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.
McMahon’s resignation from Chairman of TKO Group Holdings received big coverage on mainstream media, with major outlets such as CNN, New York Times, Associated Press, CNBC, and others all reporting the news on their front pages.
CNN took a deep look at McMahon and his history of accusations and allegations, questioning TKO why they even put him as Chairman when their own SEC filings admitted that McMahon occupying that position could have adverse financial and operational impact on their business as well as expose them to negative publicity.
Sportico added that if the Janel Grant lawsuit advances to pre-trial discovery, it could leave a lot of top WWE executives red-faced with the publication of e-mails and text messages, exposing those who knew what was going on but did not act.
While this is a civil matter and the outcome won’t send McMahon to jail, the former WWE chief is still under a federal investigation and that could open up more trouble for him, including jail time if found guilty.
TKO stock today went down by over 4% at time of this writing as Wall Street reacted to Friday night’s news.
CM Punk has suffered what is believed to be torn triceps at the Royal Rumble on Saturday and could be out for a significant amount of time according to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer.
Punk suffered the injury after he was on the receiving end of a Future Shock DDT from Drew McIntyre and was seen holding his hand several times towards the end of the Rumble match. The former WWE and AEW champion finished the match as expected.
This is not the first time that Punk tore his triceps in the ring. At All Out in 2022, he also suffered the same injury after he regained the AEW World title from Jon Moxley. He was stripped off the title a few days later due to his involvement in the Brawl Out incident but spent nearly nine months out before he returned to the ring.
A video circulating online after Cody threw Punk over the top rope shows Punk sitting by the announce desk clutching his right arm and breathing heavily, probably aware that his chance of main eventing WrestleMania 40 went down the drain.
Punk is still scheduled to be part of tonight’s Monday Night Raw where he is expected to address the injury. He was supposed to face Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight title at WrestleMania 40. Rollins is also out injured but is expected back before Mania.
WWE Superstar Otis announced on his social media that his mother has passed away.
“Rest now forever where now there is no more pain,” Otis wrote in a post on X along with some photos with his mother. “Because of you growing up I’ve memorized every John Candy movie, introduced and jam to Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers and Stevie Nicks.”
The 32-year-old, real name Nikola Bogojević, was not part of the Royal Rumble this past weekend.
PWInsider.com is reporting that Mercedes Mone will return to the ring by March and stated clearly it will not be for WWE.
The report said that Mone will visit Japan first before making her grand return on television in the United States. Asked if she was headed to AEW, sources close to Mone did not confirm nor deny but shot down the idea that she was going to TNA Wrestling.
Mone is believed that she has already signed with All Elite Wrestling after her negotiations with WWE went nowhere in December when the two sides were talking about a potential return.
Mone wanted way more money than WWE were willing to pay her, with some sources suggesting she asked more than what Charlotte got with her new deal, which is one of the largest in WWE.
Naomi, who on Saturday returned to WWE at the Royal Rumble, thanked TNA in a message on X for believing in her during her stint with the promotion.
The former TNA Knockouts champion personally thanked Scott D’Amore, D’Lo Brown, Lance Storm, Gail Kim, and Tommy Dreamer for also pushing her through her fears, as well as her Knockouts and brothers for accepting her as one of their own.
“@ThisIsTNA I am better in every way bc of you! I thank with my whole heart,” Naomi wrote.
She also added a video with several backstage photos and photos with the rest of the talent set to Tyrone Wells’ song Days I Will Remember.
Naomi drew #2 at the Rumble and was then met by current Knockouts champion Jordynne Grace who came in at #5 as a surprise entrant.
TKO Group Holdings made Vince McMahon’s resignation official with a Form 8-K filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission this morning.
“On January 26, 2024, Vincent K. McMahon notified the board of directors of TKO Group Holdings, Inc. of his resignation from his positions as Executive Chair and a member of the Board, and any other positions, employment or otherwise, he has at TKO and its subsidiaries, in each case, with immediate effect as of January 26, 2024,” the filing read.
It was signed by Andrew Schleimer, TKO’s Chief Financial Officer.
McMahon resigned under pressure following the lawsuit filed against him, John Laurinaitis, and WWE by Janel Grant, a former WWE employee who accused him sexual abuse and sex trafficking among others.
Many business owners today rely on managed IT services. These services streamline operations and reduce IT headaches. They deliver proactive monitoring, maintenance, and support for a fixed monthly fee. Outsourcing this work allows companies to focus on core business activities rather than technology management. What are the key advantages of partnering with an MSP?
