The Silver Report: January 2019

As has become tradition, January starts the new year with high drama and excitement. Great matches, interesting storylines, and big news all seem to happen within January's 31 days. This January, in particular, has felt even more exciting. Thanks to the introduction of All Elite Wrestling (which I will get to in just a moment), wrestling fans are clamouring for information as rumours fly about wrestlers looking to branch out from WWE and news of major signings become a daily occurrence.

To summarize, it's a great time to be a wrestling fan as promotions jockey for your time and money by putting on the best product they possibly can. It's an even better time to be a fan of the inner workings of this industry as companies fight tooth-and-nail to secure talent and solidify their place in this new wrestling landscape.


No matter what side of pro wrestling you enjoy, we're in an exciting time as the industry stands on the precipice of another boom period.

Going All Elite

In late 2018, rumours surfaced that the Young Bucks and Cody were looking to start a new wrestling promotion off the heels of All In's success. With the financial backing of Tony Khan, co-owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars and long-time wrestling fan, this new promotion would be called All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and had trademarks set for a number of potential shows.

While these rumours were swirling, an interesting storyline was playing out on Being the Elite. One by one the cast found a mysterious timer on their phone; a timer that looked to run out on New Year's Day. Originally believed to be WWE courting the cast members, that possibility was thrown out when the Bucks denied the offer with a superkick to Triple H lookalike.

So when the clock struck midnight on New Year's, a special episode of Being the Elite was uploaded to YouTube. The episode saw the Bucks, Cody, and Hangman Page meet in front of the Tokyo Dome as the timer ran out. Once time expired, the logo for AEW appeared on the Bucks' and Cody's phones while Page revealed a logo for an event called Double or Nothing, which was rumoured to be the follow-up to All In.

Despite the sparse reveal, wrestling fans only had to wait eight days for more information as the company held a press conference in front of TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville. At the conference, Cody, Brandi, and the Bucks gave some insight into their vision for AEW including equal pay for all employees no matter gender and wins/losses having weight. Plus, the likes of Britt Baker, So Cal Uncensored, Joey Janela, PAC, and Chris Jericho were revealed as AEW's first signings.

While there are still a lot of unknowns at this very moment, the introduction of AEW into the current wrestling landscape is incredibly exciting. With the financial backing of the Khan family — who is worth more than the McMahons — AEW looks to be more than willing to spend top money on their talent, production, and marketing. Add in the fact that key parts of the company, such as the booking and talent relations, are being handled by wrestlers that know the business, it truly feels like something special is brewing in All Elite.

Source: WhatCulture

Trouble for New Japan?

When it comes to Wrestle Kingdom, New Japan knows how to deliver an incredible show. From unpredictable results to awe-inspiring matches, this year's offering was four-plus hours of wrestling bliss, bookended by two early match of the year candidates. Every title changed hands, the Elite was completely shut-out — most likely indicating the end of their working relationship with New Japan — four foreign stars got big wins, and Hiroshi Tanahashi completed his comeback by becoming the first G1 winner to successfully cash-in their title shot for heavyweight championship gold.

Despite an incredibly newsworthy Wrestle Kingdom, New Year's Dash was a rather tame show. Unlike previous years, there were no big angles or major shake-ups to the status quo. The only real surprise to speak of was Yoshi-Hashi's return from injury. Although new feuds were set in motion for February's New Beginning tour, everything felt like an extension of what was happening at the end of 2018. In all honesty, that isn't a bad thing as New Japan's booking builds over the months and years — it just felt weird.

Instead of building on the big upswing of momentum that was Wrestle Kingdom 13, New Japan feels like they're in the middle of a transition. With the Elite on their way to AEW, Kota Ibushi currently out with a concussion, Kushida leaving for WWE, and Chris Jericho's future with the company up the air, New Japan's roster has taken a considerable hit. While New Japan might be hurting at the moment, they are building for the future, especially with their foreign talent. Gedo has four men selected to be New Japan's big foreign stars in Jay White, Juice Robinson, Will Ospreay, and Zack Sabre Jr. Considering each of them had huge wins at Wrestle Kingdom and are all set to be permanent fixtures in the upper mid-card and main event scenes for the foreseeable future, they will eventually fill the current void. It will just take time.

Source: New Japan Pro-Wrestling

Must-See Matches of January

1/4/2019
Wrestle Kingdom 13
Kota Ibushi vs. Will Ospreay
Chris Jericho vs. Tetsuya Naito - No DQ Match
Kenny Omega vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi

1/5/2019
New Year's Dash
Will Ospreay, Tomohiro Ishii & Hirooki Goto vs. Jeff Cobb, Kushida & Yuji Nagata

1/12/2019
NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool
Mustache Mountain vs. Zack Gibson & James Drake

1/15/2019
Smackdown
Andrade vs. Rey Mysterio

1/23/2019
NXT
Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch vs. Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner

1/26/2019
NXT TakeOver: Phoenix
Johnny Gargano vs. Ricochet
Tommaso Ciampa vs. Aleister Black

1/27/2019
Royal Rumble
Women's Royal Rumble Match
Brock Lesnar vs. Finn Balor
Men's Royal Rumble Match

The Silver Report: January 2018

I started the Silver Report a good seven years ago as my weekly round-up and analysis on "all" (mostly WWE and TNA at the time) wrestling news. Over the years, it took on different forms and lengths, but it was always a nice outlet for my thoughts on professional wrestling.

Now as my taste in wrestling has matured and my knowledge of the industry has grown tenfold, I re-debut the Silver Report. Not just as an outlet for my thoughts and opinions, but to hopefully introduce newcomers to wacky world of pro wrestling while enriching the tastes of current fans.

One of the ways I hope to achieve that goal is through the brand new Must-See Matches section at the end of every Silver Report going forward. Must-See Matches will be my curated list of the best matches for the current month of discussion. So if you don't have the time to keep up with everything going on, these are the matches that will give you the most enjoyment for your time.

Naito! You Just Made the List!

January 4th and 5th had tons of great moments for New Japan from Minoru Suzuki shaving his head to Jay White declining an offer to join the Bullet Club, but nothing was bigger than the closing moments of New Year's Dash.

