January 18, 20187 yr comment_5828479 While we're speculating wildly... EC3 just cancelled a booking the day of the Rumble due to a "personal matter."
January 18, 20187 yr comment_5828485 Looking at the full blind item, it doesn't read like they're talking about Bryan. "...there’s definitely been overtures and interest" seems to indicate that this person is not currently with the company like Punk, or a legend like HBK?
January 18, 20187 yr comment_5828492 I doubt it would be Punk, since all reports have him with zero interest in returning to wrestling. HBK has been adamant about not coming out of retirment, but I could see him being enticed with the right opportunity.
January 18, 20187 yr comment_5828498 That is true, of course, but "overtures and interest" wouldn't need to happen with Bryan - if he's cleared by the WWE doctors he's back working, no?
January 18, 20187 yr comment_5828533 Couldn't the 'overtures and interest' be referring to other companies? Bryan's WWE contract expires in September so if they don't let him wrestle he could go elsewhere.
January 18, 20187 yr comment_5828546 You guys have it all wrong. Okada, Naito, Omega, Jericho, the Bucks, Cody and Tanahashi are all surprise entrants and they are all going to somehow be eliminated at the same time and the main event of Mania is going to be a 9 way for the title.
January 18, 20187 yr comment_5828556 Man... how good is Kane at bringing the hype for a match down. Braun is one of the hottest things going in WWE right now. I know people have mixed feelings about Brock, but I generally like him and he has some momentum going right now. I still can't bring myself to care at all about their match.
January 18, 20187 yr comment_5828559 Man... how good is Kane at bringing the hype for a match down. Braun is one of the hottest things going in WWE right now. I know people have mixed feelings about Brock, but I generally like him and he has some momentum going right now. I still can't bring myself to care at all about their match. Imagine how I feel knowing I'm paying to see Brock live at MSG in March...one on one against Kane.
January 18, 20187 yr comment_5828561 The Rumble should be fascinating. There's no reason Roman has to win and logic says they don't want to see him booed out of the building after winning en route to finally overcoming Brock. Right? On the other hand, they're well aware of how crowds respond to him outside of Shield situations, and why rely on logic at this point? Nakamura would be my pick on the Smackdown side, almost because of problems with other candidates or where they're already tied up. But he's been dead cold since the Jinder feud and there's been no effort to heat him up in advance of the Rumble. Either way it should make for a fun night on the couch. Hopefully a good crowd here in case things turn sour. Elsewhere, I'm glad they moved the US Title Tourney final to TV this week, as the PPV already looks overloaded. Presumably 1 or 2 matches (crossing my fingers for Enzo/Cedric) are on the preshow, but I hope both tag title matches are given ample time.
January 18, 20187 yr comment_5828564 The problem there is that they've been so hell bent on that for Wrestlemania that they continue to gloss over feuds that got hot because they didn't plan for it. If they were being logical, Joe would have gotten a long term program and Braun would have won the title.
January 18, 20187 yr comment_5828568 They should have Jordan do something kinda cheep to eliminate Reigns and a few people the fans really love. Then let whoever is going to challenge for the title on the smackdown side (I still presume Nak) win the rumble. Next night on Raw Angle announces elimination chamber will be for the a spot at Mania and Jordan is the first one in the match because of his performance in the rumble. Make Reigns and jordan the last two in the chamber and have Reigns put him down. That should give Reigns some positive momentum going into Mania. Unless of course everyone decides they want Jordan all the sudden. Not sure how long he could keep it once they started squaring him off against Brock, but if they kept his promos short and sweet and gave us one or two out of control brawls (maybe a little special occasion blood). I think people would be red hot for the match by mania and they could mitigate some of the boos. Maybe this was the whole point of Jordan the whole time... take that heat off Reigns right before Mania.
January 18, 20187 yr comment_5828569 Man... how good is Kane at bringing the hype for a match down. Braun is one of the hottest things going in WWE right now. I know people have mixed feelings about Brock, but I generally like him and he has some momentum going right now. I still can't bring myself to care at all about their match. Imagine how I feel knowing I'm paying to see Brock live at MSG in March...one on one against Kane. Ugh... my sincere condolences.
