The Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins segment at the top of the second hour on Raw drew 2.2 million viewers and was the high point of the show according to Wrestlenomics.
Raw was doing pretty good until the 9:45PM quarter kicked in, ending the night with 1.67 million viewers in the final quarter.
The Rhodes/Rollins segment drew an impressive 0.73 in the 18-49 demo, which was also the high point of the show.
The opening segment with CM Punk and Drew McIntyre started with 2.01 million viewers, with the first commercial-free hour doing 2.17 million, 2.18 million, and 2 million viewers for the rest of the quarters.
On Monday’s episode of the Pat McAfee Show, McAfee admitted that he had no idea who TNA Knockouts champion Jordynne Grace was.
McAfee saw Grace backstage just before he went out of Gorilla and was impressed but had no clue who Grace was.
“As I was going through Gorilla to get up and out, I see her…and I’m like, because she had a title around her and she was facing away, I’m like, ‘Holy f*ck! Who is jocked, absolutely jocked?’ Then I come out there, and they’re like, ‘TNA Knockouts Champion.’ It’s like…’Holy shit!’”
McAfee, who has been “out of the game” for a while also didn’t recognize some people who came out.
“I had no idea who they were. I had no clue. I was looking over at the trons, and I’m like, ‘What’s the name here? What’s the name here,'” McAfee said. “And Cole and Corey are like, ‘Oh my!’ And I’m like, ‘Oh yeah! Oh my! Oh yeah!'”
McAfee also said that he has to learn the color commentary gig the WWE way after spending so much time away from the commentary table. On Monday, McAfee returned as the permanent – at least for now – color commentator for Monday Night Raw.
The post-Royal Rumble Raw drew 1,908,000 viewers this week, up 223,000 viewers from the prior week and the highest audience since June 26, 2023.
The show started strong with 2,090,000 viewers in the first hour, then dropped to 1,952,000 viewers in the second hour and crashed to 1,684,000 viewers in the third. The show lost 406,000 viewers along the way, one of the biggest drops.
Raw was #1, #2, and #3 in the top 50 cable chart among the 18-49 demographic with 0.67, 0.64, and 0.54 ratings respectively for an average of 0.61, up 0.06 from last week and the best number since August 7. Raw was overall the #1 show on television last night beating also everything else on network TV. (Ratings credit: SpoilerTV)
The post-Revolution Dynamite and Collision will be taped at the Gas South Arena in Duluth, Georgia on March 6 and 7.
The Collision taping on Thursday will not be a live broadcast as the show will still air on Saturday night but doing back-to-back tapings in the same arena is a good cost-cutting measure.
Pre-sale for the individual Dynamite, Collision and two-day combo ticket package start on Wednesday, February 7 at 10AM ET while the general public on-sale date is Thursday, February 8 at 10AM ET at Ticketmaster.com.
Kazuchika Okada is officially a free agent after his New Japan Pro-Wrestling contract expired today.
In a message on X, Okada thanked NJPW for 17 years of employment, writing that he laughed, cried, got angry, but it was a great run. He said he looks forward to wrestle the last three matches for the promotion as a free agent.
His NJPW merchandise on Pro Wrestling Tees were also pulled as he contemplates his next move in the United States. Okada is favorite to land in AEW in the next several weeks although WWE are also in play and it’s a move that Okada is at least considering.
Those close to Okada have suggested that his final decision has not been made.
The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournament final was confirmed last night on NXT after Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams defeated the LWO to advance to the last match.
The two will now face Bron Breakker and Baron Corbin, who last week defeated Axiom and Nathan Frazier to advance. The duo beat Gallus in the first round while Hayes and Williams defeated Edris Enofe and Malik Blade to kick off their tournament.
Breakker and Corbin vs Hayes and Williams will take place this Sunday at Vengeance Day and Williams will be pulling double duty as he is also in the main event wrestling for the NXT title against Ilja Dragunov.
The winners of the tournament will receive an NXT Tag Team title shot.
Collision on Saturday night head-to-head with the Royal Rumble drew 300,000 viewers, down 141,000 viewers from the prior week and the second least-watched episode ever of the show. It had a 0.06 rating in 18-49, down 0.06 and the lowest number ever for an AEW broadcast. It ranked #47 on the top 50 cable chart for the night. (Ratings credit: SpoilerTV)
Rampage on Friday drew 382,000 viewers, down 8,000 viewers from the prior week. The show had a 0.13 rating in 18-49, up 0.01 from the previous week and was #16 on the top 50 cable chart for the night. (Ratings credit: SpoilerTV)
Event planning involves a lot of tasks and processes. For an event to be successful, there must be the proper event design to keep the audience engaged and interested. As any good event planner can tell you, people don’t just come together.