After Tetsuya Naito and his stablemates in Los Ingobernables de Japon (LIJ) dispatched Kazuchika Okada and Chaos in tag team action, Chris Jericho rushed the ring and attacked Naito. Although the attack was brief as Jericho was quickly pulled out of the ring, it was such a surprise to see Jericho since everybody thought his deal with New Japan was for just one match with Kenny Omega.

Starting this feud with Naito opens up the possibilities for Jericho to feud with more excellent New Japan talent like Ishii, Ibushi, Tanahashi, and even Okada! It's unbelievable to see the 47 year old Jericho on top of the wrestling world in 2018, but it is well deserved.

Almas and Gargano Steal Royal Rumble Weekend

It is rare to see any match in January eclipse the excellently crafted bouts of NJPW's WrestleKingdom supershow, but WWE did just that with the main event of NXT TakeOver: Philadephia. As the first WWE match in over six years to receive five stars from Dave Meltzer, Andrade "Cien" Almas vs. Johnny Gargano for the NXT Championship was nothing short of an instant classic.

Leading up to the match, it felt like such an unlikely main event. Almas had been dwelling in the obscurity of NXT's mid-card for most of his tenure, while Gargano seemed to be in a holding pattern as his feud with former partner Tommaso Ciampa was on hold until Ciampa had healed from injury.

Despite all the baggage these two had coming in, it all melted away when the match started. Almas and Gargano just work so well together as they chain their moves together like no one else in the business. The fast pace and smooth wrestling made the 32-minute long match fly by. When all was said and done, both Almas and Gargano solidified their positions as major players in the WWE for years to come.

Golden Lovers Reunite

Ever since "The American Nightmare" Cody joined Bullet Club at the end of 2016, tensions between him and leader Kenny Omega have been building. Those tensions would come to a head at the end of NJPW's second New Beginning in Sapporo event.

After Omega lost the IWGP U.S. Championship to Jay White in the main event, Cody made his move by hitting a Cross Rhodes on Bullet Club's leader. But before Cody could hit the finishing chair shot on Omega, Kota Ibushi made the save. After dispersing Cody and his fellow Bullet Club usurpers, Ibushi and Omega embraced each other in a surprising reunion of former tag partners.

While many suspected a Bullet Club implosion sometime in 2018, nobody thought it would be this soon. Plus, nobody thought we'd see Omega and Ibushi reunite as the Golden Lovers. Most of the rumour and scuttlebutt surrounding these two centered around them feuding instead of reuniting.

Although the story may end up with them fighting in the end, Omega's current ousting from the Bullet Club and his reunion with Ibushi opens up plenty of intriguing possibilities. Could we see the Golden Lovers vs. the Young Bucks in the not-so-distant future?

Tale of Two Rumbles

The 2018 Royal Rumble was an interesting show. It had arguably one of the best Royal Rumbles of all-time in the men's bout, one of the most disappointing in the first-ever women's bout, and a lot of disappointing finishes and average matches in between. While it was a better than average show, the position of the two Royal Rumble matches and their drastic difference in quality made for an uneven four plus hours.

First up, the men's bout was a high-octane affair with excellent storytelling, fun eliminations (especially Slater's elimination of Sheamus), nice surprise entrants, and an intense final 15 minutes. Its hour plus run time flew by because of how entertaining the match was. And to put the cherry on top, the right wrestler won in Shinsuke Nakamura.

On the flip side, the first-ever Women's Royal Rumble was another misfire in WWE's so-called "Women's Evolution." Although the right woman went over in Asuka, the match was full of sloppy wrestling, focused far too much on the nostalgic entrants, and criminally held its biggest surprise for the post-match theatrics.

Speaking of those post-match theatrics, what an awfully lame way to debut Ronda Rousey. Yes, it was done to protect both her and Asuka, but what was the point of her eclipsing Asuka's moment at the very end of the show? It undermined the preceding match while simultaneously teasing viewers of what we should've had.

In all honesty, I would take Asuka vs. Ronda Rousey as the final two in the Women's Royal Rumble over Rousey cartoonisly pointing at the WrestleMania sign any day.

Must-See Matches of January 

1/4/2018
WrestleKingdom 12
Hiromu Takahashi vs. Kushida vs. Marty Scurll vs. Will Ospreay - Four Way Match
Kenny Omega vs. Chris Jericho - No DQ Match
Kazuchika Okada vs. Tetsuya Naito

1/23/2018
205 Live
Cedric Alexander vs. Mustafa Ali

1/24/2018
NXT
Johnny Gargano vs. Velveteen Dream

1/27/2018
NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia
Aleistar Black vs. Adam Cole - Extreme Rules
Andrade "Cien" Almas vs. Johnny Gargano

1/28/2018
New Beginning in Sapporo Night 2
Roppongi 3K vs. The Young Bucks

Royal Rumble
Men's 30-Man Royal Rumble

1/29/2018
Raw
Asuka vs. Sasha Banks

1/31/2018
NXT 
Roderick Strong vs. Tyler Bate - No.1 Contender's Match for the UK Championship

Royal Rumble Fiasco

I am going to preface this by saying, I have watched professional wrestling for 12 years now and watched 15 Royal Rumble matches in that time.  In all my years watching, I have never seen a Royal Rumble as poorly booked as last night's match in Philly.  It's not just the fact that Roman Reigns won or Daniel Bryan was eliminated too earlier.  It's the pacing of the match, the handling of major eliminations and the need for a run-in by The Rock to "save" the match.

The match started out fine with a surprise entry of Bubba Ray Dudley and the Wyatt Family squaring off, but slowly lost its momentum when Bray Wyatt started dispatching people left and right.  While things got better when Daniel Bryan made his entrance, that only lasted 10 minutes as the moment Bryan was eliminated, the crowd and many fans at home turned on the match itself.  The atmosphere felt exactly the same as the end of last year's Rumble, but it lasted the majority of the match instead of 15 minutes.  The volatile atmosphere only got worse when Reigns came out as everybody knew he was hand-picked to win the match.  It didn't help that any of the guys people were invested in and should have been part of the final four (Bray Wyatt, Dean Ambrose and Dolph Ziggler) were nonchalantly dumped over the top rope by Kane and the Big Show.  No exciting eliminations or set-up for a WrestleMania feud, just dumped like a piece of trash by two guys that should be putting them over.  Weeks of build wasted in a matter of moments didn't help this match.

