milamber Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 <p><strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Royal Rumble Review:</span></strong></p><p> </p><p> <strong>Outlaws vs RhodesDust (Tag Titles)</strong> - I'm fine with this, so as long the NAO drop the belts to the Usos. Shame it was only on the Kick-off show.</p><p> <strong>Bryan vs Bray</strong> - Awesome match with lots of brutal-looking spots (some of them made me wince). The enthusiastic crowd gave it a big fight feel. Bray impressed the hell out of me -- all he lacks is a torturous submission move. I applaud WWE for putting him over Bryan because it won't hurt Bryan's popularity and Bray needed the rub going forward.</p><p> <strong>Show vs Lesnar</strong> - I like how they booked around Big Slow. Brock with the chair shots, surviving the KO punch, winning with an F5, then more chair shots. Technically poor match but made Lesnar look like a bad-ass heel.</p><p> <strong>Orton vs Cena</strong> - I can understand fans crapping on this match but I still find it annoying and disrespectful. Props to Orton for playing off the chants in character and Cena for trying the Walls of Jericho after the Y2J chant. The match was decent, it just started off too slow. The last 15 minutes was pretty good. The Wyatt Family getting a big push!</p><p> <strong>Royal Rumble</strong> - Entertaining enough despite the obvious winner and a few wasted spots. Reigns kicked ass! After all the boos Batista surely has to turn heel or the WM30 match needs to turn into a Triple Threat with Bryan or Punk.</p><p> </p><p> <strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Verdict:</span></strong> Above average PPV by recent standards. Rumble match was fun and Bryan vs Bray is an early MOTY contender.</p><p> </p><p> <img alt="tumblr_mzq9dx8hwZ1suz14yo1_400.gif" data-src="https://24.media.tumblr.com/be720c4bfcf41754208bd925cb334e6f/tumblr_mzq9dx8hwZ1suz14yo1_400.gif" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Matt Shannon" data-cite="Matt Shannon" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Unless I've missed it pages back, I'm surprised no one has brought up that according to reports(take them with a grain of salt, of course), Undertaker apparently has <strong>requested</strong> to face Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania. Considering how Taker likes to help up and coming talent, and considering that the Taker Mania match is now on par with the main event, that's actually a pretty big thing for Bryan, even if he doesn't win. A loss to Taker at Mania wouldn't hurt him in the least. Heck, if memory serves me correct, a Taker Mania loss actually benefited Randy Orton.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> That boat has sailed. Taker is a babyface. Bryan is a babyface. There's no compelling story there, IMO. As much I would love to see that match. Pretty sure Lesnar is a lock for the Taker match.</p> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fleisch Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Daniel Bryan vs. Bray Wyatt and Roman Reigns beating Kanes record for most eliminations. The only 2 positives I took from the Royal Rumble. I'm not saying too much in case I get more figures thrown at me than a maths student studying for finals on how TV ratings are down (a lot of people download the shows) or how PPV's are down (again, people seem to just download the shows when it seems predictable as all of those mentioned were). If you want to go by the TV and PPV buys alone as the be all and end all to your discussions then go for it - forget the live crowd, what do they know, they only paid for travel and tickets to chant "Yes" and get behind Daniel Bryan, but we can ignore them because it's only 15,000 fans. Enjoy Wrestlemania 40 when it is headlined by John Cena and Randy Orton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delv213 Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 You mean like Cena vs. Bryan for the World Title at the second biggest pay per view of the year after the fans wouldn't even let Cena announce the match they were chanting YES so loud should and would draw huge? Or how Daniel Bryan's huge reactions would and should create ratings we've not seen in a long time? When in reality Money in the Bank which was Henry vs. Cena was up by about 10 percent in buys from the year before. However Cena vs. Bryan at Summerslam was down TWENTY percent from the year before. Night of Champions was down from the year before which was Orton vs. Bryan for the title before anyone had any idea that Bryan wasn't going to get his title victory at some point. TV ratings the entire month of September the month after Summerslam never hit the 3's even when June and July alone had four or five weeks hit the 3's. If you honestly believe Bryan feuding with John Cena, Randy Orton and the McMahon's for two straight months did worse business than before Bryan's push but somehow believe that Batista vs. Bryan would and should main event the WWE's biggest show ever then you're the kind of fan they want. There is not a single number out there that proves Bryan is