WrestleMania Lead-Up Part Two: The Lesnar Angle - by Big Vin Vader

                     WrestleMania Lead-Up Part 2: The Lesnar Angle      Follow@bigvinvader

I’m not really sure how I feel about Brock Lesnar.  He’s an amazing athlete, and a major figure in the world of combat sports.  But it’s because of all those things that his last few years in WWE have left me cold.  He’s become such a phenomenon following his work in UFC that he’s rarely much fun to watch anymore.  His street fight with Dean Ambrose at WrestleMania 32 was a major disappointment, and he’s hardly had any notable, worthwhile matches in the last year or so.  But that wasn’t always the case, and fifteen years ago he was one of the most exciting wrestlers on the roster.  Golderg, however, has always been a one-note character and wrestler.  He really does seem like a decent guy, but I’m concerned with Goldberg the current Universal Champion, not Bill Goldberg the person.  As I’ve complained before, the two had a terribly unsatisfying match at WrestleMania XX, and their current program has been very lackluster, consisting of squashes and little actual storyline build.  It’s easily one of my least-anticipated matches of WrestleMania 33, and the talk that it looks to be yet another squash, albeit in Lesnar’s favor, does nothing to alleviate my concerns.
    So, while it would theoretically make more sense for me to discuss Lesnar and Goldberg’s last WrestleMania match, I have no interest in doing that here.  Instead, I want to talk about Lesnar’s match with Kurt Angle at WrestleMania XIX.  While most of the talk regarding the match anymore concerns Lesnar’s botched Shooting Star Press, that moment is the only blemish on a fantastic main event match.  
    Both Lesnar and Angle (natch) were decorated amateur wrestlers, and they brought much of their technical skills to the table during their long rivalry in 2003.  Their World Title match at that year’s ‘Mania is the place to go if you want to see Brock take to the mat and wrestle with great proficiency and agility, rather than his post-UFC ground-and-pound style.  It really is amazing how fast and solid Brock was in the ring for someone his size, and the match is a stunning technical display.  Lesnar and Angle trade lightning-fast submissions and reversals, as well as a series of takedowns and some stiff brawling.  What the match is lacking in strong psychology, it more than makes up for in the sheer amount of wrestling ability on display.  On top of that, the two had great chemistry, and in this match and others from that period, you can tell that they respected one another and enjoyed working together.
    Also interesting is the point during the match where Angle nails Lesnar with four consecutive German suplexes, anticipating Brock’s later “Suplex City” gimmick.  And I know there’s no reason to debate what a tough bastard Lesnar truly is, but it really goes unappreciated until you see the guy land on the top of his head during an aerial maneuver, recover enough to kick out of a pin, and take the win with an F-5.  All while concussed.  It’s a famous moment, and still pretty hard to watch.  Unlike a lot of other matches featuring a significant botch, both wrestlers brought so much to the table and gave such intense performances that the single off moment did nothing to bring down the match’s quality and lasting legacy.
    There really isn’t much of a link between the two matches, apart from each featuring Lesnar, and the fact that Kurt Angle has come back into the fold, but that doesn’t mean a whole lot for WrestleMania.  The point is, this is the type of match that Goldberg could never have, and Lesnar likely will never have again.  It was intense, gripping, and above all else, a fantastic display of wrestling and storytelling at its finest.  What we’re getting this year is nothing but a money-draw, a spectacle without the wrestling to go along with it.  It’s not only unfair to have part timers fighting for RAW’s top title, it’s insulting to the fans who wanted to see a top-notch match between Kevin Owens, or at least another deserving young star, and a credible, full-time performer.  Back in 2003, it meant something for Lesnar to hold his brand’s top title, but in 2017 there’s absolutely no point other than to boost ratings, advertisements and merch sales.

