Five Takeaways from The Rumble

Five Takeaways From the Royal Rumble
     
by Corey Pontes



Well, we are about 72 hours past what can only be described at a divisive and controversial Royal Rumble.  I've allowed myself a few days to simmer down and reflect on the event.  I'll share some of my biggest takeaways, and as always please leave a comment below or tweet me @CTPontes if you agree, disagree, or think I am an idiot.


1) Seth Rollins is the Best in the World 

I'll start here with Mr. Rollins, because unfortunately I think his performance is being overshadowed by the Royal Rumble match itself.  Simply put, Rollins is the best wrestler in the world right now.  In the ring, there are few that can keep up with him.  Daniel Bryan previously held the best in the world championship belt, but his injury allowed Rollins to step up and take the strap.  Simply put, he stole the show in the WWE World Heavyweight Championship match.  From his flying elbow onto the announcer's table to his Phoenix Splash off the top rope onto Cena, Rollins proved to everyone that not only does he belong at the top of the card, but he's capable of registering all-time matches while he is there.
     Also, while we're here, both Cena and Lesnar were excellent in that match too.  Hate him or love him, when it comes to a main event match, John Cena always delivers.  You simply can not deny that.

2) WWE's Booking of Black Superstars Continues to be Atrocious

Where to even begin here?  First, we have The New Day, a bunch of shuckin' and jivin' black guys who come out to gospel music.  I mean, really WWE? How bad is it that it is an improvement to their black characters that they don't just come out to some generic rap music?  If this group is heading towards a heel turn, then fine, I'm willing to see what they can do.  But, if they are going to be stuck in WWE's black superstar netherworld of stereotypes and thinly-veiled racism, then I think that sucks.
     Next, we have R-Truth.  First of all, those jeans are a disgrace.  Really?  A black guy in spray painted jeans?  What black guy this side of 1998 has ever worn anything like that?  Even more ridiculous was his performance in the Rumble.  Bubba Ray makes his return, but D-Von was nowhere in sight. So what does WWE do? Take the closest black guy and make him do D-Von's moves.  How much of a joke is that?
   Lastly, the booking of Titus O'neil continues to be a let down.  If it weren't for the botch, there's a chance his Royal Rumble elimination would be in contention for the fastest in history.  Here's a guy with a great look, a legitimate athletic background and decent mic skills. But where has he been?  Is this really a guy that couldn't be pushed as a quasi-monster heel?  I think that he could be.  Don't worry though, Curtis Axel is getting his 15th reboot.  I know everyone is waiting with bated breath to see what McGillicudy (not even spell checking because that's how little I care about Axel) can do. Again.

3) Roman Reigns Winning the Rumble Made Sense...Before He Got Injured

Let me first say that I kind of feel bad for Roman Reigns.  Here's a guy just trying to do his job and doing what he is asked by his superiors.  It is not his fault that he is in the position that he is in.  The sad part is that, at least for me, Reigns winning the Rumble made total sense before he got injured.  When he did get injured, his momentum certainly was halted.  From there, it seemed like the WWE panicked.  They did not want there Next Big Thing to lose any steam.  My sources (random internet dirt sheets) tell me that in his absence, Reigns went to acting school to sharpen up his promos.  That has not worked at all.  His appearance at the Slammy Awards was awkward, his via satellite interviews were weird, and God only knows what the hell he was talking about when he said he used to climb bean stalks as a child.  His weirdest promo of all may have come this past Monday Night from Titan Tower, when he said he was nearly drowned as a child by his father in an effort to teach him how to persevere.
       The WWE started force feeding us Reigns when he returned from his injury.  It seemed like they were trying to make up for lost time from when he was injured.  I think that he is certainly a main event level talent, but at the moment he is not ready for the Wrestlemania spotlight.  Here's hoping that he can create a compelling feud with Brock Lesnar on the Road to Wrestlemania.  And how may he do that, you ask?

4) Roman Reigns Should be a Heel Going Into Wrestlemania*

 













Clearly, at least in the minds of the Philly fans (and all of the petulant children who cancelled their Network subscriptions) Roman Reigns is no fan favorite.  He was mercilessly booed after his victory, even as he stood tall next to his cousin, The Rock (more on this later).  Speaking of The Rock, he was another superstar with a great family lineage that was shoved down our throats.  "Die, Rocky, Die?" ring a bell?  So what did they do in that instance? They turned Rock heel.  I think they could do something similar with Reigns.
   Think about it: wouldn't a heel Reigns make sense?  Imagine how easy his promos could be: "I know a lot of you think I don't deserve to be in this spot.  Well I don't give a damn what you think.  I'm a second generation bluechip superstar.  I was born to be in the main event.  I'm already better than most of the guys in the back.  Keep crying about your indy darlings Ambrose and Bryan.  Guess what? what you do in some bingo hall doesn't mean jack.  This is the big leagues we're talking about.  Look what happens when you put those midgets on the big stage. They get hurt.  This ain't Sarasota High School anymore ladies, this is the WWE, and you all know that I'm the man around here now."  Or something like that.
    Plus, how easy would it be to turn Brock face?  He was already getting cheered after he pinned Rollins.  Mix in a double-cross by Heyman and we'd really be cooking.

