Royal Rumble 2016: All About The Game

As everyone knows, the Road to WrestleMania has been very bumpy to say the least. The Roster has recently been depleted with the losses of major players like John Cena, Seth Rollins, Randy Orton, Cesaro and Sting due to injuries. There are still questions about the WrestleMania Card itself. However, WWE found a way to call an audible while things have been breaking down around them heading into the Royal Rumble.

In the midst of their drought of talent, WWE signed NJPW Stars such as former TNA franchise player AJ Styles, Nakamura, Doc Gallows and Carl Anderson. The group was famously known as the Bullet Club in NJPW.

Another major twist for this year's Royal Rumble was that the title was on the line in the Rumble Match itself. This was the second time in WWE History where the title was on the line in the Royal Rumble. As we know, Ric Flair won the Vacated Title as the Rumble Winner in 1992. However, the difference between then and now is that the WWE Champion was involved in this year's Rumble.

This PPV exceeded expectations in many ways. Here is the breakdown.

WWE Intercontinental Championship Match (Last Man Standing): Dean Ambrose (c) def. Kevin Owens

The opening match of the night was for the IC Title. This could very well have been the match of the night outside of the Rumble itself. It was very intense and told a great story between two brutal rivals. Just when it looked dark, Dean Ambrose came through in the clutch. Kevin Owens set up 5 or 6 chairs in the ring to deliver his backward Splash on Ambrose. Dean pushed Kevin off the top rope and onto the tables set up outside. Ambrose retained the title as Owens did not answer the 10 Count.

WWE Tag Team Championship Match: New Day (c) def. The USO's

The New Day and the USO's are the teams that have carried the Tag Team Division from 2014-2015. On their way to the ring, the New Day introduced Francesca II since Chris Jericho killed the first trombone. The Orlando crowd gave New Day a nice reaction. Even though they were chanting "New Day Sucks", it sounded like there were many that were chanting "New Day Rocks". This goes to show how entertaining they are even as goofy heels. The USO's got next to no reaction from the crowd whatsoever.

In the end, the New Day squeaked out the win to remain champions.

WWE United States Championship Match: Kalisto def. Alberto Del Rio (c)

This match was a do-over from two weeks ago, when Kalisto defeated ADR for the title before it was hot-shotted back to Alberto. It was a decent match, but I am not a big fan of how WWE creates comparisons between Kalisto and Rey Mysterio. Kalisto is the Dollar Store version of Mysterio.


WWE Divas Championship Match: Charlotte (c) def. Becky Lynch

In typical Flair fashion, Charlotte used heel tricks and tactics to defeat Becky Lynch. This was a rather underwhelming Divas Title match because of how Charlotte did whatever she could to carry this match.

The real highlight came after the match when Sasha Banks made her return. Sasha kicked Becky out of the ring to confront Charlotte face to face. As Charlotte would make her exit, Sasha hit her with the Bank Statement and rolled her into the Crossface Submission. Expect this to be Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte for the Divas Title. With the Road to WrestleMania, hopefully this is their way of cleaning up the dirt of the Divas Revolution.

The Royal Rumble for the WWE Championship: Triple H wins the Rumble to become WWE Champion

• From the start, this Royal Rumble was strategically planned for Triple H and Roman Reigns to be the Central Figures. The Authority made Roman the first entrant into the Rumble to stack the deck. Rusev would be the next entrant. Things started off between them before the biggest surprise made his debut. TNA Cornerstone AJ Styles made his long awaited debut in the match to an ecstatic crowd at the Amway Center in Orlando, FL. I guess it was also natural because they were in Florida, home of TNA. I respect the way that WWE recognized him as AJ Styles instead of giving him a corny, generic name. AJ was able to keep his character original and the fans loved it. Styles was very impressive in his first Rumble ever. He remained in the match for more than 27 minutes to showcase his talent before being eliminated by Kevin Owens. This could be a sign of big things to come for Styles.

• Chris Jericho entered the Royal Rumble at number 5. I must honestly say that physically he has been letting himself go as of late. It felt like Jericho was in there for at least a day because he lasted for a very long time. Kofi Kingston avoided elimination as long as he possibly could like he always does in the Rumble. This time, he sat on the shoulders of Big E while drinking a fan's soda and eating popcorn. When it was time to get back in, Jericho was the one to eliminate him. It looks like the Y2J vs. New Day feud continues.

• Brock Lesnar came and dominated in true Beast form. He eliminated the Wyatt Family before standing face to face with Bray Wyatt. The rest of the Wyatt Family returned to eliminate Lesnar. This continues to set the stage for Brock Lesnar vs. Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania. 

• Midway through the Rumble, Roman was attacked by the League of Foreign Losers (I mean League of Nations) outside of the ring. The assault was completed with Rusev running from two or three announcers tables to do a big splash on Roman through another announcers table. 

• The comedy spot was R-Truth pulling out a ladder and placing it inside of the ring as if it were a ladder match. Silly comedy to say the least. 

• Sami Zayn made his long awaited return as an entrant of the Rumble. Zayn immediately set his sights on long-time rival Kevin Owens. Sami would eventually eliminate Kevin from the Rumble match. Clearly, there is still unfinished business between them. 

