GDT: WWE Royal Rumble (27th January 2019) - Part 3

[Paris in Flames]

Was Lashley's elimination a botch?

I know it led to the table spot with Rollins, but something about the way he dropped off the apron made it look like it wasn't supposed to happen yet. You'd think the new IC champ would get a longer run in the Rumble, right?

My first thought was that he botched the rope grab, eliminated himself accidentally, then Rollins saw this and they called an audible to do the table spot early, putting Rollins out until it was down to just a few guys.

Also.....I didn't notice until about halfway through the match that there was a female ref. When did that happen?

Has she worked any Raw or Smackdown shows?

I think Lashley just sucks and made the elimination look as unnatural as f***ing possible.

He didn't seem willing to fully commit to getting eliminated so he had to overcompensate later by making it look really awkward in the process.

 

[PeterSidorkiewicz]

I think Lashley just sucks and made the elimination look as unnatural as ****ing possible.

Don't be talking about my pool pick like that.

 

[Paris in Flames]

Sorry. But he sucks.

You're cool though.

 

[ColePens]

I'm the opposite, 25% of the fun of the Royal Rumble is a little nostalgia for me. I really enjoyed the Double JJ entrance.

Fair play. Wrestling has a little bit for everyone. Definitely appreciate that.

 

[Cor]

Lynch/Rousey
Flair/Asuka
Rollins/Bryan
Lesnar/Balor

is exactly where this needs to go. The more WWE-predictable alternative isn't terrible either to be perfectly honest (Lynch/Rousey/Flair, Rollins/Lesnar, Styles/Bryan, Asuka/???) - WWE has done a a decent job of giving them self some flexibility with the World title matches.

With Reigns out, and Strowman losing steam, it's forced WWE to have a fluid Universal Title Picture.

McIntyre, Balor, Rollins, Styles could all face Brock at Mania (if Rollins wants to face Bryan at Mania', maybe Styles is the 'return' to RAW for Rollins switching?)

If Rollins doesn't face Bryan, I really have no clue who they have to face Bryan. I can't see how they do Styles again, but now that Orton is seemingly face again, he could be an option, as would Mysterio.

 

[Paris in Flames]

Obviously a returning Bray Wyatt should face DB.

They even have the history!

 

[Falco Lombardi]

f*** it.

Almas vs Bryan. Give it to me

 

[DaaaaB's]

I know, right?

Guy's acting as if the vast majority of the audience even wanted her in the ****ing match to begin with. What does he expect, that all the men voluntarily eliminate themselves and let Nia win, in fear of breaking some code of chivalry that I somehow forgot exists in wrestling?

Chyna
Beth Phoenix
Kharma

I'm sure there are others but Nia was hardly the first woman to compete in a Royal Rumble, and got treated just the same as the ones before her.



Yeah I felt they did go a bit over the top with that, too many wrestlers landing on their back with their legs in the air and thus "not eliminated yet". Announcers were of course all over that, setting up the next "big save".

That said, like I mentioned earlier I was really impressed by Catanzaro's pull-up move. Girl looks like she weighs about 80lbs so it's probably a lot easier for her than it'd be for, say, Samoa Joe, but still, hella impressive.

On a related note, props to Naomi for pulling off the walk on the padded barricade to get back in as well.....looked shaky for a bit there. I'm surprised that for all of these saves, there hasn't been one ****-up, from her, or Kofi (twice last night ), or anyone else. They always pull it off.

Dibella is just criticizing management for putting her in the rumble. He didn't say anything about the fans or wrestlers. He's not an uber sensitive male either, he's a boxing promoter. I don't really see anything wrong with his comments.

 

[Dr Pepper]

Obviously a returning Bray Wyatt should face DB.

They even have the history!

They even could've had Wyatt come out last night the same way Rowan did, and cost Bryan the title, setting up a new feud.

But nope. Wyatt remains in WWE purgatory.

 

[Dr Pepper]

Dibella is just criticizing management for putting her in the rumble. He didn't say anything about the fans or wrestlers. He's not an uber sensitive male either, he's a boxing promoter. I don't really see anything wrong with his comments.

I don't know, the way he phrased it about impressionable kids watching, etc., he came across pretty triggered by the whole thing. And I mean I guess it triggered most of us as well, just not in the same way. Like I said before she never should've been there in the first place. Troll job by Vince, just another sign that he's completely out to lunch.

 

[DaaaaB's]

I don't know, the way he phrased it about impressionable kids watching, etc., he came across pretty triggered by the whole thing. And I mean I guess it triggered most of us as well, just not in the same way. Like I said before she never should've been there in the first place. Troll job by Vince, just another sign that he's completely out to lunch.

Ya, I'm not saying I agree with him. I really can't imagine any fans watching that and thinking it's ok to hit a woman after so not a big deal to me. I know kids were there but so were their parents who can tell them it's not right to hit women for real. I mainly just wanted to point out that Dibella is a boxing promoter. And yes, Vince is out to lunch

 

[DaaaaB's]

So between him, and Titus, and No Way Jose, and I think one or two more that were gone in the blink of an eye, what's the point of writing a match that has that happen so often? At least get a story going, maybe build a rivalry. Instead No Way just dances his way backstage after getting beat up by Drew, like it's nothing.

