WWE Royal Rumble, Sunday 29th January 2023, 12pm AEDT

[NSWCROW]

So Zayn watches his friend get beat up and does nothing, and then after he’s already beat down all he does is a cowardly chair shot from behind? Obviously it worked because it got a huge pop but seems weird to me for a baby face to get over like that.

Also, I know colour isn’t allowed these days but I reckon if Owens was bloodied up it would have been even more impactful.

I touched on both those things last night.
Mainly the sami part, the beatdown would've been more brutal-unfair had he just thrown the chair down instead of hitting Roman.

Like, i'd attack a guy who hit my brother with a chair too

 

[99 Problems]

Could it be Gunther? Cody & Gunther went at it for a fair while to finish off the rumble match so maybe they were setting something up there.

The fact that Gunther lasted the entire rumble also suggests that maybe they’re building him up for something a little more?

Might be the best option. As you said was really strong in the rumble, and has Imperium to get involved to help make it an even bigger challenge to overcome for Cody. Could make it the WWE belt he somehow gets off Roman which would flow into why Cody picks Gunther over Roman.

 

[Ry009]

I touched on both those things last night.
Mainly the sami part, the beatdown would've been more brutal-unfair had he just thrown the chair down instead of hitting Roman.

Like, i'd attack a guy who hit my brother with a chair too

Both Sami and the Roman were great at the end, kinda feels like a waste having him not having him go full fledged heel and laying everyone out with a chair, uncuffing Owens then having them both clear house. Instead whacks Zayn then happily cops the beatdown.

It was odds on Cody was going to win too, but kinda felt they should have done what they did with Cole coming back. That or either zero until he came out at the Rumble.

The way the Rumble was booked kinda felt like an extended episode of the weekly shows. Crowd started off hot, but half way through the Rumble kinda felt the atmosphere had fizzled.

Wasn't happy with how the Rumble played out yesterday but think now I'll reserve judgement until after Mania.

 

[mickelboy182]

I haven’t watched wrestling for a long time but watched the Rumble after seeing a bit on social media about this Bloodline angle being really good.

So Zayn watches his friend get beat up and does nothing, and then after he’s already beat down all he does is a cowardly chair shot from behind? Obviously it worked because it got a huge pop but seems weird to me for a baby face to get over like that.

Also, I know colour isn’t allowed these days but I reckon if Owens was bloodied up it would have been even more impactful.

I feel like any praise for the writing or story in a wrestling program comes with an unspoken disclaimer of 'for wrestling'. It's not high drama or great writing by traditional standards, but in the realm of sports entertainment you let a lot of the silly stuff go

 

[Blackhawk42]

I haven’t watched wrestling for a long time but watched the Rumble after seeing a bit on social media about this Bloodline angle being really good.

So Zayn watches his friend get beat up and does nothing, and then after he’s already beat down all he does is a cowardly chair shot from behind? Obviously it worked because it got a huge pop but seems weird to me for a baby face to get over like that.

Also, I know colour isn’t allowed these days but I reckon if Owens was bloodied up it would have been even more impactful.

100% agree on the blood.

I took the Zayn chair shot as symbolism. He knew he was going to cop it immediately, but his words were having no effect on Roman's intentions. The only way to get it though to Reigns was to symbolically sacrifice himself. That way it proves to Owens that he's on his old friends side and isn't like Jey by just walking away cowardly.

Jey walking away wasn't cowardly, but it would have been if Sami had done it.

 

[EBERT THE KING]

Cody has always spoken about winning the WWE championship. He has never mentioned the Universal championship once.

All he needs to do is come out tomorrow and say he's challenging for the WWE title, not the universal title and there is the split.

They could run an elimination chamber for the WWE title, and an elimination chamber for the number one contenders spot for the Universal title.

WWE title chamber - Reigns, KO, Lashley, Lesnar, Rollins, Theory (Raw superstars + Roman)
WWE Universal contenders match - Zayn, Gunther, Mcintyre, Sheamus, LA Knight, Strowman (Smackdown Superstars)

Pretty obvious who wins the contenders match but will still be a good set up.