One of the aspects that you must incorporate is the art of storytelling in the event content. Besides creating a memorable experience, it also optimizes the audience’s learning and yields massive results for the clients. But how can you design stories in event spaces successfully? Read on!
1. Know Your Goals and Audience
There is nothing as risky as approaching a field blindly. In the developmental stage of your concepts, you must first define the goal of the events and the kind of people you intend to engage.
During this time, your focus should be on your event’s core message and why the audience may want to attend it. For instance, if your event is for young adults between 21 and 29, you must consider their individuality and lifestyle carefully. This will help you capture your attention while remaining consistent with your brand and message.
2. Use Proper Storytelling Output
When telling a story, the storytelling output you choose determines how well it will be conveyed to your intended audience. If an event has more than 1000 attendees and you only have two screens or proof audio-visual elements, it may be hard for them to concentrate or get what you are pushing.
Technological advancement allows you to use high-quality digital screen displays or exhibition stands. These stands are usually a space within an exhibition where your business can share its products, services, and brand with visitors. The most impressive thing about the modern options is that they have excellent graphics, and the message is clear for everyone. Even if there is no one at the stand, your intended audience knows who you are and what you do!
3. Come Up with a Style Guide and Direction
After making your goal and identifying the audience, you can proceed to create an event brand style guide. This should include your vision and direction, the creative concept, and the design direction. Other things you must include are formats and sizes as they determine the viewership. You will likely draw more attention to your exhibition stands if it is legible.
This information helps your brand remain consistent and streamline the design. Even better, you minimize the work at the final stages. Whatever you do, strive to remain consistent with your brand.
4. Put Together Entertainment Acts
The power of storytelling in conveying your message and strengthening your business brand is massive. However, to break the monotony and keep the attendees alert, you can use multimedia elements and engage the attendees through entertainment activities.
In the digital age and time, concentration spans have been on a steady decline. The average person may not be able to concentrate for more than 25 minutes without taking a break or their mind wandering. Due to this, you need to incorporate videos and moving images.
Using video will play a vital role in sharing your story more effectively and engaging the audience within a short space and time. When using these elements, stick to your core goals and remain consistent with your brand. Consider animation and motion graphics from time to time. Depending on your event goal and content, you can incorporate explainers and display walls.
5. Know How Much is Enough
Storytelling can be fun, but don’t let this carry you away. While everything is important, you may have limited time and space to do so. When designing stories for event spaces, you need to know how much is too much. Fitting in all the information within a short period may crowd the audience’s mind.
Remember that your goal is to create a memorable and sensible experience for everyone involved. Check what the audience needs to know about your business at that particular time and whether the screen display has everything necessary. You can pick a few things that will create a memorable experience to resonate with the audience even after the visit or event. This makes the event more meaningful to all parties.
Conclusion
As you can see, a successful event comes down to the design and the execution. Always remember that your goal is to create an unforgettable experience for the attendees while remaining consistent with your brand. After the event, take some time to seek feedback from the attendees and other stakeholders to know the areas you can improve in your subsequent events.
PWInsider.com is reporting that Corey Graves has been promoted to lead play-by-play of Friday Night Smackdown starting from this week.
Graves will replace Kevin Patrick in the role and marks the first time that he will be the lead commentator for a show, having previously been doing color commentary. Doing play-by-play is considerably harder than commentary as the lead will call the bulk of the matches.
Wade Barrett, who was doing color commentary with Michael Cole on Monday Night Raw, will move back to Smackdown to do help Graves with color commentary.
This is the latest shakeup in the announce teams after Pat McAfee returned full-time, at least for now, with Cole on Raw.
In a short video posted on TNA’s social media, Jordynne Grace explained how her Royal Rumble appearance came to be.
Grace said that she had just landed home from Orlando following the TNA tapings and Scott D’Amore called her asking her how would she feel if she’s wrestling this weekend.
“I was just thinking to myself, what does he want me to do,” Grace said, before D’Amore asked her to be at the Royal Rumble.
“What? What are you talking about? Did they ask?” Grace recounted telling D’Amore. “No, I just want you to be there and jump the barricade,” D’Amore joked back.
Grace said what D’Amore suggested was more realistic to her than WWE calling TNA and asking for the TNA Knockouts champion to be in the Rumble.
