Eyes On Royal Rumble: Ranking The Last 5 Rumble PPVs

By @TrueGodImmortal

The last 5 Royal Rumbles have been underwhelming on every end. Truthfully, the last six or seven Rumbles have been pretty uneventful, and that's a whole, not just the Royal Rumble match itself. With that being said, I wanted to take a look at the most recent Royal Rumble events and rank them from best to worst. We are foregoing our usual Tag Team Tuesdays article in favor of talking more Royal Rumble talk as the event approaches. Which of the 5 most recent Rumble events are the best? You might be shocked at the rankings. Let's take a look.

5. Royal Rumble 2015

-Have you ever witnessed an event that had everything going for it, yet it still feel short of everything you expected? Well, that's the 2015 Royal Rumble. It has one good thing on the card and that's the WWE Title match. Otherwise? It's the most embarrassing show in recent years for the event, but only for the ending and the lackluster card aside from one of the worst Rumble matches I've ever seen. The 2015 Royal Rumble might be the worst match of all time in the Rumble history, and that's saying a lot. It was set up to be a big crowning of their new golden boy Roman Reigns, but instead it was one of the most cringe worthy moments in recent Rumble history. The Rock couldn't save it. No one could. It was terrible. Daniel Bryan got eliminated early and the crowd would end up booing the hell out of Reigns winning, as they should. This is the worst of the worst, and that's saying something. The one highlight? Brock vs Seth Rollins vs Cena. That's a classic, but the rest of the event is absolutely horrid to watch. This is the worst of the last 5 years.

4. Royal Rumble 2013

-So, I don't hate this event. However, if you need any proof that the WWE had no idea what the hell they were doing in 2013... look no further than this. This event is the prime example of a show that is predictable, but you still hope for the best.... and they disappoint you even more. Aside from a surprisingly fun Big Show vs Del Rio match, the rest of the card fell a bit flat, including the Team Hell No against Rhodes Scholars match. The Royal Rumble Match was terrible, aside from Chris Jericho making a big return, nothing substantial really occurred. Well, something did occur.... the last three men in the Rumble are Sheamus, Ryback, and John Cena.... three choices that no one wanted at all. The crowd was dead because we knew what was coming. Cena wins. Of course. Then, The Rock vs CM Punk had a horrible ending and gave The Rock the WWE Title... for nothing. Honestly, this was so horribly executed that the event is a big stain on the year 2013, which wasn't anything special in terms of the WWE, but it was a rough way to kick it off.

3. Royal Rumble 2016

-It wasn't easy ranking this one a bit higher than I even expected (though they are all ranked low on an all time list), but it fits. Honestly, this was one of the more surprising shows of the last few years, as everything that could have went wrong, absolutely did, BUT it wasn't as bad as it could have been at least. After a pretty good opening match between Dean Ambrose and Kevin Owens for the IC Title, the show was all downhill from there as usually is the case with most WWE shows that start off on fire. With the rest of the show mostly being centered around the Rumble match which was for the WWE Title, the other matches felt very unimportant, but... were solid. Whether it was the tag title match between the New Day and The Usos, the solid but uneventful Kalisto vs Del Rio match, or Charlotte vs Becky Lynch, this show just seemed to be filler before the main course, but let me point out that the reason I have this ranked at 3 is because it was an All around decent card aside from the final event. The Rumble Match itself wasn't anything special, but we did get the debut of AJ Styles, which made this all worth it. Still, overall, this event was just a standard Rumble PPV with nothing special to speak of, except a pretty pointless Triple H title win, but... it was still solid enough to be ranked middle of the road.

2. Royal Rumble 2014

- Now, I know this Rumble isn't remembered very well due to the ending and that's fair. It's very fair. Truthfully, this Rumble is actually a decent event, but the Rumble match itself is where it falters a bit. The opening match featured The New Age Outlaws against Cody Rhodes and Goldust (Pre-Show match) while Bray Wyatt vs Daniel Bryan is a classic singles match at the Rumble. It's the best match of the night and the biggest highlight. In the rebuilding of Brock Lesnar, he would squash Big Show in a match similar to their battle at the 2003 Rumble. Then, a shocker, the Cena vs Orton match wasn't bad at all surprised. The Rumble Match had CM Punk, Batista, The Shield, Kevin Nash, and JBL, but it would be disappointing as Batista won and there was no Daniel Bryan in the Rumble, and the crowd hated it all. Despite that, it was still a fun overall event that just ended horribly.