Cost Savings
Using managed IT services can lead to significant cost savings in several ways. They utilize specialized tools and knowledge to optimize companies’ technology operations, identify issues proactively, and prevent problems before they cause expensive downtime. They also manage tasks like security patching, data backups, and system upgrades seamlessly in the background. This proactive approach minimizes productivity loss from technical issues.
The monthly fee structure of managed services makes IT costs predictable and converts what were capital expenses into operating expenses. Rather than large, periodic technology purchases and upgrades, companies pay affordable monthly fees that constitute operational budgets. This financial visibility and transfer of risk create sizable cost savings and allow companies to focus on their core business goals. Working with an expert managed services provider gives companies enterprise-level IT support at an affordable price point, enhances operations, and provides formidable cost savings. However, this is only one of the benefits of managed IT services.
Increased Efficiency
Managed IT services provide expert technical support and specialized services. The breadth of an MSP’s expertise and resources leads to greater operational efficiency. They have specialized tools, pre-configured processes, and enhanced troubleshooting capabilities that businesses often lack on their own.
Additionally, MSPs assume responsibility for the stability and performance of IT systems, allowing organizations to offload the risk and achieve predictable costs. With round-the-clock remote monitoring, preventative measures, and support, MSPs can minimize downtime from disruptions, contributing to greater productivity across the business. In essence, partnering with a trusted MSP gives enterprises efficient, resilient IT operations that scale on demand, a key driver for enabling growth and innovation.
Enhanced Security
Cyberattacks threaten companies large and small, making security a top business concern. MSPs integrate advanced security protections not feasible for most small IT budgets, including firewalls, threat monitoring, encryption, and data backup. By centralizing surveillance of client networks, MSP security experts spot risks early and mitigate vulnerabilities other businesses may miss. Keeping data and systems safe is a key aspect of streamlining operations.
Access to Expertise
IT expertise comes at a steep price when hiring full-time staff. MSP technicians hold advanced certifications like CompTIA A+, AWS Solutions Architect, and Cisco CCNA. Years of experience resolving customer issues provide them with unparalleled troubleshooting skills across hardware, software, networks, and more. This breadth of expertise would cost a tremendous amount to replicate internally, so relying on MSP specialists makes smart business sense.
Scalability
As companies grow and evolve, technology systems and staff must scale up to continue providing excellent service. MSPs make adding or upgrading hardware and software seamless by providing pay-as-you-grow solutions flexible enough to meet changing business needs. Whether a seasonal influx of customers demands more bandwidth or new initiatives require additional security, MSPs efficiently deliver scalable growth.
Entrusting critical IT operations and support to a managed service provider allows businesses to get lean. Instead of pouring money into technology they don’t fully utilize or understand, companies can leverage MSP economies of scale. This allows them to focus budgets and brainpower on the initiatives most likely to drive revenue and growth. As the data shows, MSPs play an invaluable role in streamlining modern business through security, expertise, efficiency, and scalability.
Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer is reporting that Bron Breakker took Brock Lesnar’s spot at the Royal Rumble yesterday.
The former WWE and Universal champion was supposed to make his return during the Rumble but after the Vince McMahon lawsuit and his alleged involvement, the decision was taken to remove him from the match and postpone his return.
Meltzer notes that Breakker did everything that Brock was supposed to do, including the eliminations…and even getting eliminated by none other than Dominik Mysterio.
The former NXT champion had an explosive outing in the Rumble, having four eliminations to his name.
Cody Rhodes entered the Royal Rumble press conference with one clear message to the wrestling media: he’s the man for the job.
Addressing the media before they even got to ask one question, Cody referred to the memes and the GIFs that have been floating around about him, making fun of his story and seemingly his inability to finish it.
Misinformation spread like wildfire this week which added to those memes, but Cody won the Rumble and is on track to continue his story against Roman once again at WrestleMania.
“Here’s the news, here’s headline. I am the guy and I have been the guy,” Cody said. “And I am a three-count or a submission away from being the quarterback of the greatest, most prosperous era in the history of sports entertainment.”
Triple H, who took the seat at the press conference following Cody, echoed those statements.
“There is nobody more dedicated to this craft, the respect that he has for it is second to none,” Triple H said of Cody. “I love that, I love his dedication to our WWE Universe, the fans, to anybody. He is the right human being. He is the right person.”
Levesque said that he’s incredibly proud of Cody and he is absolutely the future of this for all the right reasons.
The Weeknd has become the only artist in WWE history to have five, yes, five, WrestleMania theme songs in a row as his song Gasoline has been chosen as the official theme of WrestleMania 40.
Gasoline is the second track from his fifth studio album, Dawn FM. The song reached #29 on the US Billboard Hot 100 after its release in January 2022.