When the odds were stacked against Reigns, The Rock made a run-in to help his little cousin.  Something done to clearly win back the crowd did exactly the opposite as it made Reigns look inferior to The Rock.  Why should the audience believe in a babyface like Reigns to beat the indestructible Brock Lesnar when he needs help to eliminate Kane and the Big Show?  It's not that I'm against Roman Reigns winning the Royal Rumble at some point in his career.  Looking at his current in-ring ability and mic skills, Reigns isn't anywhere close to being the successor to John Cena at this point in time.  Reigns needs more time to learn, mature and organically come into the role.  Forcing him down people's throats much like WWE did with Sheamus, Alberto Del Rio and The Miz will only damage Reigns in the end.

A series of unforgivable creative decisions made the 2015 Royal Rumble the worst of all-time.  WWE understood exactly what they were getting into when they booked the Royal Rumble for Philadelphia, a city filled with hardcore wrestling fans.  It baffles my mind that WWE didn't learn from last year's debacle with Batista.  Yes, the product may be targeted for younger audience, but that isn't going to get buys for the WWE Network.  The people who will buy the Network are the passionate, hardcore, "Internet" fans that WWE despises and the target audience will eventually grow into.  As seen by the CancelWWENetwork hash tag running rampant on Twitter, it isn't smart to alienate the fans which are the lifeblood of your business going forward.  Guess we're in for an interesting WrestleMania season once again.

The Streak is Over

WrestleMania XXX has come and gone.  It was much better than yours truly initially expected following the results of Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber.  More so than in years prior, WrestleMania as an overall show was fun and thoroughly enjoyable.  There were a good number of great moments from Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock all in the same ring and Daniel Bryan's winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship after having the odds stacked against him to Cesaro slamming Big Show over the top rope and The Shield's triple powerbomb on both members of the New Age Outlaws.  While a couple matches did not live up to this writer's expectations namely John Cena vs. Bray Wyatt and Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar, it was a pleasant surprise to see the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal and Daniel Bryan vs. Batista vs. Randy Orton exceed my low expectations.  Out of everything that happened at WrestleMania XXX, one moment in particular clearly defined this event and cemented its spot in wrestling history.  That moment was the end of The Streak at the hands of Brock Lesnar.

Over the course of the Undertaker's illustrious career, no accomplishment has been greater than his winning streak at WrestleMania.  As countless wrestlers fell to the Deadman at WrestleMania year-in and year-out, The Streak grew in prestige and importance.  One could easily argue that The Streak was the most prestigious and important accomplishment in the WWE and professional wrestling as a whole.  To break such an unprecedented streak would be greater than winning any match or championship in wrestling.  Considering the lacklustre events leading up to the match between Undertaker and Brock Lesnar, no one could have imagined The Streak would end in that very match.  You would expect the WWE to pull out all the stops and put together some epic build for a result this monumental and polarizing to even considered.  Wrestling fans have been so invested in The Streak that it is understandable to see such a wide array of emotions come from it ending.  Being of the camp that never wanted The Streak to be broken, I am personally surprised at how well I have received it.  Even though Brock Lesnar is a part-timer and has already established himself as a premier athlete, I am perfectly fine with him ending The Streak.  Actually, having Lesnar end The Streak gives the Beast nuclear heat that will never wear off and establishes him as THE dominant force in the WWE.  Also it sets up whoever beats Lesnar next, which better be Bryan, as a bona fide superstar in the WWE.  Personally, I am bummed out that Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar could not develop into a great match.  While it was still a pretty good match at best, they could never take the match to the next level and really get our blood pumping like all of the recent Undertaker matches at WrestleMania.  Not putting on an excellent match to rival the moment of The Streak ending just made things feel surreal and uncomfortable.  The match did show that it is definitely time for Undertaker to hang up the boots for good.  People may be concerned about how WWE will book a possible Sting vs. Undertaker match for next year, but this writer would rather not see that smoke-and-mirrors show become a reality especially since neither Sting or Undertaker can perform anywhere close to the level they use to.

WWE could not rely on The Streak to solely sell WrestleMania forever; now is the time to let it go and make new selling points for WrestleMania.  To launch the WWE into a new era, it is beneficial to honour both the Undertaker and The Streak as an important part of WrestleMania and wrestling history with Raw tonight and the 2015 Hall of Fame at WrestleMania 31.  As hard as it may seem for some, the unthinkable has happened.  The Streak is over and we all have to come to accept it one way or another.  WWE took an incredible risk with ending The Streak, but the only way to know if it was truly the right call or not is to see what happens next.  Tonight's Raw is the first page of this next chapter.  Will you be watching?

Straight to Hell... in a Cell: Preview of WWE Hell in a Cell 2013

Ever since Triple H pedigreed Daniel Bryan and handed Randy Orton the WWE Championship at Summerslam, we were firmly placed upon this road straight to Hell in a Cell.  The journey has had its peaks and valleys, but it has all led to this one climactic match-- Daniel Bryan vs. Randy Orton in Hell in a Cell.  The result of this one match will heavily influence the Authority storyline from this point forward as well as the directions for Daniel Bryan, Randy Orton, Big Show and Triple H leading to WrestleMania XXX.

Considering how Battleground felt less like a PPV and more like an episode of Raw, the storylines surrounding Hell in a Cell have been cooking for well over a month now.  Even though there are only five matches announced for this show, Hell in a Cell hits all the major feuds taking place in the WWE right now.  Creative will definitely add a match and/or segment to pad out time for the PPV and create buffers between big matches as it is very rare to see a five match card from WWE nowadays.  Personally, I cannot fully articulate my feelings about this PPV.  I am cautiously optimistic as Hell in a Cell feels like the climax of many ongoing storylines.  At the same time due to this PPV being such a pivot point in all these feuds, this writer is worried that WWE in their infinite wisdom will find a way to screw it up.  It is a very interesting predicament as in actuality Hell in a Cell can either make or break the rest of the year for WWE. 

