5 Things To Expect on WWE Monday Night Raw 1/26/15

Well to everybody that canceled the WWE Network, cool story bro. We'll see you tweeting about #RAW tonight. Point is you want to have your voice heard back up your threats like none of you did last year it's simple as that. Last night was the 28th annual Royal Rumble PPV. Brock Lesnar retained the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in a stellar Triple Threat Match with John Cena & Seth Rollins. Roman Reigns won the Royal Rumble match and the main event of WrestleMania is ready booked, set and stone. Here's five things to expect on the January 26th edition of WWE Monday Night Raw.

1.) Roman Reigns 

Obviously Roman Reigns won the Rumble last night and there's a lot of people mad about it. My point of the view of the finish or just the Rumble match in general. I'm sorry but it's the truth and I understand they're not listening to what the fans want, but that's what you get when you have the Royal Rumble in a smarky crowd. I like Roman Reigns, I don't know how he's being shoved down our throats when he only appears one or two times throughout the show. Was Reigns my pick to win the Royal Rumble, no, but for me as a wrestling analyst I just stay netural in these type of situations it's not about what I want who am I? They made their choice awhile back and we shouldn't be surprised that this happen and even when we complain about the WWE never having a long term outlook on any of these PPV's, but when they have something set in place like they do right for WrestleMania people will still complain about it. It's simple and I understand you can't please anybody anymore so why still do shows? Anyways, as far as tonight is concern if I was Roman Reigns I would go on the turnbuckle and give the entire crowd the middle finger while the crowd is booing him. Roman will probably cut a promo tonight and it's going to be interesting to see how he handles advertisy especially with these type of promos heading towards WrestleMania. I think we'll see Big Show coming out and blaming The Rock for helping Roman winning and say that he deserves to win the Royal Rumble. This will lead to their match at WWE Fast Lane where Reigns will put up his WrestleMania spot on the line to take on the Big Show in some type of a gimmick match. We'll see what happens, but it's sure the "cool" thing to boo Roman Reigns now.

2.) Brock Lesnar 

I earn alot of respect for Brock Lesnar for the performance he put on last night. Brock Lesnar will defend his WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 31. Tonight for Monday Night Raw it's going to be interesting to see what happens for two reasons. One because obviously I want and I'm for sure we'll hear Paul Heyman's point of view of Roman Reigns winning the Royal Rumble Match. Secondly I saw Brock Lesnar on the WWE Fast Lane promo package and with this "broken rib" is Brock going to compete at the PPV in Memphis. Will we see Brock Lesnar get confronted by either Seth Rollins or John Cena? Do we actually see a in-ring promo between Roman Reigns & Brock Lesnar. While I don't agree with having a part-time performer main eventing Mania as champion and leaving the WWE the next day, you can't deny the pure natural talent that Brock Lesnar possesss. Expect a perfect promo from the one and only Paul Heyman.

3.) Seth Rollins

If there was anybody that believes that Seth Rollins is not a quality WWE main event star, I don't know what to tell you bro. I was sure as hell sold on Seth Rollins last night. He's the real deal and I will be ultimately shocked if by the end of the year, Seth Rollins doesn't have at least ONE title reign. It's going to be interesting to see what Seth Rollins does at WrestleMania. There's been many of rumors about Randy Orton making his return to the WWE. Yet we don't see him. What's taking so long? You're missing out on a potential great feud by continuing to drag out the Randy Orton return. It makes not only is Sting looking to own up The Authority, Orton is looking for revenge for The Authority to take him out of action for almost four months. I think we'll also see a in-ring promo from The Authority tonight I wouldn't be shocked by that and I actually condone that because we do have to hear from Triple H and his thoughts about guys like Rock and or Sting coming back and getting in the way of all of The Authority winning titles, rumbles, and stipulation matches etc. I think we'll see either Seth Rollins vs. Dolph Ziggler or Seth Rollins vs. Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton will make his return tonight.

4.) John Cena 

I'm not a John Cena fan, but I sure as hell do respect that guy. You can say that he's a terrible actor, wrestler or whatever, but when you see matches like that Triple Threat Match as much as Rollins & Lesnar deserve credit for making this awesome, John Cena also deserve as much praise for that match. John Cena had a face-to-face confrontation on the Royal Rumble post show with Rusev. Looking at that stare down I'm actually ok with seeing John Cena vs. Rusev. You're going to have to find a way to take the title away from Rusev because I don't know how John Cena goes from one year taking on Bray Wyatt then the next year taking on Rusev in a United States Championship Match. I hope he does take this feud seriously instead of doing childish jokes towards Lana & Rusev. I think we can possibly see a brawl between Rusev & John Cena. At the same time we don't have to rush into that program who knows maybe somebody comes out of no where and takes on John Cena for a match at Fast Lane. Do you want to see Rusev vs John Cena at Fast Lane or WrestleMania? I'll let you guys answer that question down below.

