WWE Royal Rumble

WWE Royal Rumble
1/28/18
Wells Fargo Arena, Philadelphia, PA

Quick Results:

  1. WWE Championship Handicap Match: AJ Styles (c) defeated Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn to retain the championship. 
  2. Smackdown Tag Team Championship 2 out of 3 Falls: The Usos (Jimmy and Jey) (c) defeated Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin in two straight falls to retain the titles. 
  3. Royal Rumble Match: Shinsuke Nakamura last eliminated Roman Reigns to win the match. 
  4. Raw Tag Team Championship: Sheamus and Cesaro defeated Seth Rollins and Jason Jordan (c) to win the titles. 
  5. Universal Championship Triple Threat Match: Brock Lesnar (c) w/ Paul Heyman defeated Kane and Braun Strowman to retain the title. 
  6. Royal Rumble Match: Asuka last eliminated Nikki Bella to win the match. 
Blog:

I assumed the Smackdown tag title match would be the "hot open" to the show so I was surprised to see the WWE title match on first. I was not a fan of this move but it did not matter in the end given the finish, as it looks like this feud with continue. The match was entertaining and it doesn't look like Owens was seriously injured while working this match. He might be a bit banged up but he performed well here. The finish with AJ pinning the illegal man was interesting but I am personally getting tired of seeing Owens and Zayn in the main event scene. 

The finish of the Smackdown tag title match was a bit shocking. The Usos won in two straight falls. The first fall went pretty long but the second fall happened soon after. While the match wasn't bad, it was hard to get into, as I don't think anyone bought Gable and Benjamin winning here. 

The men's Royal Rumble was the best rumble match in recent years. The surprise entrants (Rey Mysterio, the Hurricane, Andrade "Cien" Almas, and Adam Cole) were great. Hurricane put on a little weight but Rey Mysterio looked to be in phenomenal shape, leading to speculation about a full time return. I like the idea of filling the rumble with NXT talent as well as talent from the past, but Aleister Black should have been here instead of Cole, given his victory. The other "surprise" entrant, Dolph Ziggler was the only downside to this match. He returned at #30 and got a decent pop but did nothing in the match before quickly getting eliminated. They did an angle with Ziggler relinquishing the title, that got a little interest, and did nothing with it. Aside from that, the rest of the match was very good. The face off featuring Cena, Orton, and Mysterio against Balor, Nakamura, and Reigns got a great reaction from the crowd and was my favorite moment in this match. The crowd was great too, as they were there to enjoy the show and not "hijack" it. The crowd cheered heavily for Rusev but did not boo the rest of the match once he was eliminated. Rather, they cheered for who they liked and booed for who they disliked, rather than choosing to hate the show. 

WWE also seems to finally be listening to fans and committed to pushing Nakamura. The fans really did not want Roman Reigns to win and rather than shoving him down the fans throats, they will give him a different road to Wrestlemania. As for Nakamura, fans will get the Wrestle Kingdom rematch at Wrestlemania, as he will be facing AJ Styles. There is no doubt that this match will steal the show. 

The Raw tag title match got little to no reaction due to the crowd being exhausted from the Rumble. There was a story here with Rollins working most of the match due to injury but the crowd was just not into it. I like that the tag titles are back on Sheamus and Cesaro but Sheamus did not need to be eliminated in 2 seconds during the Royal Rumble match. This could have been a spot given to Curt Hawkins but not to a former Royal Rumble winner who is wrestling for a championship on this show. 

The Universal title match also suffered the same effects although not as bad. The fans were into this match but were also anticipating the women's Rumble match. Brock Lesnar pinning Kane was a given and it looks like Strowman will be kept in the title hunt. Strowman is still very much over but WWE needs to strike while the iron is hot, otherwise he will turn into Bray Wyatt and lose every big program he is in until the fans no longer care. 

I was excited for the women's rumble for many reasons. The novelty of this being the first ever women's rumble, the possible nostalgia returns and NXT entrants, and of course, the suspense of who the winner will be. Starting the match with Becky and Sasha was a good surprise as it started the match off hot. The next few entrants really showcased that while the women's roster has numbers, it lacks a lot of depth. Lita's return was done well and I was surprised to see her pull off a Moonsault (and even the Twist of Fate). Her time in the Rumble didn't need to be long. Kairi Sane was another surprise entrant here and her time in the Rumble was not really memorable. The other surprise entrants were Torrie Wilson, Michelle McCool, Kelly Kelly, Ember Moon, Beth Phoenix, the Bella Twins, and Trish Stratus. I was looking forward to a staredown between Trish and Asuka which we didn't get, however we got two moments which I really loved. First, Asuka had an exchange with Ember Moon, who had her arm wrapped up. Asuka mocked her injury, which would have been a heel move but Asuka can get away with it. The other moment was a great throwback between Mickie James and Trish Stratus. The match getting down to Asuka and Nikki Bella made it obvious that Asuka would win but the Basement Dropkick from the apron was a clever finish to the match. 