Cody Rhodes & Goldust (c) vs. The Shield vs. The Usos in a Triple Threat Tag Team Match for WWE Tag Team Championship

The trials and tribulations of the Rhodes Family has been the most enthralling program in WWE today.  WWE has legitimately made the audience care so much for Cody and Goldust that they were able to take the tag titles from the Shield, something this writer did not think we would see for a long while.  While this writer does not want to get hopes up for the resurrection of WWE's Tag Team division, putting the Rhodes Brothers as the champions of this division seems to have given the tag team division a much needed shot of adrenaline.  Quality tag team matches have been main eventing Raw for the last two weeks and there are a good number of heel tag teams to challenge for the titles (The Shield, Wyatt Family and Real Americans to name a few).  If there is more variety needed, WWE can easily bring a few tag teams up from NXT to fill the void such as Kidd & Gabriel and the Ascension.  This Triple Threat Tag Team Match can be the first step in putting the spotlight firmly on tag teams once again as it could easily steal the show.  WWE needs to figure out fast that this push cannot be sporadic.  It has to be a major focus of WWE programming going forward in order for this push to truly work.

Prediction:  Cody Rhodes & Goldust retain

AJ Lee (c) vs. Brie Bella for the Diva's Championship

No matter how hard WWE tries the Bellas will not magically garner support when there has been no official face turn on WWE programming whatsoever.  Other than comfort Daniel Bryan after beatings, they have done nothing to categorize them as face.  Handing the Diva's Title over to Brie will not automatically correct the crowd's view of the Bellas either.  Just get us out of this lame program and move AJ and the Diva's Title onto something worthwhile.

Prediction:  AJ Lee retains

CM Punk vs. Ryback & Paul Heyman in a Hell in a Cell Match

While this writer does love both CM Punk and Paul Heyman, this feud has gone on long enough.  One can only go so long seeing Punk almost get his hands on Heyman just to be cut off by Curtis Axel or Ryback at the last minute.  At first, it was entertaining; now it is boring.  It is time for Punk to get his revenge on Heyman and move onto the WWE Championship.  Considering this is a handicap match taking place in the confines of Hell in a Cell, do not expect a spectacular wrestling showcase.  This match will be a brutal manhandling of both Ryback and Heyman and nothing more.

Prediction:  CM Punk wins

Alberto Del Rio (c) vs. John Cena for the World Heavyweight Championship

When John Cena announced he needed to take time off for surgery, nobody expected him back before Royal Rumble.  Correction, nobody wanted him back before Royal Rumble.  It is not very often that wrestling fans get a reprieve from John Cena's endlessly tiresome antics that when it does happen, we cherish it.  John Cena may be able to compete, but just two months after leaving for surgery seems too soon to risk possible re-injury of WWE's top star.  While Raw ratings might be down, there is no need for WWE to bring back John Cena to be an unnecessary addition to storylines already in motion.  Also the incredible lack of hype for the announcement of Cena's return makes this entire situation seem very shortsighted on WWE's end.  Placing Alberto Del Rio in the middle of this return is just a waste for the World Heavyweight Champion, which should be taking on actual contenders instead of being fed to the wolves.  Maybe Cena's pairing with Del Rio at Hell in a Cell will introduce a new storyline about Cena returning to action too soon as his elbow has not properly healed yet.  One can dream.

Prediction:  Alberto Del Rio retains

Randy Orton vs. Daniel Bryan for the vacant WWE Championship in a Hell in a Cell Match with Shawn Michaels as the Special Guest Referee

If there is one match to watch this Sunday, it is Randy Orton vs. Daniel Bryan in Hell in a Cell.  The ultimate showdown between Bryan and Orton has been building for two months and it is finally time to close the curtain on this chapter in their rivalry.  Although the intensity of this feud has not built to the point that Hell in a Cell is particularly needed in this writer's opinion, the Cell adds a sense of finality to the match.  Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton are trapped in an impenetrable cage with any sort of weapon at their disposal.  If you thought their No Disqualification match from Raw a few months back was brutal, expect this Hell in a Cell match to turn the brutality up to eleven.  Two men will enter the Cell, but only one will emerge with the WWE Championship around their waist.  Do not forget that Shawn Michaels is officiating this match and has a history with both men.  The Heartbreak Kid will definitely be a factor in the finish for this match.  While Michaels trained Bryan, there is a possibility for HBK to turn on his pupil as Triple H hinted at on Monday with his comment that HBK will do what is "best for business".  Big Show may also play a factor in the result of this match for better or worse.  Nonetheless, this match has high expectations to live up to.  Hopefully, WWE can pull it off and successfully start a new chapter of the Authority storyline.

Prediction:  Randy Orton wins the WWE Championship

Top 5 WWE Championship Matches

Last week marked the 50^th anniversary of the WWE Championship.  To celebrate this monumental milestone for their premier championship, the WWE decided to put quite a few features about the WWE Championship on WWE.com.  One of the features that caught my attention was the WWE’s Top 50 WWE Championship Matches.  I skimmed through the entire list and it was just okay.  There were quite a few matches on the list such as John Cena vs. JBL from Judgment Day 2005 and John Cena vs. Batista from Over the Limit 2010 that should not have been on the list while some excellent matches such as John Cena vs. Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Micheals from Taboo Tuesday 2005 and John Cena vs. Edge vs. Randy Orton vs. Shawn Michaels from Backlash 2007 that were omitted from the list.  From looking at that list, I was inspired to share what I consider the greatest WWE Championship matches I have ever watched.  It was hard to cut this list down to just five matches, but here are the Silverdome’s Top 5 WWE Championship Matches in honour of the WWE Championship’s 50^th anniversary.