Big Vin Vader covers WWE for Pencilstorm. Follow @bigvinvader

WrestleMania Lead-Up Part One: Brothers and Best Friends - by Big Vin Vader

                      WrestleMania Lead-Up:  Part 1: Brothers and Best Friends

                                                        follow@bigvinvader

    Once again WrestleMania is right around the corner, and, less fortunately, we once again find ourselves with a mixed bag of a card.  That doesn’t change a thing as far as my interest, and I’m sure many fans are feeling the same.  The point, whether for good or bad, is the spectacle, and even the most technically-sound masterpiece of a match wouldn’t quite belong if it wasn’t a huge deal.  With that said, it’s time to take a look back at one of my—and countless others’—favorite WrestleMania matches: Bret vs. Owen Hart, from WrestleMania X, one of the PPV’s all-time best matches, and arguably the greatest show opener of all time.
    That the match contains some of the best pure wrestling ever seen on WWE PPV is no surprise.  There’s nothing I can say that would add to Bret’s spectacular legacy in the ring. Owen, while regarded as a great worker and underrated talker, still goes unmentioned among the all-time greats, regardless of his tragic death in 1999.  He was a magnificent technician, as well as an impressive flyer, long before either of those were common attributes on such a major stage.  Owen easily rests in my top five favorite wrestlers of all time.
    The rivalry between the two brothers was a fantastic example of an engaging, inspired, long-term storyline playing out in an entirely successful manner.  Owen, forever in Bret’s shadow, knew that he was just as good as his brother, and began to vent his frustrations as Bret cost them a few major matches as a tag team.  Finally attacking his injured brother, Owen’s heel turn signified the true beginning of their intense rivalry.  
     WrestleMania X was their first match as opponents, and it was fiery as hell.  The two put their scientific wrestling skills on display and went for over twenty-minutes at a fast pace, blowing away almost the entirety of the card to follow.  The biggest shock of all came with Owen picking up a clean win over Bret, the clear-cut fan favorite, and securing bragging rights.  Of course, that was far from the end of their rivalry, as Bret continued on that night to win the World Heavyweight Championship and remained in the spotlight.  But for those precious opening moments, not only were both brothers the focus of the wrestling world, but Owen was allowed to triumph as a true star.  His petulant, arrogant heel gimmick was perfectly suited to him, and allowed him a ruthless streak that heated the rivalry to the boiling point.

     Far be it for me to compare the Chris Jericho-Kevin Owens rivalry to Bret and Owen’s, but there are some parallels.  The two Canadians were paired as a tag team late last year, with neither seeming to have any major direction on the roster.  From this undesirable scenario, however, they gave us gold with their “best friends” storyline.  They were entertaining as all hell, and played their roles so convincingly that you could be forgiven for buying it all as real.  Naturally, it was both too good and just cheesy enough that it couldn’t last.  In another example of a long-term build, their divide was teased and hinted at for months before ultimately arriving last month on RAW.  It could be argued that the whole friendship angle harmed Owens’ Universal Title run, but in throwing Jericho into the Jeriton, he proved himself to be the ruthless heel he’s played so well for years, while turning Chris face in the process.
      So, we have two men, not quite brothers, but built up as pretty damn close, driven apart by the temper and ego of the lower-profile wrestler.  And much like in Bret and Owen’s case, both are tremendous wrestlers who can be trusted to deliver a top-notch match on a card rife with unexciting filler.  In fact, as far as I’m concerned, Jericho vs. Owens looks to be the match of the night at WrestleMania 33.  It has the most interesting angle story-wise, as well as two of the best wrestlers on RAW.  It will be a huge shock if the match fails to deliver, which is not to say that I’m expecting a classic such as Bret and Owen delivered, just an entertaining, physical contest between two men in a heated rivalry.
     Also, worth mentioning is that Kevin Owens took his wrestling surname in tribute to his son, who he named for Owen Hart, his favorite wrestler.

WWE Fastlane Recap: Looking Ahead to Wrestlemania - by Big Vin Vader

WWE Fastlane 2017  -  Positives and Negatives Heading into Wrestlemania

It’s hard to write about Fastlane this year, and it doesn’t seem right to run down and rate the entire card.  While there’s been a lot of skepticism surrounding WWE’s direction lately, most PPV shows have been mildly-pleasant surprises that end up surpassing low expectations. Fastlane was a pretty damn terrible show, with zero surprises and only slightly more decent matches.  The main problem going in was the fact that the card was actually pretty well-stacked.  The Cruiserweight title match, Samoa Joe vs. Sami Zayn, and Bayley vs. Charlotte all promised to be solid matches.  And those three were hands-down the best things on the entire show, although only the former exceeded expectations to truly reach the level of excellence.  The rest of the PPV was just shy of terrible, and some of the matches don’t even necessitate a recap or rundown.  The real issue is the fact that this is the last PPV before Wrestlemania, and that event’s card is still way too up in the air for comfort.  So, for this column, I’ll be looking at the negatives and positives from the show, as well as its impact on Wrestlemania as a whole.