Grace received praise for her stint in the Rumble and Triple H put her over big time during the post-show press conference. Grace has hinted more cross-over between her and WWE in social media posts afterward.
Former NXT and United States champion Andrade has officially joined the Raw brand.
Andrade, who returned to WWE at the Royal Rumble this past Saturday, was in a backstage segment with Raw General Manager Adam Pearce last night where he signed his new deal and then told Smackdown GM Nick Aldis to say hello to Zelina Vega for him. Vega was his manager before he left for All Elite Wrestling.
During the same segment, Aldis received a phone call from Bron Breakker, suggesting that the former NXT champion will be heading to the blue brand.
Andrade became the fourth major star to jump ship from AEW following Cody Rhodes, Jade Cargill, and CM Punk.
In a post on social media, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson said it was his honor to join the TKO Group Board of Directors and last week it was a historic day for him where life came at full circle.
“I have the privilege now to sit at the table, that my grandfather and my dad helped to build,” Johnson wrote. “Now the fun part – we go to work. We build.”
Johnson thanked Ari Emmanuel, Mark Shapiro, Nick Khan, and Paul “Triple H” Levesque, leaving Vince McMahon completely out. The video that accompanied the post also had zero reference to Vince McMahon even though McMahon was there that same day at the New York Stock Exchange.
The final Smackdown before the Royal Rumble drew 2,475,000 viewers, up 68,000 viewers from last week and the most-watched broadcast since August 25. Smackdown had a big 0.71 rating in the 18-49 demo, up 0.09 from the prior week and the biggest number since August 25 as well. The show was #1 on all of network and cable television for the night. (Ratings credit: SpoilerTV)
Nikki and Brie Garcia, the duo formerly known as the Bella Twins, issued a joint statement on their X account regarding the Janel Grant accusations which involve their stepfather John Laurinaitis.
“We are shocked and disheartened by recent allegations against members of the WWE. It has been a lot to process since we found out this past week just as you all did,” the statement read. “This is something we don’t stand for or condone from anyone no matter who they are. We want all women to feel safe and supported in the workplace and in their everyday lives.”
Laurinaitis married Nikki and Brie’s mother Kathy in March 2016.
With his College GameDay duties done and dusted, Pat McAfee returned to the WWE commentary booth on Monday Night Raw, replacing Wade Barrett, at least until football season restarts.
McAfee came out at the beginning of Raw to his theme song and joined Cole at ringside, who broke the news that McAfee would be there every week moving forward.
The former NFL star was at the Royal Rumble this past Saturday and previously did commentary for Smackdown with Cole before he left to work for ESPN’s College GameDay.
It’s unclear what happens to Barrett now and WWE has not yet revealed who will be doing Smackdown commentary following the dismissal of Kevin Patrick.
McAfee signed a multi-year deal with WWE in 2022 but granted him leave of absence to join ESPN.
In the vibrant world of sports, finding the perfect ticket for your favorite events is often a challenge. With countless games, matches, and tournaments around the globe, sports fans are always seeking the most convenient and cost-effective ways to enjoy these events live. This is where reliable ticket comparison platforms become crucial. In this guide, we’ll explore some leading websites where you can compare tickets for the best sports events all in one spot.
Discovering the Best Platforms for Sports Ticket Comparisons
Koobit: A One-Stop Shop for Varied Sporting Events
Koobit emerges as a beacon for sports enthusiasts, a platform to compare and purchase Koobit sport ticketsfor a wide array of sporting events. This digital haven swiftly ascended the ranks, renowned for its eclectic array of sports events, resonating with the diverse palate of its patrons.
At Koobit, simplicity dovetails with detailed insights, guiding users to the most apt choices, tailored to both their preferences and financial plans. Here, football zealots and tennis aficionados alike will find their calling. Koobit’s spectrum includes:
The fervor of major football leagues and the allure of international tournaments.
The prestige of grand slam tennis, alongside regional contests.
The exhilaration of motorsports, a bastion of high-octane thrills.
Rugby, where every match is a saga of intensity.
The captivating drama of cricket.
Furthermore, Koobit’s finesse lies in its amalgamation of a user-friendly interface with transparent pricing, a beacon for those seeking value without the tumult of navigating multiple portals. This transparency in pricing and options ensures that users can find the best deals without the hassle of visiting multiple websites. The platform also offers exclusive deals and discounts from time to time, adding to the allure for budget-conscious sports fans.