5.  The Rock vs. Kurt Angle vs. Undertaker- Vengeance 2002

When people think of the greatest matches of all-time, they focus more on the one-on-one encounters that the multi-man matches such as Triple Threats and Fatal 4 Ways do not get their chance to shine.  Multi-man matches can be as or more thrilling than singles matches due to the addition of more competitors.  The Triple Threat Match between The Rock, Kurt Angle and the Undertaker over the WWE Undisputed Championship at Vengeance 2002 is among the greatest Triple Threat Matches of All-Time.  The insane pace of the match keeps your eyes glued to the screen and the incredible chemistry these three have keeps you smiling.  It is an incredible match that sees each competitor steal each other’s finishing moves (The Rock executing a Chokeslam and the Ankle Lock, Undertaker performing the Angle Slam and Kurt Angle hitting the Rock Bottom).

4.  CM Punk vs. John Cena- Money in the Bank 2011

Hands down, this match is one of the greatest moments in WWE history.  CM Punk walked into his hometown of Chicago with the entire crowd on his side to challenge John Cena for the WWE Championship.  In less than three hours, Punk’s contract with the WWE was set to come to an end.  The circumstances gave the Straight-Edge Superstar the chance to do the unthinkable, leave the WWE with their biggest prize in tow.  Fans around the globe wanted to see Punk walk out of the WWE with the WWE Championship and all made sure they were able to watch this match just to that moment.  Holding their breath for every near fall, pulling their hair out with every kick out and screaming at every big move hit; the emotion this championship match induced can hardly be matched.  The final jump for joy every wrestling fan in the crowd and at home did when Scott Armstrong’s hand came down for the three count was unforgettable.  CM Punk vs. John Cena from Money in the Bank 2011 is the best WWE Championship match of the Modern Era.

3.  Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart- Summerslam 1994

Bret and Owen Hart worked some of the greatest displays of technical wrestling this business has seen.  When WWE decided to put these two in a Steel Cage for one of the main events of Summerslam 1994, fans were given possibly the greatest wrestling match to take place in the confines of a Steel Cage.  Bret and Owen used the structure of the Steel Cage to the fullest.  This match is what the WWE should use as inspiration for how to put on a Steel Cage match now.

2.  John Cena vs. Edge- Unforgiven 2006

Each era in wrestling has a rivalry that defines it.  Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage in the late 80s, Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart in the mid 90s, Stone Cold and The Rock in the early 2000s are only a few examples over the years.  When John Cena stepped up as the Face of the WWE, the WWE needed somebody to counter everything Cena represented.  That somebody was the Rated R Superstar Edge.  John Cena and Edge would put on some excellent matches throughout their entire rivalry, but this TLC Match from Unforgiven 2006 stands out as the best match these two ever put on and one of the best WWE Championship matches of the 2000s.

1.  Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit- Royal Rumble 2003

Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit have put on some of the most spectacular showcases of technical wrestling to grace the squared-circle.  This classis from Royal Rumble 2003 is hands down the greatest showcase that these wrestlers put on.  Countless number of holds, counters, near falls and grueling submissions kept fans in awe of their performance.  From the opening bell to the standing ovation the Boston crowd gives once the match is over, everything about this match sums up the wrestling excellence that the WWE Championship represents.

The Silver Report: July 15-21

After months of hype, counting down each and every leading up to it, the 1000^th episode is finally upon us.  This momentous occasion has plenty of fans including yours truly excited to the point that WWE NEEDS to deliver with this show.  Not only to kick off the next 1000 episodes off with a bang, but to convince every wrestling fan that Raw’s move to three hours is really worth it.  In all honesty, I am quite skeptical that WWE can put on a consistently watchable product with Raw being three hours each and every week.  They have a hard time keeping many interested through the two hour shows.  Things can easily drag when you have three whole hours to fill with content.  Hopefully that does not happen, but I am still worried.  With the DX Reunion, Brock Lesnar’s answer, the naming of the new GM, AJ & Daniel Bryan’s wedding, the Rock’s message, the Intercontinental Title match and CM Punk vs. John Cena for the WWE Championship, the 1000^th episode of Raw is definitely stacked.  We will just have to see how everything turns out come Monday night.  While a little worried, I personally cannot wait to see what happens.

CM Punk vs. John Cena, WWE Championship, Raw 1000

To nobodies’ surprise, John Cena won the WWE Championship Money in the Bank Ladder match last Sunday at Money of the Bank.  That left one question that lingered throughout last Monday’s Raw.  When and where will John Cena cash in his Money in the Bank contract?  We would not find out until the very end of the show.  After Big Show got disqualified from his very good match against CM Punk, John Cena made his way to ringside with the Money in the Bank briefcase in tow.  We got a nice little exchange between Cena and Big Show where the Giant played devil’s advocate.  He kept on trying to convince John Cena to throwaway all his morals and cash in the Money in the Bank contract right then and there.  Eventually Cena got fed up and announced he will be cashing in his Money in the Bank contract this coming Monday at the 1000^th episode of Raw before cracking Big Show in the head with the Money in the Bank briefcase.  CM Punk and John Cena have incredible chemistry.  No matter what outside force gets involved in the match, it should be a very entertaining contest.  While I would personally like if the match went on without a hitch, the plans are to have John Cena vs. CM Punk for the WWE Championship at Summerslam.  To get us to that point, something big has to happen at some point during this match to start us on the road to the WWE Championship rematch at Summerslam.  The Rock, Big Show, whoever it may be, whatever happens at the conclusion of this match should be big and hopefully send us to Summerslam in style.

Can You Smell What the Rock Has Cooking?

About two weeks ago, it was announced that the Rock would be on the 1000^th episode of Raw.  This announcement led to lots of speculation.  The last time the Rock was on Monday Night Raw, he promised to become the WWE Champion once again.  Most people, me included, believe that Rock will announce when and where he will be challenging for the WWE Championship because WWE would most likely want to promote the holy hell out of that match like they did for Rock vs. Cena.  My prediction is that the People’s Champ will announce that he will challenge for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 29.  That could set up Cena vs. Rock II, Brock Lesnar vs. Rock or even CM Punk vs. Rock depending on who is holding the WWE Championship come WrestleMania.  Other possible events where Rock could challenge for the WWE Title are either Summerslam or Survivor Series.  One of the Big Four PPVs other than Royal Rumble (as the actual Royal Rumble match would overshadow this WWE Title match) would be perfect for a match of this caliber.  Maybe the Great One has something else completely different to talk about this coming Monday.  No doubt the whole wrestling world will be listening to what the Rock has to say the 1000^th episode of Raw.

