The Pre-Show
1) Cesaro & Sheamus (c) vs The Club (Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson) - RAW Tag Team Championship Match
Why is this on the pre-show?
This feud has really been picking up steam with the series of singles matches between these four, plus last week's RAW had Gallows and Anderson only miss out on winning the belts because of a false finish. Sounds like this competitive rivalry coming to a conclusive end for a championship should be on the main show, yes? At least that's how I see it.
This does have the weird stipulation of having two referees because of the screwy finish to the title match on RAW, but whatever the weather, I feel like this will be a good match. Everyone in here knows how to have a Pay-Per-View quality match and has the capabilities to do so. I can quite honestly see Cesaro and Sheamus losing the titles despite them having only won them at the last PPV. They've been building Gallows and Anderson up as of late, so who knows which way this swings?
2) Sasha Banks vs Nia Jax
Here's a match. Nia injured Sasha's leg and over the past few weeks, and has just repeatedly attacked her, for reasons I'm not too sure on. I'm really not at all jazzed for this one, it will most probably be okay-ish, my money's on Jax winning. Next...
The Main Show
3) Naomi, Nikki Bella & Becky Lynch vs Alexa Bliss, Natalya & Mickie James
A few strings weaving together for this one; Becky and Alexa's feud as been ongoing with Mickie James aligning herself with Alexa a couple weeks ago on her return. Natalya and Nikki have been calling each other names and attacking each other, and Naomi.....Naomi is there because she had an interaction with Bliss and James this week. Compare this build to the RAW Tag Team Championship's, and you can see why I'm not best pleased with the structure of this card.
The match itself should be fine, it'll be nice to see Mickie in there again and mixing it up with Becky, Nikki and Naomi. Not my most anticipated match by any means, but its not like its off putting.
4) Rich Swann (c) vs Neville - WWE Cruiserweight Championship Match
Oooh doctor, Cruiserweight Championship match time. This is Swann's first programme since finishing up with Brian Kendrick, who he won the title off of. Neville is on the roll of a lifetime at the minute, becoming a massive badass, destroying anyone and everyone he gets in the ring with, including Tommy End at the United Kingdom Championship Tournament. Although I do love Swann, Neville is probably the best thing going in the Cruiserweight division.
I'm conflicted with who I want to come out on top. It feels like its Neville's time to be on top and be the proper monster heel the division needs. It will do a world of good to whoever Neville is matched up against after Swann, and a championship on the line would only enhance that. However, if Swann doesn't retain, then that's another reign of no real length and significance. Since its rebirth in September, we've had 3 different champions in just over 4 months. Swann is currently the longest reigning champion, with him reaching 60ish days by the time of the Rumble. It doesn't set a good standard for the belt, then again, Neville going on an absolute tear as champion could redeem that.
Nevertheless, this should be a real good match. I'm sure both of these guys are going to amp it up for the big stage. The division could really use with a top quality match to turn some heads, and gain 205 Live some much needed traction.
5) Charlotte (c) vs Bayley - RAW Women's Championship Match
We're in Charlotte's third reign as champion, and she's finally done with Sasha, for the time being at least which is a relief. The matches may have been good but lordy it wares on you. This is Bayley's first challenge for the belt, debuting on the main roster in August, having a series of matches with Dana Brooke, winning the Survivor Series match, and now this. Feels like this may be a bit quick, but there really are no other faces on RAW who can be considered a legitimate challenger beside Sasha.
Their matches on RAW have been pretty decent, but this is the big time now. If memory serves me right, these two did clash at a TakeOver in 2015, and both have progressed immensely since then. Given enough time and freedom, these two women should be putting on one hell of a match.
With Charlotte coming into this strong at 15-0 on Pay-Per-Views and I'd think Bayley's first title win would have a more drawn out journey, I see Charlotte taking the gold home, sorry Bayley fans.
6) Kevin Owens (c) vs Roman Reigns - WWE Universal Championship Match
Please, please be the end of this feud.
Picking it up after Finn Balor vacated it due to injury after a day, Kevin Owens has been Universal Champion since August 29th, defeating Big Cass, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns in an elimination match with the help of Triple H. Reigns has been gunning for the belt since just after Survivor Series, whilst he was still United States Champion. He unsuccessfully challenged at Roadblock last month, but here he is again. Owens has retained the belt through interference after interference from Chris Jericho, and it hasn't done him much good at all, looking incompetent as all hell, a far cry from his days as NXT Champion. This time, to stop Jericho's antics, he's going to be locked in a cage suspended above the ring, because wrestling.