5.) The Authority + Daniel Bryan 

So are we going down the same path we did last year with WrestleMania? Daniel Bryan was in the Royal Rumble, but he didn't win the Royal Rumble Match. I'm happy that Bryan is back and he'll eventually get the title back, I just wondering what they're going to do with him as we're on the Road to WrestleMania. I don't think it's going to be Bray Wyatt vs. Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania due to Bray eliminating Bryan, but I could see that match happening at WWE Fast Lane. As far as The Authority is concern like I said earlier I would like to see Triple H talk about The Rock & Sting situations. We'll find out what they think about Reigns winning the Royal Rumble. Do we see Rowan, Ziggler & Ryback punished on Raw for coming back we'll see, it's a big night for The Authority they need to rebound from a rough night last night.

By the way congratulations to Arnold Schwarznegger who announces on TMZ that he will be the celebrity inductee in the 2015 WWE Hall of Fame.

Follow Me on Twitter @JoshLopezCSR

5 Things To Expect on WWE Monday Night Raw

Happy New Year's everybody. New leash, New year, New WWE? Well maybe not new WWE, but tonight is the very first Monday Night Raw of 2015 in Corpus Chirsit, Texas. WWE finished 2014 on a high note with a stellar edition of Monday Night Raw. Tonight there's no special guest general manager because The Authority is back "BABY!" sorry Adam Cole. There's not another WWE LIVE Event going on tonight, so everybody is back it's a new year and we'll see how the build towards the Royal Rumble continues. Here's five things to expect on January 5th edition of WWE Monday Night Raw.

1.) The Authority Returns

I know alot of people are upset with the fact that The Authority is back, but I couldn't be happier. This show with the exception of Seth Rollins has been severley missing powerful and impactful heels. I love The Authority they're great, and I don't mind they're 20 minute in-ring promos because when you see Triple H & Stephanie McMahon on WWE Television it's the purest demonstration of how to be an effective heel. Was it too soon for them to return? It's subjective, but we already knew that The Authority was coming back. I think we'll get The Authority special meaning that tonight's main event will be John Cena & Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins & Big Show. Also we'll probably see Kane vs. Ryback. The Authority's back and it's best for business. Believe That!

2.) The Ascension + WWE's Tag Team Division

It's not enough, but it's better than nothing. I love how people complain about WWE not bringing up new tag teams and they don't try to build stars and when they actually bring up new tag teams or new stars up to the main roster you don't give them a chance. The Ascension just debuted last week on Raw and I couldn't be happier for both Konnor & Vitkor making the most out of this opportunity because it's something different we don't really know what their gimmicks is and please can we give this gimmick sometime to build before throwing into the firepit. I get it they look like the Road Warriors, but I didn't know that the Road Warriors were into illuminati. The Usos became the brand new WWE Tag Team Champions last week in a great back and forth match with The Miz & Damien Mizdow. I expect to see The Usos defend the WWE Tag Team Championship against Miz & Mizdow in a title rematch and after the match The Ascension will lay out The Usos to send an impactful message. If The Ascension doesn't come out during that match I wouldn't be opposed to seeing The Ascension do the same thing they did on SmackDown last week where they put waste to local enhancement talent.

3.) WWE's Mid-Card Feud's

For what it's worth I think the WWE has been doing a great job with the fact that they're using actual storylines are for all the mid-card titles. We know that the WWE is teasing a match between WWE Divas Champion Nikki Bella and Natalya. Yea it's kind of a plug for E! Total Divas, but they've been slowly building an actual feud between Natalya and Nikki with the fact that Tyson Kidd & Nikki Bella continue to flirt with each other. The Ryback & Rusev feud intrigues me, I loved the Ryback promo from Raw last week they haven't done that type promo for any mid-carders in year's. Rusev continues to improve in the ring and as a heel. I proposed that Ryback and Kane match and possibly Rusev will come out to interfere in that match who knows maybe Kane wins that match since The Authority is back, but I really think the feud between Ryback & Rusev is the best thing for both guys at this prior moment. My boy Bad News Barrett came back from injury last week and it seemed like he was going to be a babyface now, but I think a good way to put Barrett back into that heel role is if you do this. I would set up a match between Tyson Kidd & Cesaro vs. Dolph Ziggler & Bad News Barrett. It would be a great match for the WWE and all of the fans and to spice things up you have Dolph trying to give Bad News the hot tag and he gives him the Bad News Bull Hammer there you go that's your Intercontinental Championship feud. Bad News goes after the title he never lost.