The Negatives

Alright, no secret that this outweighs the positives by a large margin.  Taking it from the top, the second match of the night was Gallows & Anderson vs. Enzo & Cass for the RAW Tag Titles.  I’ll just come right out and say it: I’m not sold on Enzo & Cass.  Their ring work leaves a lot to be desired, and I’m sick of their entrance going on as long as it does, covering the exact same ground each and every time.  If the two cut down their entrance time, maybe RAW and PPVs wouldn’t quite hit a three-hour runtime.  The match itself was far from great, although it did give Karl Anderson more time to shine than usual, and having the Club retain was the right call.  Still, not a rivalry I’d like to see continue.
    Sasha Banks vs. Nia Jax was as unremarkable as everyone expected it to be, aside from Sasha’s surprise victory by roll-up.  Coupled with Roman Reigns’ expected win over Braun Strowman, WWE shot down the momentum of their two top monster heels in a single swoop.  Another feud that needs to end.  They followed that up with two unannounced matches featuring the newly-split up Jinder Mahal and Rusev.  The fact that they crammed two filler matches midway through a PPV essentially confirmed that Goldberg would squash Kevin Ownes in the main event.  The matches were downright horrible, and I legitimately wondered what the hell I was watching.
    In my notes, I didn’t even rate Reigns vs. Strowman, I was just so disinterested.  And the thing is, I actually expected a decent showing.  They’re both limited performers in-ring, but the feud at least made some sense.  But Reigns stopping Strowman’s momentum did nobody any favors, and the fans rejected his going over as expected.  So basically, Braun was toppled en route to Wrestlemania, which almost confirms that the Reigns vs. Undertaker match is on. Lucky us.  
    And then there’s the big one: Goldberg vs. Owens.  People have been calling the result for a month now, and pissed off as I may have been when the word “squash” was thrown around, it turns out that was exactly the case.  Jericho’s entrance distracting Owens meant nothing, as their grudge match was already one of the few sure things for Wrestlemania.  What really upsets me is the fact that Owens is one of the best all-round performers on the roster, who was given the brand’s top prize on faith from Triple H.  His title reign featured not a single PPV victory without interference, making him look ineffectual rather than a bullying, sharp-witted heel.  And to top it all off, a past-his-prime part timer knocks him out in mere seconds to win the Universal Title for a match that is likely to last less than three minutes with Brock Lesnar.  Having Goldberg win makes some sense on paper: he’s destroyed Brock in a matter of seconds twice since returning, and Lesnar is supposed to be the biggest, toughest badass in the entire company.  To have Owens go over Goldberg, or even hold his own for a lengthy match would implicitly suggest that he’s tougher than Lesnar, and you can’t have that.  So, what should have happened was an interference that led to a DQ, whether from Lesnar (they teased it with Paul Heyman appearing backstage), or Jericho (more than a brief entrance distraction).  Instead, we got a predictable, awful “match” that will lead only to the two surefire feuds on the Wrestlemania card, and will inevitably sap them of their natural heat.  Part timers don’t need the Universal Title to draw, and giving Owens the U.S. Title as a consolation prize only serves as a demotion in terms of his place in the company hierarchy.

The Positives

With all of that out of the way, there were a few notable bright spots on the Fastlane card which deserve some mention.  Sami Zayn and Samoa Joe have had a number of good matches against one another in the past, and their meeting Sunday promised more of the same.  Interestingly, it was chosen to open the event, and ended up as the second-best match of the night.  It was at least five minutes too short, and wasn’t given enough time to breathe, which definitely was a let-down.  However, there were no sour notes whatsoever in terms of ring work, and Samoa Joe came out looking exactly like the type of destroyer WWE is pushing him as.  Unfortunately, the submission finish was way too abrupt, with Zayn getting choked out in a matter of seconds.  Even in loss, Sami is playing the part of the underdog perfectly, and when he does get his big comeuppance win (and there will be one in the near future), it will be that much more amazing a moment.
    While most expectations held that Joe and Sami would have the match of the night, that spot was amazingly taken by the Cruiserweight Title match between Neville and Jack Gallagher. Neville and Gallagher blew everything since the CWC away, delivering a well-paced, exciting and genuinely unpredictable match.  It was everything I had hoped the division would bring, and hands-down the best thing that’s been done in the division since the tournament.  Neville looked fantastic as the dominant heel, and having him retain the championship was the right call.  Gallagher, a personal favorite and undeniable standout from the tournament, pulled off some amazing work, and actually looked to have a chance of winning at several points.  Most notably, the whole thing connected well with the live audience, which will hopefully inspire such high-quality work in the future.  Sadly, it was all downhill from there, with Bayley and Charlotte’s match ending up as a decent, serviceable affair and little else.  Plus, Charlotte’s PPV streak ended far too soon, as it should have extended at least until Wrestlemania. 

