Seth Rollins: Redesign, Rebuild, Reclaim

Out of the many returns post WrestleMania, the return of Seth Rollins is the one that I have been the most excited about. Recently, WWE did their 24 Special on Seth's road to recover as it was appropriately named "Redesign, Rebuild, Reclaim". It was a behind the scenes look into Seth's journey to recovery. His peers from AJ Styles, Kevin Owens to Sami Zayn were all amazed at how exceptional Seth is as a performer. Styles mentioned the story of when he wrestled Rollins 10 years ago. At that time, he knew that Seth would be a big deal. Even though he is a heel, I felt bad not seeing him around for so long. Seth's injury was so severe that he obviously missed out on WrestleMania 32 in Dallas, TX (a record breaking crowd of 101,763). In the special, you can tell that it was eating away as Rollins himself let everyone know. It is sad for anyone who is a top star to lose their momentum with one bad injury. John Cena gave encouragement by saying that Seth will not have to worry about missing WrestleMania like that anymore. He said that Rollins  has many more WrestleManias ahead of him. Cena is right. The footage was tough to watch. Seth's motto is "Redesign, Rebuild, Reclaim". In a way, Seth also said it was needed so that he could regroup and appreciate what he already had. Rollins is on a mission to Redesign who he is as a performer. It is time for him to Rebuild that which was broken as he is out to Reclaim the WWE Championship that he did not lose by pinfall or submission. He was the Undisputed MVP last year. Not only was Seth "Superstar of the Year" but he was also the PWI "Wrestler of the Year" as well as "Most Hated Wrestler of the Year". This past week also marked two years since the Shield disbanded. In the aftermath, no one expected Seth to break out the way that he did.

As we quickly approach "Money In the Bank", let's look forward to finally having the chance to see Seth and Roman start the war we have been waiting for. I'm looking forward to big things from Rollins as I expect to see The Architect build something even greater than what he built over the past two years.

My WrestleMania Experience

This past weekend, I had the pleasure and honor to be at WrestleMania 32 at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, Texas. I am a lifelong fan of wrestling, WrestleMania has always been a special event that I treat like an unofficial holiday. WrestleMania is the Super Bowl of Wrestling, because it transcends pop culture. People that don't even watch wrestling or know anything else about wrestling know about WrestleMania. I became a fan shortly after the Golden Era phased out, and as the New Generation made its rise. My introduction to wrestling came through Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker. The Attitude Era of Austin, Rock, etc is what cemented me as a fan even more because of how great the product was and the impact it made on the industry in the future. Those wrestlers were my foundation as a fan. Even as they have come and gone, I continued to support the product as my Dream was to always go to WrestleMania. I am also a Dallas Cowboys fan, so that was only the icing and cherry on top of my cake. Thankfully, I got both monkeys off of my back.

The Atmosphere in Dallas was spectacular, with so much to see and so much to do in a short amount of time. The Convention Center was filled with fans from all different circles. You had fans from nearby Dallas and other parts of Texas. You had fans like myself flying from Washington, DC, as well as other parts of the country. Of course, there were the International fans. This mixture of people coming together in one place, the Palace of Dallas (AT&T Stadium) to be a part of potential history. That weekend, I wore my Undertaker and Shawn Michaels T-shirts to represent the greatest stars in WrestleMania history. Plus, they are from Texas so it was only right. I also came with my Intercontinental Title. When you are at Mania, you have to do things big especially in Dallas. I came with my A+ Game. The only issue I had the day of Mania was the extremely long line to get into the building. It all paid off in the end. I was in the Standing Room Only Section in the West Plaza of the Stadium (Party Pass), so I had a great view. The Screen was right in front of me as I walked inside. My section was filled with people standing together, but I still had a nice view. It was on the same level as the Cowboys Pro Shop and WWE Shop at the Entrance. No bad seats anywhere.

However, things were starting to look bleak going into WrestleMania or as I like to call it Hospital Mania. WWE took a huge bite from the Injury bug as their most valuable names were out for the biggest show of the year: John Cena, Randy Orton, Seth Rollins, Cesaro, Sting, Daniel Bryan, etc. Dream matches were thrown out of the window, and WWE was desperate to make the most out of the mess that they helped to create. As a result, WWE produced a card that involved lower level players in mixed matches. For example, Zack Ryder and Sin Cara were put in a 7-man Ladder match for the IC Title with Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Dolph Ziggler, Stardust and The Miz. The Divas Pre-Show match was a 5-on-5 that featured the debuts of Lana and Eva Marie. All for the sake of giving everybody a Mania payday.

One of the other big issues for me was when The Dudley Boyz and the USO's were on the Pre-Show. I know New Day is the hot new flavor, but the USO's were reduced to a spot beneath the main card. I guess Roman must be the main Samoan they want to focus on. Apparently their cousin Dwayne (The Rock) did not push for them to be on the main card. I'm not sure if this is Vince's way of punishing the Dudleyz for being in TNA for so long. Either way, they made the most of this match.

WWE also had to improvise by placing Dean Ambrose in a match with Brock Lesnar. The biggest surprise was when Shane McMahon not only made his return, but he was placed in a match with The Undertaker. The storyline about Shane possibly taking over RAW if he won was the loophole that they needed to use to make up for Taker not having a match with Cena or Sting. Overall, Shane was far from my ideal opponent for Taker. Triple H vs Roman Reigns was another alternative since Roman did not have a Seth Rollins or John Cena to depend on for the ideal match. If the roster was healthy, the card would look totally different.

As far as the show itself, it was a spectacle in spite of the card. Surpisingly, Zack Ryder won the IC Title. I stood in disbelief wearing my Belt along with many other fans in the building. Other surprises included Chris Jericho's win over AJ Styles in a very good match (arguably their best). I was not upset about it. Charlotte defeated Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch in the Triple Threat Match for the newly revealed Women's Title. I picked Sasha, but it was still a great match especially with Sasha paying tribute to Eddie Guerrero in her own way. She was also accompanied to the ring by her cousin, WWE Hall of Famer Snoop Dogg (I know. I want to laugh too).

The League of Failed Nations defeated the New Day. Big E, Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston dressed like the Ginyu Force from Dragon Ball Z. It is very appropriate because they are the wrestling equivalent of that group. After the match, the League of Nations issued an open challenge. Be careful what you ask for because you just might get it. They got a huge surprise with Shawn Michaels, Mick Foley and Stone Cold Steve Austin. Texas sized surprises as they cleaned house and proceeded to dance with New Day before Austin gave Xavier Woods the Stone Cold Stunner.

Brock Lesnar defeated Dean Ambrose in their Hardcore Match. Whenever Dean reached for the toys that Mick Foley and Terry Funk gave him, Brock would stop him every time. Lesnar turned Dallas into Suplex City.