4.) Who will enter the Royal Rumble Match?

Even though I hate when current Money in the Bank Contract holders enter Royal Rumble Match, I do think to start off the show as a gift to Seth Rollins for bringing back The Authority. The Authority will announce that Seth Rollins will be in the Royal Rumble match. I think we'll finally see Royal Rumble Qualifying Matches or maybe a Beat the Clock Challenges for certain enteries for the Rumble Match. I'm just throwing it out there because I think that would be a great idea because it allows the three hours to be must see and it's the first Raw of the year you would think that the WWE would want to start the year off with a bang. Possible entrants of the Rumble Match that come out of my head are Luke Harper, Jack Swagger, Big Show, Erick Rowan, Dolph Ziggler etc. I would like to see how they'll follow up the return of Daniel Bryan he's not currently advertised for tonight's show, so will it be a pre-recorded interview or just a recap highlight package of his announcement from last week? We'll see what happens, but it's important for the WWE to make sure they tell the fans that there's numerous amount talents that can be favorites to win the Rumble instead of just Roman Reigns & Daniel Bryan

5.) Ambulance Match

The feud between Dean Ambrose & Bray Wyatt comes to an end tonight and I really do believe that. I've enjoyed the feud between Ambrose & Wyatt it kind of reminds me of the feud between Ryback & CM Punk. Is Dean Ambrose buried if he loses another big stipulation match? Is Bray Wyatt buried because of all the hype of his return was for all him to go into a Ambulance? Honestly who cares, really because both of these guys have great futures ahead of them remember folks they've been on the main roster television for 2-3 years their careers are not over yet. I think this will be a great match whether it finishes off the show or not I do think that Bray Wyatt & Dean Ambrose are going to head into this match with a massive chip on their shoulder because there's alot of talk of Daniel Bryan & Roman Reigns becoming the main focus of WrestleMania 31 and I feel that Bray & Dean will look make a major statement as the Royal Rumble is fastly approaching.

Follow Josh Lopez on Twitter @JoshLopezCSR

Make sure to tune into Josh's wrestling radio show the Pro Wrestling Experience @PWEShow. The first show of the year will be LIVE this Wednesday January 7th from 10am-1pm CT on Chicagolandsportsradio.com. We'll be reviewing #RAW, WrestleKingdom 9, a preview for the returns of Lucha Underground and TNA, and we'll have an interview with Nigel McGuiness from ROH and LA Fights.

Raw Talking Points For Christmas Edition of Raw

Raw had its typical holiday offering last night. There wasn’t a ton of significant things as it basically just continued a number of existing feuds. The typical diva’s Christmas costume 6-women tag match. We had the new holiday tradition of the Miracle on 34th Street fight. Dean Ambrose and Bray Wyatt destroyed many Christmas themed items. Hulk Hogan was the host of Raw dressed up like Santa and he was his typical boring self. If you’re into Hogan, you probably found it fun. If you have had enough of Hogan this was evidence of why you do. Still we found some talking points from this holiday for the most part throwaway Raw show.

1. Adam Rose Turns Heel on the Bunny: After a loss to R-Truth the Bunny still in his neck brace, after a couple attacks from Kane in the past week, he goes to comfort Rose after the match. Rose put a real serious beat down on the bunny. He would take off the Bunny’s neck brace and would continue the beating after the Bunny tried to escape to the outside. The highlight of the segment was the crowd chanting for Rose to throw the Bunny into the guardrail one more time. The crowd was not having any sympathy for Bunny, which was the goal of the segment. So Adam Rose is suppose to be a heel but at least on this night in Minnesota he was a face to this crowd.

2. Fandango Gets a Win: This was more about where Jack Swagger is in terms of this company. The new and improved Fandango is not exactly setting the world on fire. Swagger had almost all the offensive moves until the end. Fandango landed some kicks, went to his top rope leg drop, and actually got the win. Poor Jack Swagger has fallen down since his resurgence with his original feud with Rusev.