I'm not too fussed on this match, mainly because we've seen this match a good few times over the past few weeks on RAW, at Roadblock, and a several times before that too. Owens is like my joint-favourite, so it's a crying shame how I feel about this match, but when things get booked as such, stuff like this happens.
Whilst I want Owens to win the match, I have a feeling Reigns will pick up the belt and head into 'Mania with the red leather around his waist. It feels like its time to cut our losses with this Owens run and try again in the future.
7) AJ Styles (c) vs John Cena - WWE Championship Match
Here we go guys. its the show's Big Boy Match.
Quite a storied feud coming into this. Returning from injury in May, Cena was welcomed by Styles, who promptly attacked him alongside his now fully formed Club, Gallows and Anderson. Styles has two one-on-one victories, the first at Money in the Bank in June (but with Club interference) and again at SummerSlam in August, cleanly. After defeating Dean Ambrose for the WWE Championship at Backlash in October, Styles retained in a triple threat against both Ambrose and Cena. Cena went away for a bit, came back last month and immediately said he was getting a title shot at the Rumble.
It feels like Cena's been getting a bit of a heel-ish twang since coming back; giving himself opportunities 'because he's John Cena', started making excuses for his previous defeats at the hands of Styles (something he himself said he would never do), and he's been harkening back to his 'Dr. of Thuganomics' gimmick in his promos. It certainly feels like AJ has been portrayed as the face in the lead up to this, and its damn hard to think of why he should be booed.
I am super excited for this match, with their clashes at Money in the Bank and SummerSlam both being amazing. The third match in this series has all the ingredients to be an instant classic, and I'd bet good money that it is. I am definitely going to be cheering on AJ Styles, though I can see Cena walking out with the title, and with everything that's gone on since returning in December, it will be very interesting to see how events turn out. Although the marquee match will most probably be the main talking point after the show, I'm sure there will be a lot of buzz around this.
8) The Royal Rumble Match
It's the Royal Rumble! For those unfamiliar, I have previously done a 'Wrestlintroduction' on the match, which you can find here.
Lots of factors going into this. Coming off of his dismantling of Brock Lesnar at Survivor Series in November, Goldberg was the first announced participant, with Lesnar entering as a retort. It would be a waste not to have these two encounter each other in some part of the match, so I imagine that will be a big moment in the match. The other big name in the list of entrant is that of The Undertaker. Having not entered the match in several years, it definitely feels special to have Taker back in this, and with the rumblings that he could be facing Styles or Cena at WrestleMania 33, I'd say he's within a shout at winning.
Them three are the main focus of this Rumble, however there are some other things of interest to note.
This will be the first Rumble in which all the members of The New Day will be entering, and they have promised that if one member becomes the winner, all the members are the winner. I would love to see all three guys hold a world championship in some weird fandangled way, but I can see why that might not be happening.
As of today, two days prior to the event, only 22 of the 30 participants have been announced, leaving 8 unfilled spots. Now who's gonna be filling these?
I can see one or two being given to legends like DDP and the like. I've just thought writing this, there has been a lot of talk of Shawn Michaels having 'one more match' in him, my lord above imagine if he's in the Rumble. And also, following the Hall of Fame announcement, there is speculation that Kurt Angle may have a spot, but I'm not getting my hopes up.
It has been reported that WWE United Kingdom Champion Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne have been pulled from appearances around Royal Rumble time, so I can see these two popping up in this match, which would be great, if just to hear Tyler Bate's jazzy entrance theme again. Plus, I'd love to see Dunne batter some fuckers.
Many think its about time Tye Dillinger moves up to the main roster from NXT, and I agree, with the No.10 spot being a no-brainer really. Now what I can really see happening is the main roster debut of Samoa Joe. Hell, he's one of my picks to win the whole thing. There's whisperings of Joe having something big at 'Mania, and what's bigger than the main event? If I go to school Monday knowing I'm gonna see Joe/Styles or Joe/Cena, fuck it I'll take Joe/Reigns, at WrestleMania, I will be happy all month long. Be nice to me WWE, please, even just if I get to see this again;
That just about does it for me in this first ever 'The Fuck's Going On?', I hope it has clued you in on this year's Royal Rumble event, and goodness knows, maybe I've got you interested in it. That's the Royal Rumble, January 29th, 7e/4p and a nice midnight start for us in the UK. I plan on watching live and powering through the early hours to stay up for school, and I have a maths test that day, so wish me luck.
If you do feel like giving it a watch, you can start your free month of the WWE Network here, and get going.
Have a nice day people, I'll catch you later!
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