Shane vs Undertaker went without interference. Taker slowed the match down to his pace, since he was already moving slow to begin with. Shane got his share of offense in, but still was not lighting the match on fire. Taker gave him The Last Ride, Hell's Gate and a Chokeslam, but Shane did not give up. The highlight of the match was when Shane jumped off of the Cell for his Elbow Drop, but Undertaker quickly moved out of the way as McMahon crashed through the announce table like Mankind. Undertaker closed the match by picking up Shane and rolling him back into the ring for the Tombstone Piledriver for the victory. There was no surprise interference involved on Shane's behalf from John Cena, Sting, or even the Balor Club. It was a straight up match with Undertaker having the obvious advantage. As I have said before, the fans that picked Shane to win, congratulations the April Fools Joke is on you. The fans that screamed Shane O'Mac became silent. It was music to my ears.

Shaquille O'Neal made a surprise appearance in the Battle Royal. Baron Corbin won the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal.

The Rock made the announcement that WrestleMania 32 broke the Attendance Record with 101,763. He was introduced with the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders. The Wyatt Family interrupted The People's Champ. The Great One turned this into a match and his surprise partner was John Cena himself. Rock and Cena destroyed the Wyatt Family.

Finally, Roman Reigns challenged Triple H in the Main Event for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Stephanie's introduction of The Game reminded me of the first Ghostbusters movie. The match was decent. The highlight of the match came when Roman accidentally speared Stephanie. Triple H went for the sledgehammer, but Reigns countered with a Spear to win the title. Hopefully, this sets things in motion to end the Authority storyline and clean up the giant mess that it has created.

The match card was not the best, but it was a dream that I wanted to realize at my favorite Stadium. No matter what things looked like, my goal was to go to WrestleMania in Dallas. Mission Accomplished.

I give the show 3 out of 5 John Cena WWE Title Reigns.

Cowboys Stadium: 5 out of 5 WWF Winged Eagle Title Reigns.

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.

2015: Year of the Shield

When you think of 2014-2015, the most frequent players in WWE have been the rising stars of the Shield (Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose). Throughout their tenure, these three have made a huge impact in their own way. As the Shield, they were a dominant force to be reckoned with. They left a trail of destruction. From John Cena, The Rock, Undertaker, etc, the Shield spared no one. The Shield won every title except for the WWE Title and the IC Title. Even when the group split, they were still highly featured in storylines. As we know, Roman was the muscle of the group. Ambrose was the voice. Rollins was the workhorse.

Fast forward to 2015, each star has made their own separate mark as singles competitors. With the exception of John Cena, Randy Orton and Brock Lesnar, the former Shield members have been the biggest standouts from start to finish. Now, time to take a look at their journeys through the year.

Roman Reigns:

Roman Reigns has been a central figure for the WWE throughout the year. From the time that he won the Royal Rumble, Roman has been under the microscope of the Wrestling Community. Like him or hate him, Reigns has been a talking point. Reigns went from being prematurely positioned as The Rock/John Cena 2.0 by being in the Main Event of WM 31 to enduring a roller coaster ride to the top of the mountain. Fans in Philadelphia booed Roman out of the building when he won the Royal Rumble. Even when The Rock raised his hand, the fans still were not happy because they looked at Roman's journey as too predictable. The fans all across the IWC could clearly see Vince's plans for him to be the face of the company and they rebelled. The backlash against Roman was among the most intense that I ever witnessed for anyone besides John Cena. They felt that WWE was forcing Roman to become a megastar when in their eyes he was not their ideal choice (ex: Daniel Bryan). Like the year before with Batista, the fans were dissatisfied because WWE did not let their Internet Hero Daniel Bryan win the Rumble. Fans even threatened to cancel their Network Subscriptions (how many REALLY did it?). To make matters even worse, Reigns defeated Bryan at Fastlane to keep his spot as number 1 contender for WrestleMania. People that were anti-Roman were only supporting him because they did not want to see Brock Lesnar hold the title any longer. As a result of the heat from the fans, WWE pulled the plug on crowning Roman as WWE Champion. Instead, they pulled the trigger for Seth Rollins to cash in his Money In The Bank Briefcase as he pinned former Shield colleague Roman Reigns to win the WWE Championship. After the carpet was pulled from under his feet at WrestleMania, Reigns participated in the MITB Ladder Match. Instead, Bray Wyatt cost him the match as Sheamus won the Briefcase. During this time, Roman was severely scrutinized by the IWC for his lack of mic skills. They continued to make fun of him and count him out because they thought he was too green. Fans thought he was more style than substance and heavily compared him to Cena. After losing his shot to be the number 1 contender, Roman went into a feud with Bray Wyatt that reached its culmination at Hell In A Cell as Reigns conquered his enemy. Along the way, Roman worked hard to improve himself in the ring as he delivered better quality matches compared to where he was after the Shield split. Many fans still were not satisfied. When Rollins was sidelined due to injury, people started to put their stock in another Ring Of Honor Alum, Kevin Owens. The Roman hate was so out of control that fans cheered when Sheamus cashed in his MITB Briefcase at Survivor Series to defeat him for the Title. I can understand someone supporting a Kevin Owens, but Sheamus?! That is ridiculous. People were so bent on hating everything about Roman that they picked someone who is basically a caricature as WWE Champion. Clearly, Sheamus was not the answer as WWE went back to the drawing board with Reigns. The night after TLC, Roman Reigns wrestled Sheamus in Philadelphia. Vince McMahon booked the match with the stipulation of Reigns being fired if he did not win. So, it was meant for him to win that night. After multiple times of being close and falling short, Roman finally reached the mountain and stayed there. That night, Reigns defeated Sheamus to recapture the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Roman won the title in the same building where the fans booed him at the Royal Rumble 11 months earlier. Roman's journey came full circle from winning the Rumble in January to winning the Title in December in the exact same arena. Instead of boos, Roman was greeted with cheers from the crowd. Roman's friend Dean Ambrose and his cousins The USO's came to the ring to celebrate with him. Not to sound like a cliche, but it was great to see this journey reach a happy ending at the end of the year. Losing at WrestleMania turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Reigns, because it gave him time to make adjustments to improve. The WWE probably wanted to test Roman to see how he could handle adversity and he has clearly passed this test. 2015 ends with the rise of the Roman Empire.