State of Wrestlemania

Everything that happened at Fastlane looks to have little desirable impact on the Wrestlemania 33 card.  On a positive note, it looks like Shaq vs. The Big Show has been nixed, which saves us all that waste of time.  Most notable on the card, of course, is the next chapter of Goldberg vs. Lesnar, something which has been set for months now.  With that kind of build, Lesnar’s crossover appeal, and Goldberg’s hype following his return to WWE, there didn’t need to be any belt on the line.  This kind of match draws on its own, and people were planning to watch before Goldberg ever thought to challenge Owens for the Universal Title.  The way I see it, Lesnar is going over in this one, simply to avenge his string of losses to Goldberg.  That means that he’ll be the new Universal champ, as a part-timer, and the roster will have a hell of a time dethroning him.  Which can only mean that another Roman Reigns title run is in the cards.  Beyond all of that, there’s no chance in hell that the ‘Mania match will be anything approaching decent.  Lesnar is a very good wrestler, when allowed to actually work, which hasn’t been the case for some time.  Goldberg has never been able to truly wrestle, and his return has only emphasized this.  He looks to be in great shape, but he always has, and it was common for him to get winded back in the day going over five minutes.  Things aren’t looking good.
    Kevin Owens vs. Chris Jericho actually has promise to be one of the better matches currently announced, but even that has some problems.  The story and build between the two is fantastic, and they’re both two of the best all-round workers in the company.  Problem is, the match should have been held with both the Universal and United States championships on the line.  As it stands, it looks like Owens will win the U.S. belt from Jericho almost as a consolation prize, seeing himself demoted to midcard status.
    Roman Reigns vs. the Undertaker is pretty much guaranteed, and that’s nothing to look forward to either.  It seems unlikely that ‘Taker will halt Roman in his tracks given the talk of his imminent retirement.  Which can only mean that he will go under in an effort to further boost Reigns’ stature.  I don’t need to convince anyone that that would be a disaster, and would arguably go over worse than Reigns’ World Title win over Triple H last year.  Regardless of the outcome, the match promises very little from an in-ring standpoint, and the only thing worse than pissing off that many fans is doing it after boring them to tears.  There’s a chance that this one will work out alright for both of them, but I’m not expecting anything at all.
    The triple-threat match between Sasha/Charlotte/Bayley will unquestionably be a good one.  The issue here is that we’ve already seen this.  At last year’s Wrestlemania, in fact, with two-thirds of the same lineup.  Throwing a fresh face into the mix would be a good decision, but the biggest probability there is Nia Jax, who isn’t likely to impress on the big stage.  It seems like this one can really only boil down to Charlotte winning the Women’s Championship back, with Sasha costing Bayley, or vice versa, and finally turning Banks.  That would at least create a good opportunity for a grudge rivalry between the two allies (which was the case in NXT), and would allow all three women to move on from the constant title chase we’ve been subjected to all year.  The SmackDown Women’s Title match looks to be a mess, with every wrestler in the division challenging Alexa Bliss for the title.  This just highlights a big issue with the brand split, namely, there are simply too many performers and titles to give equal time and attention, meaning the importance of certain wrestlers and championships will continue to get muddled as the year goes on. 
    The tag team title matches look to be pretty unexceptional.  Gallows & Anderson (RAW) and American Alpha (SD) are amazing teams, but it all comes down to their challengers and the amount of time they’re given to work.  In the case of the former, if it does end up being Sheamus & Cesaro, the match should be pretty solid, if nothing game-changing.  Alpha’s opponents are still up in the air, so that one really stands out as a question mark currently. 
    On the subject of tag matches, it seems like the intergender John Cena/Nikki Bella vs. The Miz/Maryse is on.  Can’t say I’m looking forward to that one, or that I have any expectations whatsoever.  God forbid we have a Wrestlemania card without John Cena.  It certainly seems like a better idea to me than constructing a last-minute feud for him and Nikki just to fit them onto the card.
    The main event was finally decided, and has the most intrigue and promise of all.  After some back and forth indecision, Randy Orton finally turned on Bray Wyatt, and beat AJ Styles to secure the main event spot that was already his.  While the initial misdirection en route to his feud with Bray seems somewhat unnecessary, this is one of the most interesting stories the company has done in a long time, and both are good enough wrestlers that things look very promising.  Plus, word is that Bray is set for a long title run, and having him go over a tenured star like Orton would make him look fantastic.  Should that actually be the case, 2017 looks to be a very promising one for Wyatt, and hopefully the fans.
    A downside to this main event is the fact that AJ’s place on the card is now up in the air.  Let’s all hope that the proposed match with Shane McMahon does not materialize, as that would be a horrible misuse of a fantastic wrestler.
    As of now, there’s no word as far as plans for Samoa Joe, Sami Zayn, or even Finn Balor’s likely return.  Given that those three are some of the very best talents in the company at this time, and that makes things look a little off.  Hopefully there’s a place for each of them, but the card is already looking a little bloated as it is.  More important is to not give us another five-plus hour spectacle fraught with poor booking decisions and predictable outcomes.
    And, to top it all off, Ravishing Rick Rude has been confirmed as a Hall of Fame inductee, at long last.  So, that’s one definite perk for Wrestlemania weekend.