The Weeknd’s WrestleMania streak started in 2020 with Blinding Lights chosen for the COVID-19 edition of the show. A year later he returned with Save Your Tears for WrestleMania 37 and the following year he was back with Sacrifice for WrestleMania 38. Less Than Zero was the official theme of WrestleMania 39, a song which was the fourth single from the same studio album Dawn FM.
Former Smackdown Women’s champion Liv Morgan returned to the ring last night at the Royal Rumble for her first match since July 17, 2023.
Morgan has been out with a shoulder injury she suffered after coming back from a similar injury two months prior. Her last match was her and Raquel Rodriguez losing the WWE Women’s Tag Team titles to Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville on an episode of Monday Night Raw. A week later, Morgan was taken out after Rhea Ripley attacked her.
Morgan entered at #30 in the women’s Royal Rumble match and had two eliminations to her name: Zoey Stark and Jade Cargill. She was in the final sequence with Cargill and Bayley where all three were on the apron and Morgan hit her Oblivion finisher to Cargill, eliminating her, with Bayley quickly pushing her out to win the match.
In mid last month, Morgan was arrested and faced three charges on marijuana possession, with the felony charge being dropped earlier this month.
WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque put over TNA and their Knockouts champion Jordynne Grace during the Royal Rumble press conference last night.
“Jordynne Grace coming here from TNA, their champion. I want to thank them for allowing her to be here and participate in the Royal Rumble. I thought she had a spectacular showing tonight,” Triple H said.
He said that she’s an amazing talent and it’s exciting to just be able to branch out.
“And I’m not gonna use all the cliched terms about what door people go through or anything like that because it’s stupid and silly,” he added, a clear shot at Tony Khan and his constant use of the forbidden door term.
“But partnerships and opportunities like this come along for some people once in a lifetime, but I’m glad she had that opportunity as it’s well deserved. She’s an incredible talent,” he continued.
On X, Grace hinted that it’s not over and that they’ll be able to do it again “soon” when Natalya replied saying that she can’t wait to wrestle her again.
Bayley and Cody Rhodes each punched a ticket to Philadelphia after both won their respective Royal Rumble matches last night at Tropicana Field.
Bayley set a new women’s record with 1 hour, 3 minutes, and 3 seconds on the clock after entering at #3. Bianca Belair had another solid outing with 47 minutes and 46 seconds after entering #10 and former WWE Women’s Tag Team champion Katana Chance was third with 25 minutes and 48 seconds after entering #9.
On the other end of that, Valhalla was the quickest elimination in the women’s Rumble with just five seconds and Tegan Nox was next with 1 minute 22 seconds and Indi Hartwell was third with 3 minutes and 23 seconds.
Hartwell was the first one eliminated in the match.
Nia Jax had the most eliminations with 8 this year, followed by the eventual winner Bayley at 7. Those with 2 eliminations included Kayden Carter, Jade Cargill, Liv Morgan, and the returning Naomi. 10 Superstars had one elimination each and these were Bianca Belair, Katana Chance, Becky Lynch, Asuka, Piper Niven, Zoey Stark, Shayna Baszler, Tiffany Stratton, Kairi Sane, and Tegan Nox.
Roxanne Perez and Tiffany Stratton entered the Rumble from NXT while Naomi was a surprise return, Jade Cargill had her long-awaited debut and TNA Knockouts champion Jordynne Grace was the true surprise entry.
In the men’s match, Jey Uso was this year’s iron man with 50 minutes and 55 seconds on the board before he was sent packing. He drew unlucky #1. Cody Rhodes, who won the match, was next with 43 minutes and 21 seconds after entering at #15 and Jimmy Uso, entering #2, was next with 34 minutes and 9 seconds.
JD McDonagh had the least time in the match with just 3 seconds, followed by Pat McAfee with 38 seconds after he decided to eliminate himself, and Bobby Lashley with 1 minute and 34 seconds.
Grayson Waller was the first one to be eliminated from the men’s Rumble.
In eliminations, Cody Rhodes and Bron Breakker topped the list with 4 eliminations each, followed by Gunther with 3, and then CM Punk, Drew McIntyre, and Bobby Lashley with 2 each. Jey Uso, Dominik Mysterio, Carmelo Hayes, Finn Balor, Bronson Reed, Damian Priest, Karrion Kross, Kofi Kingston, Sami Zayn, Omos, and Carlito all had 1 elimination each.
From NXT, Carmelo Hayes and Bron Breakker had their Rumble debuts, with Breakker impressing the crowd. Pat McAfee, who was doing commentary, was a surprise entrant but after seeing Omos and Breakker, he decided to eliminate himself. Andrade was the only surprise entrant in this year’s match.