a financial draw in anyway for the company. All the pay per views he main evented were down from the year before while the two previous pay per views before his push where up. He has some excuses for the later pay per view but for Summerslam his big title match and Night of Champions the start of his Orton feud there is no excuse why if he was so red hot there isn't a massive increase in buys or even television ratings. You have no clue what they're talking about, if Steve Austin lost 3 straight PPV's before getting a title shot against Shawn Michaels at WM 14, I doubt many people would be buying that PPV either. When Cena was getting shoved down our throats when he came to Raw in 2005, he wasn't much of a draw. Who knows the reason why, maybe more establishing was needed or better opponents? I know Cena drew well when he faced Angle in 2005, but that was Angle at his most over part of his career. Backlash 2006: Triple H vs John Cena© vs Edge 220,000 buys Judgment Day 2006: JBL vs Rey Mysterio© 252,000 buys The fact was Rey Mysterio was booked like shit during his title reign, and still drew more then a young Super Cena is hilarious. However, Rey was still given the chance to draw as WHC and defend his title on a PPV. People wanted to see Mysterio make his first PPV title defense because Mysterio was popular and there was a huge doubt he'd even make a title defense. You can't argue that JBL is a draw machine although he too was also booked well months in advance leading up to his match. Bryan however was not, as he was basically buried every week by getting called the "weak link" by the Shield after they finished pinning him on Raw. Not to mention he was being booked like a loser immediately after he won/lost the title. Who can forget everyone calling Daniel Bryan a "B+" player. Oh, how everyone should've talked about how mentally prepared and ready Bryan was for his chance to to become champion and maybe the 20,000-50,000 people who streamed it illegally would've bought the thing. Bryan lost 3 straight PPV's going into Summerslam 2013: Extreme Rules W/Kane vs Shield Payback W/Randy Orton vs Sheild Money In The Bank vs Randy Orton & Others. Nice job building up the future top babyface right? Why did the fans show upto the arena tonight at the Rumble? The selling point of The Royal Rumble was Batista winning The Rumble and the Cena/Orton match, which had 10 minutes of the crowd chanting for someone else who wasn't in the match. They booed the crap out of the two matches that would normally sell. Isn't selling out arenas drawing money? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astil Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Honest non-loaded question: Who sells more WWE Network deals? Batista or Bryan. My way of 'showing' my disfavor will be not buying the network until after wrestlemania. I want to spend a full year becoming engrossed in a character and see that story end at Mania. Be that Punk, Bryan or even Ryback befor Batista. But thats just me, who do you think sells more Network deals and why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milamber Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Heeltista strikes back at angry fans! http://www.cagesideseats.com/2014/1/27/5349480/royal-rumble-2014-results-batista-flips-off-fans-after-winning-match-report https://twitter.com/ZachP2517/status/427653128188858368 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arrows Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Heeltista strikes back at angry fans! http://www.cagesideseats.com/2014/1/27/5349480/royal-rumble-2014-results-batista-flips-off-fans-after-winning-match-report https://twitter.com/ZachP2517/status/427653128188858368 And complete lack of shock crosses my face at seeing Batista be a jacked up, Rock Wannabe, Cry baby. This is your next World champion. He's Saggy! He's Covered In Tats! He Can't Time His Entrance! NOBODY In Any Seat Wants Him In That Ring! Batista! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Self Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Very, very interesting second half of the rumble. The Shield were amazing. Reigns for obvious reasons, but Rollins was the workhorse in there, bumping for everyone, lasting forever. It's an under-rated role, to be the guy in early, responsible for making every new entrant look good. Rollins was great. The way the crowd turned when Bryan didn't come in at 30 was... Wow. Poor Rey. I mean, it hurt everyone, but Rey in particular. I don't really follow WWE, so I'm not angered by their decisions. I'm intruiged, however, and wonder what they'll do from here on out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazorbeak Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 You mean like Cena vs. Bryan for the World Title at the second biggest pay per view of the year after the fans wouldn't even let Cena announce the match they were chanting YES so loud should and would draw huge? Or how Daniel Bryan's huge reactions would and should create ratings we've not seen in a long time? When in reality Money in the Bank which was Henry vs. Cena was up by about 10 percent