3. The Night for The Shield: Rollins and Cena kicked off the show and Rollins after a win last week in a cage match with the help of Brock Lesnar, Cena natural gets his win back this week after Hogan made the match for his good buddy John Cena. Roman Reigns was paired with the Big Show and was booked terrible only able to get a count out win after hitting Big Show with a superman punch over the announce table. Big Show really seems to have little interest in helping Reigns get over. Dean Ambrose meantime in the Main Event once again losses to Bray Wyatt in your typical Christmas Street fight. Overall, it was not a great night for the former members of the Shield.

4. WWE Announcers Continue To Fail: I could bring up many examples of why this is true every single week but I have a specific example this week. Natalya was in a match with Brie and she had Nikki in her corner. During the entire match, Tyson was wearing a Nikki Bella hat and there was zero reference to it the entire match. Even in the post match where Natalya pushes Nikki off the apron and notices the hat Tyson was wearing after that. She takes it off and throws it away. Announcers made zero reference to this so if you missed it can’t blame you.

5. Piper’s Pit Isn’t What It Use To Be: It was kind of a pathetic attempt at nostalgia with Roddy Piper showing up and his guest was Rusev. Piper mispronounced his name and predictably introduced Ryback who had a bow on him no less and he attempted to attack Rusev but he was able to escape. Ryback was over with Minnesota crowd so it looks like the C.M Punk comments have not affected Ryback and his face push of late. Seeing Piper and Hogan at their age is more sad and pathetic than any sort of nostalgic feel good moment.

The match quality on this show was pretty good overall but some questionable booking and little plot advancement. The biggest note was Rose heeling on Bunny and I am not even kidding about that. I didn’t hate this show but if I had missed it, I can’t say that much happened I needed to see. 

Time For Shayna Baszler To Trade UFC Octagon For WWE Ring?

Is it time for Shayna Baszler to make her way to the WWE after getting TKOed in her fight with Bethe Correia. This was Baszler’s long awaited UFC debut after having fights cancelled on a couple occasions. Baszler was on the Ultimate Fighter on "Team Rousey" and lost to the eventual winner of the show Julianna Pena. That was the bad news for Baszler, but the good news was the friendship she formed with Ronda Rousey and joining up with her to train together. Baszler brought her love and passion for the WWE to Ronda Rousey’s house and this led to Ronda becoming a bigger fan of WWE and creating the four horsewomen.

Josh Barnett who has both fought in MMA and in a pro wrestling ring has trained Baszler for years. Baszler has been in videos with Ronda Rousey with the two working a pro wrestling match. Recently the WWE had the four horsewomen at Summerslam and rolled out the red carpet for the UFC’s Women’s Bantamweight Champion and her fellow four horsewomen Baszler included. Baszler herself talked about that experience being something she will never forget and said something to effect that a 10-year-old version of her would have thought the current her was pretty cool.


In addition, Baszler has had some training sessions with Natalya from the WWE which rumours are one might be featured on Total Divas this upcoming season. It seems all of the WWE have been fans of Ronda and the Horsewomen and while the WWE has no chance at getting Rousey in their ring anytime soon. Baszler on the other hand likely could have a credible match in a WWE ring tomorrow if need be. You can argue that she has done as much as she can in MMA and is never going to be any real threat at a title.

She took a wicked beating the second round of her fight last night, after most feeling, she won the first round. It makes some sense for her to take a shot at the WWE now and see what she can do their while that option is still open to her one would have to assume. She knows wrestling inside and out and is a historian of the product. She has shown she has tons of charisma being along side Rousey.

You already have her first feud written for you being the Queen of Spades why not set up a battle with the Queen of Harts in Natalya. That would have the makings of a women’s wrestling match the likes of which we have never seen potentially.

Will see if Baszler decided to stick with UFC and MMA but for my money, her next match should take place in a ring not an octagon. She is a firecracker and could easily be in position to be a challenger for someone for the Diva’s title or even work against Stephanie at Wrestlemania 31. Is all of this crazy dreaming talk? Perhaps, but Baszler would be wise to consider the option given the way her last two fights have come out.In addition while she still has the ability to have some interest from the WWE. Even if it as pawn in a slightly larger plan to get Ronda to be a part of the company down the road. Baszler realistically would be the easiest to transition straight to wrestling as she already is somewhat trained in it.

 

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