The atmosphere is electric and tense, who will be the surprise entrants into the Royal Rumble? Road Warrior Animal is supposedly out, Friend of the Show Nick "U-Gene" Dinsmore said via Twitter that he would be there and everyone is expecting "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan to make an appearance. Who will be the winner? Sheamus is thought to be the front runner...
Live coverage tonight here at The Columbus Pro Wrestling Examiner!
The 2012 version of the Royal Rumble is underway…I am honestly hoping that this 15th Anniversary of the Royal Rumble is better than the disappointment that was the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania.
St. Louis is a mecca for professional wrestling especially back in the 70s when it was a hotbed for the NWA, who is currently embroiled in an hostile takeover attempt by an affiliate member R. Bruce Tharpe.
We start the show with the Triple Threat Cage Match for the World Championship and instantaneously Michael Cole starts ripping on Daniel Bryan, one of the only things I can agree with Michael Cole on. I cannot understand half of what Booker T says and do not care what he is saying when I can understand him.
Now, were there the days of true professional wrestling Bryan would be introduced last to show respect for not only the champion but the title he has.
Mark Henry makes his way to the cage and he is one mean looking dude but when I spent time with him in OVW he was one of the nicest and most down to earth people I have met in this business. I have said before that I am glad that Henry is finally getting a push.
Big Show is making his way to the cage and I have been really impressed with Show and Henry and their feud. It is been some time since there has been a feud between two big guys that you really wanted to watch and that you could enjoy.
Bryan instantly starts to climb out of the cage only to be caught by Henry who then starts in with Big Show. Henry is favoring a knee injury and just was squashed against the cage by Big Show three times and Bryan trying to sneak out of the cage. Show makes the catch and tosses Bryan back then goes to work on him while Henry sells the squash job. Show darts Bryan into the cage and Bryan gets up and starts on Big Show’s knees. Short attack by Bryan and Show back on the attack, Show trying for a splash in the corner and Bryan dropkicks his knee and then goes to work on Henry.
Bryan heading for the door as Henry and Show sell, Henry with the catch and yells at the door goof to close that door. Bryan caught between the ropes and the cage as Henry takes it to him. Henry goes for Show and gets caught with a big boot to the face. Show grabs Bryan and tosses him into the cage a couple of times. Bryan and Show going at one another, Bryan with a slap to the face, no-sell by Show and Show back to work. Henry has really been a non-factor in this match and as soon as I type that Henry is attacking Show.
Henry now standing on Bryan as show sells across the cage, Henry is moving slowly and methodically and seems to be favoring his right leg which is the one he hurt. Bryan with a monster DDT off the ropes and tries for the pin and now going to his LeBelle lock. Henry breaks that up with a big kick and Henry looks to be really suffering with that knee and leg injury but is going on the attack. Show with the KO on Henry for a pin and Bryan breaks it up. Bryan trying to climb out of the cage and show grabs him by the neck.
They are fighting at the top of the cage, Bryan dangling out Show is on the inside, Bryan and Show, Big Show has Bryan and drops him…damn, Bryan with the win. Not impressed with Bryan yet, he did nothing in the match, the two big men carried it even with one of them injured and really a non-factor.
Promo for John Cena v. The Rock for WrestleMania is next…shilling all the talk shows Cena has done. Oh look a Justin Beiber look, does that mean he will indeed be “singing” at WrestleMania this year?
Okay, the one thing I am getting out of this video is it possible to stereotype wrestling fans any more than what is being done with the people that are being interviewed?
Is it me or is John Cena Sr. starting to resemble Christopher Walken? And this has gone on way too long for me, enough already, get back to the PPV.
The eight dive tag match is next with Beth Phoenix, Nattie and the Bella Twins. The Bells Twins may as well not be wearing anything with their outfits. If anyone should be wearing that stuff it is Nattie and Beth. Alisha Fox, Kelly Kelly, Eve Torres and Tamina out next and Alica looks like she borrowed something from Saba Simba.
Tamina and Nattie starting off and they trade slaps then a chop by Tamina and a cover for a two, Eve comes in and waves her ass in Nattie’s face. Beth tags in a goes to work on Eve but it is short lived and Eve goes on the attack. Beth to the corner with Eve and tags in a Bella Twin, who cares which one because they both suck. Well, how do you think they keep their jobs?