in buys from the year before. However Cena vs. Bryan at Summerslam was down TWENTY percent from the year before. Night of Champions was down from the year before which was Orton vs. Bryan for the title before anyone had any idea that Bryan wasn't going to get his title victory at some point. TV ratings the entire month of September the month after Summerslam never hit the 3's even when June and July alone had four or five weeks hit the 3's. If you honestly believe Bryan feuding with John Cena, Randy Orton and the McMahon's for two straight months did worse business than before Bryan's push but somehow believe that Batista vs. Bryan would and should main event the WWE's biggest show ever then you're the kind of fan they want. There is not a single number out there that proves Bryan is a financial draw in anyway for the company. All the pay per views he main evented were down from the year before while the two previous pay per views before his push where up. He has some excuses for the later pay per view but for Summerslam his big title match and Night of Champions the start of his Orton feud there is no excuse why if he was so red hot there isn't a massive increase in buys or even television ratings. This is the sort of reverse logic that helps WWE justify their awful choices, but it's still backwards. "Oh, Summerslam didn't draw, so Bryan's not a draw." There was no story to Summerslam. Cena picked Bryan out of a ring full of stars and the build was... what? Vince berating his beard, Bryan taking a loss to Wade Barrett, and doing basically nothing with Cena. Yes, chants in of themselves don't immediately equal drawing power. But it means the crowd is hot for a guy and maybe don't 50/50 book him with Wade Barrett, a guy you mangled back in 2011 with awful booking. Seriously, let's go back to 1996 and re-book WWE the way they do today. Austin wins KOTR, the live crowd is excited to see him, his 3:16 catchphrase is over. Shawn Michaels picks him to be the #1 contender (not because he won KOTR, just... because), and Austin spends the next 6 weeks trading wins with Savio Vega. Austin wins, but gets screwed out of the title, and never gets any comeuppance on the heels, despite increasingly loud crowd reactions. WWE point out repeatedly that he's not championship material because he's too bland and small. Steve Austin "bald hats" aren't a top seller, and WWE throws its hands up and says "oh well, this guy just can't draw." He's not booked in the 1997 Royal Rumble at all, instead losing to Hunter Hearst Helmsley in the opener. Of course, what actually happened was that Austin, even though he was still a heel for another 9 months, just stopped losing to anyone that wasn't a top draw in the company (including the Royal Rumble in 1997). WWE started booking him like a champion over a year before he won the belt for the first time, at Wrestlemania, in a story where the heels desperately tried to keep him from winning the belt but still couldn't stop him. He won two Royal Rumbles and only lost on Pay Per View to Bret Hart and the Undertaker in a span of 20 months. In the meantime, WWF put out some of its best merchandise ever (compare with this), and kept Austin in major storylines, where again, he didn't lose. WWE has booked Bryan incompetently for months and then get to say "oh he's not drawing well." More fun facts about buyrates: buyrates were down when Lesnar beat Rock at Summerslam, and down even worse when he beat Kurt Angle at Wrestlemania, but he's still one of the biggest PPV draws in the history of pay per view when booked correctly (UFC 100). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellboy2 Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 i was convinced Roman Reigns was going to win, but I also convinced myself Ultimate Warrior was going to be in the rumble, my mate was livid at the result of Batista winning and called me at 4 in the morning to tell me the result judging by crowd reaction, surely Elimination Chamber will either crown a face champion or a number one contender to make it a triple threat I don't mind Batista winning but Orton vs Batista does not appeal to me, am loving The Wyatts so hopefully Bray will get a decent match at Wrestlemania, I am usually sold on the undercard anyway rather than the main event Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arrows Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Batista will be champion until SS. Guardians is coming out in August. Batista is in it. They want the belt on him during the publicity. Batista will win the belt at WrestleMania. Period. End of story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djthefunkchris Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Batista will be champion until SS. Guardians is coming out in August. Batista is in it. They want the belt on him during the publicity. Batista will win the belt at WrestleMania. Period. End of story. Just a FYI. I don't doubt that Foley's remarks are legit, but Daniel Bryan is hyping his story with his, he's in character. I don't know if it will mean anything or not, but I figure if he's tweeting in character, there will be more to come. Also, I have to point out how these PPV's have led directly into a RAW that wraps them up lately. Might be more to come tonight.... Might be more stuff to hate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigtplaystew Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 <p><a href="http://totaltalk.comxa.com/2014/01/27/do-we-even-matter-as-hardcore-wrestling-fans-anymore/" rel="external nofollow">http://totaltalk.comxa.com/2014/01/27/do-we-even-matter-as-hardcore-wrestling-fans-anymore/</a></p><p> </p><p> Check out my bitchfest... i mean my blog on WWE, the rumble, and basically the state of the business from my POV.