• Kevin's opponent from the first match was Dean Ambrose. Dean was very impressive in the Rumble as he came within an inch of winning the title. This was similar to when Roddy Piper was in the '92 Rumble as IC Champion. Things looked bright until the number 30 entrant joined the match:

• In the ultimate swerve, Triple H entered the Royal Rumble as the final entrant as Reigns was number 1. This goes to show how WWE made this entire Rumble revolve around Reigns vs. The Authority. Reigns returned in strong fashion as he knocked out Sheamus before wiping out the League of Nations. Roman would meet his end with an elimination from Triple H. 
• When it was Ambrose vs. Triple H, it was only a matter of time before the Game would win. 

Overall, I was satisfied with the Royal Rumble. The biggest surprise was the debut of AJ Styles and how impressive he was. Like many fans, I did not agree with Triple H winning, but it was "Best For Business". Considering the circumstances with the injuries to the major stars on the roster, Triple H is the only one that is truly capable of being the heel that could carry Roman Reigns and get him over with the fans. This is used to ultimately set up Roman's WrestleMania moment. Heading into WrestleMania, The Game is the best dance partner for Reigns, and it is time to take the ride. Remember, in the words of Mike Knoxxx (@MIKEKNOXXX) #WrestlingIsStoryline. This is simply for the purpose of strengthening a Storyline.

I give the Royal Rumble 4 WWF Winged Eagle Titles out of 5.

Let's Dance (vol. 5- John Cena)

The "Let's Dance" Series continues to roll in a strong way. Dance Partners are made to bring the very best out of each other.

Now, I would like to examine the many dance partners of the Franchise Star of the Modern WWE Generation, John Cena.

There have been very few stars that have had the same abundance of dance partners that Cena has had over the course of his impressive career. The only other names that come to mind with an array of rivals were Undertaker, HH and Ric Flair. Just like them, Cena has been able to spark amazing rivalries over the history of wrestling.

Just like Superman or Goku, Cena has enjoyed a variety of villains to dance with. Since Cena is the Superman of WWE, these villains are his Lex Luthors, Brainiacs, General Zods, Doomsday, etc. Time to examine his "Who's Who?" of Dance Partners.

Edge:

Length of Feud: 2006-2009

Featured Matches:

Royal Rumble 2006
Backlash 2006
Summerslam 2006
Unforgiven 2006 (TLC Match)
Backlash 2007
No Way Out 2009
WrestleMania XXV
Backlash 2009

Match Quality: 4/5
Storyline Quality: 9/10
Rivalry Rating 9.5/10

Edge and John Cena were very much counter culture. Cena was Rap, Edge was Rock/Heavy Metal. John Cena was the clean cut standard hero while Edge was the villain that served to be the ultimate thorn in his side. Edge made his first Main Event Impact by cashing in his MITB Briefcase on a wounded John Cena after he survived a Brutal Elimination Chamber Match. Edge conquered Cena with two Spears to win his first WWE Championship. As a result, RAW's Ratings spiked (with the addition of Edge's live sex celebration with Lita). Cena would gain his revenge when he defeated Edge to win back the WWE Title at the Royal Rumble. They feuded over the title throughout 2006 as their feud was named "Feud of the Year" by PWI. This was Cena's biggest challenge as Champion at that point in his career. The highlight of their feud took place at Unforgiven 2006 when Cena defeated Edge at his own game of a TLC Match. To add fuel to the fire, the match was in Edge's hometown of Toronto, Canada. Cena and Edge would meet again in a Fatal Four Way Match at Backlash involving Shawn Michaels and Randy Orton. Cena remained Champion as Edge would move to Smackdown concluding their feud for the time being. However, their paths would cross once again during 2009 as Edge won the World Heavyweight Championship at No Way Out. Cena would defeat Edge and Big Show at WrestleMania XXV to win the title. Edge would have the last laugh at Backlash to win back the WHC with help from Big Show.

Randy Orton:

Length of Feud: 2007-2013

Featured Matches: 

Backlash 2007
Summerslam 2007

WrestleMania XXIV
Backlash 2008
Night Of Champions
Summerslam 2009
Breaking Point
Hell In A Cell
Bragging Rights
TLC 2013