*There is a negative 1,000 chance of this happening, but a guy can dream, right?


5) What the Hell Was The Rock Doing Out There?

No one loves The Rock more than me. Well, except than time he came off the set of Fast 6 to beat CM Punk for the WWE Championship. Didn't love him then.  Anyways, I will always be excited when The Rock shows up somewhere unannounced.  So why was Rocky tweeting out pictures of himself in Philly before the event? Did that make any sense to anyone?  Hearing "If Ya Smelll!!!!" rock (pun intended) the arena with no previous knowledge is always one of the best surprises in wrestling.  Why didn't he just keep it a secret?
   Then, for no reason, Rocky runs out and makes the save for Reigns.  I know they are family, but why did he do this? Why were Kane and Big Show in the final 4 of the Rumble anyways? How annoying was that?  The ending of the Rumble was a complete shit show that made no sense.  Sending Rock out there made even less sense.  If we are trying to make Reigns look strong, then why couldn't he have fought off those two fossils by himself?  It's cool to have a Rock appearance, but let's at least make sure it makes a semblance of sense before we trot him out there.



@CTPontes

The 2015 Royal Rumble Looms.. What Could Happen?

By @MichelleLee905

Daniel Bryan has made his triumphant return to WWE.

After being out of action since May, Bryan has announced that he will be participating is this year’s Royal Rumble match. For fans, he is the obvious favorite to win considering his circumstances.This news itself made me wonder, what are the best possible stories that could be told leading up to Wrestlemania 31?

Daniel Bryan winning the Royal Rumble is a classic tale of redemption. He is a fan made Superstar, and has always risen above any challenge placed in front of him. His storyline over the past couple of years with The Authority was entertaining, and a perfect example of a “Mighty Mouse” type of character.

After his neck injury, Bryan was forced to vacate his WWE World title, which is a perfect segway to putting him back in to the main event picture immediately. The only question is, is the top spot that he had at the time he was injured still feasible for him to have now? Is it realistic?

With great storylines attached to faces such as Dean Ambrose, Dolph Ziggler, and Ryback, it may be tough to squeeze Bryan into that top bracket at the moment.
One of my observations is that wrestling fans always want WWE to take a risk and give younger talent a chance to succeed at the main event level. They are tired of seeing what seems to be the same match-ups repeatedly. In that sense, Daniel Bryan winning the Rumble seems to be a repeat of last year’s WM30 main event, and that isn’t exactly what fans usually want.

With that being said, there is immense value in Daniel Bryan being in the main event scene. Let’s go ahead and say he does win the Rumble and is the main event of WM31. His possible competitors and the storylines that could go along with them would easily be able to continue the “Road to Redemption” feel of his return.

Bryan vs. Lesnar would be a tale of Mighty Mouse vs. Monster. Both have completely opposite in ring styles, characters, and the list goes on and on. This feud could also incorporate the storyline of The Authority always screwing Bryan over, with Lesnar being the Authority’s chosen monster. Many fans would also be elated to see Bryan, who was the top guy when he was injured, take the championship belt off of the seemingly never present Lesnar.Another plus is that it would be easy to transition and phase Lesnar out of WWE. The rumors of his contract being up after WM and him going back to UFC are very prevalent, and this would be an easy way to get rid of him so to speak. Lesnar would be so embarrassed having lost to a guy like Bryan, he would give up and walk out of the company all together.

Bryan vs. Cena would easily be a showing of two future legends. They are both at the top of the food chain in WWE, with Bryan sometimes exceeding Cena. With ongoing fan resentment towards Cena always prevalent, a battle with Bryan could be what finally knocks him off of the top of the mountain. Bryan, who seems to be the underdog in most matches/feuds, could become the new face of the company. This could be used to start phasing out the 37 year old Cena to a smaller on screen role. The biggest obstacle that would prevent this from happening is the fact that WWE seriously frowns upon pitting “babyface” characters against each other.