No Hall of Famers or Legends were used in any of the two Royal Rumble matches this year.
Triple H chose to not answer any questions regarding the important development of Vince McMahon resigning from Chairman of TKO Group and the lawsuit during the post-Royal Rumble press conference.
Journalist Jon Alba was the first one to ask Triple H about it and the WWE Chief Content Officer replied saying that he’s going to say exactly what he expected him to do: not comment about it.
“I choose to focus on the positive. And yes, there’s a negative, but I want to focus on the positives and do that,” Triple H said after listing the things WWE did this week.
Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics also pushed for an answer asking if he read the lawsuit and Triple H said he did not and they found out about everything in real time as everyone else did and did not want to discuss it after a very successful week for the company.
Another journalist from The Ringer, Cameron Hawkins, asked what WWE is doing to protect its employees and to make sure that they feel safe. Triple H was short in his “generalized answer” and said “everything possible” because it’s very important to them.
Earlier on, Nick Hausman of Haus of Wrestling asked Cody Rhodes about the Vince accusations and Cody said that yes, it was a dark cloud and they read about the accusations when they came out for everyone else. Cody put over Nick Khan and TKO for acting immediately and the roster for looking out for each other.
Here are the results from the Royal Rumble 2024 premium live event which took place from the Tropicana Field in St Petersburg, Florida.
Bayley won the 30-woman over-the-top rope Royal Rumble match; Roman Reigns defeated AJ Styles, LA Knight, and Randy Orton in a fatal four-way match to retain the Undisputed WWE Universal title; Logan Paul defeated Kevin Owens to retain the United States title via disqualification; Cody Rhodes won the 30-man over-the-top rope Royal Rumble match.
Women’s Royal Rumble match order of entry: Natalya, Naomi, Bayley, Candice LeRae, Jordynne Grace, Indi Hartwell, Asuka, Ivy Nile, Katana Chance, Bianca Belair, Kairi Sane, Tegan Nox, Kayden Carter, Chelsea Green, Piper Niven, Xia Li, Zelina Vega, Maxxine Dupri, Nia Jax, Shotzi, Becky Lynch, Alba Fyre, Shayna Baszler, Valhalla, Michin, Zoey Stark, Roxanne Perez, Jade Cargill, Tiffany Stratton, and Liv Morgan.
Men’s Royal Rumble match order of entry: Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso, Grayson Waller, Andrade, Carmelo Hayes, Shinsuke Nakamura, Santos Escobar, Karrion Kross, Dominik Mysterio, Carlito, Bobby Lashley, Ludwig Kaiser, Austin Theory, Finn Balor, Cody Rhodes, Bronson Reed, Kofi Kingston, Gunther, Ivar, Bron Breakker, Omos, Pat McAfee, JD McDonagh, R-Truth, The Miz, Damien Priest, CM Punk, Ricochet, Drew McIntyre, and Sami Zayn.
Cody Rhodes did something that hasn’t been done in 26 years – win back-to-back Royal Rumble matches.
Cody, who came in at #15, was in the final four with Drew McIntyre, last year’s iron man Gunther, and CM Punk and ended up in a one-on-one against CM Punk as the last two in the ring.
After a pedigree by Punk, the Chicago native looked at the camera and said he didn’t wait 10 years to lose to Dusty’s kid and was about to hit another GTS but Cody blocked it and threw him over the top rope.
After pointing to the WrestleMania sign, Cody didn’t take long to let everyone know which championship he is going for, turning towards the suite occupied by Roman Reigns in the stand and pointing at Reigns.
Cody joins Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels, and Steve Austin as the only man to win back-to-back Royal Rumble matches.
Venue: Brookshire Grocery Arena, Bossier City, La.
Vince McMahon is scum. That poor woman.
*****
Right to Wild Thing as the BCC made their entrance through the crowd. Introducing something as from the ‘… Grocery Arena’ does not add to the event’s allure.
Mox & Claudio vs Lee Moriarty & Shane Taylor (Grudge Match)
Backstory: It’s supposedly a ‘grudge match’ (since the heels beat down Mox last night) because that gives it a ton of meaning right? It’ll no doubt now put a dent in Rumble viewership by means of eleven letters
A grudge so important the heels didn’t get an entrance…
Mox and Claudio went right for them, splitting into pairs as they brawled around ringside. Into the ring, Taylor worked over Moxley but missed a corner attack, tag to Claudio who fronted up to Taylor and took a right, hitting back via uppercut, things continuing in that vein.