Match Quality: 4/5
Storyline Quality: 8.5/10
Rivalry Rating: 9/10

The unique thing about the John Cena vs. Randy Orton feud is how their career paths have followed each other from their time at OVW. Both Cena and Orton made their debut on the main roster in 2002 as part of Smackdown. Cena would become the Dr. of Thuganomics while Orton joined Evolution. They won championship gold around the same time. Orton and Cena had unique paths to the top. Randy won the IC Title at Armageddon 2003, while John won the US Title at WrestleMania XX. Orton became the youngest World Champion at Summerslam 2004 at just 24 years old. Meanwhile, Cena became WWE Champion at WrestleMania 21. This shows how their careers have been parallel. Even though Randy won his titles first, Cena won his on bigger stages. However, Orton hit a roadblock in 2004 when he lost the WHC. When John Cena won the WWE Championship from JBL at WM, he maintained his spot at the top on a consistent basis and gained stronger momentum. By 2007, Randy Orton had become a more polished performer just in time to be inserted into the WWE Title picture. Orton was involved in the Fatal Four Way match at Backlash for the WWE Championship. The match also included Edge and Shawn Michaels with Cena winning. However, Cena suffered a pectoral injury during the Summer. On an episode of Saturday Night's Main Event, Orton added further damage by giving him the RKO on an open steel chair. As a result of John Cena's injury, Randy Orton was crowned the new WWE Champion. This is what helped to escalate their rivalry to another level. Cena would return at the Royal Rumble for a shot at the title. Orton retained at WM XXIV. The feud between Cena and Orton would consistently go through 2008-2009. The high points of their feud would be from Breaking Point to Bragging Rights. These two are considered the legends of their generation with nearly 30 world championships combined between them.


CM Punk:

Length of Feud: 2011-2013

Featured Matches:

Money In the Bank 2011

Summerslam 2011

Summerslam 2012

Survivor Series 2012

RAW 2013

Match Quality: 4.5/5
Storyline Quality: 9/10
Rivalry Rating: 9/10

As John Cena was in the midst of his feud with The Rock building up for WrestleMania XXVIII, he was met with another intense feud in between that time. Enter CM Punk. In the Summer of 2011, CM Punk had grown frustrated of being pushed to the background while the likes of The Rock ("Dwayne") and John Cena took over a lion's share of the spotlight as they were in the marquee headline of WrestleMania while he was not. In his famous "Pipe Bomb" Promo, Punk shot straight from the hip about his anger of being disrespected and unappreciated by WWE. His main target for the frustration at that moment was John Cena. Punk threatened to take the WWE Title with him back to Ring Of Honor and NJPW. Once they had the contract signing along with Vince McMahon's involvement, the stage was set for Money In the Bank 2011 in Punk's backyard of Chicago. CM Punk would emerge victorious as he defeated Cena for the WWE Title. Cena's feud with Punk would continue into Summerslam 2011. It would be on again, off again as they would have Triple Threat Matches featuring Big Show and Ryback (Summerslam 2012, Survivor Series 2012), along with their final match at RAW 2013 to determine the number one contender for WrestleMania XXIX. Cena and Punk danced tremendously together. Contrary to the popular opinion of the Internet, dancing with John Cena put CM Punk on a higher platform. 

Brock Lesnar:

Length of Feud: 2003, 2012-2015

Featured Matches:

Backlash 2003

Extreme Rules 2012

Summerslam 2014
Night of Champions 2014
Royal Rumble 2015

Match Quality: 3.5/5
Storyline Quality: 8/10
Rivalry Rating: 8.5/10

Much like with Randy Orton, and Batista, John Cena's history with Brock Lesnar dates back to their time in Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW). You can say that their rivalry started casually in 2003 when Cena was the Dr. of Thuganomics. During that time, Cena challenged Lesnar for the WWE Championship. One of the most memorable things about that time was when Cena cut a freestyle about Brock's tattoos. Lesnar would win, but it was a sign of things to come for Cena in the future. The timing is interesting from when Brock left to when Cena became the face of the company. In Brock's absence, Cena established a Hall of Fame Caliber Career and became one of the biggest box office draws in WWE History. The night after WrestleMania XXVIII, Brock made his long awaited return as he gave John the F5. Cena looked like he was on his way to a downward spiral going into Extreme Rules. Their match was brutal with Brock throwing Cena from left to right and nearly beating him half to death. Suddenly, Cena surprises everyone as he hits Lesnar with the chain before nailing him with the Attitude Adjustment for the win. It seemed as though Cena got rid of the monster once and for all. However, business was not finished. After Lesnar broke the Streak, he was Cena's automatic challenger at Summerslam. Lesnar destroyed Cena in a one-sided match to become the new WWE Champion. The rivalry continued as Brock retained at Night of Champions and ended with him remaining Champion at the Royal Rumble. 

The Rock:

Length of Feud: 2011-2013

Featured Matches:
WrestleMania XXVIII
WrestleMania XXIX

What makes this stand out as one of John Cena's top rivalries is not only the star value of his dance partner but the buildup surrounding the feud. This was the quintessential example of a "Dream Match" on paper. Rock and Cena are the premiere stars from different generations. This was more tangible than a dream feud between Rock-Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart-Kurt Angle, Hulk-Bruno, etc. FINALLY, after seven years away from WWE, the Rock HAS COME BACK to the WWE. Rocky wasted no time in taking care of business. Rock's main target the night of his return was John Cena. He shot straight from the hip about the jabs that Cena took in various interviews. This led to a war of the words. The Rock even became the host of WrestleMania XXVII. It was obvious that The Rock was going to get involved in Cena's match. Rocky cost Cena the WWE Title match against The Miz. The next night, The Rock and John Cena booked their "Once In A Lifetime" Match for WrestleMania XXVIII. From that time, they kept their distance with jabs at each other in the mainstream media and in Social Media including Rock's classic promo via YouTube. This feud ran simultaneously with the feud that John Cena started with CM Punk during the Summer. Their paths would finally collide at WrestleMania XXVIII in The Rock's BattleGround of Miami, FL. Rock was the hometown favorite and the favorite of Attitude Era fans, while Cena was the favorite among the current demographic. Both were faces going into the match, even though Cena was booed out of Miami heading into the ring. For what it was worth, this was a great match with The Rock standing tall as the winner in the end. The buildup and storyline for this match (along with Taker vs. HHH) made this the highest grossing live event in WWE history. Naturally, Rock and Cena would have a sequel at WrestleMania XXIX for the WWE Championship. Cena won the Rumble the same night that Rock defeated CM Punk to become WWE Champion. Their paths would collide again, but this time Cena won to redeem himself in a passing of the torch moment similar to what The Rock experienced at WrestleMania X8. The buildup and the drawing power that this feud created is enough to rank among John Cena's greatest rivalries.


Match Quality: 3.5/5
Storyline Quality: 9.5/10
Rivalry Rating: 8.5/10

Batista: 

Length of Feud: 2008-2010

Featured Matches:

Summerslam 2008

WrestleMania XXVI

Extreme Rules 2010

Over the Limit

The John Cena-Batista feud was well built by how wisely they were kept apart from each other. Their origins began at OVW. They were the last two men in the 2005 Royal Rumble with Batista winning. At WrestleMania 21, they were positioned as the top franchise players for the WWE. Both of their victories were torch-passing moments. Their paths ran parallel with each other. Cena defeated JBL for the WWE Title, while Batista defeated Triple H for the World Heavyweight Title in a more intense match. That summer, they were the most valuable stars in the WWE Draft during the Brand Extension Era. Cena was the 1st overall pick for RAW, Batista was the 2nd overall pick for Smackdown. It was clear that John Cena was 1A as he became not only the Captain of RAW, but star of WWE itself. Meanwhile, DC Dave was Captain of the B-Show as he became 1B. Batista had the initial firepower coming out of WM 21, but Cena would slowly pull ahead. While they could have very well collided at Survivor Series (possibly WrestleMania), they stayed out of each other's way for three years. Batista carried Smackdown as he feuded with JBL. Meanwhile, Cena defended the title against Kurt Angle before kicking off his feud with Edge. Their paths would finally cross when Batista returned to RAW for a superstar showdown at Summerslam 2008. This was one of the rare cases of WWE using the brand split to build dream matches (ex: Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle). However, Cena and Batista were both faces in this match. In rare fashion, John Cena ended the match looking up at the lights as Batista broke his neck with a Batista Bomb. This would be a sign of things to come as this was the fuel for their fire going into WrestleMania XXVI. Going into their WM Match, their was actual doubt that Cena would walk away as champion because of how dominant Batista was as a monster heel champion. Not only that, but Batista already had the victory over Cena before. Cena would overcome the DC Monster Batista at WrestleMania and sweep the series with wins at Extreme Rules and Over the Limit. Even though Cena won the overall series, he found an opponent that matched him when it came to physical and star power credentials to a degree. It was a battle of "I should be number 1". It proved to be one of the most significant feuds not only for John Cena, but for Batista as well. 

Match Quality: 3.5/5

Storyline Quality: 8/10

Rivalry Rating: 8.5/10

Chris Jericho:

Length of Feud: 2002-2008

Featured Matches:
Vengeance 2002
Summerslam 2005
Surivor Series 2008

This feud was a launching pad for Cena becoming a star in WWE. They had a match early in Cena's career before he became the Dr. of Thuganomics with John getting the win over the veteran Jericho. However, things were kicked up another notch as we fast forward to 2005. John Cena was just drafted to RAW as the first overall pick as he was the guest on Chris Jericho's Highlight Reel. It wasn't long before Jericho stepped up to become the challenger for the WWE Championship. Naturally, Jericho becomes the heel and goes into arrogant rockstar mode. It was truly "Rap vs. Rock". They even had a "Battle of the Bands" on RAW. Cena with his rap group vs. Fozzy. However, Jericho came to the stage by himself and refused to perform. Cena's band won by default. Jericho vowed to take the title away from Cena at Summerslam. John Cena defeated Y2J at Summerslam 2005 with the Attitude Adjustment (At that time it was the F-U). Cena defeated Jericho the next night on RAW in a "Loser Leaves Town" match. After Y2J lost, he was "fired" and taken out by security screaming and crying. In the midst of Jericho's return (aka: "Second Coming") he turned heel and started wearing a suit. During his time as a heel, Y2J became World Heavyweight Champion and finished a great feud with Shawn Michaels. Jericho would then rekindle his feud with John Cena. Cena would defeat him at Survivor Series for the WHC. What makes this feud so unique is that Chris Jericho was instrumental in helping to legitimize John Cena as a star that can dance in the main event. Y2J helped to pull things out of Cena that he probably thought that he never had before. In Cena's early run as Champion, Jericho proved to be a very good foil for him to defeat. Both legends certainly did great music together in the ring. This was certainly one of the high spots for Cena's first title run along with his feud with Kurt Angle. 