January 19, 20187 yr comment_5828589 So, the thing that we've been talking about in the spoiler tags (which, I don't think it should be called a "spoiler", but whatever) is now popping up on Facebook feeds, IGN, Daily Star, and probably loads of other sites. At what point can we just start talking about it as a hypothetical? I mean, isn't there a thread going on about the Undertaker returning for a match against Cena at Mania? Is that not the same thing? If Nakamura wins the Rumble, would that make everyone's predictions that he would win into spoilers in retrospect? I get not wanting to ruin a surprise, but this isn't like ruining a big reveal from Game of Thrones before the west coast feed, this is pure speculation no different than me wildly and with no evidence speculating that Jacqueline will be competing in the women's Rumble.
January 19, 20187 yr comment_5828597 Not my call... it isn't REALLY a spoiler, but I guess some people might want to avoid even much speculation since that is part of the Rumble's charm. I sort of wish I hadn't clicked it honestly, but oh well.
January 19, 20187 yr comment_5828600 I agree a Smackdown guy would be a better choice than a Raw guy to win the Rumble at this point so we don't end up with Reigns winning the Rumble, but personally I would rather see Rusev win the Rumble right now rather than Nakamura.
January 19, 20187 yr comment_5828627 I agree a Smackdown guy would be a better choice than a Raw guy to win the Rumble at this point so we don't end up with Reigns winning the Rumble, but personally I would rather see Rusev win the Rumble right now rather than Nakamura. Rusev winning would make me so happy. I’d be jacked to see what a Styles/Rusev Mania match would look like (so long as Styles keeping the belt going into Mania is the plan).
January 19, 20187 yr comment_5828629 Rusev feels like they could make him with a win here. I think you could even screw him out of his Mania title shot and be okay. But he's at a critical mass right now and winning something big is what he needs.
January 19, 20187 yr comment_5828630 I wonder if they don't see him like a Santino or Mizdow right now.
January 19, 20187 yr comment_5828632 I could see that and they probably do. The fact that he is so over would probably make them more inclined to bury him than push him.
January 19, 20187 yr comment_5828645 I can't see Rusev winning, or even being in the conversation, and I'm one of the biggest Rusev fans here. The Mizdow comparison is a good one. They just don't see acts like that as top guys. He'll be eliminated after three minutes by Reigns or someone similar. Philly will boo unmericifully and "hijack Rusev Day" for ten more minutes. Then it'll be back to business as usual in a couple days.
January 19, 20187 yr comment_5828650 The fact that he is so over would probably make them more inclined to bury him than push him. This is one of the most aggravating and idiotic things about Corporate WWE. Pro-wrestling has always been about getting yourself over so you get pushed because fans are willing to pay to see you. Yet, anyone who does get over on their own has to be buried. Dumb as fuck.
January 19, 20187 yr comment_5828658 Yeah, I love the idea of Rusev winning, but as a serious prediction I can't buy it. I agree with the general sentiment that Rusev is great and I would love to see him get bumped up to the main, but nothing in what the WWE has done makes me think it will happen. I also think they have been really safe in their Royal Rumble booking for a bit now. Even though I anticipate them using Brock vs Reigns as the main (which in theory could give them some room to play on the SD side with a winner), I'd be a bit surprised if they dug to even the middle of the roster for a winner.
January 19, 20187 yr comment_5828673 The Rumble should be fascinating. There's no reason Roman has to win and logic says they don't want to see him booed out of the building after winning en route to finally overcoming Brock. Right? On the other hand, they're well aware of how crowds respond to him outside of Shield situations, and why rely on logic at this point? Nakamura would be my pick on the Smackdown side, almost because of problems with other candidates or where they're already tied up. But he's been dead cold since the Jinder feud and there's been no effort to heat him up in advance of the Rumble. Either way it should make for a fun night on the couch. Hopefully a good crowd here in case things turn sour. Elsewhere, I'm glad they moved the US Title Tourney final to TV this week, as the PPV already looks overloaded. Presumably 1 or 2 matches (crossing my fingers for Enzo/Cedric) are on the preshow, but I hope both tag title matches are given ample time. Why does WWE have to worry if someone gets booed out of the building. They did it with Cena a few times where he lost just to please the fans in hope he would get cheered. WWE would just be better doing how they want to do things.
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