StubHub: Diverse Options for Major and Minor Sports Leagues
StubHub has established itself as a highly regarded platform for sports fans seeking tickets to both major and minor sports leagues. Renowned for its vast selection and user-friendly experience, StubHub caters to a wide spectrum of sports interests, making it a preferred choice for enthusiasts across the globe.
This diversity ensures that fans of all types of sports can find something that suits their tastes and preferences. Key offerings on StubHub include:
Tickets for major league sports such as the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL.
Access to international soccer matches, including top European leagues.
Coverage of minor league events in baseball, basketball, and other sports.
Opportunities to attend collegiate sports events.
Exclusive tickets for niche sports and emerging leagues.
StubHub’s interface is designed for ease of use, allowing fans to effortlessly browse, compare, and purchase tickets. The platform’s search functionality is robust, enabling users to filter events by sport, team, date, or location. This flexibility ensures a personalized and efficient ticket-buying experience.
Users can access detailed venue information, including seating charts and tips for the best viewing experiences. Additionally, the platform offers a guarantee on every ticket, ensuring peace of mind for buyers concerning the validity and delivery of their purchases.
SeatGeek: User-Friendly Interface for Price and Seat Comparisons
SeatGeek has carved a niche for itself in the world of online ticket sales, especially for sports events, by offering a remarkably user-friendly interface for price and seat comparisons. This platform stands out for its intuitive design and advanced features, making it a favorite among sports enthusiasts who value ease and efficiency in their ticket-purchasing process.
The appeal of SeatGeek lies in its sophisticated yet straightforward comparison tools. Users can easily navigate through a wide array of sports events, from high-profile professional leagues to local college games. The platform provides a seamless experience with features like:
Interactive seating maps that offer a virtual view from selected seats.
A transparent pricing system that includes all fees upfront.
Color-coded deals rating system to identify the best value for tickets.
Real-time price tracking and alerts for preferred events.
Each event listing includes extensive information about the game, teams, venue, and even the weather forecast, ensuring that buyers have all the necessary details at their fingertips. Moreover, the platform’s mobile app enhances the convenience factor, allowing users to search, compare, and purchase tickets on-the-go.
Ticketmaster: Reliable Source for High-Demand Sports Tickets
Ticketmaster is widely recognized as a reliable and authoritative source for purchasing tickets to high-demand sports events. Its reputation for offering a vast selection of tickets, combined with a secure and straightforward purchasing process, has made it a go-to platform for sports fans worldwide.
At the heart of Ticketmaster’s service is its extensive network and partnerships with major sports leagues and teams. This enables the platform to offer a wide variety of tickets, from regular season games to playoffs and championship events. Key features of Ticketmaster include:
Official partnerships with major sports leagues ensuring authenticity.
A vast selection of tickets for a broad range of sports events.
Real-time updates on ticket availability and pricing.
Enhanced security measures for safe and secure transactions.
Fans looking for tickets to sold-out games or popular matchups often turn to Ticketmaster for its real-time inventory and guaranteed ticket authenticity. In addition to its primary ticket sales, Ticketmaster also provides a verified resale platform. This feature is especially beneficial for fans who seek to purchase tickets in a secondary market, as it assures the legitimacy of the tickets being resold.
Jey Uso is shown arriving, then Imperium and then Damage Control.
Highlights of the Royal Rumble are then shown.
Cody Rhodes was then shown arriving at the arena.
Pat McAfee makes his way out first to again join the announce team. Michael Cole then announced it will be Michael Cole and Pat McAfee going forward as the announce team for Monday Night Raw.
Out to the ring first C.M. Punk who comes out with his right arm in a sling. Punk says he came close, and he is not mad at anyone and congratulates Cody Rhodes and he doesn’t want anyone to feel sorry for him. Punk then tells a story about a friend of his with cancer who he sits with while he gets his treatments and that’s a fight and he just has a flesh wound. He says he is a Chicago Cubs fan and says there is always next year as WrestleMania 40 is out of the cards for him.
Drew McIntyre comes out to interrupt Punk. Drew said he said some horrible things about him since his return. And as he listened to him talk, he can relate to him completely. Drew said he has never been much of a spiritual person, but he prayed for this, and it happened. He targeted Punk at Royal Rumble. Drew said he is going to find his way into the main event at WrestleMania and live Punk’s dream.
Punk said his heart hurts more than his arm, but he is going to go rehab it and come back and main event WrestleMania, but his first target will be Drew. Drew then attacked Punk until Sami Zayn came out to save Punk.