He’s Here to Show the World

While John Cena won the WWE Championship Money in the Bank Ladder match, Dolph Ziggler won the World Heavyweight Championship Money in the Bank Ladder match to the pleasure of yours truly.  Dolph finally has the one thing that could launch him to superstardom.  Now we just have to wait to see when WWE pulls the trigger, but until then we should see Mr. Ziggler hanging in upper card feuds.  One possible feud could be against Chris Jericho, who interrupted Ziggler’s victory speech last Monday on Raw.  Jericho came out and before he even got to speak, Ziggler jumped all over him.  Asking when was the last time Jericho won anything important and going on about how Jericho says he is the Best in the World and has done nothing in his latest run in WWE to prove it.  Dolph would continue to berate Jericho until the Liontamer shut the Show-Off up with a Codebreaker.  It was an excellent segment that planted the seeds for a match at Summerslam or even the 1000^th episode of Raw.  WWE could also put Ziggler into the World Title picture with Sheamus, Alberto Del Rio and the returning Rey Mysterio for a Fatal 4 Way match at Summerslam, but that would not be preferred.  I personally think that Dolph Ziggler should stay as far away from the World Title picture for the time being so he has the element of surprise when he actually cashes in the briefcase and he can have time to establish himself as a main eventer before being handed the title.  At this point and time, it is key to have Dolph Ziggler in meaningful feuds with upper mid-carders to main eventers like Chris Jericho, Daniel Bryan, Rey Mysterio and Christian which raise Dolph’s stock with the fans and in the WWE locker room.  It is Dolph Ziggler’s time to show the world what he can do.  WWE, it is on you not to screw this up.

Battle for the Briefcase: Preview of WWE Money in the Bank 2012

It has been a long while since I have been able to do a full preview of a WWE PPV.  It seemed for the longest time that every Sunday that there was a PPV, I would either be working or have some kind of family function.  I never would have the time to sit down a write an entire PPV preview.  It comes at the right time as my first PPV preview in the longest time is one of my personal favourite PPVs of the year, Money in the Bank.

This year, Money in the Bank has a lot to live up to.  Money in the Bank 2011 was easily the best PPV of 2011 and one of the most memorable shows in WWE history.  In order to solidify this PPV as a big player outside the Big Four PPVs (Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, Summerslam and Survivor Series), WWE needs to put on a good to great show this year.  While the four matches that have been announced are enough to sell any PPV, WWE needs to carefully balance the other matches they throw on the card.  Honestly nobody wants to see a Ryback squash match or a throwaway Diva’s Title match on any PPV.  If the WWE needs something that might fill some time, put on Epico & Primo vs. the Prime Time Players because they at least have a little feud going on or a return promo for Rey Mysterio and/or Randy Orton.  Just put on something that will be worth our time instead of completely wasting it like they have done at the last few PPVs.

Dolph Ziggler vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Tensai vs. Damien Sandow vs. Tyson Kidd vs. Christian vs. Santino Marella vs. Sin Cara in the World Heavyweight Championship Money in the Bank Ladder Match

Out of the Money in the Bank Ladder matches at this year’s Money in the Bank, this one is the most exciting.  While the WWE Championship Money in the Bank Ladder match is restricted to only former WWE Champions, the World Heavyweight Championship Money in the Bank Ladder match is open to any superstar.  That meant we got a very diverse level of talent in this contest.  Young talent like Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes, underappreciated talents like Dolph Ziggler and Tyson Kidd, high-flyers like Sin Cara comedy acts like Santino Marella and veterans like Christian and Tensai.  This match has all the bases covered and should be an exciting showcase for these superstars’ incredible wrestling abilities.  Unless Wade Barrett gets added to the match at the last minute, it is time for Dolph Ziggler shine in the main event.  The first step is winning this Money in the Bank Ladder match.  WWE, give Ziggler a chance to hold the ball because he will run with it.

Prediction:  Dolph Ziggler wins the World Heavyweight Championship Money in the Bank Briefcase

Sheamus (c) vs. Alberto Del Rio for the World Heavyweight Championship

It has take about three months to finally get a singles match between Alberto Del Rio and Sheamus for the World Heavyweight Championship.  Every time WWE booked the match for previous PPVs, the match would get changed at the last minute due to outside circumstances.  It is finally time to see these two heavyweights collide this Sunday with the World Heavyweight Championship in the balance.  With all the time this match has been changed previously, I personally believe Sheamus and Alberto Del Rio have out an added pressure on themselves to put on one amazing singles match.  Added Alberto Del Rio’s budding mean streak, which in my opinion he should have had since he debuted, this match should be a very competitive and equally intense title match.  So keep an eye on this match, it could easily steal the show.

Prediction:  Sheamus retains

John Cena vs. Big Show vs. Kane vs. Chris Jericho in the WWE Championship Money in the Bank Ladder Match

While I am excited to see the result for the World Heavyweight Championship Money in the Bank Ladder match, I do not care much for the WWE Championship Money in the Bank Ladder match.  Out of all the superstars in this match, who honestly thinks that John Cena will not walk out of Phoenix with the WWE Championship Money in the Bank briefcase?  It is a sad, but true.  With that big elephant in the room, my interest for this match has completely faded.  Do not get me wrong, this should be an incredible Fatal 4 Way Ladder match, but it is not what I would ever consider a Money in the Bank Ladder match other than the briefcase hanging above the ring.  If the WWE added two more former WWE Champions to the match, say Randy Orton and/or Rey Mysterio, I would personally be more interested because there would be that slight chance Cena would not win.  With the match in its current state, Super Cena will be holding that Money in the Bank briefcase at the end of the night and I will not care.

