horsewomen movement. T Shirt Sales would go WAY Up. I say Stick Ol' Blue Pants with Charlotte. How about Charlotte steps out of her Dads Shadow that would be good for the Diva's revolution. This whole thing pisses me off, because if you go back and watch what Emma and Paige did in NXT and set up for the likes of Sasha and Charlotte it was just Epic and solid in ring work. To have this just bulldozed as an opportunity to have old man Flair get a cheap WOOO pop is just downright deplorable. OH!!! Charlotte needs to loose those 1988 Bedazzled face gems.

What did the WWE do right. They gave them time to do In Ring work. Again, the In ring work was really good. It's just overshadowed by the bogus finish. I even think the Cheap finish and Charlotte keeping the belt is OK, it just shouldn't have been the nature boy.

Now to the meat of PPV. The Royal Rumble Match. Roman Reigns (C) Vs. 29 men in an over the top Battle Royal. Reigns enters. I'm cool with him being number one. It's a good Screw job to get the authority heat. I'm down with this. So lets hope he starts Strong. He gets fed Rusev. Awesome, I'm totally behind this. Reigns and Rusev really lock it up, great short showing for Rusev and great Elimation to let you feel like Roman can do this.

Ok, Here it is the moment of the Entire PPV. Sold absolutely perfectly by Roman. If I am Harsh on Roman at times, he made up for a lot of room here. The strange music hits, NOONE knows that music, who is this? Then the Fear hits Romans face, He totally looked like he Peed a little. The Crowd Just losses their minds. At home, I'm Begging for the Camera to turn. BOOM AJ STYLES!!!!!!! The Internet was buzzing and teasing, but no one really thought WWE had balls enough to Debut AJ Styles at the Royal Rumble. The Crowd is Shocked and just bouncing. Styles Calmly walks to the Ring, he looks Reigns over with this, I got this attitude, Stretches on the robes and they lock up. They tease an immediate elimination by Roman that would have in sighted a Riot. Luckily, it didn't go down. WWE screws up a lot, but they absolutely nailed the Styles Debut. The Next Big entrances are Jericho who lasts forever, I'll get to it. Kane, actually not a bad showing by the big red machine. I'm not surprised he normally does well in the Rumble.

The next notable was a great showing by R-Truth. He came out set up the later climbed the later and looked for briefcase. so good. so good. Eliminated promptly, Stole the show. Good job R-Truth. Lets get to some notable performances and skip a play by play, then I'll look at the Building Blocks laid out by WWE. Some Good, Some Bad.
The Miz comes out gets on commentary, goes in the ring after Lesner is Eliminated and puts up a good showing and supports Ziggler showing off. Miz continues to come off as one of the craftiest most notable wrestlers in the company, I'm OK with his spot in the company, he could step up and carry a belt or gimmick at any time and pull it off. Tyler Breeze had a good Job spot, he came out and beat on Reigns and Styles and took his elimination. Honest good showing.

Jericho carried the match on his back. Every hot streak saw Jericho involved, he was obviously busted open and hurt halfway through but kept going like a real champ and for a fleeting moment, we all thought, could it be Jericho, would they put the belt on... JERICHO. That would be great, he would offer a great Champion Run. AJ Styles was the show stopper, they cheered him the entire time and the crowd really pushed him. Having Owens Eliminate him was a good move. Owens character and gimmick CRAVES heat. What better way to suck in Heat like Eliminating the overall Crowds wishlist winner. Styles Winning would have been EPIC, but I get why WWE would be hesitant to strap the belt on him immediately. However, He could have carried it. I enjoyed how they entered a few stables by only using one member. Curtis Axel for the Social Outcasts. It allowed the entire stable to enter without taking up numbers. Kofi on Big E's Shoulders eating Popcorn and drinking Soda was just hands down Brilliant for The New Day Gimmick. Goldust was a good surprise entrance and he gave a good showing. Who was useless and didn't even pull their role off well, other than the Typical hot/cold start everyone gets in the Rumble Match. Stardust, Ryback, Titus O'Neil, Jack Swagger,  Alberto Del Rio. These guys could have been replaced with a funny elimination or a surprise entrance and no one would give a damn. I'm not even sure why the majority of them are even still with the company or aren't in their own Story line in a Tag team division. Sheamus didn't have a bad showing, ruining a few spots and helping HHH. So lets Breakdown the notable moments for each Superstar who were given moments.

Reigns. Fear struck as Styles walked out. He got man handled by the league of nations and returned by Super punching his way back to the ring. No Lesner/Reigns lockup, but not disappointed. We all thought for a brief second they were going to let him win it. The Face off with HHH wasn't bad. Coming to blows with Wyatt. Ultimately getting Eliminated by HHH caused an outcry of Negativity from the crowd and I have to say I'm surprised with myself, because they built it so well down to three and I thought we were going to see Ambrose Vs. Reigns as the last two standing. Even I cried out in a painful heart wrenching "NOOOOOO" when he went out. Overall, great showing by Reigns. I know I know, I was surprised too. Unfortunately it setup an eventual Reigns VS. HHH at Wrestlemania for the belt. I don't mind Reigns VS HHH, but I think the belt could have been left out of the scenario.