The only thing I did not like about the women's rumble was that a lot of wrestlers who were still in the match were recovering outside of the ring. While this is a good tactic for a heel to gain an advantage or for a babyface to get sympathy, this served no purpose. It made it hard to keep track of who was still in the match. While there was criticism over Torrie Wilson being in the match despite her lack of in ring credibility, there is no doubt that she was the most over woman on Smackdown during the initial brand split. 

Ronda Rousey's appearance was great and I am sure it got a lot of media coverage. I am glad she was not in the actual match and I am curious as to where this goes. 

Overall this was a two match show, as the other matches were just there to fill the card. However, both world title matches were good but were overshadowed by the rumbles. 

Match of the Night: Men's Royal Rumble

Thank you for reading. Be sure to follow wrestlingfightclub.blogspot.com for more content on pro wrestling and mixed martial arts.

NXT Takeover: Philadelphia


NXT Takeover: Philadelphia
1/27/18
Wells Fargo Arena, Philadelphia, PA

Quick Results:
  1. NXT Tag Team Championship: Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly (c) defeated Authors of Pain (Akem and Rezar) w/ Paul Ellering to retain. 
  2. Velveteen Dream defeated Kassius Ohno. 
  3. NXT Women's Championship: Ember Moon (c) defeated Shayna Baszler to retain. 
  4. Extreme Rules: Aleister Black defeated Adam Cole. 
  5. NXT Championship: Andrade "Cien" Almas (c) w/ Zelina Vega defeated Johnny Gargano to retain.
Blog:


NXT Takeover events are shows that never seem to drag. While the weekly show is usually a hit or miss (more often a "hit"), the Takeovers always deliver. Takeover Philadelphia was no exception. The quality of this show was enhanced by a great crowd in Philadelphia that showed genuine appreciation for the wrestlers, rather than chanting out of boredom.


The "roll-up" finish for the tag title match made perfect sense, as a way for the Authors of Pain to retain credibility while losing to the much smaller Fish and O'Reilly. The match was really good, as O'Reilly and Fish bring a sense of legitimacy to their moveset with their "mma" style. They are able to successfully incorporate that style into pro wrestling and make it look convincing. I was surprised by the dueling chants, as Authors of Pain have really grown on the NXT audience. This was a great way to kick off the show.

While Velveteen Dream did technically "knock out" Ohno within thirty seconds, I do not see how anyone gained from that little angle. It served no purpose for the rest of the match. Dream needed a rebound win following losses to Aleister Black and Johnny Gargano and this was it. Ohno is not going to win the NXT title in the near future so Dream is the clear priority here. While some spots were botched, as Dream seemed to have trouble lifting up Ohno, this was another good match.

The women's title match was one where I did not like the roll-up finish. It made sense within the match, as Ember Moon was selling a shoulder/arm injury and could not outpower Baszler, but the whole storyline was based on Baszler dominating the division and Moon planning to stop her. This will most likely lead to a rematch but Moon needs to look a little stronger in the coming weeks. 

The Extreme Rules match would have been the match of the night had it not been for the main event. The interference was expected but it was kept very minimal, as Fish and O'Reilly were quickly taken out by Sanity (including a great Suicide Dive by Dane to the outside). Adam Cole and Aleister Black put on a great match that featured too many spots to name, including two that really stood out. Black tossed Cole. back first onto 2 steel chairs that were set up, causing Cole's back to hit the top of the chairs. The other main spot saw Black drive his knees onto Cole through the announce table. The only downside here was how quick Cole recovered to Superkick Black but Cole won with the Black Mass. 


Gargano and Almas put on an excellent main event. I did not expect Gargano to win here but the nearfalls were so believable. The most convincing being when Vega hit a hurracanrana to Gargano, sending him into the steps, followed by a Hammerlock DDT by Almas for a nearfall. This also led to Candice LaRae (Gargano's wife) making her debut, attacking Vega after she tried interfering again. There was a sick spot where Almas hit the double knees on Gargano, who was seated on the apron with his head against the post. Almas got the win soon after. This was an excellent match and one that is worth seeking out if you do not watch the entire show.