Prediction:  John Cena wins the WWE Championship Money in the Bank Briefcase

CM Punk (c) vs. Daniel Bryan for the WWE Championship with AJ as Special Guest Referee

One year after launching himself to superstardom with one incredible match in Chicago, CM Punk is in yet another Money in the Bank main event.  This year, CM Punk defends his WWE Championship against rival Daniel Bryan.  These two wrestlers colliding in a one-one-one match for the biggest prize in the biggest wrestling promotion in the world is a dream for any self-respecting wrestling fan.  We will no doubt be in for one amazing treat come the main event at Money in the Bank as these two will do everything in their power to put on a show that no wrestling fan will ever forget.  Add in the unpredictable element in the special guest referee, the mentally unstable diva AJ and we got one interesting bout that should provide an overbooked yet climactic conclusion to this storyline.  While I would not mind Punk retaining, I would love it if AJ’s madness was just a ploy to help Daniel Bryan win the WWE Championship from CM Punk and we get the Bryan-AJ power couple that we all want and would love.

Prediction:  Daniel Bryan wins the WWE Championship

If WWE can resist from adding anything stupid to Money in the Bank, this year’s event could possibly reach the greatness of last year’s show.  Smart booking, quality matches with the right amount of time and zero to no filler are the keys to keeping Money in the Bank from entering No Way Out 2012 territory.  On paper, this card is incredible.  We will have to wait until later this evening to see if this card is just as incredible in reality as it is on paper.

The End of the World: Preview of WWE Royal Rumble 2012

The biggest and most anticipated match of the year is finally upon us.  In mere hours, the wrestling world will be captivated the WWE’s grandest of battle royals.  Who will be the one superstar to outlast 29 other men and possibly women to main event WrestleMania in the WWE or World Title Match?  Will the world as we know it come to an end as Chris Jericho predicted or will the hometown hero be victorious?  All those questions will be answered along with incredible surprise entrants and returning legends as the 2012 Royal Rumble will emanate from the Scottrade Center in St. Louis later this Sunday evening. 

John Cena vs. Kane

It is time to put up or shut up.  Will John Cena embrace the hate or rise above it?  Over the past month, Kane has done everything in his power to make John Cena’s life a living hell from mentally abusing the Leader of the Cenation to physically abusing the people he cares about.  Expect a full-on brawl between these two heavy-hitters with John Cena blowing a gasket and getting himself disqualified.  Even though everyone wants to see Cena turn heel, I personally believe it will slowly develop over the next year or so, but there is no doubt this will be the start of this inevitable turn.

Prediction:  Kane wins by DQ

Daniel Bryan (c) vs. Big Show vs. Mark Henry in a Triple Threat Steel Cage Match for the World Heavyweight Championship

Considering he was such a great underdog character, it seemed odd when Daniel Bryan turned heel a few weeks ago.  Over the past few weeks, Bryan has really grown into his new skin and has made for one of the more unique and interesting heels on the WWE roster.  Being a fighting champion, Bryan has defended the World Title against Mark Henry and the Big Show quite a few times over the past month escaping from defeat from the skin of his teeth.  Now locked in a steel cage with two gigantic monsters, it will be fun to see how this new Daniel Bryan escapes from this match with his World Heavyweight Championship still around his waist.

Prediction:  Daniel Bryan retains

CM Punk (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler for the WWE Championship with John Laurinaitus as Special Guest Referee

It started out very slow, but these last few weeks have seen this CM Punk vs. John Laurinaitus feud hit its boiling and has it ever been great.  The WWE is building to the moment when CM Punk just clocks the Executive Vice President of Talent Relations and Interim General Manager of Raw.  It could possibly happen during Punk’s match-up with Dolph Ziggler at the Rumble as Johnny Ace serves as the special guest referee.  Speaking of Dolph Ziggler, he has really been put on the backburner by most wrestling fans.  It might not seem like Ziggler can win the title without the help of Laurinaitus, but do not count this showoff out.  Ziggler is on the verge of breaking the glass ceiling to the main event and a great showing against Punk could be his big chance to do so.  With all the talent and story, this match could possibly steal the show.

Prediction:  CM Punk retains

30-Man Royal Rumble Match

Going into this years’ Royal Rumble, there are two names that standout as potential winners of the Royal Rumble.  The first potential winner being Randy Orton as WWE rushed back from injury to make the Royal Rumble in his hometown of St. Louis.  The second potential winner is Chris Jericho because the WWE has put such emphasis on Jericho’s return and the payoff for Jericho’s mysterious actions.  Like every year, anything can happen during the Royal Rumble so expect a lot of surprises.  Personally I think that Jericho will win the Rumble and onto face CM Punk for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 28.

Prediction:  Chris Jericho wins

The Royal Rumble is the very first road stop of one of the best seasons of the year, the Road to WrestleMania.  Pressure is on the WWE to start the Road to WrestleMania 28 with a bang.  Looking at the card, the WWE can possibly do it given that each match is given the proper amount of time.  As with every year, whatever happens at the Royal Rumble with set in motion the feuds and rivalries that will take centre stage for the next two months.  So wrestling fans fasten your seatbelts, it will be a bumpy, but exciting, road to the goal. 

Top 5 Royal Rumble Matches

Out of all the gimmick matches in all of wrestling, one stands above them all as the most consistently great.  That match is the annual Royal Rumble match that WWE puts on at their annual Royal Rumble Pay-Per View.  30 men enter, only one man leaves with a WWE/World title shot at WrestleMania.  It is a match like no other and has delivered some of the best moments in wrestling history.  Upon the 25^th anniversary of this spectacular match, this writer would love to share with all of you his Top 5 Royal Rumble Matches of all-time.

5.  2010 Royal Rumble Match

Each year the Royal Rumble leaves wrestling fans with incredible moments that get their blood pumping and heart beating and this Rumble was full with them.  CM Punk’s early dominance and preaching of his Straight-Edge lifestyle, Beth Phoenix eliminating the Great Khali by using her womanly ways and the one that made me jump out of chair in absolute amazement, Shawn Michaels superkicking Triple H right out of the Royal Rumble.  Those moments were all great, but one stood above them all as the one that will forever define the 2010 Royal Rumble in the minds of wrestling fans around the globe.  That moment was when Edge returned to the WWE as the 29^th entrant in the Royal Rumble and would eliminate Chris Jericho and John Cena to win the Royal Rumble.  The return of the Rated R Superstar made for one amazing Rumble that just breaks the Top 5.