</p> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arrows Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="djthefunkchris" data-cite="djthefunkchris" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Just a FYI. I don't doubt that Foley's remarks are legit, but Daniel Bryan is hyping his story with his, he's in character. I don't know if it will mean anything or not, but I figure if he's tweeting in character, there will be more to come.<p> </p><p> Also, I have to point out how these PPV's have led directly into a RAW that wraps them up lately. Might be more to come tonight.... Might be more stuff to hate.<img alt=":cool:" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/cool.png.f00d2562b2c1d873a09323753efdb041.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> From what I'm hearing, plans are for Punk to beat Batista for the belt in late August.</p> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Target Practice Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 <p>I actually quite enjoyed most of the PPV. Watched it with a couple of smark friends who actually enjoy watching the wrestling rather than just complaining about the booking (I also have smark friends like that, and I refuse to watch events with them!), and all-in-all, it was actually a pretty good PPV from the in-ring side of things. Booking? Not so much, although even then they got a few things right.</p><p> </p><p> A few bullet points on what we thought:</p><p> </p><ul><li>I have no idea why the tag match was pre-show. There was a LOT of downtime in the first hour of the PPV, please don't tell me that they couldn't have squeezed that comparitively short tag match on the main card somewhere. Just seems silly when you think the Brotherhood won the titles in a fantastic main event on Raw, then lost them in a 'quickie' match that apparently didn't even merit a place on the main card.<br /></li><li>For all the booking boo-boos made on this event, if Big Show really was injured for the Lesnar match, they played it absolutely perfectly. Lesnar got a ton of heat, and Big Show didn't lose too much face. They made the best of a bad situation, I feel.<br /></li><li>Likewise, Reigns in the rumble was booked spot-on. Absolutely dominant, without feeling like he was being pushed down our throats. Part of me almost wants the inevitable Shield break-up to move on quickly, so I can see who they match him with in a singles feud.<br /></li><li>Cena/Orton was a tough watch, and not just because the crowd hated on it. The match itself was dull and uninteresting - they tried the 'kick out of each other's finisher' card, and when that didn't draw a reaction, they moved the next step up the ladder to 'steal the opponent's finisher', and surprise surprise, that didn't draw any reaction either. The match was actually a pretty accurate microcosm of the whole feud. Nothing technically wrong with it as such, but it was uninspiring, by-the-numbers stuff we'd all seen before and no-one involved seemed remotely interested.<br /></li><li>I can't see how WWE can proceed with what I'm assuming was their initial plan of sending Batista into WMXXX as the face in an Orton feud. He got booed out of the building, even his return last week was met with a fairly mediocre reaction. I don't have a problem with a Batista/Orton feud or match, but headlining Wrestlemania with the complete crowd apathy towards both guys right now? No chance. Something's got to be done, be it an early heel turn or whatever, but right now, proceeding on the initially planned path seems like booking suicide.<br /></li><li>As nice as it would have been to see Daniel Bryan in the Rumble, I won't lose sleep over it. I like Bryan, but some fans seem to want him on the screen three or four times a show, and I don't want that - less is sometimes more. Still though, having JBL do an in-and-out and not having Bryan at least make a token appearance is kinda silly from a 'keeping the fans on board' point of view.<br /></li></ul><p></p> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbergey_2005 Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 <p>Is there any chance that the WWE is pulling a remarkable storyline in which Bryan leaves WM with the championship and shocks everyone? Or am I giving them too much credit? </p><p> </p><p> Disclaimer. I havent been paying attention for a long while.</p> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Final Countdown Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 <p>This seems like a good time to resurrect a running joke from my old ROH diary.