Bryan vs. Rollins, well, would essentially be a wrestling clinic. Both men are amazing mat technicians, have similar styles, move sets, and they are around the same size. The match itself would be a pleasure for any wrestling fan to watch, but they story that could be paired with it would be an even better treat. Rollins is The Authority’s golden boy, and given Bryan’s history with the Authority, this story could write itself with no issues. It could also elevate Rollins even farther up the ladder, and really establish him as monster heel, which seems to be the journey WWE is taking him on.
Now, let’s go ahead and address the obvious, Roman Reigns. He has been the favorite to win this year’s Rumble ever since his stellar showing last year, breaking Kane’s record with 12 eliminations. With the last two competitors left in that match being Batista and Reigns, fans desperately wanted Reigns to win, thus having a fresh, new face being propelled to the top. When Batista won, fans were outraged, and the rest of his short run in the company was tarnished.

Fast forward to now. The Shield is no more, and Reigns has been left to establish himself as a singles competitor. As we all know, that has been a major struggle. With lackluster mic skills that weren’t noticed previously during his time in The Shield, and limited in ring ability, fans have quickly realized that the Samoan powerhouse isn’t all that he was hyped up to be.

Adding to this downward spiral is the fact that he was missing in action for 3 months with a hernia injury. Other stars quickly filled the void in his absence, leaving him to become an afterthought. The momentum that his character had before he was injured just simply is no longer there. Reigns is also becoming a story of, “too fast, too soon”. Fans are upset that although he is majorly lacking in skills, and not improving in any aspect, he is being pushed to the top for no apparent reason.
Most recently, his feud with the Big Show has been a seemingly better fit for him. It has been engaging and is a great opportunity for them to tweak Reigns character until something works. Big Show isn’t quite a main eventer, yet he is still affiliated with The Authority, so everything ties in well to Reigns previous storylines.
The thought of Reigns having to do battle with Lesnar is a scary thought. Never mind Heyman annihilating him in promos, the in ring work would be awful. Reigns still depends on the other, more experienced person, to carry the match. Lesnar is barely a wrestler. His gimmick is to be a monster, a real fighter. Reigns gimmick is to be a superhero. The two simply don’t mesh.

Reigns vs. Cena would be two superheroes doing battle, which is appealing to the younger audience, but smart fans see no value in this story for the product or either competitor. Again, this would be near impossible given the fact that both are “babyface” characters.

Reigns vs. Rollins would be a safe bet. There is a level of trust and comfort between them in the ring. As a result, their matches against each other are very exciting to watch. Neither competitor looks bad or weak in this circumstance. Rollins has proven himself to be worthy of main event tier competitors and storylines, thus he can easily take a step down and make Reigns look strong. The question here is, would this knock Rollins character and momentum down to a lower level than he is capable of performing at? I think so.

Whether he is the favorite to win, the next face of the company, whatever the case may be, Reigns is just not ready. He is lacking in passion in my eyes, and fans can see right through that.
The improvement may be slowly coming along, but there is no way that he would be a believable championship contender at this stage in his career. Their best bet would be to book him in a program that elevates him, maybe something like being the first man to pin Rusev, but not to thrust him into a spot that he hasn’t earned yet.

Another person I could see in this picture is Dolph Ziggler. Similar to Bryan, he is a fan made superstar. Earlier in the year, when he wasn’t in any storyline of substance, fans even went as far to start a #PushZiggler movement on Twitter. His hard work, dedication, and passion for the business are evident in any match he is in, really in anything he does. Ziggler is arguably one of the best wrestlers in WWE today. He is charismatic, and turns up the drama in any match he is in with his over the top style of selling.

Most fans feel as if Ziggler made the Intercontinental Championship the most relevant belt in the company, considering the absence of the World Heavyweight Championship and the man who possesses it, Brock Lesnar. His storylines have been meaningful, his matches have been stellar, and he has quickly become one of the most popular superstars in WWE.

At Survivor Series, Ziggler was the last man standing on Team Cena. Sting came out and put Ziggler’s arm over Rollins, who was on Team Authority, for the win. John Cena, being the mega star that he is, was an afterthought when that match was over. Dolph Ziggler truly did what his tagline says he does, he stole the show. That’s pretty tough to do when standing in the ring with a legend that is making his long awaited WWE debut after countless years.

Ziggler losing the title on Raw to a returning Bad News Barrett made me wonder. Is he dropping the title so he could move up to the next level? It surely seems that way. After losing his title and being fired by The Authority on Raw, the level of sympathy he has garnered from fans is at an all time high.