1. Royal Rumble 2017

-So, the most recent Rumble is the best of the last 5 years? Yes. It is. It would featured a solid match on the Pre-Show, but the main card was really enjoyable, from the opening match between Charlotte and Bayley, to the excellent title match between Kevin Owens and Roman Reigns, as well as the match of the year candidate between John Cena and AJ Styles. Aside from this, the Royal Rumble Match was somewhat interesting, but they ruined it yet again with Roman Reigns as no. 30, which ruined the momentum that having names like Goldberg, Brock Lesnar, The Undertaker, Bray Wyatt, and more in it. Despite the Rumble match, the rest of the card features the best of the choices through the last 5 years, so it's no shock that it ranks at the top. Though the Rumble events haven't been as fun the last 5 years, there have been some bright spots at the PPVs.

-True

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Eyes on the Ring 1:59 AM  No comment

Eyes On Royal Rumble: 5 Best Surprise Entrants

By @TrueGodImmortal

The Royal Rumble is coming up and this year, there are no rumored surprise entrants on tap for the company. However, in the past, there have been plenty of surprise entrants and huge returns at the Royal Rumble that catches everyone's attention and today, I wanted to take a look at the 5 best surprise entrants in over the long history of the Rumble.

5. Rob Van Dam
(2009 Royal Rumble)

-With the Rumble set in Michigan,  the home state of Van Dam, this was a surprise that some expected, but for the most part, it was a true surprise. RVD came out to a nice ovation and would last around 15 minutes in the match. No one expected him to win of course, but it was really fun to see RVD back in a WWE ring. I would have liked to see that surprise return lead to a long term return and a big feud, but it wasn't to be at the time. Still, this was a great return for the Rumble and a nice moment for all the fans of RVD.

4. Mick Foley
(2004 Royal Rumble)

-Foley was flirting with getting back into the ring and after being embarrassed by Randy Orton, it would lead him to getting back to where he was most comfortable: the squared circle. After taking out an entrant in the Rumble, Foley walks out to the surprise of the crowd, and the ovation is thunderous. Orton looked completely shocked at the return of Foley, and when Foley got into the ring, he had no motivation besides eliminating Orton and stopping him from reaching the Mania main event. Foley would end up eliminating himself while taking Orton out, but his mission was complete.

3. Booker T
(2011 Royal Rumble)

-Diesel was a big entrant, but for me, Booker T was a bigger entrant. Diesel was expected by many, but Booker T didn't seem possible at the time. He was a part of TNA for years prior and seemingly left the WWE on less than great terms, but when his music hit, the crowd went absolutely nuts and Booker returned triumphantly. He didn't last very long in the Rumble, but his impact was felt and we got to see everything from Booker that we loved in his prime.

2. Edge
(2010 Royal Rumble)

-We saw this coming a mile away. Edge had been injured for months and he would be ready to make his return as the Rumble got closer and many people saw this one before it happened. Still, it was a great moment to see Edge get this type of push fresh off a serious injury, and he had his sights set on one man: Chris Jericho. Edge would manage to do that and then some, as he would walk away with Chris Jericho not winning the Rumble.... but as the winner himself. Edge would make the most triumphant return at the Rumble and cash a ticket on the Road To Wrestlemania to become the no. 1 contender.

1. John Cena
(2008 Royal Rumble)

-The biggest surprise entrant ever. Cena was injured. He was gone. No one saw this coming. Most thought he would end up missing Wrestlemania or was in danger of missing it at least, however, that wasn't the case at all. As the clock hits 0, the crowd is silent waiting with hushed excitement to see how is the last entrant. As Cena's music hits, the crowd goes wild for a moment, before realizing who the final entrant actually is (they would boo Cena some more after it settled), but the truth is, the shock of seeing Cena months before he was due back set a huge ripple through the wrestling world. To make it even more special, Cena wins the Rumble, giving him the most shocking win in the Rumble and making him the best surprise entrant in the history of the event.

-True

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Eyes on the Ring 1:42 AM  No comment

Eyes On RAW: The 9 Greatest Superstars In RAW History

By @TrueGodImmortal

RAW 25 is here. This week, we will take a look at some great moments, matches, and everything in between about the flagship show of the WWE. Today, I wanted to take a look at who I consider to be the 9 best wrestlers in RAW history. These are the wrestlers who made the most impact, had the biggest longevity, and made RAW the long running program that it is. Who makes my list of 9? Read on and find out.