4.  2009 Royal Rumble Match

You know when a Royal Rumble match is among the best of all-time when the close to 60 minute bout seems to fly by.  That was exactly what happened with the 2009 Royal Rumble Match.  For the first Rumble this writer saw, the ring was filled to capacity with superstars fighting for the illustrious prize of main-eventing WrestleMania.  The 2009 Rumble saw some of the funniest moments in Rumble history with Santino’s record breaking elimination from the Rumble (he lasted less than a second before getting eliminated), Ziggler’s elimination after introducing himself to Kane and Rey Mysterio using the Miz and Morrison’s backs to avoid elimination.  When the dust settled at the end of a hectic Royal Rumble, Randy Orton stood tall as the sole survivor and the man who would main event WrestleMania 25.

3.  2005 Royal Rumble Match

15 Raw superstars, 15 Smackdown superstars battled it out in one of the most brutal Rumble matches in recent memory.  2005 was the beginning of a new era for the WWE as the Post-Attitude Era was coming to a close and the Modern Era was just starting.  The two heralds of this new era were the men who by a twist of fate or just coincidence were the last two superstars in the 2005 Royal Rumble.  Decapitating clotheslines, fearsome punches and devastating finishers all lead to “The Animal” Batista going nose-to-nose with the “Doctor of Thuganomics” John Cena.  After a furious battle between the two future main eventers and a double elimination, Batista overpowered a young John Cena and won the Royal Rumble.  What an incredible Royal Rumble to go with the best Royal Rumble PPV event in years.

2.  2011 Royal Rumble Match

Literally the Biggest Royal Rumble in WWE history, last year the WWE added 10 more superstars to make an incredible 40-Man Royal Rumble Match.  Many wrestling fans worried that that changing the Rumble from 30 to 40 superstars would hurt the quality of the annual spectacle.  It did not hurt it in the least; actually adding 10 more superstars made for a much more exciting match with quite a few surprises such as the returns of Booker T and Kevin Nash and amazing moments such as John Morrison’s incredible near elimination spot.  WWE definitely saved the best for last as it looked like Alberto Del Rio won the Royal Rumble by eliminating Randy Orton only for the referee to tell him that there was another competitor left in the match.   As Del Rio argued with the ref, Santino Marella, who was knocked through the bottom rope thus avoiding elimination, set up for the Cobra, which he would hit when Del Rio turned around.  Craziness ensued as the crowd in Boston went nuts as Santino celebrated hit the Cobra.  Santino would then try to throw Del Rio over the top rope only for the Mexican Aristocrat to use Santino’s momentum to send Santino flying over the rope.  What an ending for a superb Royal Rumble Match.

1.  2007 Royal Rumble Match

All these matches listed before are amazing matches in their own right, but none of them hold a candle to, in this writer’s opinion, the greatest Royal Rumble of all-time.  It was built as the most star-studded Royal Rumble in WWE history and they were not kidding.  From top to bottom, the 2007 Royal Rumble was stacked with superstars from Raw, Smackdown and the newly revived ECW.  This Rumble had everything from great wrestling to extreme weapon and table spots to hilarious moments such as Gregory Helms throwing his towel right in the face of Matt Hardy upon entering the Royal Rumble Match.  No Royal Rumble moment past or present will ever be better than the pure excellence of wrestling that took place in the last five minutes of this match, which this writer likes to call “5 Minutes in Heaven.”  With everyone else eliminated, Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker were only two competitors left in the Royal Rumble Match.  The Deadman and HBK showed that they were two of the greatest wrestlers to step into a ring as they put on a wrestling clinic in those last five minutes.  HBK and Taker traded finishers until Undertaker would avoid Michaels’ superkick thus sending the Heartbreak Kid over the top rope to the floor below.  It was a beautiful ending for one unforgettable Royal Rumble Match.  No doubt that the 2007 Royal Rumble deserves the top spot on this list.

Holy Cow Batman, It's John Cena!!: Review of WWE Royal Rumble 2008

With the Royal Rumble only a few weeks away, I want to take the next few weeks to build up to the big event.  The Royal Rumble match is one of my favourite matches of the year, making the Royal Rumble PPV usually one of my favourite PPVs of the year.  So for this week, I will put up my review of the 2008 Royal Rumble PPV with a few edits.  Make sure to come back next week as I will countdown my Top 10 Royal Rumble matches of all-time.

Standing in Cinema 1 trying to decide whether I should buy this PPV or not.  I already bought Backlash 2009 and The Legacy of Stone Cold Steve Austin for a grand total of 20 dollars (got to love 2 for 20 dollar sales at HMV) and Pokemon SoulSilver the day before for 40 dollars.  I was a little worried that I might have spent too much money on things that I wanted, but did not need.  Well after sitting down and spending close to 3 continuous hours watching Royal Rumble 2008, I am glad to say that was 15 dollars well spent.  I might have said this statement before, but I will say it again.  The Royal Rumble is one of my favourite PPVs of the year, mostly because I am a sucker for the annual Royal Rumble match (they are always very fun matches to watch).   Even though there were a couple of moments that were not up to snuff in my opinion, I really enjoyed this PPV and believe every wrestling fan should watch it at least for John Cena’s incredible return as the 30^th entrant in the Royal Rumble match.

Ric Flair def. MVP in a Career Threatening Match
Rating:  6.5/10

JBL def. Chris Jericho by DQ
Rating:  7.5/10

Edge def. Rey Mysterio to retain the World Heavyweight Championship
Rating:  9/10

Randy Orton def. Jeff Hardy to retain the WWE Championship
Rating:  8.5/10

John Cena last eliminated Triple H to win the 2008 Royal Rumble Match
Rating:  10/10

Overall, Royal Rumble 2008 is a really good, enjoyable PPV.  The opener was just okay and the stupid Raw-like segment with Ashley, Maria and Santino should not have been on the show.  Though these two moments were sour points on this PPV, the greatness of the other matches on the card made up for those blemishes.   My rating for WWE Royal Rumble 2008 is 8 out of 10.