How can one of the best, hardest working men in WWE be fired? I’d love to see this play out with Dolph coming back at the Rumble, and attacking Cena during the championship match. In my opinion, Ziggler does his best work as a heel. That could set up so many possibilities for a Cena vs. Ziggler program in the future.

If they don’t go that route, it could become too similar to the story of Daniel Bryan. Good guy, hard worker, fan made, etc. Authority tortures him ad nauseum until he finally overcomes the odds. Would fans welcome another underdog story? Or is that one of the basics formulas of professional wrestling? It would be interesting to see nonetheless.
I have very high hopes for this Royal Rumble. After the mess WWE found themselves in last year with Batista winning the Royal Rumble match, leading them to change the WM main event, I think that they, quite simply, want to get it right.

Reports being leaked this week say that the Royal Rumble winner has not been chosen yet. I believe this is because they just want to make fans happy, and tell the best possible story they can with whoever they choose. Whether they choose one of the men I’ve outlined above, or someone else, one thing is for sure, this will be an interesting and entertaining road to Wrestlemainia.

2014: A Year In Review- THANK YOU FANS

The date was January 26th, 2014. The night that started it all. Batista entered the Royal Rumble at #28, soon to be followed by Rey Mysterio at #30, but no Daniel Bryan in sight. The crowd at Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh was pissed, my party was pissed, i was pissed... For that matter, the ENTIRE WWE Universe was pissed. Batista went on to win the Royal Rumble, and that was the last straw. Everyone was so tired of the constant horrific booking of Daniel Bryan.

I texted Lee Morgan, as we were both equally furious. We decided that we had SO much to talk about, we needed a podcast to cover it all. Lee and I had only known each other via Twitter over the last couple years, through both wrestling talk and sports talk, but I figured, to stand out amongst other wrestling shows, I wanted to have a female co-host. Lee is arguably the most knowledgeable wrestling fan I know, so I was glad to have her aboard before she became THE QUEEN HEEL.

3 days later, After The Bell was born. We started as a small podcast, just about an hour long, and only posted to YouTube for you all to listen. 

In February, I invited Corey Pontes on as our first-ever guest, and the three of us just seemed to click instantly. Corey and I had known each other for years, and had been talking wrestling for a very long time, so it only seemed like a natural fit to have him on. 

In March, thanks to the help of good friend Jason Iapicco (@DoctaStooge), After The Bell was then available for download on iTunes, and Stitcher Radio.

On April 3rd, we had our first-ever WrestleMania Preview Roundtable, featuring Corey once again, Mike Riley from 98.5 The Sports Hub in Boston, Joe Guaragna, and Joel & Josue Pavon, from CausewayStreetBlog.com. The episode was a huge hit, and we got some great feedback.

At this point, After The Bell was really catching fire, and we ended up doing a WrestleMania Post Show, after the insanity that was WrestleMania 30. Our goal was to reach 200 Twitter followers by WrestleMania Sunday. (Remember that)

Later that month, on the April 23rd episode of ATB, we officially announced that Corey Pontes would be joining myself and Lee permanently. Corey brought a great dynamic with both his knowledge, and a comedic element, and I knew he was the right fit to help grow the show.

It's scary to think that just a couple months later in June, we would be ON A STAGE, in front of a packed Hurricane O'Reilly's in Boston, doing our podcast LIVE on ATBWrestling.com before WWE Money In The Bank at TD Garden. Mike Riley joined the show for the second time, and this was the first time we had talked with Mike Wendt of the Mike And Billy Show. I was able to build a small set for our table with 2 championship belts, and had a large logoed sign hanging behind us for the crowd to see.

That is the moment I truly realized that we actually had something here, and now just had to push the shit out of it on social media, on ATBWrestling.com, and through friends.

Thanks to the power of Twitter, we began growing fans at a rapid rate, and the conversation online DURING our live shows made doing them that much more fun. There's truly nothing like seeing tweets pop up on your computer of people all around the world commenting on what you're saying AS YOU'RE SAYING IT.

That brings us to SummerSlam season.

On our SummerSlam Preview Show, we introduced our fans to dear friends of the show, Jason and Liam of the New Age Insiders. Jason and Liam have been an integral part of our success, as via Twitter and our shows, we were able to turn fans of theirs, into fans of ours as well. With the cross-promotion they've given us, and vice a versa, I can never thank them enough.

Mike Wendt also joined us for this show, and the promotion on his end as well has been incredible. Since that SummerSlam Show, we've had the New Age Insiders on for every PPV prediction show, as our fans seem to enjoy the dynamic of all of us together. The conversation on Twitter during these shows, and especially during Monday Night RAW is mind-blowing, and it makes doing these shows truly worth every minute.