The WWE title chamber could honestly go one of about three ways.

 

[Grockadoc]

Gunther was going over the ropes ever before Cody got to him.
To me Cody lacks a bit of personality.

Agree. The most interesting thing about him is his last name...

If he wasn't Dusty's son, how many would actually care about him?

 

[kreglze]

They really need to split those titles up again, or if they insist on keeping them as a package, just make 1 belt.

 

[Grockadoc]

Apparently the plans are for Roman V Sami at EC and then Sami and KO V the Uso's at Mania...

 

[Chris_6678]

Split the titles so Cody gets his win v someone at WM.

Then night 2 Sami v Regins for the second title.

Sami wins , soaks up the celebration...then the Rocks theme hits and he walks out with Jey and declares Jey is the head of the table now. Jey gives Sami a wink on the way out.

 

[EskimoPAFC]

My approach to WWE nowadays is to tune in once a year to the Royal Rumble and basically ignore the rest of the year, so I went in with zero expectations or understanding of the backgrounds to matches.

And I've got to say I was really impressed with the direction of the WWE now. There wasn't a really bad match on the entire card. I'm not sure if its the rise of AEW that has the WWE actually trying again (similar to attitude era with WCW), but it just felt like they did all the important things well - not overusing stupid spots, not too much comedy, good commentary (apart from Cole), and actually using the talent they have rather than recent years where the strategy seemed to be just bringing back 50 year old ex-stars to trash the roster. If you look at the 30 man rumble for example there were probably 10-15 blokes that come out of that looking really strong (Gunther leading that pack).

If I had any criticism at all it would be that the matches did seem predictable. I couldn't ever really see Cody or Roman not winning for example. But predictable story telling can be fine if the story itself is told well, and both stories were told really well.

In total opposition to my above comments, and with all due respect to that incredible Logan Paul/Ricochet spot... highlight of the night had to be McAfee's "PIPER NIVEN" haha... I'm still chuckling

 

[EskimoPAFC]

Also LOL Kofi Kingston

His foot is on a chair!! Someone check the replay!!

 

[Shade]

Dang im surprised a lot of casuals enjoyed the show

 

[nobbyiscool]

I watched the end of the show again. It's so good. All the little details.

Roman - "You're ours, and we're yours. I care about you. I love you. Otherwise, go and do jackass s**t."

Heyman - "THERE'S NO CRYING IN BLOODLINE!!"

And then I'm pretty sure Roman is also screaming "I GAVE YOU LOOOOOOOOOOVE" as he's beating him up.

The Jey thing is a wrinkle I wasn't expecting, especially not while they still hold the titles. But I think it's love for Sami, but also the glare at Roman is respect that Sami did what Jey wasn't brave enough to do back in the COVID era. (Loved that main event Jey run, it was the last time I was watching semi-regularly.)

I still don't want Owens to just forgive Sami, he still let him get the s**t kicked through him.

Can't remember the last time WWE did long term story telling. It wasn't deliberate at the start, but it was so smart how it was all intertwined.

 

[eddiesmith]

Apparently the plans are for Roman V Sami at EC and then Sami and KO V the Uso's at Mania...

How to ruin a great story in 2 shows by HHH

 

[eddiesmith]

One major criticism I have is the whole Rey thing.

Having him presumable attacked backstage, mention it for maybe 10 seconds and then forget about him was lazy.

No replacement either.

It should either have been:

a: Rey gets attacked and taken out on the ramp. Adam Pearce comes out and states that Rey will
be replaced in the match. Edge's musix hits and he is a replacement entering the rumble. (Someone else the judgement day have issues with)

B: Dominik eliminates Rey.

I feel the best outcome would have been this though:

C: Rey eliminates Dominik, who loses it, goes back into the ring and eliminates Rey, beating him down at ringside.



Forgetting Rey for 40 minutes and not even mentioning this was a 29 man rumble was just horrible.imo.