Until a ripcord lariat out of the corner left Taylor down. Crowd behind the BCC as Moriarty stopped the swing. Mox took him outside and we were back to split brawling. Until Taylor attacked Moxley from behind, sending him to the steps then avoiding Claudio who crashed over the barricade into the front row.
Kelly had to call Rick Knox a ‘laissez faire referee’ since all four were outside for ages, just as I was wondering what the rules actually are. If you don’t tell us, they’re not important.
Moriarty began working the arm of Claudio inside, the Swiss flung rights to free himself, Mox still outside nursing an injured hand. Taylor came in and hit a legdrop for two. Claudio blocked a suplex, countering into one of his own. Crowd appreciated that strength.
Mox back – tag, shots and kicks to Moriarty, who tried a sunset flip, Mox rolled through just ending him via running knee, release suplex, corner lariat, ten punches, bite, Taylor distracted him to prevent a Gotch style and Moriarty kicked the injured hand.
But Mox’s buddy returned to sweep Taiga Style into the swing. Taylor returned to slug it out, they hit the ropes and collided several times until finally the Swiss smacked Taylor over the ropes. Then was dumped out by Moriarty who missed an enziguri on Mox, tried an O’Connor roll, Mox got the choke, Moriarty slipped out to hook a pin for two, Mox popped up with a cutter. Really nice couple of minutes. Fast and smooth.
Taylor got the tag, Claudio again saved Mox, holding Taylor for a Hart Attack, Moriarty took an anti-air, Mox stomped Taylor’s head in, wrists captured, into the choke, Taylor fought to his feet, threw himself down to crush Mox but the former champ held on anyway for the tap.
Really good last five minutes or so. Ended when it should’ve too. And of course they’re throwing around the term ‘Dream Match’ for Danielson/Nagata. Dream matches do not happen in the middle of the f***ing card.
Winner: Jon Moxley & Claudio Castagnoli
Lexy with the Undisputed Kingdom job squad (for ease, we’ll call them the Disputed Kingdom when Cole and Wardlow are not there) and Komander. Strong yelled Komander’s name cause he’s still a comedy geek and ‘sold’ the Mexican on being the champ until the ppv with their help by grabbing Komander’s hand and shaking it.
Orange Cassidy vs Komander (International Title)
Backstory: Komander last night won his first match since fending off the other sperm
Komander got zero reaction coming out. He’ll probably win the crowd over during the match because he usually does. The announcers speculated that Strong was scared of Cassidy.
This started with Orange working the arm down into a series of cradles and pinfalls, Komander rallied back with one of his own for two and the champ rolled outside for a breather. Back in, he went for the pockets, Komander blocked to light boos and continued the Lucha grappling, the pair attempting Gory Specials, neither quite able to hook it, the last of which saw Cassidy’s legs trapped but the arms crucially free as he got the pockets while upside down.
Back to their feet, Komander avoided the pockets routine – sweeping the leg, avoiding the dropkick; the kip up saw Cassidy cheered anyway. Then taken onto Komander’s shoulders before spinning out into a tejeiras. The Mexican avoided a dive then did a back handspring for no reason before blocking the tornado ddt. Cassidy settled for stundog then nailed the ddt.
Pad down, Punch coming, so too are the Disputed Kingdom.
Ads. No! You can’t do this! I simply must see what Roderick Strong and the Kingdom are planning!
Springboard cross body saw two for Komander. Who hit his own tornado ddt after hitting the ropes hard. Both slow to get up, Komander fired chops (Roderick Strong’s music briefly played on my broadcast), Cassidy hit a thrust kick then the new kicks in the corner. But ran into a boot, Komander hit a wonky destroyer from the middle buckle, lungblower, two.
The Disputed Kingdom were now sat on chairs on the ramp.
As Komander got two via frogsplash. Then tried a weird hold which just looked like he couldn’t hit a piledriver. Cassidy hit back with beach break, went to the top, Komander joined him, hit a pair of kicks before Orange walked along the middle rope very slowly, ostensibly his own ‘lazy’ version of Komander’s rope walk. Komander took him down via ‘rana, which looked very staged, Cassidy just waited for him.
Cassidy slid outside for a breather where the Kingdom were, Strong hit the apron to distract the ref but Komander refused the help and took out the Kingdom instead, leading to him taking a Punch back inside to lose. What. A. Dweeb.
Between that finish and the heels actually wanting to face him at the ppv, they couldn’t have made Komander less of a threat here. Strong briefly held Cassidy’s belt then dropped it in front of him, Cassidy helped Komander to his feet.
Winner: Orange Cassidy
Backstage, Daniel Garcia was down and bleeding as Matt Menard checked on him. Menard to sub and win the match??? Joking of course, we all know Garcia’s going to bravely come out anyway and win now don’t we.
