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It’s time for the Royal Rumble. In case you missed it, Mark Henry and Jack Swagger won the pre-show match, which is what should have happened. If this is the last Mania season for Henry, he deserves to be in the Rumble.
The funniest part of the pre-show was Jerry Lawler telling people that they are an idiot if the buy the Rumble through PPV. I am sure Comcast loves hearing that.
The NFC Championship game was 17-0 Carolina until right before the show started, the Cardinals scored. I am sure WWE wishes it was 84-0 to get people to watch The Rumble instead.
The show opened with Stephanie and Vince McMahon showing up in a limo. JoJo interviewed them. They talked about how Roman Reigns has the same opportunity that everyone else will get. Vince loves this night almost as fun as he loves himself. Oh and when she asked, Steph too.
We are opening up with the Last Man Standing match, Dean Ambrose vs. Kevin Owens for the Intercontinental Title. To win, your opponent must not be able to answer the ten count. This is the one I am looking forward to the most tonight. It’s the two minute warning in the NFC game, so you have time to come and watch this if you choose. The bell rings and they started off hot!
The first few minutes of this were insane, with the ringside area being destroyed. Owens did a cannonball splash on Dean into the barricade, after working him over with a Kendo stick, to get the first count, which Dean answered. … The plunder continued as Owens set up two chairs to put Dean through but he got backdropped on them instead. Both mean got counted and got up. Owens rolled to the floor and Dean did a tope, but Owens caught him and worked him over on the metal ring steps. Dean got counted again but rose. … Owens set up a table diagonally on the floor and the side of the ring. Then changed his mind and set it up on the floor, and got another. Dean sold like he was dead. Owens set up double tables on the floor. He went to the top to suplex Dean from inside the ring through the tables. Dean blocked it. He then threw a chair at Owens head, which wrapped around his neck. Dean then pounded the chair into Owen’s face but as he came off of the ropes he ran into a Superkick. Owens went for the Pop Up but Dean turned it into a ran. He hit Dirty Deeds and Owens got up at eight. Ambrose did Dirty Deeds on a chair. The count couldn’t get up so he rolled to the floor and used the rope to stand up. Awesome spot. The fans were chanting “Fight Owens Fight”. Dean grabbed a table on the other side of the ring, where the timekeeper used to be. He put Owens on the table, went to the top and hit a big Savage elbow! The crowd was loving it. Both men got up at eight. … Owens made it into the ring, groggily, and Dean brought in a table and then followed him. He grabbed a chair and blasted Owens with it and yelled that he hated him. He set up the table in the ring. He sat Owens on the top turnbuckle and then went for a suplex but Owens did a Tiger Driver through the table instead. The crowd, aptly, chanted, “Holy S***”. Both men beat the count, Dean barely. Owens yelled stay down, before delivering a Pop Up. He yelled STAY DOWN as the ref made the count. Ambrose fought up at 9, then fell down. Owens feigns shock, then did anything but feign a nasty chair shot to Dean’s back. Owens set up four chairs in the ring and put another chair on top of it. Owens went to the top and Ambrose popped up and pushed him off of the top, through Double Tables on the floor. Owens couldn’t get up before ten, so Dean Ambrose retains his Title.
This was an awesome spectacle, with really good psychology mixed in. The two men ragging on each other added so much to it because it felt like they hated each other and it made the beating they were putting on each other a byproduct of that. If you aren’t watching and have the Network, go back and watch this one. Great way to start the show.
15,170 are at the Rumble. Cole said it earlier as well, but I forgot to write it down.
Usos vs. The New Day is up next.
New Day came out and did a moment of silence for Francesca. Suddenly we heard a trombone and out came Xavier with a new trombone, Francesca 2. Kofi asked what happened to Francesca 1? Woods said a man has needs! The fans were into it. They are definitely into the heels in Orlando. Big E did his bit and when he chanted New Day Rocks, they did it with them. The Usos music hit and we heard boos! Orlando has gone from the happiest place on earth to Philadelphia! I love it. Then again, I am a Philly guy.
Usos were in control early on and the fans didn’t care on the whole. Then Big E threw Use into the ring post and they liked that. Use came back and threw E into the barricade but Xavier hit Use with a tornado DDT and they were in control. The crowd chanted, “Play Francesca!” X teased playing, and then said now. JBL said, “Francesca’s over!” Will that turn New Day? I don’t think so. They wanted Big E to get the pin with a big splash, but he got a two. Big E started slapping Use’s chest to “New Day Rocks” and the crowd chanted. … X played the trombone as the Usos came back on Kofi. Jey made the tag and he and Big E faced off. Use got a Samoan Drop and the crowd booed him. … Jimmy went to the top. Kofi went to stop him and Jey got involved. Kofi tossed him over the barricade and Big E got a two with a Big E to Belly. Yeah, I made that up. That set up a huge running spear by E into Use, who was on the apron. They splatted to the floor, as did Jey and Kofi after a splash. Kofi went up but Use pushed Big E out. Kofi missed Trouble and Use went for the pin. The crowd booed. Kofi got his leg under the rope and the crowd cheered. Use and Kofi enhanced near falls but Big E made a blind tag. As Use went up, E came in and as Use came off of the ropes, he got caught in the Big Ending. The fans were very happy. New Day is over. If they would have changed the belts here it would have been ugly. X played the new Fran after the match as the crowd enjoyed it.
This was a really good match that was a lot of fun to watch. Two strong matches have started the show.
The Wyatt family did a promo. They are the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Bray saying his song and the crowd sang along. Bray said that the apocalypse is here, run.
Kalisto vs. Alberto Del Rio for the US Title is next.
Luckily for WWE, the NFC Title game is dull. They are really lucky that the AFC Championship game, which was great, went on first.
Click on Page 2 for more thoughts from tonight’s show!
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