The WWE is finally done taping their shows so I can only hope the WWE has stopped manipulating the crowd noise. Let’s see what they start us off with. A Seth Rollins versus Bobby Lashley pull apart brawl. You have my interest. The Wife is not a fan of the “jiggly camera” during it.

John Cena is the first officially in front of the crowd. Cena is ready for the Road To Wrestlemania. He plans on winning the Royal Rumble. Drew McIntyre comes out to confront Cena. McIntyre talks about Vince calling Cena the greatest of all time. McIntyre wants to take down the greatest of all. He tells Cena to talk to Angle about what he’s capable of. Cena tells McIntyre to come up with a new material. Lio Rush comes out with Lashley. He says that they haven’t done anything wrong. Rollins comes out and mayhem ensues between all parties. Dean Ambrose & Finn Balor come out too.

A six man match ensues. Balor/Cena/Rollins vs Ambrose/Lashley/McIntyre. Balor gets to take a beating first. Cena gets the first hot tag since he’ll end up selling too. Lashley knocks Rollins off the apron. He pays for it with an AA. Ambrose locks in a sleeper. Cena fights out but still gets worked over more. Ambrose boots Rollins off the apron. It creates an opening too. Balor gets the second hot tag. Balor connects with the Coup De Grace on Ambrose. McIntyre nails him with a Claymore. Rollins gets back on the apron. McIntyre tags in too. Rollins moonsaults onto Ambrose & Lashley on the outside. Falcon Arrow gets him a two count. Cena & Lashley get involved and dispatched off quickly. Rollins misses a Frog Splash. Ambrose tags in. The Stomp on Ambrose for the win. That was quick. Rollins storms back stage while Balor & Cena glad hand the crowd. Rollins demands a rematch for the IC Title against Ambrose later tonight. HHH grants it to him and makes it a Street Fight.

I agree with the Hulk Hogan is a racist stuff. For those who do defend him from those charges, why do you want him to bumble on the microphone? He’s got nothing to remember in these promos and he’s straight trash. The “coming out party” so to speak was at WM 30 when he said Silverdome and he’s only gotten worse since. The “Mean” Gene Okerlund video was great. The WWE did an awful lot of skits with animals back in the day. Hogan does have a moment in the ring thinking of his friend. He lists all of the dead wrestlers of that era and it’s kind of grim.

For some reason, The Revival vs Bobby Roode & Chad Gable is a lumber jack match. There’s one team on each side of the ring. It’s sad. Roode & Gable get the early upper hand. Scott Dawson with a blind tag to change the tide. Their offense didn’t last long. Roode gets a hot tag shortly after the commercial. Roode gets two on a Spinebuster. Gable tags in. Neckbreaker/German Suplex combo that looked pretty sweet. Dawson rools through with the tights but Gable kicks out. Dash Wilder got a no look tag too. A splash gets Wilder a two count. Dawson tags in. A series of near falls ensue. Roode & Gable get another sketchy win. Dawson goes for a small package. Roode pushes him over. Dawson gets pinned but his leg is hooked in the ropes where the ref can’t see it.

Elias has his concert. He delcares himself for the Royal Rumble. He then comes around to mocking Baron Corbin. Elias has a song about being wronged by him. Corbin comes out before he can play. Corbin thinks Elias and others should be thanking them for the platform he gave them. They are slated to have a match. Elias gets the early upper hand. Corbin takes the middle portion of the match. Elias turns it around with a high knee as Corbin comes off the middle rope. Serves you right for not going to the top rope. Elias gets two from a neck breaker. He’s frustrated. Why, I’m not sure. Elias goes to the top. Corbin rolls away. Elias almost gets thrown into the referee. Corbin gains the upper hand. End of Days for the win. Please stay behind him this time. As a wrestler. It’ll help get him over like you want him to be.

Dean Ambrose is angry at the crowd.

Braun Strowman is ready for a face to face confrontation with Brock Lesnar & Paul Heyman. They stay backstage though. Heyman says that if they came down, Brock wouldn’t have an opponent at the Royal Rumble. Strowman tries to provoke Lesnar. It isn’t the strongest material. Strowman then says that Lesnar wouldn’t make it to the Rumble if Lesnar came down. They just cut the same promo. Just. Whatever. Lesnar decides to come to the ring. He only stalks Strowman though.

Jinder Mahal & Alicia Fox are still a thing. Samir & Sunil Singh are still employed. They do crowd work. It isn’t good. “Pipe down, it’s about the War Goddess” says Renee Young with the conviction of something that happens all the time and we should expect. I love Ember Moon but I didn’t know to expect that. Apollo Crews is her partner. Alicia Fox sells the hell out of the Eclipse. Moon with the win.

I know it’s not a major change, but I like A Moment of Bliss taking place on the stage instead of the ring. She has a video package of Ronda Rousey‘s first year in the WWE. Rousey doesn’t want to look back. She wants to look forward. Rousey name drops Sasha Banks. Interesting. Nia Jax comes out to fake vomiting. She tries to pretend that TLC didn’t happen. What she doesn’t understand about Rollins rematch is that A) He was champion and B) He did something to earn a rematch. Sasha Banks comes out and says that it would be an honor to fight Rousey. Banks challenges Jax to a match.

Tamina & Bayley are at ring side for the match. Their brawl gets my attention. Jax presses Banks around ring side and tosses on top of a WWE moving case. Banks is back in control after the break. A running knee gets her a two count. Banks tries for the Bank Statement but it doesn’t work so well. Jax turns a Satellite DDT attempt into a Samoan Drop. Jax goes to the ropes. Banks keeps fighting her though. Banks gets hung out on the top rope. Banks goes for a huracanrana to the outside but Banks bounces to the floor. Sasha sling shoots back into the ring and into a Bank Statement. Tap out win for Banks. I guess that tag team tournament is waiting until this year’s Evolution, huh?

Seth Rollins jumps Dean Ambrose as he comes to the ring. They get into the ring for the bell to ring. They fight to the back quickly. At least they move into the crowd area after a commercial. Ambrose tosses Rollins down. He grabs a chair and whacks Rollins. Ambrose pulls up the padding aroudn the ring. He goes for Dirty Deeds but gets back dropped onto the concrete. Ambrose pokes Rollins in the eyes. Rollins recovers. Superplex followed by a Buckle Bomb. Side kick to the face. Rollins with the Stomp. Bobby Lashley attacks. Lashley leaves him laying in the ring after a Dominator & a Spear. Ambrose crawls over for the cover. Lashley attacks Rollins after the match by tossing him threw a table.

Kevin DiFrango