Seth Rollins:

The Self-Proclaimed "Architect" of the Shield has enjoyed a banner year as he has built upon his success from last year following the Shield's breakup. Seth entered the year as the MITB Winner with the opportunity to cash in at any event. He was involved in the Triple Threat Match for the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble involving Brock Lesnar and John Cena. In that match, Seth brought everything he had to the table and put everyone on notice about his abilities. Even in a loss, he showed how effective he can be in the Main Event. However, Rollins was caught in a controversy earlier in the year when he was caught in a Twitter Scandal. Seth's girlfriend leaked out nude pictures of him on Twitter. He became the Social Media Punchline all around the world. It looked as if the biggest push of Seth's career would be derailed because of this controversy because of how ignorant this mistake was. However, Vince McMahon, Triple H and the higher ups still stuck with their plan of keeping Rollins in their back pocket as future Champion. If this happened to anyone else, their career could be over. Not in the case of Rollins because WWE did not issue any punishment towards him. Instead, Seth apologized on Twitter. Even though Seth was not punished, this was a lesson for him to "Keep his Money In the Bank". Fast forward to WrestleMania. WWE is in panic mode from the outrage of the fans towards Roman Reigns. At the last minute, they push the Panic button by sending Rollins to the WWE Title Match to cash in his Briefcase. Seth delivers the Curb Stomp to Roman as he pins him to become the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion. It was a crowning moment and a form of redemption for Rollins as he closed the show holding the WWE Crown above his head. It created the spark that WrestleMania needed to create headlines for their main event. WrestleMania is all about the unexpected and this was the right moment. Rollins would fight off challengers from Dean Ambrose to Randy Orton. However, the big issue that faced Seth was how he was made to look weaker with J & J Security and Kane bailing him out. It made him look like he could not win any of his battles on his own. It felt like WWE was going to have them by his side forever to cover him. Rollins always had the ability, but the booking was weak. To make things worse, WWE banned the Curb Stomp. Instead, he had to use the Pedigree. Seth was becoming one of the heel champions that was made to look weak instead of looking strong while cheating. (Ric Flair, Edge, etc) Things changed when Brock Lesnar stepped into the picture and destroyed J&J Security and Kane. Seth proceeded to turn on Kane going into his title defense with Brock at Battleground. Once the chains came off and Rollins was on his own, his matches could be more respected. Seth's match with Brock ended in No Contest as Undertaker returned. Seth's next opponent was John Cena. Rollins had a fantastic match with Cena at Summerslam as he defeated him for the US Championship, making him the WWE World Champion and US Champion. Seth's reign as US Champion was short lived as Cena defeated him at Night Of Champions to win back the title. On the other hand, Rollins defeated Sting that same night to keep the WWE Title. Rollins would defeat Kane at Hell In A Cell to remain Champion. At this rate, it seemed as if he could have broken CM Punk's record of 434 Days as WWE Champion (I was supporting him). Unfortunately, Seth's reign came to an end thanks to an injury at a House Show during a match with Kane. Rollins spent 221 Days as WWE Champion. Nonetheless, Seth enjoyed an outstanding year. For much of the year, Seth was World Champion and dominated the Main Event Storylines. He proved that he could perform an outstanding match even in the midst of poor storylines and booking in between. When J&J Security were taken away, Rollins was able to shine brighter and carry himself better as Champion.

Dean Ambrose:

Dean Ambrose has been on quite a roller coaster in 2015. Early in the year, Ambrose was in the chase for the Intercontinental Title. The booking was awful (as usual lately) with multiple wrestlers stealing the title from R-Truth, Dolph Ziggler, Bad News Barrett to Ambrose himself. This was to set up for the IC Title Ladder Match at WrestleMania 31. Daniel Bryan ultimately won the title, but would forfeit due to injury. Dean would then set his sights on John Cena's US Title as he entered the Open Challenge. From the time that the Shield split, Dean could not win a Pay Per View Match. Finally, he defeated Luke Harper at Extreme Rules. Dean would then have a great match with former Shield member Seth Rollins for the WWE Championship at Elimination Chamber. Ambrose nearly had the match won, but Rollins got himself disqualified for shoving the referee. At Payback, Ambrose wrestled in a Fatal Four Way Match for the WWE Championship that included Seth Rollins (Champion), Randy Orton and Roman Reigns. Dean would soon team with Roman Reigns to feud with the revamped version of the Wyatt Family (w/Braun Stroman). At Night of Champions, Dean and Roman added Chris Jericho as their mystery partner. However, they would lose to the Wyatt Family. When Seth Rollins vacated the WWE Title due to injury, Dean joined the Survivor Series tournament for the vacated title. Ambrose would lose to Roman Reigns in the finals. Ambrose recently became the number one contender for the IC Title as he feuded with Kevin Owens. At TLC, Ambrose defeated Owens to become the new Intercontinental Champion. 

In August 2014, WWE Network aired a special about each of the Shield members on the start of their singles journey since they disbanded. This would lead up to Summerslam. Their was also a DVD called "The Destruction of the Shield". Dean Ambrose himself said that they would own this business. So far, you can say that they have owned 2015. Collectively, they have dominated. On their own, they are on their journey to greatness. I have always been a fan of the Shield, and I would like to see them do great things on their own. 

Night Of Champions Review

Last night, WWE held their annual Night Of Champions PPV at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Every championship was on the line. The show had its share of historic moments along with its share of bizarre moments as well as returns. This was the very first time that Sting ever competed for the WWE Championship, as he was a mainstay around the WCW World Title.

Here are the matches that took place:

Neville & The Lucha Dragons vs Cosmic Wasteland
Winners: Cosmic Wasteland

This was the only Pre-Show match that was advertised for the show. Fairly decent opener to kick things off as Stardust picks up the win for his team with his finisher "Queen's Crossbow". Maybe he still has a score to settle with Stephen Amell (Arrow). I am guessing that this is why he gives his move that name. Neville and the Lucha Dragons got their high spots and excitement in during the match, but the Ascension get the "W" thanks to their leader Stardust. This was my prediction and I was on point.

Kevin Owens vs Ryback (Intercontinental Title Match)
Winner: Kevin Owens

The first title match of the night is for the IC Title as Ryback defends against Kevin Owens. It felt as though Ryback was not going very far as IC Champion. He has not been someone that I can look at fondly in the history of that Title. Instead of doubling down and keeping him as Champion, WWE decides to change the guard by having Owens win the title. I am not like those fans that accuse Owens of getting buried by Cena because I already knew that he could not get much higher than that. However, this feud with Ryback has not done many favors for him. Kevin had enough momentum going into this match to become the champion.

Certainly, it was one of Ryback's better matches, which is not saying much. Owens was the ring general for this match. Ryback relied more on his power and brute strength, as Kevin worked more technically by wearing down the arm. This created a more diverse element so that it would not be just a power vs power match. Owens found a way to escape from both of Ryback's Shellshock finishers. When Ryback went for the second Shellshock, Kevin raked the eyes and rolled him up for the win. I am not holding my breath, but I am hoping Kevin brings a certain level of value to that belt. It has gone through its share of an identity crisis. I was right on another prediction: 2-0.

During the break, it was announced that Brock Lesnar would fight the Undertaker inside of Hell In A Cell.

Dolph Ziggler vs Rusev
Winner: Dolph Ziggler

I did not care about this match, so I did not care to make a prediction. This has to win the award for Worst Storyline of the Year. The only good thing about this match was that there was a winner. The downside is how ridiculous the overall story is. It was already from the start with Lana joining Ziggler's side as Summer Rae was sadly dragged into the equation. Now, Lana has been sidelined from an injury that came from her training. Now Ziggler is playing weird games with Summer and it has just gone from stupid to terrible.