The Warriors Blew a 3-1 Lead. NBA Mid-Season Update - by Ben Galli

Right around this time of year, usually a week after the Super Bowl and over a month before MLB Opening Day, the NBA takes center stage.  It's called "All Star Weekend."  Well past the midway point of the regular season but still pretty much the official starting point of the NBA's stretch run to dominate the sports landscape.

2017 started with a bang right after the All Star Game itself.  Reports surfaced and were later confirmed of a blockbuster trade sending one of the league's most dominant young players to team up with perhaps THE most dominant young player in the league.  (As with all things, Kristaps exempted.)

The hapless Sacramento Kings traded mercurial star DeMarcus "Boogie" Cousins, a 6'11/270 pound offensive force averaging 27 and 10 while shooting a career high 35% from the 3 point line to the New Orleans Pelicans, where he can team with "The Brow," 6'11 Anthony Davis, himself averaging nearly 28 and 12 a game.  This is a big time transfer of talent giving the Pellicans  two superstars in the front court along with point guard Jrue Holiday, it's the Big Easy's, Big Three.

Cousins and Davis are both bigs that can shoot from the outside, and score from anywhere.  It will be interesting to see these former Kentucky Wildcats stars learn to play with each other and exploit match-ups in virtually every game.  And because New Orleans is 2.5 games out of the 8th playoff spot, a first round matchup with the Golden State Warriors looms, a team that has struggled against skilled big men.  

A few more thoughts and questions answered from the season so far.

^^You can fast forward to about the :43 second mark listen to what the fan yells out or you can watch some dunks from Saturday night beforehand.

MVP - This one's hard and perfectly encapsulates the major rift in schools of thought when it comes to MVP debates.  Should it go to the player having the best season or the player helping his team win the most?  Russell Westbrook is AVERAGING a triple double but finds his Thunder team as the 7th seed in the West while James Harden is averaging 29, 11, and 8 for the 4th best team in the entire league this year.  Reminds me of the 2012 AL MVP race when Miggy Cabrera got the Triple Crown.  I don't see how you can't give it to a guy averaging a FREAKIN' triple double and has his team in the playoffs a year after losing their best(?) player.

The Warriors Strikes Back - The Evil Empire franchise of the NBA may reside in the Bay Area now.  Although they'll never reach Lakers levels of being hated (because people are intimidated by sustained greatness) there is plenty of disdain and general jeering in the Warriors direction.

They're doing just fine with the addition of Durant, giving them a Fab Four that simply cannot be matched anywhere in the league, Kyle Korver be damned.  It's fine that they've already lost 9 games, matching last year's record total.  Something tells me the Warriors aren't concerned with breaking regular season records as much as they are on learning how to not blow 3-1 leads in the Finals.  Although I'd never count San Antonio out, barring unforeseen injury, right now, I don't see the Warriors losing in the Western Conference.

The State of the Cavs - The state of the Cavaliers, as always, revolves around LeBron and LeBron's twitter tantrums.  When LeBron takes it to the streets of social media  admirers and detractors alike, shake their heads.  Why does the most powerful player in the world need to post passive-aggressive tweets requesting help when his team already won the championship the year before with the highest payroll in the league?    A couple thoughts on this:

• LeBron doesn't care what you think.  He hasn't for a long time.  He's King James and if kings cared a lot about how everyone felt, they wouldn't have abandoned their homeland to go to Miami to train under a wizard while at the same time setting the stage for a comeback to a team with young talent (and Anthony Bennett).  
• LeBron cares more about his legacy than Dan Gilbert does.  His legacy's rise in stature is directly correlated to the number of banners he raises.  And as he's openly admitted he's chasing Jordan, how important is a championship really to Dan Gilbert's bottom line?  Is it a coincidence that Forbes put out this article soon after Bron's comments?  Both men reaching out in their realms of influence.  Is there a "deep state" working behind the scenes within the Cavs organization?
• Maybe this is how LeBron motivates himself or his teammates.  Maybe he's doing this solely for Kay Felder.  But we've seen this song and dance before.  LeBron seems to think making his concerns known publicly puts pressure on those making the basketball decisions.  And if the past predicts future, LeBron seems to get his way in these situations.