EC3 was shown at ringside and this might confirm that his fate will be NXT rather than the main roster. Whether this was a red herring so people do not expect him for the Rumble remains to be seen, but he will be successful no matter where he ends up.

Match of the Night: Andrade "Cien" Almas vs. Johnny Gargano

Thank you for reading. Be sure to follow wrestlingfightclub.blogspot.com for more content on pro wrestling and mixed martial arts.

Royal Rumble 2018 Predictions


WWE Royal Rumble
1/28/18
Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA

Note: The Pre-show matches are not included in this post.

Match Card:
  1. Smackdown Tag Team Championship 2 out of 3 Falls: The Usos (Jimmy and Jey) (c) vs. Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin. 
  2. Raw Tag Team Championship: Seth Rollins and Jason Jordan (c) vs. The Bar (Sheamus and Cesaro). 
  3. WWE Championship Handicap Match: AJ Styles (c) vs. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. 
  4. Universal Championship Triple Threat Match: Brock Lesnar (c) w/ Paul Heyman vs, Braun Strowman vs. Kane
  5. 1st Annual Women's Royal Rumble Match: 30 Participants. 
  6. Men's Royal Rumble Match: 30 Participants.
Predictions:


The WWE has not done a great job building up to the 2018 Royal Rumble, making this a difficult event to predict. One might argue that their focus is currently on declining television ratings leading in to Raw 25, but the Royal Rumble is the official start of the "Road to Wrestlemania". Recent Royal Rumbles usually have one or two wrestlers with a ton of momentum going in, making it a fairly easy one to predict but that is not the case this year (at least for the men's rumble match).

The Smackdown tag title match might be a show stealer. Gable and Benjamin have gelled well together while the Usos are the best duo in all of WWE. With that said, I feel the WWE will keep the titles on the Usos and push this feud a little longer, going in to Wrestlemania. If anything, I feel the newly babyfaced Usos will end up facing the Bludgeon Brothers at some point.

Prediction: The Usos will retain the Smackdown Tag Team Championship.

The Raw tag team title match should be entertaining, only due to the dynamic between Rollins and Jordan. They each play their roles really well, and while the match should be good, I do not see it being better than the Smackdown tag title match. Since Rollins and Jordan are a reluctant team, and due to the frequent tag title changes, I do not believe they will win here. Sheamus and Cesaro are a better act with the tag team titles anyway.

Prediction: Sheamus and Cesaro will win the Raw Tag Team Championship. 




Usually, World titles matches at the Royal Rumble are easy to predict, and this one is no different. Owens and Zayn are a great act, but neither of them come off as "main eventers" in this current role. Owens is a top level talent, no doubt, but this comedic character should not be the champion during Wrestlemania season. Zayn is a top level babyface who has not been given a chance yet. AJ Styles is the best wrestler in the WWE now and he should be facing someone like Nakamura or Orton at Wrestlemania, defending his title.

Prediction: AJ Styles will retain the WWE Championship. 



The Universal title match is probably the biggest non-rumble match on this show. Strowman has gained a lot of momentum recently with his actions on Raw, such as dropping scaffolding, flipping over a truck, and throwing Michael Cole off the stage. This extra emphasis on Strowman leads me to believe he will not win and is just being built up in order to be protected. The consensus is that Kane will be pinned by Lesnar and I have no reason to doubt that. WWE has too much money invested in Brock to take the title off of him here.

Prediction: Brock Lesnar will retain the Universal Championship.



The first ever women's Royal Rumble match has already gotten criticism. Virtually no one is a fan of the way Stephanie McMahon introduced the match, causing babyfaces and heels to stop brawling and chant "Yes". The loss of Paige also hurt this match. However, I do believe this match will be memorable. The talent in this match, without Charlotte, Alexa Bliss, and Paige is still great. Becky Lynch, Naomi, and of course, Asuka, along with surprise entrants, are going to make this match great. As for the winner, there is no one on the roster as strong as Asuka. As much I would like Becky Lynch to win here, there is no doubt WWE is behind the Empress of Tomorrow.

Predicion: Asuka will win the first ever women's Royal Rumble match. 