This definitely deserves a Razzie for how horrible it is. Dolph tapped into his inner Rick Rude with his ring attire last night. A very poor version of Ravishing Rick, I might add. The only highlight of the match was Summer Rae throwing her heel into the ring as she distracted Rusev so that Dolph could pick up the win. I can't talk about this anymore. Moving on.

New Day vs. The Dudley Boyz (WWE Tag Team Title Match)

Winners: Dudley Boyz (By DQ)

I think WWE was caught between a rock and a hard place. On one side, many people including myself wanted to see the Dudleyz make history by winning their 10th WWE Tag Team Titles. They were featured in the montage before the match about the history of the Tag Titles. 

On the other hand, the New Day is the Most Popular Tag Team in the current state of a division that has seen better days. With the USO's out of action, New Day is all WWE has to really build on. With that said, people did not want to see them lose the titles. 

New Day took center stage with their typical antics as Xavier Woods played the trombone with his Rufio from Hook hairstyle. Woods played the Rocky theme with his trombone too. Overall, it was a very good tag team match, as it was a clash between a comedy team and a team of legends that play no games. Xavier played the trombone through much of the match and even broke up a Dudleyz pin following a 3D. 

New Day turned the tables (pun intended) when they ripped a page from the Dudley Boyz book by calling for the tables. The plan backfired as Woods went to Dudleyville as Bubba and D-Von gave him the 3D through the table. 

This storyline naturally elevates the New Day in a way that they would have never been elevated. It says something about them because WWE clearly sees them as a team worthy of the Dudley's attention. The Dudley Boyz must see something special in them as well. 

I predicted the Dudleyz to win, but not this way. 

Nikki Bella vs Charlotte (WWE Divas Championship)

Winner: Charlotte

Next to the Double Main Event (Rollins vs Cena/Rollins vs Sting) I was looking forward to this match because I could not wait to see Nikki Bellas title reign come to a crashing end. It would have been nice to see Charlotte win the gold on Monday Night Raw, but I also understood the reason why she did not win that night. It was all for the purpose of the bigger picture, which was Night Of Champions. I am a student of Wrestling Booking 101. This Divas Revolution was ultimately about taking Nikki out of the picture by having her lose the belt. 

On RAW, Stephanie McMahon made it clear that no shenanigans from Team Bella were allowed. So the writing was on the wall. In the midst of the rumors flying around that Charlotte was supposed to win the belt sooner, I still figured that Nikki would hold it long enough to break AJ Lee's Record. WWE stuck to that plan, and it paid off with Charlotte dethroning Nikki Cena. 

In the opening montage for this title, they showed women like Fabulous Moolah, Trish Stratus, and others. It made you think about how far the Women's Division has fallen from the days where those legendary females ruled the ring. 

This was a match where Charlotte was the underdog with little offense. The story that she told was that she would build a comeback after twisting her ankle. Nikki worked on the leg through much of the match until the door was open for her to get distracted. The match was not really Charlotte's best because we know that she could run circles around Nikki in the ring with her eyes closed. 

In the end, Charlotte finished her off with the Spear and Figure Eight Leg Lock. Now, we can finally move on. 

The Shield w/Mystery Partner (Chris Jericho) vs Wyatt Family (w/Braun Strowman)

Winners: Wyatt Family

We move on to the next match. The Brothers Shield has been in desperate need of a new partner. There have been several names thrown out as potential choices. From The Rock, Randy Orton, Cesaro and even Erick Rowan. 

Even Edge gave a clue about Cesaro being the mystery partner on Twitter. For a week after week, The Wyatts have destroyed Reigns and Ambrose with the new Black Sheep Braun Strowman. No matter what they have tried, Roman and Dean have failed each time. 

The mystery partner was finally revealed to be none other than Chris Jericho!! A spoiler revealed that he was going to be at Night Of Champions, but it never revealed what role he was going to play. Jericho is all about mysteries and surprises. 

After all, he is one of the greatest trolls in wrestling history. I joked about Chris Jericho being the mystery partner. I just happened to be right in a non-intentional way. Ambrose, Reigns, and Jericho put up a good fight, but the Wyatts were too physically imposing for them as Braun caused Y2J to submit. After the match, Jericho bumped Dean and Roman on purpose. This could plant the seeds for a Jericho heel turn. 

Seth Rollins vs. John Cena (US Championship Match)

Winner: John Cena

Here is the first part of the Double Main Event. Seth Rollins finds himself defending both of his titles against two of the all-time greats in the history of wrestling. Cena invoked his rematch clause for the US Title after Rollins defeated him at Summerslam thanks to Jon Stewart. 

In the opening montage, they show the previous United States Champions from Harley Race, to hometown legend Booker T, to another Texas legend Eddie Guerrero. During the match, the Eddie chants were heavy. 

Seth was the first wrestler to hold both the US and WWE/WHC at the same time. Rollins and Cena tore the house down again at Night Of Champions just as they did at Summerslam. John shows once again how he rises to the occasion on the Big Stage and Seth proves himself even more as to why he is the best In-Ring Performer of the Current WWE Roster. 

This was another spectacular match in both of their libraries. In the end, Cena regains the US Title making him a 5-time US Champion. 

Seth Rollins vs. Sting (WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match)

Winner: Seth Rollins

Seth goes into the second half of his Double Duty when he defends the title against Sting. Before the match, Seth tries to escape with the US Title. John Cena meets him at the ramp to give him the Attitude Adjustment. Rollins goes back into the ring before Sting's music finally hits. 

This night was rather historic for Sting since this is his first match for the WWE Title. WWE presented Sting with a title shot as a token of appreciation for his lifetime work. This could have been a tribute for his years of service as a legend in another promotion. Then again, it was Sting's choice to stick in TNA for so long. Nobody forced him to stay there. 

WWE has promoted Sting as the Icon. However, his debut did not come off on a high note. At WrestleMania 31, the WCW Franchise lost to Triple H making him 0-1 in WWE. People have been critical of Sting receiving a title shot after losing his first match. Sting gave Rollins all that he had, and Seth proved himself to a legend of wrestling as well as to the fans. Rollins brought nothing less than his A game against Sting. 

Going into this show, I predicted that the match with Cena would be a better quality match and I was right. This match was not bad because Sting did what he could at his age (56). On the other hand, Sting did take some heavy risks for a man in his mid 50's. Sting took a serious fall through the announce table. He locked in the Scorpion Deathlock before Seth broke free from the hold.

Rollins Powerbombed Sting into the corner. Sting suffered severe injuries but kept fighting before Seth finished off the match to retain his WWE Title. 

Following the match, Sheamus ran into cash in his MITB Briefcase before Kane returned. The Big Red Monster Chokeslammed both Rollins and Sheamus. Kane finished off Seth with a Tombstone Piledriver. This was a mirror image of what the Undertaker did to Brock Lesnar at BattleGround. 

Overall, I give this Show a 7/10. As far as a Belt Rating, I give it 3 out of 5 United States Title Belts. 

