Ok, people, what the hell do you want from me? Huh? I admit it, I WAS WRONG! I shouldn’t have shit all over the WWE World Title scene and I should have told my brain “HEY! YOU BETTER MAKE A NOTE OF THE CARD, BECAUSE YOU’RE TOTALLY GOING TO HAVE PIE ALL OVER YOUR FACE IF YOU DON’T!” Well, I thought I knew best, and here we are…Lenny looks like an idiot. Laugh it up…assholes.
ANYWAYS, I wanted to take a moment here to offer my quick thoughts on the 2024 Rumble as well as offer some predictions for the week ahead. So, here goes:
Rumble Opening (Kove sings the anthem)
I am not sure if the WWE was going for comedy here, but I definitely got a laugh out of hearing Martin show his vocal talents here. I mean, at least he doesn’t actually believe he is a Sensai…right??
European Title Match (Theory defends against Gunther)
This match was solid enough, and I regret that I forgot that it was on the card. Gunther never should have lost this title, in my humble opinion, and that’s despite the fact that I actually am a big fan of Theory. The right person won, to be frank.
Women’s Title Match (Asuka defends against LeRae)
So, after Theory fails to beat the Ring General, LeRae makes me a liar and drops the damn ball on her biggest opportunity to date. Asuka shows everyone why she is in a league of her own and why she is definitely a first ballot WOW Hall of Famer. Moreover, I really enjoyed the part at the end with LeRae directly telling Gargano that it is over. I can’t wait until next time when Gargano insists on knowing why LeRae won’t return home. (I kid…lol)
Now, let’s hope that WWE doesn’t forget that they have a Women’s Division in the coming weeks. There may be a glimmer of hope with Beth Phoenix arriving on the scene after the match’s conclusion. This definitely made me very happy as a fan.
I think a couple episodes here and there with a single or two women’s segments are understandable, but having several consecutive episodes without even a glimpse of your very talented women’s roster does a great disservice to the arguably impressive division built during the draft. Those are my two cents, though.
Tag Title Match (Viking Raiders defend against The Last Samurai)
I have no real complaints in this match. In fact, the match was awesome. I have been very satisfied with the way Murrey has booked the Viking Raiders. They were easily overlooked and overshadowed in the ridiculously and historically stacked PWI Tag Division the last couple of years, but now they have been able to shine ever since they quickly snagged the WWE Tag Gold over the summer! Great job here!
Backstage Section (Ryback/Lloyd/Axel/Jones/Khan)
Anyone who has been paying attention to my reactions over the years should definitely know that I am a major mark for fan service. I seriously love callbacks, and when I finally got to see Casey Jones for the first time in what felt like a century alongside the return of Panda Khan for the first time since the 1990s, I absolutely marked out!
I marked out so much that I nearly missed the fact that Curtis Axel is most certainly – as I suspected – on the outs with the Misfits, with his persistent objections to the methods of the crazed actor Christopher Lloyd and his…“elixirs”. This was a great way to build both towards the Intercontinental Title Match and to further set the foundation for Axel’s impending divorce from Murrey’s group of Misfits.
Intercontinental Title Match (Ryback defends against Lashley)
Ryback’s injections from the Cosplay Doctor from Hell have seemingly had the most impressive placebo effect of all time as he overcame a solid challenge from Bobby Lashley, but then again…that injection may have been just as useless as the official not paying attention to Fake Warrior inserting himself into the action. Either way, it was a fun match, and I – again – regret to have forgotten that this was on tap (as well as the Tag Title match noted prior to this).
WWE Title Match (Drew defends against Rock and Batista)
Ok…here we go. I know that I was a horrible rodent for letting this match – which had been promoted since the 8th – slip through my memory bank. I blame a number of things (the primary factor being that I tried to cram a week’s-worth of work into one day as I was pressed to meet my deadline), but I can cast all of the blame I want and it still doesn’t matter at the end of the day. The truth is, I think I subconsciously pushed this match out of my memory because I had convinced myself early on that Drew had no legitimate challengers.