The Judgment Day talk in their locker room about showing the world who they are.
DIY are then shown walking backstage and it’s their time to show the world who they are.
DIY VS. Finn Balor & Damian Priest for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship
Priest dropped Gargano on the announce desk, then hit the Razor’s Edge on Ciampa in the ring and Finn hits Coupe De Grace for the win.
Winners and Still Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions: Finn Balor & Damian Priest
Priest says we have seen a different side to them lately and its because of one person and after the Royal Rumble, Priest feels like he should apologize. R-Truth comes out. Truth says Priest is like his older brother and Finn is like the weird uncle that does weird stuff, but we still love him, he didn’t say anything about Dominik and JD is like the one they don’t want to claim.
Priest said at some point you need to let someone else finish talking and you’re not part of the Judgment Day and you never were. Priest told Truth that he likes him, which is why he’s not going to do this himself. JD and Dominik then attacked Truth and The Miz comes out to try and save Truth. But the Judgment Day, with more bodies, left both Truth and The Miz laying in the ring.
Zoey Stark & Shayna Baszler VS. Chelsea Green & Piper Niven
Shayna pulled Niven off the apron and Stark hit Green with the Z360 and got the win.
Winners: Shayna Baszler & Zoey Stark
Out for the next in ring promo is the winner of the 2023 & 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble the American Nightmare Cody Rhodes. As Cody talks, he is interrupted by the WWE World Champion Seth “Freakin” Rollins.
Seth told Cody he deserved it and congratulated him and tells Cody if he chooses to fight Roman Reigns at WrestleMania he is making a mistake and says Cody should fight him instead. Fans chant “No”. Seth says he hears the fans’ concerns, but he wants them to hear him out. Seth says at the press conference he said he was the guy and that is not the case and Roman Reigns isn’t even the guy…but Seth is the guy.
Seth then tells Cody that he was there with him while defending the World title and the whole reason this title came to be is because the fans were tired of Roman Reigns barely showing up and always cheating to win. This is our title. He then called the Universal title the fraud title, “the Hogan title” and asked Cody if he wanted that title or the “Dusty Rhodes title” the blue-collar title the workhorse title.
Seth says he doesn’t want the answer right now, but he wants to know what’s in Cody’s heart. He asked Cody what kind of man he wanted to be. Cody said he has an insane amount of respect for him, and this is the last thing he would be thinking or talking about, but he will think about it.
Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods are shown backstage, and they talk about winning championships. Kofi challenges Gunther tonight.
Main Event Jey Uso VS. Big Bronson Reed
Reed misses the Tsunami when Jey moved and Jey hit a superkick, a spear and then the Uso Splash for the win.
Winner: Main Event Jey Uso
Andrade signs a Raw contract and Nick Aldis walked in and said Smackdown had a very handsome offer for you. Nick said he lent Bayley to Pearce so he would have both Royal Rumble winners here tonight and Nick’s phone rang, and it was Bron Breakker.
Gunther is then shown and tells Kofi he is fighting for his legacy but after tonight he is going to forget about him.
Jackie Redmond interviewed Becky Lynch about not winning the Royal Rumble and asked her what plan B is. Becky says train harder, fight harder and a little dirtier but she won’t quit.
Gunther VS. Kofi Kingston for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
After pin attempts by both men, it was Gunther that hit Kofi with his powerbomb that kept Kofi down for the three count.
Winner and still WWE Intercontinental Champion: Gunther
After the match Xavier Woods is out to check on Kofi and Kaiser and Vinci come in and attack both Woods and Kofi. Throwing Woods headfirst into the ring post.
Jackie Redmond interviewed Sami Zayn about his match with Drew McIntyre. Sami says Drew needs a reality check and he is going to give him one.
Kabuki Warriors VS. Teagan Nox & Natalya
With Nox out on the floor the Kabuki Warriors hit the elbow/neck breaker, moved on Natalya and got the win.
Winners: the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions the Kabuki Warriors
Jackie Redmond interviewed Kayden Carter and Katana Chance. They talked to Adam Pearce and next week they get their rematch for the tag titles.
The Kabuki Warriors are still in the ring as Samantha Irvin introduces the woman’s Royal Rumble winner Bayley. Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai are also in the ring with Bayley. As Bayley talked, she is interrupted by Rhea Ripley who quickly got attacked by Nia Jax. In the ring Nia drops 3 leg drops on Rhea then the annihilator as Damage Control watch in the corner . Nia then turned around and Damage Control all slid out of the ring leaving Bayley by herself. Nia told Bayley to pick Iyo or anyone else, but Rhea isn’t making it to WrestleMania and Bayley said she will make her announcement on Friday.