Dear IWC: John Cena deserves your "RESPECT"

For years, John Cena has been vilified by the Internet Wrestling Community "IWC" because of how predictable his character has become. These fans have taken it upon themselves to buck the corporate trend by showering this man with boos in every town that he enters. John Cena has pretty much been Mr. Untouchable throughout his time in the Main Event. The typical Cena story is that he takes a beating, then finds his Super Powers to defeat the Evil Enemy. From Edge, Randy Orton, Batista, you name it Cena has defeated them. Those are the Lex Luthors, Brainiacs and General Zod to John Cena's Superman. Even with those victories, Cena continued to gain the heat of the IWC. Many people have accused John Cena of "burying" talent during his reign on the WWE Throne. People point to examples like Nexus, Kevin Owens, etc as stars that Cena has destroyed.

Certain established stars could not be buried by Cena after losing to him. To be "buried" is to typically be in a place where it is hard for your career to recover. Edge was not buried. CM Punk was not buried. Chris Jericho was not buried.

You cannot, and I repeat CANNOT blame everything on one person. It was not completely Cena's fault that certain people did not break through the glass ceiling. Creative has to take a large piece of that blame for the way that they book John Cena as an unstoppable force that runs through the city.

When it comes to the Nexus, John Cena even admits that he made a mistake in the way he handled that storyline. Chris Jericho and Edge called out Cena for doing things his way during their Summerslam match as his idea backfired.

In the earlier part of his Career, John Cena was naturally out to fight for his spot. Anybody else would feel the same way when they fight to climb the ladder of success as well as maintain that place in the WWE Hierarchy. In that sense, who could really blame him?


I have not had much of a problem with John Cena myself. Certain scenarios that he was placed in I did not agree with. For example, I was not a fan of him defeating Edge in a TLC Match in Toronto. In a place like that, Edge is a Legend while Cena went in as Public Enemy number 1. Other than that, Cena is not the bane of my existence.


During his time in the Main Event, John Cena has drawn comparisons to Hulk Hogan. Both portrayed a polished, American Role Model Persona (Hogan, not so much these days). Both men have been champions for a long period of time and have headlined countless WrestleManias. Cena and Hogan have also been criticized for politics.

The comparison has stopped at a certain point. The difference between them is that Cena is doing more of what Hulk Hogan has been criticized for not doing, and that is put people over.

John Cena is doing more to help up and coming talent along with wrestlers who have perfected their craft in different Indie promotions before coming to WWE for more exposure.

After years of monopolizing the WWE Title Picture, John Cena has stepped down to elevate the Mid Card with a US Championship run that is redefining the history of that title. John Cena has brought value and credibility to a title that has lacked it for a number of years.


Look at what Cena is doing to put over the wrestlers who come from NXT to the Main Roster. Sami
Zayn, and Neville. Cena put them over without having to lose. This is his time to give back to the business. Do you think that Hulk Hogan would even bother elevating talented workhorses like Mr. Perfect and Rick Rude? Clearly not.

Yet, John Cena is putting these names over on a larger platform. Look at Cena's recent feud with Kevin Owens. Even Kevin himself knows that this is the best opportunity that he has ever received during his career, because he is in the Big Leagues. Owens knew that he had to bring his A Game as a heel, because he was working with the very best in the World from the last 10 years. This has been an opportunity that Kevin knew he could not waste.

The Matches with Cena have elevated Kevin's name value. You could choose any one of their matches to name as "Match of the Year".

You could even look at the names that have already been on the Roster. During the Open Challenge, John Cena has put on wrestling clinics with names like Cesaro, Dean Ambrose, Stardust and recently Seth Rollins. John fought through a broken nose. Not to sound cliche, but Cena continues to show his dedication no matter what position he is in.

John Cena may not be a naturally fluid ring technician like a Bret Hart, Daniel Bryan, Chris Jericho, etc., but he makes up for it with his charisma and mic skills.

Cena may not be a 5 Star Match waiting to happen like Shawn Michaels, but he does not have to be that way.

Speaking of ringwork, Cena has improved by leaps and bounds. This has been considered John Cena's most successful run from a Match Quality Standpoint.

During his Career, John Cena has had multiple 4 to 5 Star Matches. Now, those matches are taking place on a more consistent basis. For the people that complain about the "Five Moves of Doom", you can see that he does much more than that.

Yet, people still find things to complain about even when you do your best to satisfy. Many of these wrestling fans are pretty, stubborn and outright snobbish as they can never be satisfied.

Cena has done a great job in helping to elevate Rusev during their feud. Those matches were fantastic as well.

John Cena has answered the bell whenever the time has come for him to rise to the occasion.

I have not been the biggest John Cena fan, but I understand his place in the company. Cena brings it from start to finish.

Traditionally, the Intercontinental Title has typically been the more valuable mid card title. These days, Cena has turned the tables.

Seth Rollins may hold the company's top Title, but John Cena is still the man to beat.

Coming up at Summerslam, Rollins and Cena will collide for the WWE World Title. This should create another interesting dynamic.

Not here from singing Cena's praises, but he could very well be the top candidate for "Wrestler of the Year" when all is said and done.

I would rather see Cena as Champion instead of watching his girlfriend break the record for longest reigning Divas Champion in WWE History. Talk about an eyesore.

For what it is worth, John Cena will continue to have value in whatever he is involved in until it is time for him to call it a career.

WWE 2k16 goes 3:16

This week of wrestling started off with the bang as WWE Shattered The Glass across the Wrestling Community by revealing Stone Cold Steve Austin as their Cover Star for WWE 2K16. With WrestleMania 32 in Dallas, TX (Austin's home state), WWE is pulling out everything at their disposal to create enormous buzz for a WrestleMania filled with historical potential. As we know, Vince McMahon & Co have been on a mission and media frenzy to break the WrestleMania III Attendance Record of 93,173 from the Silverdome. Along with Undertaker, Stone Cold is seen as the man that could be the Ambassador for next year's Mania in the Lone Star State. Lately, Austin has been creating his own waves across the wrestling world with his recent Podcast with Paul Heyman. He went from the mild-mannered, working man Steve Austin back to Stone Cold within a moment once Heyman threw out the idea of wrestling Brock Lesnar at WM 32. Austin's reaction to a match with Lesnar went viral. 2016 could be a very big year for Austin with a possible match at WM in front of the largest crowd in WWE History and being the cover star for the next game. It came as quite a surprise by many that the Biggest Star of the Attitude Era made the cover of the latest game. Austin was the Central Figure for WWE '13 because of the Attitude Era Mode. If you pre-ordered the game, you received the Limited Edition version of WWE 13 that included exclusive Stone Cold content from posters, shirts, and even a DVD. With this game, there could possibly be a 3:16 Mode similar to "Path of the Warrior" from WWE 2K15 where you take a journey through the Career of The Ultimate Warrior.

On the flip side, there are people within the IWC (Internet Wrestling Community) who have an issue with Stone Cold being on the cover of the latest WWE 2k Video Game that will be released this Fall. They look at this as part of the WWE pattern of sticking with familiar names (legends/veterans) to promote their product. Ever since WWE moved away from the Smackdown vs. RAW Era, the Superstars that have been the biggest promoters of their games have been established stars. Fans will quickly grow tired of someone that is familiar.