*****
Toni Storm promo after Weds. She said Deonna had made things personal by attacking Luther and made a bunch of entendres about being ‘knuckle deep’ and ‘no pulling out now’.
She got mad at May for interrupting – ‘What is it woman?’ May asked if Storm would watch her match on Collision. Storm said it sounded great until being disgusted at where the event was being held because her horses died there or something.
Entertaining. Storm continues to find the right balance between entertaining and building matches.
Mariah May vs Lady Frost
Backstory: NONE
Don’t think putting May out there with the athletic but raw Frost will do her any favors. Nigel emphasized people being ‘mad about May’ so that might be a tagline.
May patted Frost’s head patronizingly, Frost ducked a right and was on top until pausing to preen and shout ‘ice cold’. And what happens to posing babyfaces? They get walloped.
Frost briefly got two via neckbreaker; May hit back via running shotgun.
Ads. Crowd quiet.
Back to Frost getting two after countering a powerbomb, May hit back via release German then posed and took one from Frost. Some assholes yelled ‘suplex city’. Of all the days…
Frost hit palm strikes and cartwheeled into the chiller driller (air raid crash). May hit back and went to the top for a shotgun but missed a corner attack and took a kick to the back of the head then a handspring cannonball.
May slumped, Frost to the top but very quickly cut off as May sought an avalanche German. Frost fought her off but May hooked her down into Mayday to win.
Some nice athletic sequences. Very short.
Nigel was standing and applauding. His job here seemed to be to fawn over May. The Brit posed for a bit then left. She has some nice mannerisms and fan interaction stuff.
Winner: Mariah May
Package for the dealer’s choice matches. Strickland asked what Hangman had left. He said he’s keeping it ‘in house’ for his choice – with someone who’s never lost in AEW – Toa Leona. Yawn.
At least there’s some logic to the choice but it’s not exciting. It’ll be tougher for Page to pick someone on that level because he’s not aligned with anybody. So they better have a damn good reason why he wouldn’t just pick Mox or somebody.
*****
Page response – he’s ready for Leona but Page will have to wait ‘the whole f’n show’ to find out who he’s picked. Continually using tv time on old guys to sell tickets is a surefire way to ensure younger talent never will.
Eddie Kingston vs Willie Mack (Eliminator/Proving Grounds (something of that ilk))
Backstory: NONE
Mack flew at Kingston with a boot and brainbuster for a near fall. This is not the time for Kingston’s usual formula of scraping a victory out of defeat. Mack hit a splash in the corner, standing moonsault, Kingston out at two.
A wobbly Kingston fought back with a snapmare, chops back and front, weak chops to the face. Nigel making fun of Bryan Danielson was the most interesting thing here – he castigated him for spitting on Kingston and imagined an internal dialogue.
Mack hit a senton splash and hit his own head. Some boos. Count of two. Kingston avoided another cannonball, so obviously that Schiavone noted ‘(Mack) really telegraphed it’, and hit a suplex for two. Mack elbowed free of a backdrop driver and landed a sit out powerbomb for another two.
They scrambled up into a chop fest, both blocked enziguris, Mack took him down and headed upstairs, Kingston got the knees up to block the six star and hit the Uriken. And actually won with it.
Like the brevity but if you’re going to do a squash have the winner do so with some impact.
Kingston was leaving up the ramp when Danielson came out to his music, ostensibly for his upcoming match but in reality just to mess with Eddie. He dismissively breezed past Kingston and wouldn’t even look at him. Kingston glared at him from the ramp then joined on comms and thanked an attendant for getting him a chair, a towel and some water. Judge people on how they treat those ‘below them’ folks.
Winner: Eddie Kingston
Bryan Danielson vs Yuji Nagata
Backstory: NONE
And of course Kingston is the best guy they could put out here to put over Nagata. He and Kelly really emphasizing how he’d kept New Japan afloat and set the stage for Tanahashi and co.
We started with a grapple, Nagata blocking a trip, targeting the arm, Danielson armdragged free, reset.
A wary Dragon circling, the crowd cheering both and chanting ‘yes!’ before they got back to it, Nagata swarming him in the corner, shots and stomps, Danielson returning fire with kicks to the gut out into a suplex for two, right into the armbar, Nagata blocked being flattened out then rolled to the ropes for the break.
Danielson rolled away and posed as Eddie talked about beating one of his demons in Mox and vowed that BD was not going to get into his head. Dueling chant: ‘let’s go Bryan/ let’s go Yuji’, test of strength, Danielson losing out, to his knees, rolling backward to release the pressure, Nagata right back to it – snapping the arm across the shoulder and continuing to work it.