</p><p> </p><p> HHH's reaction when the crowd crapped all over his buddy Big Dave winning the Rumble:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> <span>http://i588.photobucket.com/albums/ss322/FCDiary/HUNTERCONCENTRATES.jpg~original</span></p> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TLCJR4LIFE Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 <p>Wasn't particularly bothered by Bryan not being the Rumble but man was I turned off by Batista winning the thing. </p><p> </p><p> WWE had me to the point of cheering for CM Punk. That's when you know things have gotten bad.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> Roman Reigns would have been better and he's not really ready yet. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> The Randy Orton chinlocks on a gassed Botchtista are going to be a joy to watch. Not.</p> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Target Practice Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="jbergey_2005" data-cite="jbergey_2005" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Is there any chance that the WWE is pulling a remarkable storyline in which Bryan leaves WM with the championship and shocks everyone? Or am I giving them too much credit? <p> </p><p> Disclaimer. I havent been paying attention for a long while.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Part of me really hopes so, and even though I try to go fairly easy on the bookers, I certainly don't think that was the original plan - I think they were hoping Batista's return would generate similar enthusiasm as the Rock's last year, and that really hasn't been the case. Quite the opposite, in fact.</p><p> </p><p> Of course, last night's events could (and indeed should!) spur a rethinking of those plans - whether that includes Bryan or not, I don't know, although he's just finished his run with the Wyatts, so could easily be shoehorned into the title picture without too much worry if the writers were so inclined.</p> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Self Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="TLCJR4LIFE" data-cite="TLCJR4LIFE" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>WWE had me to the point of cheering for CM Punk. That's when you know things have gotten bad.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I drew No.1 in a Rumble pool, and stood to win £20 if Punk won, so I forced myself to cheer him on. Ironically the man who took him out had won me £20 a couple of Wrestlemania's ago. The Kane giveth, and the Kane taketh away.</p> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickymex Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Self" data-cite="Self" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I drew No.1 in a Rumble pool, and stood to win £20 if Punk won, so I forced myself to cheer him on. Ironically the man who took him out had won me £20 a couple of Wrestlemania's ago. The Kane giveth, and the Kane taketh away.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I feel sorry for whoever got El Torito. It must have been crushing</p> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaysin Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 I feel like the only person in the world that thought El Torito was entertaining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Self Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 <p>He was really good. A welcome breath of fresh air. Fandango clubbering him was ace too. </p><p> </p><p> Last yeah I drew Zack Ryder in the Rumble pool. I don't feel sorry for anyone anymore.</p> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Target Practice Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 <p>Yeah, I don't get the hate his appearance got. At least he made an impact, and the bit with Punk had me and my buddies in fits of giggles. In a match as long as the Rumble, a bit of variety doesn't hurt, as long as it's not overdone.</p><p> </p><p> That's the bit that annoys me with the rabid pro-Bryan thing - they're hating on completely the wrong people. Poor Rey got absolutely panned for having the audacity to not be Daniel Bryan. If Bryan had been in the Rumble, people likely wouldn't have even been slightly bothered by El Torito's appearance, but there are some that are acting like he personally stole the slot that would <em>definitely</em> have been D-Bry's had he not been there.</p> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eayragt Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 One thinks that would have worked better if Batista was a surprise entrant as originally planned... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teh_Showtime Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 <p>It wasn't originally planned at all Im pretty certain.</p><p> </p><p> They have never cared about leaks and the week they had the ad on, their TV show was a taped one with live commentary already done.</p> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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