WWE 12: Randy Orton (The Rock was DLC)
WWE 13: CM Punk (Austin 3:16 Limited Edition, plus The Attitude Era Mode)
WWE 2k14: The Rock (30 Years of WrestleMania Mode)
WWE 2k15: John Cena
WWE 2k16: Stone Cold Steve Austin

I am sure that you have noticed a pattern with the latest WWE Video Games. They have been promoted by the nostalgia for the most part. Even with CM Punk as the Cover Star for WWE '13, I will still say that Stone Cold was the biggest reason why I purchased the game. The Attitude Era Story Mode was the strongest marketing tool for the game, even though Punk was gaining incredible momentum during the summer on his way to becoming Champion. Randy Orton and John Cena are the names that make the IWC cringe because of how much of the spotlight that they receive. 2k14 was completely about nostalgia, because The Rock was on the cover as they also featured the 30 Years of WrestleMania Story Mode to celebrate the History of WrestleMania. The Ultimate Warrior also played a major part in promoting the game. Another reason why The Rock was on the game was because he became the WWE Champion earlier that year. Even though The Rock gets criticism for his part-time status, he still did great business during his return. He deserved it. Now, Stone Cold is the latest legendary star to promote the game.

When you look at the current WWE Roster of Main Event Talent (Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, Bray Wyatt), those are generally the names that come to mind for today's fans. However, I think that people would still find something to complain about with either one of them. I also believe that each of those names have their share of flaws when it comes to being the face of a product.

Roman Reigns: Everyone knows about Roman's flaws on the mic and the way that he has been booked. The Internet has grown tired of him. Fans killed WWE for booking Roman to win the Royal Rumble as he was showered with boos. WWE went through a PR Nightmare heading into WrestleMania 31 because the fans threw dirt at them for making it too predictable for Reigns to defeat Lesnar. That is why they went with an alternative by sending Seth Rollins out to cash in the MITB Briefcase to win the WWE Title. I believe that WWE has learned from that mistake, and they don't want to repeat the backlash they created by putting Reigns on the cover.

Seth Rollins: Seth may be the WWE World Heavyweight Champion, but I don't see him as doing enough to warrant the cover of the game. Even though he is a heel champion, I think his credibility as a great heel has been hurt by having the Midget Squad help him win his matches for the most part. Rollins as Champion is not enough to draw the numbers they are looking for to promote this game. I think WWE recognizes that which is why he was not chosen to make the cover.

Dean Ambrose: Since the Shield went their separate ways, Dean has lost every PPV match that he has been involved in. The closest that Ambrose got to win the "Big One" was at Elimination Chamber. However, the decision was reversed since he won via Disqualification. Seth kept the title. While Dean may be very popular, his losing streak does not help his case for being on the cover.

Bray Wyatt: Wyatt has been promoted as the "New Face of Fear". However, no one is really afraid of him since he has lost so much steam in the eyes of the wrestling community. After losses to John Cena and Undertaker, Bray is generally seen as someone that cannot be taken very seriously. He is booked as someone who does not back up what they say. As a result, Wyatt is disqualified.

The only other star that I could see making the cover would be Brock Lesnar. Lesnar is a Box Office Attraction in his own way, even on a part-time schedule. He is the only wrestler that I see right now that makes the best case next to Austin. NXT is also on fire, but they do not cater enough to casual fans that are not familiar with their work outside of WWE.

Right after this news went viral, Austin got involved in some heat with Roddy Piper in regards to their Podcasts on Podcast One. Piper claimed that Austin got him fired from PodCast One after an episode where he had former Mad TV Star Will Sasso as his guest. Sasso did an impression of Stone Cold, as both he and Roddy went into some very personal information that Austin did not want to be shared over the Internet. Steve addressed Roddy's claims with facts and denied that he got Piper fired. Following this controversy, WWE fired Piper from their Legends Deal. Vince McMahon will always find value and dollars behind Stone Cold Steve Austin, and he has to protect one of his most valuable stars. Vince could not afford to have Austin's name involved with any kind of controversy while promoting the release of this game along with the promotion of the biggest WrestleMania of this generation.

Overall, Stone Cold Steve Austin is still a strong commodity in the world of marketing as I have no problem with him marketing the latest WWE 2k Video Game. WWE has been on a crusade to promote the Attitude Era as of late. They are just responding to the requests of a legion of fans who have been crying for it and now they have what they wished for. There could be a possible Monday Night Wars Mode where you could relive the events of the greatest War in Wrestling History. And That's The Bottom Line 'Cause Stone Cold Said So!

Seth Rollins: Best For Business

Now that the WrestleMania Madness is over, I would like to give my assessment on Seth Rollins becoming the NEW WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Throughout 2014, Rollins has been the most consistent workhorse not only in the Shield, but also on the roster. Rollins was the silent assassin of the group that you would least expect to make the most noise. From the time that the Shield split up, Seth has been poised for the highest ceiling beside Roman Reigns. However, Seth did create a roadblock for himself with his Twitter fiasco. As everyone knows, Rollins pulled his "Money Out of the Bank" for the world to see and came under intense fire as others posted the pictures on FB, Instagram as well as Twitter. Looks like Seth took "Rated R Superstar" to a whole different level. I don't think that is what Edge meant when he said that he was passing the torch. Fortunately, WWE swept it under the rug, as Rollins did not face a severe punishment. Vince McMahon has dealt with things much worse than this and saw enough in Seth not to put him the doghouse. What Rollins did was foolish, but he was saved. This is something that he will never live down. In spite of that, I still believed in Seth to do incredible things. Seth's cash in at Mania further validates me giving him the "Wrestler of the Year" Award in my Year End Review. Much like his predecessor Randy Orton in Evolution, Seth has become the Diamond of the Authority and of the Future for WWE. This adds the biggest dynamic to this rivalry. Like many people, I was skeptical about the breakup of the Shield. Since they have been disbanded, you can see some of the cracks in the armor of the members.

Dean Ambrose:

Dean Ambrose has been on a horrendous losing streak at Pay Per Views, in spite of his popularity. However, being "over with the fans" can only get you so far when you are on the verge of making the climb up the ladder. When you are just making a name for yourself, any and every PPV win is crucial. If you are Shawn Michaels or Chris Jericho, it really doesn't matter. Even though Dean has had high profile feuds with Seth Rollins and Bray Wyatt, he came out on the losing end in both feuds. If you think that Bray Wyatt's stock has been falling, you got another thing coming. At least Wyatt has defeated Y2J at Summerslam. Ambrose has 0 victories in Big Matches. Following the feud with Bray, Ambrose gets put into the Intercontinental Title picture. While it may seem admirable, it was not the best position to put him in when you have someone like Daniel Bryan in the mix as well. Also, when you look at recent history, IC Champions have been on a losing streak (Ziggler, Barrett). With that said, clearly Dean is not the guy that WWE has the biggest plans for. In the group, Ambrose was perfect as the mouthpiece. On his own, we can all see the flaws. Ambrose is a combination of Brian Pillman, Roddy Piper, and Terry Funk but has the losing streak of Tommy Dreamer. I look forward to seeing WWE turn things around for him.