Apparently Rey was legitimately injured hence the angle. Problem was they did it really poorly like so many things on the show.

 

[Hawksboy72]

Agree. The most interesting thing about him is his last name...

If he wasn't Dusty's son, how many would actually care about him?

Probably not many.
LA Knight has more about him than Cody does.

 

[WireHawk]

Also LOL Kofi Kingston

His foot is on a chair!! Someone check the replay!!

I got the impression that Kofi was supposed to land in the chair to avoid elimination. Didn't work!

Gunther was the most impressive performer on the night. I hope he goes all the way, but I doubt it.

I love Asuka! I also hope that they build her back to where she is invincible again, but I also doubt that
they will.

 

[eddiesmith]

I got the impression that Kofi was supposed to land in the chair to avoid elimination. Didn't work!

Gunther was the most impressive performer on the night. I hope he goes all the way, but I doubt it.

I love Asuka! I also hope that they build her back to where she is invincible again, but I also doubt that
they will.

Yeah Kofis tweet confirms that 2 years in a row he’s blown it.

 

[Cleavy]

Also LOL Kofi Kingston

His foot is on a chair!! Someone check the replay!!

I approve of Kofi's new "* up streak", much less annoying than the contrived non-eliminations.

 

[winty]

Might be reading more into it than I should, but I watched the end of the Rumble again and Paul Heyman's body language when they were beating up on Sami, especially when Roman was wailing on him with the chair, seemed to suggest that he thought they went too far with the beat down. Wonder if that could be another wrinkle in the story line, or just that he was cringing at the sheer brutality of it all.

Time will tell I guess.

 

[ULTIMATE_WARRIOR]

Someone who hasn’t got much credit is Kevin Owens. He was fantastic yesterday also, and has been this whole program with the bloodline.

What a good range he has as a talent. Can go from buffoon, to cheap heat smart arse heel, to vindictive and malicious heel, to determined ass kicker baby face, all without making major changes to his persona.

 

[Raveneyes]

Forgetting Rey for 40 minutes and not even mentioning this was a 29 man rumble was just horrible.imo.

Coming up on Smackdown: Curtis Axel vs Rey Mysterio in a 2-man Royal Rumble match! Winner gets a title shot at Wrestlemania!

Cody has always spoken about winning the WWE championship. He has never mentioned the Universal championship once.

All he needs to do is come out tomorrow and say he's challenging for the WWE title, not the universal title and there is the split.

They could run an elimination chamber for the WWE title, and an elimination chamber for the number one contenders spot for the Universal title.

WWE title chamber - Reigns, KO, Lashley, Lesnar, Rollins, Theory (Raw superstars + Roman)
WWE Universal contenders match - Zayn, Gunther, Mcintyre, Sheamus, LA Knight, Strowman (Smackdown Superstars)

Pretty obvious who wins the contenders match but will still be a good set up.

The WWE title chamber could honestly go one of about three ways.

Don't mind this in theory. They could preserve Reigns' by having him get kayfabe injured and removed from the chamber, thus allowing a title change without him being pinned. Save the pinfall for WM.

 

[Raveneyes]

Someone who hasn’t got much credit is Kevin Owens. He was fantastic yesterday also, and has been this whole program with the bloodline.

What a good range he has as a talent. Can go from buffoon, to cheap heat smart arse heel, to vindictive and malicious heel, to determined ass kicker baby face, all without making major changes to his persona.

Hear hear!

KO has been fantastic this run.

 

[BEEG]

I haven’t watched wrestling for a long time but watched the Rumble after seeing a bit on social media about this Bloodline angle being really good.

So Zayn watches his friend get beat up and does nothing, and then after he’s already beat down all he does is a cowardly chair shot from behind? Obviously it worked because it got a huge pop but seems weird to me for a baby face to get over like that.

Also, I know colour isn’t allowed these days but I reckon if Owens was bloodied up it would have been even more impactful.

Colour was the only thing missing.

How did KO take those two ring side step head shots and still beable to move, what am I missing here? they looked brutal.