Match Quality: 4/5

Storyline Quality: 7.5/10

Rivalry Rating: 7.5/10

Conclusion:

Edge:

As I have come to my conclusion, there is no other dance partner that was better for John Cena than Edge in my view. John Cena is the marquee star of his generation, but there was a critical point in Cena's rise where many people were not sure if he was really going to work out. People may not want to admit this now, but fans were happy to see him relieve JBL of the WWE Title at WrestleMania 21. They were also more or less on his side in his early feuds with Chris Jericho and Christian. Then, he ran into Kurt Angle a wrestling machine that fans knew John Cena was no match for hold for hold. Kurt was the premiere ring general of his time, but he was playing heel to John Cena's silliness. However, smart fans were not willing to shun Angle in favor of Cena. After Jericho left, Bischoff turned up the heat with Angle. After Cena conquered the Olympic Gold Medalist, he faced the likes of Carlito and Chris Masters who were the next heels in line for the title. Promising at the time, but a downgrade from the likes of future Hall of Famers like Chris Jericho and Kurt Angle. Masters and Carlito were certainly not world title material. Cena's first run lasted 9 months but it had its hit and misses.

This is where Edge enters. In true heel fashion, Edge makes WWE history by cashing in his the first MITB Briefcase on a bloodied and wounded John Cena that just overcame five other wrestlers to retain the WWE Championship. Edge cashed in on a grand opportunity by defeating Cena after the match was over to win his first WWE Championship. This was a turning point for both stars. Cena finally had a red hot feud with someone that was a lethal thorn in his side. Edge was not a match for Cena physically like Brock or Batista, but he was a master manipulator who could use his heel psychology to push Cena to his limits. This would become the premiere standard bearer feud of John Cena's career. This was the most defining feud of Cena's legacy. Edge was elevated by successfully cashing in his MITB Briefcase on the Captain of RAW and WWE overall. Edge was launched from being an upper mid-card glorified tag team star that everybody loved to becoming the perennial main event villain of his era. They danced in a series of matches, from singles matches, triple threat matches and even a classic but sometimes overlooked TLC Match. Edge and Cena danced in many different ways to their own instruments, but they left fans with some great performances that they would never forget. With that said, Edge is John Cena's quintessential dance partner. You could say that he was Lex to Cena's Superman.


Greatest Matches:

1. vs. CM Punk (Money In the Bank 2011)
2. vs. Edge (TLC Match- Unforgiven 2006)
3. vs.  Brock Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins (Royal Rumble 2015)
4. vs. CM Punk (RAW 2013)
5. vs. Randy Orton (Breaking Point 2009)
6. vs. The Rock (WrestleMania XXVIII)
7. vs. Edge vs. Triple H (Backlash 2006)
8,  vs. Brock Lesnar (Extreme Rules 2012)
9. vs. CM Punk (Night of Champions 2012)
10. vs. Edge (Backlash 2009)

This Top 10 is based off of Cena's Dance Partners

Sting joins the WWE Hall of Fame

Congratulations to Sting for officially becoming a member of the WWE Hall of Fame. It is a great honor for WWE to recognize his contributions to the sport of professional wrestling itself and reward him in a fantastic way. Sting was not only the face of WCW, but he was the backbone of that company. He was the ultimate constant when others came and went through the revolving door of WCW as the times changed. Sting initially received his big break in the NWA when he wrestled Ric Flair at Clash of the Champions I to a 45-minute draw. That match put Sting on the map as a major player in wrestling. Sting would feud with the likes of Ric Flair and Great Muta along with Lex Luger.

At the Great American Bash in 1990, Sting reached the mountain by defeating Ric Flair for the WCW Championship. When Flair left for the WWF in 1991, Sting stayed to keep things steady. During that time, business in WCW was pretty tough but Sting made the best out of what was given to him. He feuded with Luger over the title and did what he could to make his friend look better. The best feud that Sting had in Flair's absence was with Vader from 92-93. Sting would reinvent himself during the dawn of the Monday Night Wars in the mid-late 90's as he became the Crow. As the Crow, Sting would be chosen to save WCW from the NWO when he defeated Hollywood Hogan at Starrcade 1997. Sting would enjoy a decorated legacy in WCW. He was to WCW what Undertaker was to (WWF) at that time.

However, there have been some detractors lately that feel as though Sting does not "deserve" to be in the WWE Hall of Fame because he was not a "WWE guy" and because he "lost too many matches". First of all, if Drew Carey, Pete Rose and William "Refrigerator" Perry can go to the Hall of Fame, there should be NO complaints about Sting. Apparently, today's fans either have never seen Sting, were too young or just plain forgot how good Sting really was. When it comes to stars that built legacies without Vince's help, Sting is the greatest. Abdullah the Butcher has NEVER, EVER stepped foot inside of Vince McMahon's ring, but he is in the HOF. His career was nowhere near Sting's level. Nick Bockwinkel was predominantly an AWA Star. Yet, he is in the Hall of Fame because WWE respects his AWA legacy. Why can't people appreciate Sting having that same kind of honor? Nothing against Nick (RIP) or Abdullah, but they did not have the same level of impact that Sting has had. Sting was something special and unique during his heyday as I grew up watching him. He had what it took to survive and thrive as the culture started to shift in wrestling. However, Sting spent quite a number of years in TNA. In a way, that did not do his legacy any favors when it comes to the modern fans that couldn't care less about TNA. For years, Sting kept holding off making his move to WWE because he was skeptical about Vince's track record when it comes to WCW talent. He had a point to an extent. In the end, he came to realize that no matter what, WWE is the place to be for his career to fully receive its ultimate recognition as the Hall of Fame would be his final reward.