Another example of Vince being out to lunch. He actually thinks that Jose crap was funny.

 

[Kakko]

I’m leaning more and more towards Balor/Brock being better than the AJ or Bryan matches. The latter two found openings after getting killed by Brock. Balor was pummeling him from the start and was on offense more than Brock was. Brock sold like death for Finn, and Finn can literally say Brock got lucky that he kept the arm open on the pin. Balor was in control for the large majority of that match, and Brock knew it, hence the post-match attack. He knew Finn embarrassed him.

I don't know about the match quality, and haven't actually seen the Styles match, but Balor looked a hundred times more credible than Bryan. Until he hit the low blow, people thought Bryan was getting shoot murdered for not going to Crown Jewel . How often has Lesnar busted out the Kimura? Quick wiki search brings up: breaking Triple H's arm, dislocating Mark Henry's elbow (both in kayfabe), and making Taker tap...

 

[Cor]

My new theory is that Rowan attacking Styles to help Bryan win was step 1 of Bray Wyatt returning.

Wyatt, Harper & Rowan all return and attack Styles, so he gets some help and recruits Anderson and Gallows.

 

[Dr Pepper]

My new theory is that Rowan attacking Styles to help Bryan win was step 1 of Bray Wyatt returning.

Wyatt, Harper & Rowan all return and attack Styles, so he gets some help and recruits Anderson and Gallows.

Well I hope the plan isn't for Wyatt to come back just to be one of Daniel Bryan's acolytes.

That'd be a huge regression for him, going from leader to follower.

 

[Cor]

Well I hope the plan isn't for Wyatt to come back just to be one of Daniel Bryan's acolytes.

That'd be a huge regression for him, going from leader to follower.

No, I think they might use Wyatt to separate Styles from Bryan.

Bryan can move on to his Mania storyline, while Styles/Good Bros vs Wyatt/Harper/Rowan could be a solid story.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

No, I think they might use Wyatt to separate Styles from Bryan.

Bryan can move on to his Mania storyline, while Styles/Good Bros vs Wyatt/Harper/Rowan could be a solid story.

OR Wyatt is finally booked and treated the way he deserves to be and...

- Wyatt Family + DB reunites
- Wyatt Family shown to be tricking DB and attack him out of revenge for his betrayal
- Bryan turns face again
- Leads to a Wyatt v Bryan Wrestlemania title match
- Wyatt wins the title at Wrestlemania


ok, ok, I'll wake up now...

 

[Dr Pepper]

Wyatt and Bryan are both too strong to be seen as followers or subservient to each other, IMO. They're both leaders, so a faction wouldn't really work.

Not sure about the theory of Wyatt setting his sights on AJ, either......I mean, Rowan left with Daniel Bryan, so he was less concerned with AJ and seems aligned with Bryan. What that means for Harper or Wyatt, I'm not sure. I do hope they don't all become followers though, or see Daniel Bryan as some sort of cult leader.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Fair play. Wrestling has a little bit for everyone. Definitely appreciate that.

Problem is that double J spot took absolutely forever on a show that was so long.

My issue is more the back end had zero good surprises (Nia was a surprise, just a bad one). A returning KO or Sami would have been nice too

 

[Kakko]

Not that it was particularly good booking, but wasn't Wyatt essentially a slave to a semi-retired guy before disappearing?

 

[GarbageGoal]

Catanzaro is going to be a star. She might never be champion, but people can and will get behind her as an underdog.

Why not? There are two belts and I don't think you can be a star and not be a champ at some point.

 

[tony d]

Congrats to Rollins and Lynch on their Rumble wins. Some ? decisions in the men's rumble but the right guy won.

 

[Sheppy]

Why not? There are two belts and I don't think you can be a star and not be a champ at some point.

I don't know. I mean, I think people would get behind her but I don't see her as a champion. It would be a great story, though.

 

[ColePens]

Congrats to Rollins and Lynch on their Rumble wins. Some ? decisions in the men's rumble but the right guy won.

The final act was just weird. Nia, Orton, and Ziggler were basically the beginning of the third act. It doesn't make sense.

The beginning and middle were very strong. NXT guys were on fire.

 

[Dr Pepper]

Not that it was particularly good booking, but wasn't Wyatt essentially a slave to a semi-retired guy before disappearing?

He formed a union with a similarly-unhinged Matt Hardy....I don't think he was necessarily his underling though.

 

[Alex Jones]

I'm the opposite, 25% of the fun of the Royal Rumble is a little nostalgia for me. I really enjoyed the Double JJ entrance.

Yea I was sad there was really only one surprise legend in the Rumble, not counting Angle.

I like having having several nostalgia spots in the Rumble, since it's our only chance to ever see these guys.