In my defense, The Rock and Batista may have been established stars before this, but they basically came out of nowhere for this particular PPV. Drew was coming off of a seriously impressive and seemingly unstoppable run to close out 2023, and I had been lulled into a false sense of confidence that he was the man to lead WWE into Then Now Forever 2. I somewhat still stand by that criticism, but it is apparent that Murrey had lost confidence in Drew’s ability to carry the company into their biggest show of the year. So, he turned to a familiar icon from the late-90s to steer the ship, and I suppose that I can understand.
The Rock is a safe megastar of the past and if there is anyone who can put over the next “guy”, it is likely him. Kudos on ramming my fat, ugly feet down my throat.
MAIN EVENT (ROYAL RUMBLE MATCH)
Let me just say that I think this was better than the Revolution Rumble last year. Johnny Lawrence went the distance in a way that had me actually joining Hyatte in pulling for him to be the last man standing! I was shocked when King got eliminated (causing me to miss out on any accurate predictions for the night), and was pleasantly surprised when Big E won it all.
Contrary to what Hyatte may think, I have no criticism here. This type of match was designed for the “come from behind” victory. Dark horses are supposed to occasionally win these matches, and Big E deserves his chance to show everyone what he is made of. It was definitely a gamble to give us a Main Event for THE biggest WWE show of the year that none of us saw coming, but I suspect that it will pay off in the end, because if there is one thing we analysts should have learned in this industry a long time, it’s that you NEVER count Murrey out!
On to the predictions for the known shows to come…
AEW DYNAMITE (1.29.24)
- “The Dream Match” between Angelina Love and Athena Star:
This match is indeed a dream match, at least within the last two eras. Love has until recently spent the entirety of her mainstream career in PWI, and she will have a chance to battle one of the best the industry has ever seen. As was pointed out by Star, these two are the pioneers of the modern revolution in women’s wrestling, and this is a match which millions have sought to see for a while. Given the trajectory of the stories, each star, as well as the fact that Star has hinted repeatedly at a nearing retirement, I am leaning towards Athena winning, but I would not be too shocked if Love scores an earth-shattering upset.
- Jurassic Express takes on the Outsiders to determine the Number One Contenders:
This match has a number of interesting possible outcomes, and it is because of Hogan. Hogan has been kind of unpredictable as of late after a year of being the comic relief in AEW programming. The Hulkster secured this opportunity for his buddies against the fast-rising Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus (who themselves had a stunning victory over the Lucha Brothers last week), and while I am tempted to say that the younger duo will win due to destiny or accidental shenanigans by Hogan, I can’t help but feel that AEW is going to ride with this temporary serious side of Hulk for a few more weeks. So, in a definite gamble of a prediction, I am going to predict that Nash and Hall take the win here!
- Nyla Rose versus Ronda Rousey in a Steel Cage:
Rousey has received all of the attention between these two as of late, and for good reason. She is THE most desired women’s competitor right now (and she has arguably been in the top 3 this entire era), and she has a just argument that she was wrongfully stripped of her title when EWA switched letter placement to confuse us into thinking the elite were heading in the right direction (then again, it is hard to argue with the results, I guess placing the “A” before the “EW” made all of the difference). ANYWAYS, Nyla is a bit of a disaster waiting to happen for Ronda and Ronda’s plans on recapturing the top prize.
If Rousey wants to become the number one woman she will have to take down the only woman on the roster with the balls to stand up to her.
..
..
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I am predicting that Rousey will win.
- MAIN EVENT match as Kevin Owens battles Ricky Starks to determine who challenges AJ Styles at Genesis:
I am so glad that I didn’t listen to my internal doubts about this challenge…tournament…thing. Owens and Starks are absolutely going to tear the house down and they will bring a fitting end to an exciting tournament-style contest. While I don’t believe (presently) that the winner will unseat AJ Styles, I do believe they will steal the show here. This first meeting ever will be one for the ages, and I can’t begin to express my joy in anticipating it!