2015 Year End Awards (Wrestling)

Welcome to 2016. I hope everyone has enjoyed their holidays and kicked off the New Year strong. Now is the time to present my Awards for the previous year. This is a tradition that I started last year, and I would like to continue by once again recognizing the wrestlers that stood out the most. My criteria is still the same as before:

Consistency
Match Quality
Storyline Quality
Innovation
Rivalry Chemistry

Diva (s) of the Year: Nikki Bella/Sasha Banks
This may not be the most popular choice, but Nikki gets the award for Diva of the Year. However, this was not as convincing of a choice as Paige last year. Nikki's biggest claim to fame is the fact that she broke AJ Lee's record for longest Title reign as Diva's Champion. Of course, the biggest criticism of her is the fact that she was only the champion because of the following reasons:

1. AJ Lee retiring
2. Relationship with John Cena
3. Ratings for Total Divas

Nikki has improved very much in the ring compared to where she was before, but that is not saying much. She is still leagues behind female legends like Trish Stratus, Lita, Madusa, Sherri Martel, etc to contemporaries like Natalya, Paige, Sasha Banks and AJ herself. In the long term, I think Nikki will just be seen as a placeholder Champion with not much to offer. However, she was the most consistent due to her run as champion in a fledgling Divas Division and a failed "Divas Revolution". The standards have not been high for the Divas to begin with lately, and Nikki was pretty much all that they could offer from a Main Roster standpoint.

This award was tough, but I have to call it a tie as Sasha Banks was the female MVP for NXT. Sasha proved night in and night out that she was truly the Boss. Banks carried the NXT Women's Title with respect and her own personal swagger. The Boss knew how to bring it as NXT Women's Champion. The highlights of her time in NXT were here matches with the likes of Becky Lynch, Charlotte and Bayley. Their match at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn is considered by many to be the best Women's match ever, or at least in the Top 5 somewhere. Sasha won in epic fashion. This match put the "Divas" to shame as it was typical Wrestling 101 for Women. They followed that with the Ironman/Ironwoman Match at NXT Takeover Respect with Bayley winning in Sasha's NXT farewell. Both of these matches have become modern day classics as they add to Sasha's NXT legacy.


Tag Team of the Year: New Day

This was clearly the best choice hands down. Ever since the USO's stepped away due to injury, the New Day has carried the Tag Team Division. They are truly the ultimate entertainers on the Main Roster of WWE. Initially, this was looked at as a joke, but they struck gold with this gimmick. This has been a great vehicle for them to not only showcase how entertaining they really are, but it is a great boost to each of their careers. Their segments have been excellent, and they have been able to back up their words with their work in the ring. By nature, the New Day are heels but their comedic timing keeps the fans from truly hating them. Even though they chant "New Day Sucks", this team continues to prove that "New Day Rocks". The biggest feather in their hat has been their victory over the Legendary Dudley Boyz. Don't be sour.

Dominating Performance of the Year: Brock Lesnar destroys New Day at Beast in the East

What else needs to be said? Brock Lesnar doing what he does best. Arrive, Destroy, Leave, Repeat. WWE held their exclusive Network Event "Beast In the East" live in Japan on the 4th of July at 5 am. I did not wake up that early, but I caught the repeat. Brock Lesnar was the marquee attraction as he was heavily advertised in the promotional photos. Lesnar destroyed Kofi Kingston almost like King Kong Bundy destroying S.D. Jones at the first WrestleMania. after defeating Kingston in easy fashion, Lesnar wiped the ring with Big E and Xavier Woods as he left a trail of destruction in the ring.

Surprise of the Year: Seth Rollins cashing in at WrestleMania

Seth Rollins turned heads and created the much needed headlines for WrestleMania as he cashed in the MITB Briefcase to become the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Rollins ran in to cash in the Briefcase as he focused on Roman Reigns. Seth cashing in at Mania is what helped save an otherwise middle of the pack WrestleMania and making it a headline success. Even though Seth had the briefcase, nobody expected WWE to pull the trigger for him to cash in on the Grandest Stage of them all.

Inspirational Wrestler of the Year: John Cena
This may not seem like the popular vote among the IWC, but John Cena has been a huge inspiration just from this year alone. From the time that he reclaimed the US Championship from Rusev at WrestleMania, John has not disappointed. The way that Cena has elevated the value of the United States Championship while raising the bar for younger talent (ex: Kevin Owens, Seth Rollins). Cena's status as champion has done miracles for that title. In fact, one can make the case that this has been Cena's best year when it comes to in-ring work. From his series of matches with Rusev, Kevin Owens, Rollins and even Cesaro, John has stepped up to the plate from one match after another. John is an inspiration simply from the way that he rises above his lifetime critics in the IWC. If anything, Cena looks more like the good guy as the IWC looks more like villains.