The Cavs have shown some signs of struggle but they've also been a little banged up. I don't see them in any trouble at all and I think they actually have an easier road to the Finals than Golden State.  The East is steadily improving but the West is still the best.  And although it's difficult to advise doing anything to a team that just won a championship, the Empire did just get Sith Durant.  With J.R. and K. Love out for a while, the Cavs are most likely going to make a move.  It will be interesting to see what they give up to get the playmaker LeBron is looking for.  And although Melo would be an amazing addition, it's probably too risky to give up Love for him.  I'd look for a point or combo guard.  Lou Williams would not be a bad pick up.  

WWE Royal Rumble 2017 - Top to Bottom by Big Vin Vader

Royal Rumble 2017    -    Top to Bottom  

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This year’s Royal Rumble was a great example of a satisfying, crowd-pleasing PPV, even if few of the best moments came during the titular match itself.  Thankfully, the Rumble was far from terrible, even with a disappointing line-up and unsatisfactory finish.  The undercard, however, provided an amazing title match from each brand, as well as a damn fine Women’s Championship match and an unspectacular Cruiser Weight match.  Regardless of the show’s downfalls, the Rumble deserves its stature for dictating the course of the coming year.  Not only is the challenger for the main event of WrestleMania decided, but a handful of storylines are set up during the match.  And it’s been a long time since WWE delivered two title matches as satisfying as these, let alone on a single PPV card.  Furthermore, all four of the contests preceding the Rumble were title matches the stakes, which raised the stakes as well as fan interest in each one.

The Undercard

The Charlotte-Bayley feud is still pretty fresh, beginning last month during the Columbus RAW.  There’s a decent story in place between the two, again dating back to NXT, dealing with Charlotte’s undefeated PPV streak and the fact that Bayley has beaten her twice now.  While not as fiercely competitive or developed as last year’s Charlotte-Sasha rivalry, things are off to a good start, and there looks to be plenty of room for the feud to continue to build.
    The two kicked off the Rumble’s undercard with an impressively physical bout that was undoubtedly the best way to start the show.  The match was fast-paced and incredibly hard-hitting from the beginning, so much so that even the obligatory rest hold a few minutes in seemed well-deserved.  Bayley’s offense was credible from the start, and she initially seemed to get the better of the champ.  The best spot came when Bayley hit Charlotte across the jaw with a very Randy Savage-esque elbow drop, drawing blood.  Charlotte was in fantastic form as always, quickly taking charge of the match.  The only problem, and it’s getting to be a reoccurring thing, was the sheer abruptness of the finish, which again saw Charlotte victorious.  Climbing down off the top rope, Charlotte hit a Natural Selection on the apron and put Bayley away before the fifteen-minute mark.  The match itself was terrific, but the ending was way too sudden, and the whole thing would not have overstayed its welcome lasting a few more minutes.

Kevin Owens and Roman Reigns’ feud for the Universal Title has been about as underwhelming as KO’s reign as champion.  Chris Jericho’s interference was put to rest as he was suspended—a la Paul Ellering—above the ring in a shark cage.  There was a lot of buzz that Roman would claim RAW’s top prize, and that speculation frankly pissed me off.  It’s one thing to tell Owens as well as the fans that he’s ineffectual on his own, and another entirely to prove it outright and hand him a definitive loss.  Thankfully, Owens not only pulled off a surprise victory, but both men came out of the match looking great.
    The no disqualification stipulation was met with skepticism—why offer that kind of leeway if you don’t want interference on Owens’ behalf?—but that was all squashed as the wrestlers pulled out all the stops for this one.  Making use of countless tables, chairs, and plenty of vicious brawling on the outside, the match totally delivered.  It was so physical and savage, it’s almost easier to list some of the most impressive moments, including a frog splash from Owens off the top rope sending Reigns through a table, as well as a Stone Cold Stunner from the champ.  On his end, Reigns hit KO with a big Samoan drop through a steel chair, and a powerbomb through the main announce table, nearly picking up the win.  The most impressive spot of the entire night was WWE’s response to the incredible table spot from Okada and Omega’s already-legendary match at Wrestle Kingdom 11.  Owens set up seven steel chairs, house of cards-style, on the outside, and for seventeen minutes the two teased their going through the stack.  Reigns finally punched Owens off the top corner ringpost, sending him through the tower.  It was one of the most painful things I’ve seen in weeks, and I’m amazed Owens was able and willing to do it.  Incredible.
    Reigns had the match won following that, but Braun Strowman came out, chokeslamming him onto another announce table, which refused to give, and ultimately dropped him with a powerslam through a corner-propped table.  This allowed Owens, amazingly, to pick up a clean win under the stipulations and retain his title.  Even without Jericho’s interference, this wasn’t exactly satisfying, but they made the right move in making Owens look vulnerable, yet allowing him a clean win.  Once again, Roman Reigns proves he can deliver very good matches, and while Owens was the true star here, Reigns more than held his own.  Great match.