Roman Reigns:

Roman Reigns seemed destined to be Vince's new Golden Boy because of his image. Many fans have not been very welcoming of Roman, because of those qualities along with his lack of charisma. Much of the backlash comes from the fact that Roman seems out of place when he opens up his mouth. I want to see him succeed to carry on the tradition, but the guy cannot talk his way out of a paper bag. His promos were clearly forced by the Powers that Be in Titan Towers. However, Roman was on a streak of his own after the Shield's Destruction. He was in the MITB Ladder Match for the WWE/WHC, that was later won by John Cena. He scored the biggest win of his career at this point over Randy Orton at Summerslam. However, Roman's in-ring flaws have been greatly exposed when he does not have two workhorses covering them. Unfortunately, Roman's push was derailed as a result of an injury. He would return just in time to win "Superstar of the Year", which is when the hatred from the fans was amplified even more. The level of disdain towards Reigns was turned up to maximum levels at the Royal Rumble when he was vilified. Then, his flaws become even more glaring when he puts his Number 1 Contender Spot on the line against Daniel Bryan at Fastlane. Finally, we get to WrestleMania 31 and the show was destined to become a critical disaster among fans and critics because of the Main Event (Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns). If the Royal Rumble was bad, WrestleMania was even worse. Brock was cheered throughout the entire match as he beat Roman's brains in. Then as Lesnar is ready to finish things off, Seth's music hits.

Seth Rollins:

Rollins comes in to save the show, in a way that would make Edge very proud. In Edge like fashion, Seth cashes in as the opportunist to ride off into the sunset as the new Champion. Rollins was the darkhorse of this match, because of the Briefcase. Many thought it were best for Roman to win, then have Seth cash in after Mania. However, Vince had to pull the trigger to keep the show from ending in destruction. WrestleMania 31 was reaching WM 11 and WM 29 levels in terms of how bad it would be received. Thankfully, that did not happen. Seth's night was similar to Bret Hart's story at WrestleMania 10. At the start of the show, Bret lost to Owen. By the end of the night, Bret defeated Yokozuna to become WWF Champion. Fast forward 21 years later. Seth loses to Randy Orton with an RKO that became the highlight of the show. By the end of the night, Rollins leaves Mania as the Champion. The best part about this cash in is that Brock Lesnar was never pinned, which still makes him look strong. Rollins was already very impressive in his Triple Threat Match with Lesnar & Cena at The Royal Rumble. The feud with Rollins and Randy Orton has been heating up since Orton's return. Seth and Randy had a classic to kick off Mania. Speaking of one of Seth's other predecessors, Edge himself lost to Ric Flair earlier at New Year's Revolution in 2006 before cashing in on John Cena to become the new WWE Champion. Seth Rollins is poised to become the quintessential ring general of this era. Rollins is a great combination of Edge, Shawn Michaels, and a Prime Randy Savage remixed into 2015. His ring style and image have each of their names written all over. Rollins has a coolness about him that separates him from someone like Dolph Ziggler. With Rollins, I feel like there is a purpose in watching him. He has substance behind him and does not overdo it with his selling. At first, I thought he looked like a rejected version of X-23. He almost reminds me of General Zod, lol. Seriously, Seth's attire fits him perfectly. Seth's psychology, timing in the ring and brilliance in the ring are what make him very special. He may not be a Pipe Bomb dropping legend like CM Punk, but his mic skills are acceptable. Rollins is the right choice to fill the void that CM Punk left. With the right head on his shoulders, Seth could even be a better champion and more accomplished star than Punk himself. What Savage and HBK were to their respective eras, I look forward to Seth Rollins being the premiere in-ring performer and Showstopper for the next 10+ years. Rollins may have skipped the IC Title for now, but he will be the standard that other performers will be measured by. That is Best for Business.

2014 Year End Awards (Wrestling)

Happy New Year Everyone! As we close out a very noteworthy year, I would like to present my Awards for the best performers in the last year. I would like to recognize who stood out the most, best matches, etc. My criteria for the awards are as follows:

Consistency
Match Quality
Storyline Quality
Innovation
Rivalry Chemistry

I am doing my best to model my awards after the blueprint of PWI, while adding my own creativity with my own twist. May you enjoy. 

Diva of the Year: Paige
Paige has done an incredible job carrying the Divas Division from day one when she made her debut the night after WrestleMania. That night on RAW, Paige put herself on the map when she scored an upset victory over AJ Lee to become the new WWE Divas Champion. The win ended AJ's 295 day title reign, the longest of the Modern Era (Women's version of CM Punk's title reign). Paige continued to carry the ball with her ongoing feud with AJ, along with strong performances to hold up the sinking ship known as Women's Wrestling.

 

Tag Team of the Year: The USO's
This was an undisputed choice. In an Era where the Tag Team Division is a shell of what it once was, the USO's have been the most consistent team in an otherwise lackluster era. Jimmy and Jey started their year of dominance by defeating the Legendary, Hall of Fame New Age Outlaws to become the new World Tag Team Champions. They would go through the Wyatts before losing the titles to the Dust Brothers. Not long after they won the Slummy for Tag Team of the Year, the USO's would defeat The Miz and Mizdow to regain the belts. The USO's would end the year strong as Tag Team Champions.

 

Dominant Performance of the Year: Brock Lesnar winning the WWE Title

This deserves recognition. We have NEVER seen a WWE Champion lose the title this way in his prime. Not Austin, Rock, Hogan, etc. Brock Lesnar continued his momentum from breaking the streak by demoralizing and dismantling John Cena. When you watch this match, you would think that you were watching a longer version of King Kong Bundy vs SD Jones at WrestleMania I. Lesnar wiped the ring and Staples Center with Cena. John only got at least four moves of offense as Brock drilled him with 16 German Suplexes and 2 F-5's to become the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Lesnar made Cena look like  This is clearly the start of the change of the guard as Cena became the transitional champion. Brock will now be the channel that the title passes through once Wrestlemania comes around.

 

Surprise of the Year: Brock Lesnar breaking the Streak

The Superdome in New Orleans was dead silent the night of April 6, 2014 at Wrestlemania XXX. There were many surprises this year, but this stands out because of the historical impact. Brock Lesnar did the unthinkable. He CONQUERED hallow ground, as he ended the Undertaker's Wrestlemania Streak. The Streak was the last larger than life, heroic spectacle that fans had to look forward to. The match itself was subpar, but the finish is what elevated it overall. When Brock hit the F-5 for the last time as the ref counted to three, the world stood still. The victory was earth shattering. This is not a lame cliché, but it is how things really were in the world of wrestling. This made headlines all over the globe. The Internet went insane. Brock Lesnar made history on the 30th Anniversary of Wrestlemania. Not only was it historic, but career redeeming for Lesnar as well.