Return of the Year: The Dudley Boyz

After a 10 year absence, the Dudley Boyz made their long awaited return the night after Summerslam to an electric crowd at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. It was a natural homecoming not just from WWE, but from the New York crowd as well considering how legendary they are in that area as well as around the world. Bubba and D-Von did not waste time as they interrupted the New Day by giving them the 3-D Dudley Death Drop. The Dudleyz started their return run by feuding with New Day for the Tag Titles. They came up on the losing end, but they elevated the hottest Tag Team today. Anytime you are considered worthy of the Dudleyz attention, you have to be special.

Rookie of the Year: Kevin Owens

Without question, Kevin Owens has made the biggest impact from the NXT Class that is being called up to the Main Roster. Kevin is very impressive both in the ring and on the mic. Owens knows how to cut a great promo not only in WWE, but on Social Media (look at how he owns the trolls on Twitter). Even though he has spent many years on the Indy Scene (ROH), Kevin is still considered a rookie by the WWE standards. Owens made a giant splash of momentum from the time that he first arrived on the Main Roster to feud with none other than John Cena himself. Owens did not break under pressure. In fact, Kevin brought his game to another level as his trilogy with Cena has raised his stock within WWE. Kevin made waves when he defeated the legendary 15-time champion by pinning him cleanly (no interference). Even in his two losses to Cena, Owens still looked like a star ready for bigger things. The best thing about this is the fact that Kevin has not had to change what has made him a star. He has stuck to his guns, and the fans and executives have learned to respect him for that. Kevin Owens is a true original, and his performance against the franchise of this era has been outstanding. Even though he was robbed of the Slammy Award in favor of Neville (bad idea), Kevin Owens has proven that he is the true MVP of NXT.


Most Improved Wrestler of the Year: Roman Reigns

2015 has been a roller coaster year for Roman Reigns. It has been a tale of two cities. In the first half of the year, Reigns won the Royal Rumble in front of one of the most hostile wrestling cities ever (Philadelphia). From there, he was prematurely launched into the Main Event scene for WrestleMania. Clearly, the heat from the fans forced WWE to push the panic button for Seth Rollins to save the main event of Mania. I'm sure that WWE knew that Roman needed to make improvements, but they did their best early on to be as optimistic as possible when they put Reigns in that position. They were clearly in denial about what he seriously needed to improve on. Then, he goes into the feud with the Wyatt Family. That ultimately culminates in their HIAC match with Roman winning. In between that time, Reigns worked hard to make improvements and smooth out the edges to develop and become sharper. It has not been an easy process by any means, but it has paid off with him winning the title at the end of the year.

Babyface/Most Popular Wrestler of the Year: Cesaro

Ever since Vince McMahon said that he could not connect with the fans and could not grab the "Brass Ring" in his Interview on Stone Cold's Podcast, Cesaro has answered the challenge to prove his doubters wrong. Each time an opportunity comes, Cesaro has stepped up to the plate and knocked it out of the park. After that "Brass Ring" statement, Cesaro's fans support has risen to a new level. Even Austin himself has gone to bat to defend him. This has been a turnaround for Cesaro after his identity was ripped apart once he won the Andre The Giant Battle Royal at WrestleMania XXX. We know how that story went. First, he turns heel. Next, his Big Swing is taken away. Then, he aligns with Paul Heyman only to be naturally overshadowed by Brock Lesnar himself. Then, he splits from Heyman only to go on a losing streak. When 2015 hit, Cesaro made a turnaround. He teamed with Tyson Kidd with Natalya as their manager. I call them the "Brass Ring Club". Together, they won the Tag Team Titles before Tyson got injured. Cesaro has provided great quality matches and has shown that he is capable of making the best out of whatever opponent he has been given to work with. Soon, he was given his Big Swing back by creative. Cesaro has proven to be a top notch performer. He is a remarkable athlete as a man his size has been able to do incredible things during his matches. As time goes on, Cesaro has continued to add new weapons to his arsenal. From the Sharpshooter to the Crossface and even a flying forearm. Whatever you need, Cesaro can deliver. From John Cena, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, Kevin Owens to Big Show and Ryback. Cesaro has proven that he can bring the best out of himself and his opponent. His matches with Cena for the US Title have been some of the biggest highlights of RAW this year. They created masterpieces together. They were not only the best of Cesaro's career, but they can rank among the best of Cena's career as well. Cesaro's popularity has grown to the point where he has his own fan section in every arena that he goes to. Cesaro is a wrestling machine in every sense of the word. He is a throwback to the legendary technical wrestling that fans have been used to for years. His momentum was put on hold from an injury as this leaves him out for WrestleMania. This is one of the many huge blows that WWE has suffered going into the biggest show of them all. However, you cannot deny that Cesaro has made a great rebound compared to where he was a year before.