Here I am predicting a Ricky Starks win. This isn’t because I feel Owens isn’t ready, definitely not saying that. Kevin will be a world champion before he hangs up the boots. It’s just that Ricky is a rare talent, and every company has wanted a piece of him since he left the Indies. I see dollar signs in a bout between Starks and Styles, and I am confident that Benny sees those greenbacks as well.
Finally, we finish with a preview:
With PWI placing second in its first-ever achievement of defeating any opponent last week, I think the entire industry should prepare for a first-place-caliber show tonight!
- Opening Battle: Premier Quarterfinal Match – Liv Morgan (PWI) v. Michelle McCool (HCW)
This is the last Quarterfinal match of either tournament, and it will hold special significance for a number of reasons. First and foremost, Liv Morgan is the defending Women’s Premier Athlete, and she is also the recently-dethroned Women’s Champion. Just 6 weeks ago, Liv was the “Ultimate Women’s Champion”, which meant that she was the Women’s Champion and the Women’s Immunity Champion, and she now enters tonight with a big chip on her shoulder. She’s obsessed with the idea of showing the world that she is far better than anyone ever thought she was, and she will stop at nothing to win it all again this year.
However, in the other corner is Michelle McCool. McCool has had many highs and lows in this era. She rode high with her best friend Layla to become the Women’s Tag Titles, but she has largely struggled to do anything since. Having been relegated to the Ascendant Class until it was disbanded, Michelle received this opportunity after she won the Danger Zone Battle Royal at the Final Spotlight, after which Slammu announced the defection of Ascendants to HCW and revealed that Michelle would be entering the tournament for the purpose of making the Women’s International Title the first-ever HCW Women’s Title!
There is a lot for both of these women to prove here, but we haven’t yet told the whole story, as they will also be battling as representatives of PWI and HCW, respectively, in the overall war. The winner of this match will give the respective brand an early advantage in the victory tally for the Global Conflict Series. In other words, this match is about more than titles, tournaments, or egos. Instead, it is about the very survival of the industry as a whole. Keep an eye on the outcome!
- HCW Match: If Aiden Wins, He Gets to Defect to HCW – Aiden English v. ???
Since the beginning of this era, Aiden has been the proverbial hot potato of the industry. PWI didn’t want him, then EWA/AEW didn’t want him, HLW/AXW/WWE bounced him around for a second, and then they practically chucked Aiden back at PWI. Now, Aiden is getting tired of being forced to having his ass put through a table whenever we see him, so he has begged Ted Brown for one more chance to earn a spot on the Hardcore Roster. Brown agreed, but only if Aiden defeats the newest mystery HCW signee! Now, we wait to see who Aiden has to overcome tonight!
- Second Battle: FRED (PWI) v. The Hulk (HCW)
Depending on which side wins the opening battle, this match could decide whether we end the night on a tie or a 2-0 advantage for one side (we will get more into that later). The encounters between these two (believe it or not) have been very few in number. In fact, most of their interaction occurred during the largely-lost so-called HCW Era between 2005 and 2007, but even then it wasn’t often that they battled. The only other time that they’ve met was in that triple threat match back in the summer involving Rhyno, and Rhyno was the one who came out on top of that one. So, for all intents and purposes, these monsters are 0-0 and this is billed as their final meeting ever!
Yes, they are practically identical to one another, and they are both monsters, but this clash has been a long time coming. Hulk is one of the few stars who can match the strength of FRED (who is arguably the most destructive force in the history of the industry), and while FRED may have more accolades, Hulk may have the advantage in terms of his ability to be more cunning. Hulk has a history of exhibiting some rational thinking, while FRED is all about devastating everything and everyone in his path. Don’t overlook the importance of this match for any reason, because it could seriously put one side of the war in a crippled position heading towards the second Global Conflict, or it could keep it at a standstill. Brace yourself for this one!