Inspirational Wrestler of the Year: Daniel Bryan

Daniel Bryan without question was the biggest inspiration this past year. He had the watershed Wrestlemania Moment when he defeated Randy Orton and Batista in the Triple Threat Main Event of Wrestlemania to become WWE/World Heavyweight Champion. This moment was made even more special, because of how Bryan was excluded from the Royal Rumble. The WWE eventually gave in to the momentum of Bryan because of the demands of the fans.

Return of the Year: Ultimate Warrior's Return

This was something we as fans had all been waiting to see for 18 long years. When the Ultimate Warrior returned to WWE with his commercial for WWE 2k14, it was the moment where the seeds were planted for him to make his long awaited return. After years of bad blood against each other, Warrior and WWE finally made peace. WWE had made the pitch to him before in 2010 for him to return for WM 26 in Arizona (his hometown). However, Warrior refused, because of his displeasure for their Self-Destruction DVD. By the end of 2013, WWE promised Warrior that they would rewrite his story and tell it right. Warrior finally agreed. The events of Wrestlemania weekend were amazing. His Hall of Fame speech was tremendous as well as his journey to make peace with Vince McMahon, Hulk Hogan and others. His last appearance on RAW was the perfect way to top off his momentous return. Even though he passed away the next day, Warrior made amends and WWE repaired the bridge that they burned.

 

Rookie of the Year: Rusev

There was no one better to win this award than Rusev. His momentum has been strong from his feud with America. Rusev's wave of heat was rewarded when he won the US Championship.

 

Heel of the Year/Most Improved: Seth Rollins

Seth Rollins did the unexpected as he turned his back on his comrades Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose. The night after an epic match where they were victorious over Evolution, the Shield were destroyed. Rollins took a major step in his career by joining the Authority. Rollins was very consistent in his run as a heel in 2014. After winning MITB, Seth scored a number of noteworthy victories over the likes of Dean Ambrose as well as John Cena. Rollins elevated his heel status on the final RAW of 2014, when he forced John Cena to bring back the Authority by threatening to break Edge's neck permanently. Thankfully it never happened, but the torch was passed that night. Rollins has garnered comparisons to Edge, so it was only fitting for Seth to make his mark at the expense of his legendary predecessor.

Babyface/Most Popular Wrestler: Daniel Bryan
It speaks for itself.

 

 

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

This award is appropriately named after legend Bill Goldberg. This goes to the show that has had the biggest breakthrough impact. NXT wins this award, because of the moves that they have made this year with the acquisitions of Kevin Owens, Hideo Itami, and Finn Balor. Triple H deserves plenty of credit for the time that he has invested to make this product. NXT has fired on all cylinders as the place to be for you to get your pro wrestling fix without the bells and whistles from RAW and Smackdown. The show delivers when it comes to the pure quality and in-ring substance that the wrestling purists crave. The pinnacle of NXT came at NXT REvolution. This was the Wrestlemania of the show. From start to finish, the show was incredible. The show ended in great fashion with Sami Zayn defeating Adrian Neville to win the NXT Championship. Kevin Owens would go on to attack Zayn to make his heel turn. This is only a sign of things to come.

 

Breakout Star of the Year: Dean Ambrose

Since the breakup of the Shield, Dean Ambrose has found a way to make his presence known. Ambrose has been involved with the biggest feuds of this year. From the Shield vs The Wyatt Family, Shield vs Evolution to his feuds with Seth Rollins and Bray Wyatt. Ambrose has been a great improviser with his incredible mic delivery. He main evented HIAC with Rollins and TLC with Bray. No matter what, Ambrose knows when to deliver no matter who he is with.

 

Interview of the Year: CM Punk on Colt Cabana's "Art of Wrestling" Podcast

There is no debate about this award. This was the biggest bombshell of the year away from the ring. After 10 months, CM Punk shattered the Internet with this ground shaking interview on his best friend's podcast. Punk aired his grievances and exposed the inconsistencies of WWE for the world to hear.

Feud of the Year: Dean Ambrose vs Seth Rollins
This was the premiere rivalry of the year and will be in the future. The seeds were planted when Seth Rollins betrayed The Shield causing the breakup. Immediately, Ambrose was on his path. Dean would hinder Seth's cash-ins every chance that he got. They had a trilogy of matches that were showstoppers (BattleGround, Summerslam, Night of Champions, Hell In A Cell). The natural chemistry between them made this feud even more intense and amazing.

 

Match of the Year: The Shield vs Evolution (Payback)
This match stole the show and the year in general. The match cemented The Shield as not only the best faction of their era, but one of the best factions ever. The match was phenomenal from start to finish, as both factions fired all of their guns at each other. This cemented an incredible run of dominance by The Shield. The match was Falls Count Anywhere, as they literally went everywhere in this battle. The action was simply electrifying (if I may use The Rock's line). Evolution showed that they could still go at a high level together, with their natural brutality with how they whipped Roman Reigns. The Shield rallied back as Ambrose and Rollins showed what kind of madmen they can truly be. All three members were dynamic as they swept Evolution by eliminating all three members. This was the ultimate pinnacle of The Shield's success as they took down three future Hall of Famers. Trips, RKO, and Batista have a combined 31 world championships between them. This was also the last night that both teams were together. Talk about ending with a bang.

 

PPV of the Year: Wrestlemania 30

The 30th Anniversary of the Greatest Event in Wrestling History. The Celebration of an Empire that has stood the test of time. When you look at marquee value, match quality, characters involved, and historical significance, nothing surpasses the pomp and circumstance of Wrestlemania. This show was a great way to commemorate such tremendous history. The show kicked off to a great start. Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold, and The Rock all in one ring. That was the segment of the year. The three megastars that built Wrestlemania into what it is today. The stare down with Austin and the Hulkster was epic, as all three men celebrated. In the opening match, Daniel Bryan defeated Triple H to earn a spot in the Triple Threat Main Event. John Cena would defeat Bray Wyatt. Brock Lesnar would silence the wrestling world by Breaking Undertaker's Streak. In the main event, Daniel Bryan captured the WWE/WHC in a thrilling match. The night ended on a very high note.

 

Wrestler of the Year: Seth Rollins
When you come down to it, this is the most deserving choice. When you look at the variables, no one has been more consistent than Seth Rollins from bell to bell. Rollins has been the consummate workhorse and ring general. He has been the most successful heel as Mr. MITB. Seth was also part of the MOTY (Match of The Year: Shield vs Evolution), along with candidates such as Shield vs Wyatts and his match vs Dean Ambrose at Summerslam. He was in the Main Event of HIAC with his chief rival. Rollins emerged victorious in each match with Ambrose. He has also scored a huge victory over John Cena. No one expected Seth to be this great when The Shield disbanded. Greater things await him and his fellow comrades.

 

 

I hope that you enjoyed this presentation. I look forward to doing more of these in the future.