There was no doubt that John Cena and AJ Styles would put on an incredible match following their SummerSlam classic.  This rematch absolutely delivered, and nearly equaled their contest last August.  The story was built-in, with Cena wanting to avenge his loss, as well as win the World Title in order to tie Ric Flair’s sixteen championship reigns.  This made the outcome hardly a surprise, but even most John Cena detractors must feel the match lived up to its hype.  The Alamodome looked packed, and the crowd reaction was deafening throughout the entire match.
    There was little downtime, and the two traded some excellent back-and-forth action from the start. Cena looked absolutely determined throughout—in fact, half the time John looked downright deranged in his mission to score the win.  On top of that, he pulled off a number of surprising maneuvers he rarely brings out.  There weren’t any huge spots, but both wrestlers used nearly every move in their arsenal to try and put their opponent away.  This led to numerous finishers being hit and kicked out of, most notably AJ talking an AA from the second rope and still managing to escape the pin.  For his part, Cena took several Styles Clashes to the same effect.  Most impressive was a long exchange of submissions in the middle of the ring midmatch, which provided some nice ground action, with Cena locking in a Figure Four in a nod to Flair’s record.
    The sheer number of finishers, power moves, and near falls kept things exciting, and it’s amazing that they went twenty-five minutes given the ferocity of their strikes.  Cena picked up the win after catching Styles on the ropes and delivering another AA.  Not content, John rolled over AJ and dropped him with one more, finally getting the pin.  I’m no big John Cena fan, but even I’ll admit he deserved the win after such an effort.  It remains to be seen what each man’s direction will be in the coming months, but they can sit tight knowing they kicked 2017 off right.

I had high hopes for the Cruiser Weight title match between Neville and Rich Swann, particularly as they’re two of the division’s best pure talents, but I was ultimately let down.  Neville’s heel turn and debut in the division was much-needed, and it was absolutely the right call to have him leave with the title.  The match itself, however, belonged on RAW or even 205 Live, and just served to reflect how WWE have neutered the division since the Cruiser Weight Classic last summer.  There were few high spots and little flying from either man, with the whole thing working more as a stiff ground-based battle.  Still, Neville’s new submission finisher looked absolutely vicious, and it will be interesting to see where he takes the division as champion.  The most disappointing match of the night.

The Royal Rumble

There was a lot of talk about this year’s Royal Rumble, with The Undertaker, Goldberg, and Brock Lesnar all announced as entrants.  On top of that, there were rumors that Kurt Angle could possibly return, same for a rehabbed Finn Balor, and even talk that Samoa Joe would finally debut on the main roster.  Finally, there was the sheer excitement of the fact that there was no single, clear-cut winner going into the match.  Of course, hardly any of that mattered given the way that things were handled.  Regardless, here’s a brief rundown of what happened during the hour-plus match:

The periods seemed to be somewhat shorter than two full minutes much of the time.
Chris Jericho did very little but was in over an hour and broke Triple H’s record for cumulative time spent in Rumbles.
Braun Strowman (#7) dominated the ring for his time in the Rumble, racking up several eliminations, and looked pretty good while doing it.  He’s being properly booked as a monster heel and has a purpose on the roster at last.
Tye Dillinger debuted from NXT at #10, garnering a huge reaction.  Of course, Tye was the only surprise entrant, and even his presence was hardly a secret.  We’ll have to see which brand he gets drafted to (hopefully SmackDown).
Baron Corbin shockingly eliminated Braun, showing that he, too, is being primed for a major push this year.
Sheamus and Cesaro (after losing the RAW Tag Titles on the preshow) eliminated all three members of the New Day, before Sheamus tried to turn on his partner.  Jericho dumped both of them out at once, and they continued to argue, creating the long-expected rift between them.
The Wyatt Family seemed to stick together, until distrustful Luke Harper hit Bray with a big lariat and tried to go for a Sister Abigail.  Orton interfered on Bray’s behalf, proving he’s been loyal all along, and another team split up.  This could sow the seeds for a very interesting storyline, and Harper should be given time to shine now.
Lesnar came out at #26 and proceeded to wreak havoc on everyone in the ring.
Goldberg was #28, eliminating Lesnar in a matter of seconds, receiving the biggest crowd reaction of the show.
That is, until the Undertaker appeared mid-ring as #29, getting an enormous pop from the entire Alamodome.  He took on Goldberg very briefly.
Roman Reigns was the unannounced final entrant, and the boos were deafening.  The Undertaker lowered his singlet straps and looked concerned as Roman headed to the ring, so their rumored WrestleMania match seems to be locked in.  This was only furthered as Reigns eliminated The Undertaker (go back and read that again).  I don’t think I’ve ever heard such an enormously negative reaction.  It was amazing how loud the crowd made their disdain, and rightfully so.
Orton, Wyatt, and Reigns were the final three, and Roman made quick work of Bray.  Thankfully, in a surprise upset, Randy Orton took out Reigns and won the Rumble, keeping the World Title on SmackDown winning yet-another WrestleMania main event.