- PWI Match: Phobe v. Brian Cage
The possible sleeper match of the evening right here. Phobe is going into this as the favorite for a number of reasons (size, strength, experience, for starters…and not to mention that he has Terminator in his corner), but the once-tallest star in wrestling may be in danger of looking past Brian Cage at his own peril. Cage is hungry for an opportunity and has been desperate to get back into the ring ever since his brief stint during the invasion of HCW back in the summer. Management reportedly lost a little confidence in Cage after his first outing on screen at that time, and he has taken a slight hit as a result. However, with Terminator scouting for warm-up opponents to keep Phobe in the right condition for the tournament finals, Terminator may have found the best possible opponent to hold Phobe’s skills accountable.
What say you? Do you think that Phobe is mistakenly overlooking Cage, or do you think that Cage is doomed to remain in obscurity? At the very least, I expect a competitive bout, and I suppose we couldn’t ask for more!
- MAIN EVENT BATTLE: Undisputed Championship – Triple Threat Match = Dragonfly © v. The Ultimate Warrior (1) v. Randy Orton
With the hellacious bout between Warrior and Orton last week ending in a no contest, both men were granted the opportunity to challenge who I think may be the greatest champion in the history of the business just two days before he can realize his 500th Day as Champion!
What a story to tell here, but first, let’s get one detail out of the way: this is not a match wherein we are seeing the HCW v. PWI stakes being promoted. Going into tonight, the only matches with Global Conflict stakes are the first two interpromotional battles as mentioned above, which give us either a 1-1 tie or 2-0 edge exiting the night. Those are pretty high stakes, if you ask me. Yet, I am sure that PWI and HCW will both wish this Main Event Battle did involve those stakes by the end of the night, because it would obviously help their overall cause. No worries, though, as the tallying will get more aggressive as the series progresses towards Armageddon 4 until only one winning side is left standing.
ANYWAYS, back to the title match!
Coming into this, no one has more riding on this thing than Randy Orton. Orton debuted in PWI after the draft with his first match being for the Undisputed Title at Starrcade. The whole locker room, the audience, and the commentary team all collectively gasped at the sound of Orton’s music, knowing full well that Orton held a 1-0 lead over Dragonfly in their series of matches. This absolutely put the champion on edge, too, as he did not expect this challenger.
We all know what happened next, though. Mickey cost Orton, made him endure abusive harassment by Seth Rollins, and then sent the Ultimate Warrior after him to “humiliate the first champion of the elites”. Warrior comes into this as the undeserving Number One Contender because Mickey is both thumbing his nose at WWE and Orton, and he is there to possibly take the title off of Dragonfly (whom has fallen out of favor with Mickey since two seasons ago). There is literally nothing that Warrior has done to be in this match outside of fighting to a no contest with the man who should most certainly be the champion right now!
Then, we have the Undisputed Champion himself, Dragonfly. Dragonfly is a first ballot WOW and Mmouse Enterprises Hall of Famer. He is – as I said before – arguably the greatest champion in industry history, and he may be the greatest of all time, period. No one in industry history has held championship gold longer (when you combine all title reigns) than Dragonfly, and it is also possible that no one has a more consistent track record of drawing the highest-average contemporary ratings. The champion has repeatedly hinted at the fact that the end is nearing for him, and I don’t think that anyone will top the heights he has achieved.
498 days as champion is an amazing feat, and his reign is presently the third longest reign on record (behind only Granddaddy Duxen and Teo). This match has a lot riding on it for Dragonfly, only because it could represent the last time we see him with gold. No doubt that this will be a can’t-miss match!
Regardless of who you want to win, there is no denying the magnitude of this bout, hell of this card. If this is truly the end, it will go out in style!
For now, I am Lenny Mouse, and I appreciate you taking the time to read my thoughts!
See you later this week!
World Of Wrestling: Murrey Universe 