As for the men's Rumble, there are still a lot of empty slots available. While the women's rumble will most likely feature surprise entrants and NXT call-ups, I see the men's rumble being filled with lower card wrestlers. I can see Strowman entering the match but that is about it. Roman Reigns is the clear favorite to win this match, leading to a match against Lesnar at Wrestlemania. The other likely (albeit less likely) favorite is Shinsuke Nakamura in order to face AJ Styles for the WWE Championship in a Wrestle Kingdom rematch. Finn Balor, believe it or not, is also a strong candidate given his recent push on television. With all of this said, the WWE firmly believes Roman Reigns is "the guy" and that is all that matters. He will win the Royal Rumble and will face Brock Lesnar in a Wrestlemania rematch.

Prediction: Roman Reigns will win the Royal Rumble match. 

Predictions for the FutureReigns will most likely dethrone Lesnar at Wrestlemania. I also believe we will get AJ vs. Nakamura at Wrestlemania but through other means (maybe a tournament on Smackdown). Asuka will win the title from Bliss while Charlotte will spin off into a feud with Becky Lynch. The next big act in the WWE is the Balor Club and I believe they will have a six man tag at Wrestlemania, against Miz, Sheamus, and Cesaro.

Let's see how this goes...

Thank you for reading. Be sure to follow wrestlingfightclub.blogspot.com for more content on pro wrestling and mixed martial arts.

UFC on Fox: Jacare vs. Brunson 2 - 1/27/18


UFC on Fox: Jacare vs. Brunson 2
1/27/18
Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC

Main Card

1. Frank Camacho (12-5) vs. Drew Dober (18-8, 1NC) - Welterweight Division

Round 1: Camacho scored two takedowns during the round by inside trip, making me see the fight 10-9 for Camacho. 

Round 2: This round consisted of striking by both fighters but Dober was able to outland Camacho. 10-9 round Dober. 

Round 3: Camacho scores another takedown but Dober escaped. Dober landed significant strikes but Camacho dominated the final minute. 10-9 round for Camacho. 

Decision: Drew Dober wins via Unanimous Decision after 3 rounds. 

2. Jordan Rinaldi (13-5) vs. Gregor Gillespie (10-0) - Lightweight Division

Round 1: Gregor Gillespie scored a takedown and landed strikes for the TKO win in the final 15 seconds. 

Decision: Gregor Gillespie wins via TKO in the 1st round. 

3. Andre Fili (17-5) vs. Dennis Bermudez (16-7) - Featherweight Division

Round 1: Fili landed significant strikes followed by a single leg but Bermudez was able to escape. Bermudez landed leg kicks but gets taken down by Fili. Bermudez was able to escape before the round ened. 10-9 Fili. 

Round 2: Fili lands a double leg but Bermudez immediately escapes. Bermudez lands more leg kicks but gets caught with a left hook by by Fili. Fili is able to secure another takedown by Bermudez once again escapes. 10-9 Fili. 

Round 3: Fili lands a big uppercut. Bermudez accidentally knees Fili in the groin. Bermudez lands strikes and secures a takedown to win the round. Bermudez 10-9. 

Decision: Andre Fili wins via Split Decision after 3 rounds. 


4. Jacare Souza (24-5) vs. Derek Brunson (18-5)

Round 1: Souza lands a head kick and strikes on the mat for the Knockout win. 

Decision: Jacare Souza wins via KO in the 1st round. 

Blog:

The announcers noted that the judges at cageside were boxing judges and questioned if they had ever seen a takedown following the decision of the Camacho/Dober fight. I had scored that fight for Camacho and the takedowns were a big part of that. 

Gregor Gillespie remained undefeated here and will definitely be a featherweight contender in the near future. 

Andre Fili had a good performance during the first two rounds, reading the leg kicks and timing his takedowns accordingly. He seemed to be tired out during the third round, so the cup shot might have been a lucky break. I was afraid the results would be similar to the Camacho/Dober fight, with the judges disregarding takedowns, but the right fighter won here. 

Jacare looked happy and calm going in to the cage today. His confidence was evident in his performance. While I guessed he would win, I did not think it would be a first round knockout. Tough break for Brunson but this was a dominant performance by Jacare. 

Fight of the Night: Andre Fili vs. Dennis Bermudez
Performance of the Night: Jacare Souza

Thank you for reading. Be sure to follow wrestlingfightclub.blogspot.com for more content on pro wrestling and mixed martial arts.
 
Support : Creating Website | Johny Template | Mas Template
Copyright © 2011. WFC - Wrestling Fight Club - All Rights Reserved
Template Modify by Creating Website
Proudly powered by Blogger