Sami Zayn VS. Drew McIntyre
Sami went for a Helluva kick and Drew dropped down and covered up and Sami ended up with a low blow. Drew then catches Sami with a Claymore and pinned Sami.
The visual aspect of online gaming is a cornerstone in defining user experience and engagement, with Crazy Time setting a benchmark in the genre. This article dives into the evolutionary journey of Crazy Time’s graphics and user interface, unraveling how each iteration contributed to the rich tapestry of the Crazy Time live casino experience. It’s a tale of technological progression, artistic creativity, and meticulous design converging to captivate players worldwide.
We uncover the layers of innovation and adaptability that define the game’s current stature. Each phase of its evolution marks a leap towards more immersive gaming.
The Genesis and Early Stages: Setting the Virtual Stage
The graphics and user interface were fundamental yet functional. The initial design laid the groundwork for what was to become a visually stunning game. The color palette was vibrant, and the layout was intuitive. However, these early designs had limitations in terms of animation quality.
The design team faced challenges in these early stages. The initial versions had to balance aesthetic appeal with technical feasibility. The early iterations of Crazy Time captured players’ attention. The players’ feedback during this phase was crucial.
The early user interface of Crazy Time was a testament to the game’s potential. It was clear from the onset that the game was more than just a passing trend. The commitment to continuous improvement was evident.
Transformative Phases: Enhancing Realism and Interactivity
As technology advanced, so did the graphics and user interface of Crazy Time. Major updates were not just about aesthetic enhancements but also about bringing a new level of realism and interactivity to the game. The introduction of advanced animation and 3D graphics transformed the visual experience.
The developers focused on integrating elements that would resonate with players on a deeper level. The game’s environment became more dynamic. These enhancements were pivotal.
The culmination of these efforts was a game that looked better and felt more intuitive. Players could now enjoy a more refined and visually appealing experience.
The Current State: A Blend of Artistry and Technology
Today, Crazy Time is a paragon of how artistry and technology can merge to create a captivating experience. The current graphics and user interface reflect maturity. The game’s visual elements are integral to overall gaming.
The current version of Crazy Time embodies modern trends in gaming design. The interface is sleek, the animations are fluid, and every game aspect is meticulously crafted. The game’s design carefully balances aesthetic appeal and functional design.
The interface and graphics of Crazy Time today are a far cry from their initial versions. They result from years of evolution. The current state is a milestone and a stepping stone to future enhancements.
Conclusion: Reflecting on the Evolution
The journey of Crazy Time’s graphics and user interface is a narrative of continuous transformation and innovation. From humble beginnings to its current status as a flagship in the online casino world, the game’s visual journey mirrors technological advancements and design philosophy.
The journey of Crazy Time’s graphics and user interface is far from over. It’s a continuous pursuit of perfection. The game’s evolution is a testament to its development team’s creativity, innovation, and dedication.
Monday Night Raw kicked off with CM Punk coming out with his right arm in a sling as fans inside Tampa chanted for him.
Standing in the middle of the ring and looking at the WrestleMania XL sign, an obviously disappointed CM Punk said he came really close on Saturday night and felt he had it right in his hand.
“I’m not mad at Cody Rhodes,” Punk said, while congratulating him. He said this business is what you earn and not what you deserve and he certainly earned it and hopes that he goes to WrestleMania and finishes the story.
He said that during the match, he tore his right tricep. He tried to tape it up and go to Elimination Chamber but that’s not going to happen.
He said he doesn’t want anyone to feel sorry for himself and became very emotional when recounting the story of his friend who has cancer and said this just a flesh wound compared to what his friend is going through every day.
“This is just a bump in the road,” Punk said. “Best in the world is those people who fight cancer. Me? I just happen to entertain you and for some reason you people love me,” he continued.
Punk said that WrestleMania 40 “is not in the cards this year” but as a Chicago Cubs fan, he’s used to “there’s always next year.”
Punk was rudely interrupted by Drew McIntyre, who looked sincere in the beginning but then said that he is not a religious person but he prayed for this to happen.
“I’m gonna go rehabbing and when I come back I will main event WrestleMania,” Punk told Drew, but when he comes back, he will take Drew down first.
McIntyre then attacked Punk and Punk tried to fight back but Drew overpowered him, eventually stomping his tricep. Sami Zayn then came out for the save.