As the ads arrived.
The work continuing as we returned until a low dropkick took the vet down. Danielson worked the leg in the ropes, running dropkick to it, leg lariat in the corner and a second dropkick to the knee. Eddie put over that Danielson ‘did his homework’ and knew Nagata had bad knees. As the Dragon began whacking the joint against the ringpost.
Repeatedly.
Until Nagata kicked him off, Danielson went upstairs, shotgun, cover, two. Into H&A, Nagata had been waiting and grabbed the arm he’d been working over and landed an exploder (Kingston was jealous of how good it was). Back to their feet, exchange of forearms and uppercuts, Nagata took him down into the Nagata Lock, dead center, Danielson countered by hooking the heel, Nagata released his hold then kicked free of Danielson’s, both down.
Dueling chant again as they got back to scrappin’. Nagata hit a knee to the gut, running boot in the corner, Danielson placed atop the buckle, Nagata seeking an exploder. Danielson headbutted him down, the vet wobbled but maintained his grip on the ropes, a second and a third headbutt had the same result.
Nagata fired up with strikes to the face, hit what Kelly called an avalanche exploder but looked like a plain ol’ superplex to me, Danielson out at two but slapped back into the Nagata Lock, the Dragon used his legs to get the ropes as Nigel called him a coward for finding a backdoor out. Kingston cackled.
Danielson blocked a suplex with a knee to the face then landed a dragon screw. Both down once more. Exchange of stiff yes! kicks to the chest, Kingston doing a great job putting both guys and the match over, Nagata blocked another but took a roundhouse, a second, on all fours now but not quite down as Danielson readied and hit the Busaiku for the win.
A little slow for my taste but psychologically sound, the crowd enjoyed it and Kingston added a lot on comms.
Danielson held Nagata’s arm aloft as Eddie talked about how fake he was.
Winner: Bryan Danielson
Lexy with FTR. They’re waiting for an update on Garcia but will fight two on three if they have to. Mark Briscoe entered to offer his services. Dax said it was ‘touch and go’ and they’d leave the decision to Garcia but they appreciated the offer.
Can we have Mark instead? Please? Someone likeable who doesn’t dance and has charisma.
Didn’t exactly sell the gravity of the situation.
*****
Renee with Bryan Cage for a promo. He said the FTW Title wouldn’t be a thing if it wasn’t for him. He said Hook was the size of his smaller leg. Hook rolled in to say he was waiting anytime Cage wanted some. Then said ‘Who better?’ and did a cut-throat gesture.
There are not enough ‘cool’ stars in AEW. But Hook’s one of them.
Serena Deeb vs Robyn Renegade
Backstory: Deeb’s first match in fifteen months
Deeb seems to be a face since she gave some of her stuff to fans in the front row. After a brief ‘welcome back’ chant the crowd got quiet. As Deeb completely outwrestled Renegade down into a crab. Renegade got the ropes. A fan yelled randomly yelled ‘I love you’.
Robyn slipped behind into a full nelson, Deeb slipped out via yoga (you read that right), blocked a slap, hit one back, ducked a lariat and landed a leaping one of her own. Body splash in the corner, boot up to block Renegade, kick to the face, neckbreaker against the middle rope.
As the announcers talked up how smooth Deeb is. She certainly is. Reminiscent of Swerve.
Deeb hit Detox as fans chanted ‘Deeb’ then swept through into the Serenity Lock for the immediate tap.
That, Mr Kingston, is how you do squashes.
She took a mic and asked ‘Did you miss me?’. The crowd cheered. She asked again, louder. They cheered louder. She said she’d been sat home wondering if, when and how she would come back. And now she has it feels ‘damn good’.
But one question was clear. The ‘why’. She’s back to elevate the division and become a champion. The crowd chanted ‘Deeb’ again. This isn’t just what she does, it’s who she is. She put everyone on notice that ‘the most elite wrestler is back’.
More Deeb, Deonna (and Mercedes?) – serious, talented wrestlers ready for tv.
Winner: Serena Deeb
We went to a package pushing four CMLL guys coming to Rampage. Missed the first, the others were Mistico, Mascara Dorada and Hechicero. Maybe finish your breakfast before you start on dinner Tony?
FTR & Daniel Garcia vs House of Black (Elimination Cage Match)
Backstory: Dax challenged the House to finish things here after they brawled last week
This is escape-the-cage rules.
FTR out first, by themselves. Mark Briscoe came out but had his entrance interrupted by the lights going out and the House attacking and throwing him off the stage.