HHH. Great Entrance, the crowd jeered him out of the building. It just yelled Screw Job. overall not bad. The Spot where he tried to push Wyatt around only to have Wyatt Spit Venom in his face and fight was great and a fantastic break away from character for Wyatt. The Celebration at the end was good. Evil standing tall and all of that. For a moment, I thought he was going to go out by the hands of Wyatt. Then at the end with Ambrose the crowd wanted it with Ambrose, they wanted it badly.  Age is starting to show. Time for his final fun.

The Wyatt's as a Whole. Harper entered first. Not a bad showing by him, he tossed some heads and knocked some people around. Strowman entered next, Followed by Rowan and then Wyatt. Some memorable moments for them were they annihilated Henry. Show Vs. Strowman showdown was a good moment, the standoff and Strowman tossing Show. The Big show actually had a good outing, weird from him, usually it's half assed. He still needs to retire. Just wanting to state that. The Aforementioned HHH vs. Bray and Bray vs. Roman were good moments. However, the big news for the Wyatt Family was Lesner. Brock eliminated all three, not easily, but he did it. However, they came back in and attacked him. This was obviously a setup for a Wrestlemania match. I'm O.K. with this. Lesner Vs. Wyatt is a good place for both of them. Lesner can do his domination thing and Bray can take that hit. He shouldn't have too. I really don't like Wyatt being the main Jobber for the company it isn't good for his overall Gimmick and having him Job constantly like he does really takes away from the effectiveness of the Wyatt Gimmick. However, I'm good with WWE putting Wyatt Vs. Lesner. Lesner should have jumped back in the ring and tossed Bray Wyatt in turn. I'm glad he didn't, because it allowed the Wyatt vs. HHH moment.

Kevin Owens limped in. The limping shows how good Kevin Owens is. He came out continuing to sell his previous match or he was actually hurt and dragged himself to the ring anyway. EITHER WAY, Owens is one of the best thing WWE has going. His Heat is over the top. When he Eliminated AJ Styles with a Smug "Welcome to the WWE" It was perfect, I was sad to see AJ go, but it was perfect. He beat up people got punched in the mouth. Ambrose Came in immediately afterward and they just went off on each again. Owens got over on Ambrose and BOOM!!!! Sami Zayn enters, Owen Sales the entrance and is just ENRAGED!!!! It ends with them going berserk on each other. Zayn's pop was extraordinary. They have real Heat. Zayn Eliminated Owens and the Crowd roared. Where are they going with Owens, he has heat from everywhere. He is the best Heel in the company. NOONE touches him.  Zayn vs. Owens at Wrestlemania would be EPIC! It's a Wrestlemania match made from months ago. It would really work.

Ambrose. I kind of mentioned all of his Highlights. Owens, HHH, being the last elimination. He is the number Two babyface in the company right now. That's why they have the Intercontinental Belt Strapped to his back. It would have been great to have him toss HHH.

What Could WWE have done Different? Anyone else winning the title. I'm not happy with HHH taking the Belt. He isn't worthy. He should have taken out Reigns, but the belt should have landed on multiple others. Owens, Ambrose, Jericho, Wyatt, Zayn, Lesner, or Del Rio to start. Del Rio had a piss poor showing didn't he? I hated the League of Nations working over Reigns to hurt him and have him come back. It fooled absolutely NOONE. NOT A SINGLE fan anywhere in the entire world thought Reigns was out and not coming back. No one. It was a waste. They kept interrupting the Rumble match with a Replay of the mugging. It was just bad. Wasted entries. We could have had some more fun ones. R-Truth stole the show. We didn't get a good solid call back. Fore Example, last year the Boogie man. We should have gotten a one time call back to someone good like a Christian, RVD, Sabu, Jim Duggan, Mick Foley, Razor Ramon, etc. just someone to get a pop, come in, get eliminated and move on. I always enjoyed those. No Lesner vs. Reigns. I don't know, I'm on the fence here. They teased it and to not have it happen was kind of a let down, but not bad. Only one NXT call up. They could have replaced Ryback with Apollo Crews or Baron Corbin. They need to stop pushing Titus. He doesn't have IT. He is good, but on a lower card level. Stick him in a tag team and let him run.

What did WWE do right. Everything involving Kevin Owens. AJ Styles Debut and Elimination. HHH at 30. Jericho lasting forever. Wyatt's tossing the big guys. Roman's start and HHH Eliminating him. Breeze. Only one member from a few Stables (Social Outcast, The New Day) Wyatt's vs. Lesner. Zayn Vs. Owens.

Total PPV Score 7/10. HHH shouldn't have the Belt it was a waste of an opportunity. Ric Flair needs to be taken out of the Divas Division, Charlotte should stay. The Usos need Rest. Wasted Entries.

Projected Wrestlemania Spots from Building Blocks. HHH VS. Roman Reigns. Bray Wyatt Vs. Brock Lesner. Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens. Sasha Banks Vs. Charlotte Flair. I'm ready for Monday Night Raw.