Eve escapes and tags in Saba Simba, er, Alicia Fox who goes to work on Bella Donna…an argument with the ref and the Bella Switch happens. Bella Dumba is working on Alicia who tags in Kelly and into a swirling head scissors. Kelly going to town and goes for the pin which is broken up by the other Kelly. Action, if you call it that, goes outside the ring, Bella Butt Crack is exposed, seven girls fighting on the ground and Kelly goes to the top and does a splash.
Kelly back into the ring with a Bella who gets bitch slapped tagged in by Phoenix who tells Bella to get the hell out of my ring, hits the Glam Slam on Kelly and gets the pin. Well, at least Nattie did not get embarrassed by Tamina this time. Good for what it was…
A video recap of the Zack Ryder and Kane episode and the dressing down of John Cena by Eve which was awful. We see Ryder come in sitting in a wheel chair to be greeted by Johnny Ace which is how he will be referred to since I do not have the patience to spell Lauren…Lauro…eh who care. Johnny Ace offers Ryder a nice dressing room with a TV and Eve comes out and says she hopes Johnny Ace gets fired tomorrow night and calls him an ass. Lord she is a worse as an actress than she is as a wrestler.
John Cena’s music hits and he makes his way to the ring for his epic battle with Kane…will Cena embrace the hate? Cena has over 10 million fans on FB which is more than The Rock and a bunch of other people no one cares about, thank you Michael Cole. He is still a few hundred shy of my followers though but something for him to strive for.
Reaction is mixed for Cena but either way he did not get a very big pop and here comes Kane who is getting nothing from the audience, at least not that you can hear on the broadcast. Okay, Cole just said Kane was more heinous than he has ever seen but it sure sounded like he said penis. Thank you, Cole just said fallacy…
Kane on the attack laying some heavy hands and now some stomping as the crowd starts chanting for Cena. Kane goes over the top rope and now we are outside and Kane gets the upper hand. Cena reverses the stair shot and Kane goes up and over them, impressive and he is selling his knee. Back to the ring Cena goes for the Attitude Adjustment but could not hold on. Kane moving slowly and with thought, a quick two count and into the rear chin lock.
Trading punches now Cena off the ropes and is nailed by Kane who goes for the cover for a two. Suplex by Kane into another cover for two and back to the chin lock. St. Louis style resting going on right now, the crowd is chanting but who the hell knows what they are saying. The arena must not be set up for the audio very well. Kane goes corner to corner with a clothesline and sets Cena up for another corner shot but is tripped by Cena but immediately Kane throws Cena across the ring like his the Mexi-Mini Rey Mysterio.
Kane looks like he has an eye boo-boo and is looking at his own blood with evil, Kane tries for the Brother Smother and Cena fights but gets caught and then Cena into the submission but Kane powers out and hits Cena with a sidewalk slam. Dawg, dawg, dawg…Jeebus someone shut Booker T the hell up, he is ruining this match.
Kane looking for the choke slam, a very over used finish…Cena ducks and he goes on the attack and he is sure, raises his hand in the air but gets caught by Kane and has a big boot to the face for his efforts. Another two count for Kane…Kane still taking it to Cena and sets him up in the corner for a superplex but Cena is fighting it…Kane goes crashing to the mat and Cena is going to launch, guess what comes next? A You Can’t See Me and he hits it, I did not see that one coming either…Cena kicks the knee and Kane goes down.
Outside the ring we watch Cena have his back slammed into the apron and a couple of hard shots by Kane. Seriously, a double count out? C’mon, all the build for this match and a flipping double count out? Oh sure they are brawling outside the ring to the back and trading crap shots but a damn double count out? I want my money back, first Daniel Bryan wins and now this…backstage they are taking it to one another but right now, so what? Some nasty chair shots by Kane and my kids are giggling about the foot print on Kane’s ass. Kane kicks the door of the dressing room where Ryder lives and goes on the attack. Ryder tries to kick him from the wheel chair but yeah, that did not happen. Kane is wheeling him out and down the hallway, Ryder looks like he is mentally challenged not injured.
Kane is taking him back out to ringside and dumps him out of the chair and then picks him up by his brace and tosses him into the ring. Kane really needs to wipe his butt…here comes Eve begging Kane to stop the attack on Ryder. Kane picks him up to do a tombstone and hits it…Eve is fake crying, my two year old can fake cry better. Here comes the savior Cena and he goes on the attack against Kane, tries to pick him up but has to sell the back and chair shots. Kane hits him with a choke slam and there…you…go.
Looks like Ryder is going to take another stretcher ride out…