The House beat FTR around ringside, chairs and stuff. Brody crushed Cash against the barricade with his running cross body. The other HOB catapulted Dax into the cage and were preparing a chair shot when Daniel Garcia came out to murmurs (it certainly wasn’t a big cheer; in his defence, they didn’t exactly build to it brilliantly, it felt premature). With a chair. And was immediately taken down and flung into the cage.
The HOB flung Dax in there too and began beating him one-on-three with Garcia slumped in the corner. He was taken out via Liger bomb, Garcia started to fight back as Cash entered the cage via cross body from the top.
Ads.
Back to all six fighting in pairs, Malakai blocked a Dax suplex, Dax ducked a kick and hit a rebounding Black with a spinebuster. Cash took a Bossman slam from Brody, Buddy belted Garcia with knees and kicks then he and Malakai flung the youngster into the cage then a Brody knee. Then took out Dax via triple team.
All the babyfaces down, HOB can leave the cage and win whenever they want.
Instead, they elected to climb, took their time and were pulled back down. FTR flung the non-Brody members into the cage then worked on him 3:1. FTR were going to leave through the door but Garcia convinced them to keep fighting. Is he going heel?
FTR hit a Shatter Machine to Black and crushed Brody against the cage, flinging his back/head into it several times. Buddy took them all out with rapid kicks, Garcia avoided a stomp to hit one of his own in a beautifully done sequence.
Dax avoided Malakai’s strikes to hit a brainbuster, all six down. The camerawork is better than Blood and Guts, much easier to keep up with the match. Dax tried to climb out now a couple minutes after electing not to just walk out the door. He and Brody crashed to the mat and the announcers wondered who did what to who. As did I. Just after I put over the camera guys too.
Dax sensibly now decided to just leave through the door and was speared by Brody who crashed out himself, they’re both eliminated.
Ads.
Garcia and Cash hit a powerplex to Malakai but Garcia took a Matthews meteora. Buddy sold the knee he hurt last week, limping to try to climb the cage. Cash caught him, they fought atop the ropes, Cash was crotched but caught Matthews and both fought hanging above ringside on the outside of the cage. Why wouldn’t you just drop? Well, Cash did, onto a conveniently located table. After his head was smashed against the steel.
Matthews too was knocked off, leaving Garcia and Malakai. The Dutchman hit kicks, Garcia landed a leaping lariat, both down. TiA from the crowd. Garcia decided to climb, Julia Hart climbed the buckle outside and sprayed him with mist. So lame.
Malakai prepared to leave through the door and was basically out when Garcia yelled to come and ‘finish me’. Malakai placed a chair down, Garcia ducked the End and hit a piledriver onto it. Garcia climbed up and over, Malakai was going to beat him out ‘cause he used the much easier door option, Mark Briscoe returned to slam the door on his head because every cage match ever must copy Freebirds/Von Erichs. And Garcia dropped out first to win.
Cowardly booking as usual. Even in escape-the-cage rules the losers were protected. This was supposed to ‘finish things’ but guessing that’s an excuse for one more match.
Might have mentioned this before – I’m an asshole. So most everything about the psychology here was off to me.
Firstly, the second there’s the option to just walk out a door, I have no idea why you’d climb. As noted, there was also the decision to not just leave through the door before Dax decided a mere couple minutes later that now was the time to leave by climbing over. Thirdly, why would a babyface try to exit by themselves and leave their comrades to wrestle at a disadvantage? Makes no sense. And then there’s the mist for no reason angle which is just overbooking 101.
Chris Jericho vs Kyle Fletcher (guess they figure the Vince news will take the heat off Jericho)
Thumbs Up/Down
This show certainly wasn’t horrible (as might seem the case from the ‘Down’ section), most of the wrestling was entertaining enough, there just wasn’t anything particularly good and the booking was cheap at best
The last five mins or so of the opener
Toni Storm segment was entertaining and continued building the title feud effectively
Danielson/Kingston is a nice subtle story about pride and respect
*****
Really hoping this was Tony getting his last kicks by throwing no-marks into ‘title matches’ and ‘eliminators’ before the rankings kick in
Almost every contest had a cheap hook to do the job the booking had not – grudge match, title match, eliminator match, dream match, return match, cage match
A piss poor job making the Garcia attack seem important – we went backstage once, there was little speculation, no-one wondered how FTR would manage 2-on-3, or who had carried out the attack or whether the match would even take place. There was zero drama. It’s as if AEW looked along a list of storyline headings and chose one without bothering to read how to carry it out and make it impactful, including in the way they had Garcia come out just a couple minutes into the match with no music
Appreciate you reading. Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