9. Triple H 

-You might be surprised to see Triple H ranked at the bottom of this list.... don't be. The truth of the matter is, Triple H wasn't as integral to RAW as one would have you believe, but he's still an important piece of the show. When he was with DX, first as sidekick to Shawn Michaels, then as the leader, he still felt like second fiddle for some reason. For me, I think the biggest thing about Triple H is that he never led RAW to higher heights, but he was always a constant to the show. As a heel in 1999 and 2000, Triple H reached the peak of his RAW run, but he also would be responsible for the darkest age of RAW in 2002-2004 before scaling back and heading over to Smackdown for a while (after another dark age of Triple H, Randy Orton, and John Cena), before coming back to wrestle once in a while as an authority figure. Triple H is a legend, but his importance to RAW isn't top 5 worthy, thus he lands at no. 9 here. He was still important, but just not at the top of the list.

8. Bret Hart 

-It is hard to rank Bret outside of the top 5, but it has to be done. Bret was there when RAW was created and he stayed there through some dark times, including the first two years of the Monday Night War, and that's a big reason why he ranks at this level. Whether Bret was in a feud with Yokozuna, Hakushi, Diesel, Shawn Michaels, or Stone Cold Steve Austin, he was a centerpiece on RAW, and has a number of all time classics on the show, including his battle with the 1-2-3 Kid, which is a wonderful match. Bret didn't have as many years invested like some wrestlers in RAW history, but his impact was so major in the first four years that the show existed that he has to be mentioned on this list.

7. John Cena 

-Settle down, children. Cena is a legend. However, his impact on RAW is sort of like Triple H. He was a go to guy for RAW, but he also wasn't THE GUY. When Cena was on top, RAW would end up seeing a huge rating drop over the years, and Cena was getting booed out of the building a number of nights in a row. With that being said, Cena would have big feuds on RAW with Edge, Randy Orton, Brock Lesnar, Triple H, and Batista through his era of RAW, before coming full circle with a feud against The Rock. That might be the most important feud for Cena on RAW, though one could argue his battles with CM Punk take the cake. He was a consistent piece on RAW, and Cena is a top name in the WWE so of course he makes this list. Speaking of CM Punk....

6. CM Punk 

-If only Punk never left WWE, he would be on this list much higher, probably top 3 or 4. However, just outside the top 5 is where he belongs. Punk is the most important wrestler on RAW of this generation and era and it's not even close. No one has impacted the business or RAW quite like Punk and it all goes  back beyond the Pipebomb. Whether it was Punk cashing in his first MITB on Edge, doing commentary while injured, starting the New Nexus, feuding with Randy Orton, or winning triple threat matches, he was always at the top of his game when on the flagship show. When you add in his work after the infamous Pipebomb promo, you really have an understanding of exactly what Punk did for the show. Punk was the MAN from 2011-2013 and there was no one even close. From Punk killing Cena, Kevin Nash, Triple H, and others on the mic to one upping The Rock in promos to the infamous moment with the Urn and the ashes of Paul Bearer against Undertaker, Punk gave the world moment after moment to etch his name in RAW history. Punk could very well be top 5 on any other list. He was just that damn good.

5. The Undertaker 

-It was tough.... Taker is honestly a tough one to call. He was never the top guy on RAW, but he was always a leading attraction. For nearly 25 years on RAW. While he might be retired now (or not), Taker has been there from the first RAW and he just walked away this past year. There is no way he is anything other than top 5. Taker gave the world so many moments and awe inspiring battles on RAW that it's clear he deserves to be ranked higher than those who were given the reigns to carry the company. Taker was consistent, always put in effort, and through his battles and promos with Stone Cold, The Rock, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, CM Punk, and so many others, Taker proved why he was a living legend and one of the greatest of all time.

4. Chris Jericho 

-The best debut in RAW history will always belong to Jericho. He's given us so many moments and his debut is the greatest of them. However, there are so many more moments and matches that Jericho was a part of that makes him a RAW legend. He spent some time on Smackdown, but at his core, Jericho is a RAW legend. Whether it was his debut against The Rock, his overturned title win against Triple H, his feud with Stone Cold Steve Austin, his classic feud with Shawn Michaels, his battles with John Cena, his 2008 heel run, or even his most recent run with Kevin Owens, Jericho can do no wrong on RAW. He is just outside the top 3, but if anyone had Jericho as top 3 in RAW history, I wouldn't be mad at that.