What Next?

The Rumble itself only set up a few notable feuds for 2017, and raised several questions.  For the most part, the story lines we did get a glimpse of look to be interesting.  Sheamus and Cesaro have been a good odd couple team, and now that they lost their titles to Gallows and Anderson they have little reason to stick together.  As it stands now, it looks like they’ll continue their turn on one another rather than trying to win their belts back.  Of course, this is nothing new as their partnership came out of their Best-of-7 rivalry last year, which may raise some complaints.  I’m willing to run with it, especially given how fun those matches actually turned out to be.
    The most exciting of the new directions, as far as I’m concerned, is the Wyatt family’s dissolution.  Luke Harper never trusted Orton, and it would have made sense for the Rumble to be the place for Randy to turn on Bray.  However, Orton stayed loyal throughout the match, with Luke leaving the ring as the odd man out.  There were a few minutes near the end where it seemed like Orton and Wyatt would have to go one-on-one, but that never materialized.  There’s talk of just how many times Cena and Orton have already faced one another for the World Title, and while that’s valid, I don’t see Cena’s run with the belt lasting all that long.  He’s set to defend it next month at Elimination Chamber, and I’m willing to bet right now that he’ll lose it in that match so he can go on later to beat Ric Flair’s record.  It would be amazing to see Bray win the belt, not just because he deserves it after all these years, but because an Orton-Wyatt main event at WrestleMania would be something unique and truly different.  Of course, as a friend pointed out, “It’s WrestleMania season, which means it’s time to push the Wyatts for a couple months then bury them for the rest of the year.”  Let’s hope not.
    Reigns seems locked in for a short-term feud with Braun Strowman, before he takes the grand stage battling the Undertaker at WrestleMania.  Honestly, this isn’t the worst turn things could take.  ‘Taker is well past his prime, and it would serve better to have him go against a more-limited performer such as Reigns, rather than waste an incredible athlete such as Finn Balor (another rumored opponent) on what will inevitably be an underwhelming match.  It still remains unclear whether Braun is set to challenge for the Universal Title in the upcoming weeks (hopefully not), or if Reigns will come after Owens for another shot (also not preferable).
    Goldberg and Lesnar still look to be set for a final confrontation at WrestleMania, which provides an interesting issue.  Their disaster match at WrestleMania XX had Goldberg go over, just as he did at Survivor Series and now the Rumble.  We need to see a longer match of better quality, which Goldberg has often been unable to provide.  So, will we get a real battle between the two, or will it be another over-hyped squash?  And what does Lesnar think of taking so many losses?
    Jericho and Owens still seem set to face off at Wrestlemania, but there has been no major rift between the two to set it off.  It seems unlikely that the Universal Title would be on the line for such a match, unless the US Championship were also on the line.  If that’s the case, having Owens win the match and hold both titles would be a nice way to settle things definitively.  Hopefully he makes it to Wrestlemania with his title reign intact, it would be great to see him in one of the major matches.  Plus, I’m still holding out the hope that he and Balor square off once again with the Universal Title at stake.  It makes perfect sense for Finn to come after having been stripped of the title, and they’ve had several great matches in the past.
    Finally, John Cena and AJ Styles’ current directions remain to be seen.  Again, I doubt Cena’s title reign will last too long, but it also seems unlikely that AJ will win back the belt so quickly.  Sure, a Styles-Orton main event would be a good match, but it’s hardly interesting from a storyline perspective.  AJ’s future is the one most up in the air after his amazing debut year, and hopefully he’s put back into the title picture soon, but with a real direction