Who's Next? (Breakout Show of the Year): NXT Takeover Brooklyn

This was the most power packed event of an already loaded Summerslam weekend. Many can say that this was even better than Summerslam itself which says a lot. NXT Takeover took place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn the night before Summerslam. The Main Event was Kevin Owens vs. Finn Balor in a rematch for the NXT Title in a ladder match. Finn Balor defeats Owens to remain champion in a spectacular encore of their match in Japan. Other matches included Bayley vs. Sasha Banks for the NXT Women's Title, Japan legend Jushin "Thunder" Liger vs Tyler Breeze, and Samoa Joe vs. Baron Corbin. The show received widespread critical acclaim. It has received reviews from 8/10 to 9.5/10. This was by far the best NXT show of the year. You can even say that this was the best show of WWE overall this past year.

Breakout Star of the Year: Kevin Owens

Enough said.

Feud of the Year: Brock Lesnar vs. Undertaker

This was a story of unfinished business from Brock Lesnar's groundbreaking victory over Undertaker at WrestleMania 30. Taker took a full year off to heal. He returned for a cup of coffee at WrestleMania 31 to show that he still has it. Fast forward to July. Brock Lesnar was on the verge of defeating Seth Rollins for the WWE Championship. Suddenly, the lights went out. As soon as they came back on, it was The Undertaker. Taker wasted no time in destroying Lesnar as he made the exclamation point using the Tombstone Piledriver. This was a highly intense feud, so much so that the entire locker room had to hold them back from each other. It was a clash of the titans. This would lead to their match at Summerslam, where Taker defeated Brock with "Hell's Gate". During the feud, Undertaker went a different route by constantly giving Brock a low blow. It has even become a punchline. The series would conclude with their vicious "Hell in a Cell" match with Brock getting the victory.

Match of the Year: Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena vs. Seth Rollins (Royal Rumble 2015)

This match was in fact a Showstopper. Brock Lesnar retained the WWE Championship in a great Triple Threat Match at the Royal Rumble to kick off 2015. He defeated John Cena and Seth Rollins. One thing that made this so special was that it was the polar opposite of the Royal Rumble match itself. People were worried about Brock as Champion because of his limited schedule. Cena was reinventing himself as a Workhorse, and Seth was still "Mr. Money In The Bank" as he was the Wildcard in this match. This did not disappoint at all. In fact, it went beyond expectations. Seth showed Lesnar, Cena and the WWE Universe that he could hang under pressure in the Prime Time Main Event spotlight. Rollins and Cena threw everything including the kitchen sink. This match further established Brock is a Superhuman mutant that can withstand multiple assaults and still come out as the conqueror. He went back to the well with the German Suplexes. Those are Cena's Kryptonite (watch Summerslam 2014). Seth's arsenal as a showstopping workhorse was on full display. He brought his A Game and took it to two of the all-time greats. The highlight of the match was when Seth gave Brock an Elbow Drop through the announce table. Rollins pulled out moves that were never seen in the Shield. Lesnar withstands everything as an overpowered monster and finishes things off with the F5 to remain WWE Champion.


PPV of the Year: WrestleMania 31

This WrestleMania came as an unexpected surprise. WWE did a great job of turning the corner when it comes to being too predictable. The highlight of this as I have said before was Seth Rollins becoming champion. Earlier in the show, Rollins lost to Randy Orton in a spectacular match. The highlight for me was when Orton countered the Curb Stomp with the RKO. Daniel Bryan won the Intercontinental Title in a great Ladder Match. Sadly, he could not hold onto it because of injuries. Triple H defeated Sting in the WCW Icon's debut match. It was still special even though Sting came out on the losing end. Undertaker returned to defeat Bray Wyatt to bounce back from his loss to Lesnar the year before. John Cena defeated Rusev to reclaim the United States Championship in honor of America. These were the things that made WrestleMania 31 a hidden gem in the history of Mania.

Wrestler of the Year: Seth Rollins

Once again, Seth Rollins has been the MVP of WWE. With his ups and downs, Seth has been the lightning rod for highlights and high-quality matches. Very few people have raised their game the way that Rollins has. Seth finished what he started in 2014 following the breakup of the Shield. He won MITB, had the top feud with Dean Ambrose and was without a doubt the top heel and most improved of the three. 2015 was the completion. Rollins cashed in his MITB Briefcase at the most opportune time at WrestleMania to become the new WWE Champion. Rollins defeated each challenger that came his way, big or small. He defeated Shield members Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns along with future HOF'er Randy Orton in a Fatal Four Way match. He retained the title against Brock Lesnar at Battleground (thanks to Undertaker). Rollins defeated another future HOF'er and modern day legend in John Cena at Summerslam to become the WWE Champion and US Champion. At Night of Champions, he defeated WCW Icon Sting. Rollins is a hybrid of Edge and HBK and their influence continues to shine in his performances. Other than Cena, nobody has been as consistent as Seth Rollins. He has been consistent, has great match quality, innovation and chemistry in the ring. When you add everything together, Seth Rollins was the Wrestler of the Year without question.