3. Shawn Michaels 

-HBK used to be no. 1 on my list. I used to think Shawn was the greatest RAW star ever, but instead, he's top 5. He's still the GOAT in terms of overall wrestling, but for RAW, he's just a small notch below my top 2 choices and that's more for their impact than wrestling. In the ring, HBK is the greatest, but he definitely had his share of moments on RAW especially in the Attitude Era. Whether it was HBK against Bret, Razor Ramon, The Undertaker, Stone Cold, Chris Jericho, Mr. Kennedy, Triple H, or anyone, HBK was one of the longest tenured stars, and his matches never disappointed. He had classic moments against Shelton Benjamin, with DX, and against Mr. McMahon. HBK could do no wrong on RAW and for that, he is easily top 3 on the show.

2. The Rock 

-Of course, the biggest crossover star in the WWE history books makes the list. The Rock is known for the Smackdown, but RAW is where he built his name. Starting with his heel turn in 1997, leading up to his run in The Nation in 1998, or his epic heel run with The Corporation the year following, Rock would be one of the most important pieces in the Attitude Era for RAW. In 1998 and 1999, Rock was in his prime and ready to ascend higher and higher. Most of his best promos (think "This Is Your Life") and moments came on RAW, and of course, Stone Cold Steve Austin vs The Rock was the biggest feud in WWE history, and it took place on RAW. RAW would see The Rock return for feuds with CM Punk and John Cena in 2012-2013, solidifying his ranking in the RAW history books. The huge crossover movie star had RAW in a great place when he was a big part of it, and I can't see anyone knocking him off the top two. He's cemented as the no. 2 in RAW history.

1. Stone Cold Steve Austin 

-I mean, obviously right? When RAW was struggling, they needed a hero. They needed a savior. That man would be Stone Cold. RAW was struggling when Austin came up, but I'll be honest: 1997 would be the greatest year of Austin's career from a character and promo perspective, and I was tuned in every Monday to see his antics. When Mr. McMahon managed to get Austin where he wanted him, Austin used to make him play for that. He would try to end The Rattlesnake, and Austin wouldn't budge. In addition to being the most popular wrestler, Austin gave us so many moments from the Beer Bash to a ton of Stone Cold Stunners to saving the WWF from the Alliance to the birth of "WHAT", Austin was the man on RAW. There is no other choice for no. 1 on RAW except Austin. The gap between Austin and anyone else is far too significant to matter. Stone Cold is no. 1 all time on RAW.

-True 

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Eyes on the Ring 2:34 AM  No comment

Eyes On NFL: AFC and NFC Championship

By @TrueGodImmortal

We have arrived. After a long and brutal season, there are only four teams left. There are only four. With that being said, the championship round is not quite what we expected it to be. Many expected a rematch between the Steelers and the Patriots, while logic would have told you to expect a NFC Title battle between the Saints and the Falcons, but... as I said last week, anything is possible and I am not at all shocked at what occurred here. The Eagles vs Vikings and the story of the season, the Jacksonville Jaguars will take on the favorite to win it all, the New England Patriots. With all of these things set in motion now, the Super Bowl is so close and after this weekend, there will be two teams left standing. The entire season, all the ups and downs, all the controversy, from the kneeling to the suspensions to the injuries, has led us to this point. Who will make it to the Super Bowl? Let's take a look.

*AFC Championship
New England Patriots vs Jacksonville Jaguars 

-I would be pretty stupid to bet against the Patriots here right? So, I won't.... HOWEVER, if I had to pick the team I want to see win this one, it's the Jaguars. They are similar to the Ravens in 2000, similar to the Broncos in 2016, in the sense that their defense has got them this far, and could take them to the Super Bowl. After the way they gave the Steelers hell, one would be a bit foolish to expect the Patriots to completely demolish this Jaguars defense, but anything is possible. I would expect to see the Patriots take some punishment and while they have the top tier offense this season, one has to wonder can they slow down the run game. The most important factor in this game? Blake Bortles. If Bortles can play like he did for that stretch previously in the season, and the Jaguars play their best defense of the season? An upset could happen. For now, I'll go with the safe bet, but I honestly think the Jaguars could pull it off.

Winner: Patriots

*NFC Championship
Philadelphia Eagles vs Minnesota Vikings 

-After watching the defensive showing from both of these teams, I am extremely excited to see where this goes. This could be a turning point for the NFC, or at least a moment in time that we won't forget. Case Keenum led his team to a huge shocker of a victory against the Saints and Nick Foles did just enough to get the Eagles to this point, so with these two teams just barely making it to the dance, the no. 1 and 2 seed in the NFC now have their date with destiny. I'm not 100% convinced that this game will be high scoring, but I do see the potential for it. If it turns into a shootout... which it likely won't but still, I would have to lean towards the Vikings. If it goes through the run game and defense, I would have to go for the Eagles. This is really a tough one to call and any result is one that's fine with me. HOWEVER, I think fate might be on the side of the Vikings so that they can be the first team to host the Super Bowl ever. The narrative fits perfectly for what the NFL needs in terms of revenue and attention. Still, I'll go with my gut, and lean towards the Eagles, as Nick Foles might do just enough to lead Philly to the Super Bowl. Patriots vs Eagles? I think so. I would rather the Jaguars vs Eagles however, but we shall see.

Winner: Eagles

-True 

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Eyes on the Ring 12:21 AM  6 comments

EOTR Tag Team Tuesdays: 5 Classic RAW Tag Team Matches

By @TrueGodImmortal

Raw 25 is a week away and many of us are excited I'm sure. With that in mind, I wanted to briefly take a look at 5 matches that were classic during the history of RAW. RAW has had some amazing matches and the list is extensive, but these 5 choices are some of the absolute best. Let's get into it.

*TLC 4
(Kane vs Bubba Ray Dudley and Spike Dudley vs Christian and Chris Jericho vs Jeff Hardy and Rob Van Dam)

-When we look back at this match, there is a lot to discuss. For one, Kane was without his partner The Hurricane. Two, this match features three men who took part in the first three TLC matches, but with new partners. Three, this was a part of the Raw Roulette that went down, so this match was a special treat. The spots were well executed and the crowd was live for this one, as each team attempted to walk away with the RAW tag team championships, but only one man was left standing: Kane. That's right. TLC 4 ends with Kane defeating the other 3 teams to hold onto the tag titles. Of the era of RAW that many people disliked (2002-2003), this was a definite highlight.

*Owen Hart and British Bulldog vs Shawn Michaels and Stone Cold Steve Austin
(May 1997)

-This match is one of the greatest tag matches in the history of the show, but it is a stand-alone classic as well. Owen and Bulldog were the tag team champions and Austin and HBK were a makeshift team that many didn't expect to work well. This match took place on my birthday, and I remember watching this live. I was excited to see Austin and Shawn team up and what we would get is an amazing match between four men who were at the top of their game. The whole aspect of the Hart Foundation being involved and Bret Hart in the wheelchair during the match was great and the moment that HBK hit the Sweet Chin Music and the three count was made, the crowd erupted for a legendary RAW moment. The beginning, the end, and the aftermath of this match is truly classic.

*Stone Cold Steve Austin and Triple H vs Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit
(May 2001)

-One of the toughest matches to revisit for multiple reasons, this is the greatest match in RAW history IMO. It is not only the greatest match in RAW history, but in terms of tag team matches, it might be top 3 of all time. Benoit and Jericho were hitting their primes in the ring and Austin was in the middle of his greatest year in the ring while Triple H was still at the top of his game. Through 20 minutes of intense action, it seemed as if neither team would budge. Unfortunately, following Triple H suffering his quad injury, the match would end soon after, with Benoit and Jericho picking up the victory. Truthfully, I wish the Triple H injury never happened, as I believe we could have seen 2 to 3 more minutes of this legendary bout.

*Stone Cold Steve Austin And The Rock vs Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and Hulk Hogan
(March 2002)

-The NWO was a force to be reckoned with. Austin and Rock had teamed before, but they had never seen a force like the NWO. With Nash, Hogan, and Hall going against Austin and Rock, two of the greatest ever were at a disadvantage, but they held their own for most of the match. The action was just electric, as seeing Hogan and Austin do battle, Rock and Nash, as well as Austin and Nash was a lot of fun and with Hogan vs Rock on the horizon, the finish would likely be tied into that match and sure enough, Hogan would pick up the 1-2-3 over Rock in this battle. This is still one of my favorite matches on RAW and a true dream match at that. 

*Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, and Edge vs Evolution
(August 2004)

-A slept on match (and I think the elimination match between the teams a few months prior was just as good), this showed the volatile battles that these men would have and how the end of Evolution was fast approaching. With Edge and Orton coming off their match for the IC Title, and Benoit getting ready for his battle at Summerslam with Orton, this match was intense and would set the tone for what was to come. From Flair and Benoit trading chops to Batista imposing his will and strength, as well as Jericho adding his element of speed and skill, this match had it all. Orton picks up the win for his team after the RKO on Benoit.

-True 

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Eyes on the Ring 2:07 AM  No comment