As I sit here on New Year's Eve in 2014 writing this, we have over 100 subscribers on iTunes, dozens of you tuning in LIVE for every show, over 100 Facebook likes, and most important of all, 1,450 followers on Twitter. If you had told me back on January 29th, when episode 1 was launched, that 11 months later, we'd actually have  a fan base, cool t-shirts, and around 1,500 people that actually care for what we have to say, I'd have told you that you're more crazy than Ultimate Warrior.

2014 was an amazing year for myself, Lee, and Corey, as we continue to watch the After The Bell Wrestling brand grow. We have some very cool plans in the works for 2015, so stay tuned!

I am giving you my heartfelt thanks. You guys are the best. Happy New Year.

-Bill Neville

ATB Survivor Series Predictions

Team Natalya vs. Team Paige

Divas SS Traditional Tag Team Match

Lee: It looks like Paige and Natalya are the headliners for this tag match; Paige as the "heel" captain and Natalya as "face" captain. As much as I like Natalya, her storyline with her hubby TJ should be explored more and creative should just turn Nattie heel sooner rather than later. 

Winner: Team Paige, because I can't go against my twin.

Bill: All I can say is, thank GOD Rosa Mendez is NOT in this match. We don't need any broken necks. Natalya's team is pretty stacked with good in-ring talent with Alicia Fox, Naomi, and Emma (finally). Team Paige however, has Cameron (ugh), Summer Rae (meh) and Layla (ok). However, the best talents don't always win Divas matches. I'd love to see it come down to Paige and Natalya in a submission war and start a rivalry from here, FINALLY ditching the AJ "frenemy" storyline. I do see Team Paige coming out on top here.

Winner: Team Paige

Corey: Not exactly excited for this, but if it will likely create a new feud for Paige, and she is one of my favorites at the moment.

WINNERS: Alicia Fox & Co.

Goldust/Stardust (c) vs. Miz/Mizdow vs. Los Matadores vs. The Usos
WWE Tag Team Championship Match

Lee: Let's be honest, who really cares who wins this? The Ascension needs to be called up, various others from the tag division in NXT need to be called up. The tag division for the main roster has been lack-luster for months now, some could argue for years... So have the Dust Bro's retain and have the Uso's go back on the back burner so others have a shot at the titles.

Winner: Stardust and Goldust.

Bill: I love the fact that there are four tag teams in this match for the titles. I hate the fact that these are the only four tag teams in WWE right now. We've seen Goldust/Stardust vs. The Usos a million times, so don't expect to see much of that other than a few high spots. Los Matadores winning this match would be like an NFC West team (check the standings) winning the Super Bowl right now. Creative cannot ignore how over Damien Mizdow is, so let's have them win the titles here, and around the corner, have Mizdow turn on Miz, maybe even as early as Monday Night RAW. 

Winner: The Miz and Damien Mizdow

Corey: A match we've seen before in some capacity, although Mizdow always makes me laugh and has been on fire these past few weeks. I could see Miz and Mizdow winning, although they don't need the belts right now as they are one of the most enjoyable segments of the show. Some have predicted this would be a good time to make a debut for The Ascension. I don't quite see it in those guys yet. I see The Dust Brothers retaining.

WINNERS: Gold & Star Dust

AJ Lee (c) vs. Nikki Bella

WWE Divas Championship Match

Lee: This could go one of two ways. The first way it could go is that Brie costs Nikki the title, the second would be Brie helps Nikki win the title and in a week her "maid" duties are over and they can have Bella vs. Bella for the divas championship. But where does that leave AJ if she loses the title? Some rumors have her leaving the WWE after SS, we'll just have to see.

Winner: Nikki Bella.

Bill: WWE clearly wants The Bella's rivalry front and center. They went so far as to plug Stephanie McMahon into that rivalry for a bit. AJ is great, and I do love her in-ring ability and character, but the eventual Bella vs. Bella match is inevitable, especially after Brie's month of service is up, which has got to be soon. I see Brie somehow helping Nikki win the title here, and then when time is up, take her on for the Divas Championship.

Winner: Nikki Bella


Corey: I think Brie is the clear X-Factor here. She's getting involved in some capacity, but on who's side? Brie v. AJ could be interesting.

WINNER: Nikki Bella

Dean Ambrose vs. Bray Wyatt

Lee: This feud seemed like a great idea until creative decided to sow us that they can screw up everything the fans want. Sure they dived into Deans troublesome "past" but they didn't really sell this for me as a legit feud. They could have really driven it home but Dean hasn't been in a match on RAW or SmackDown in two weeks and Bray was only in one match against Sin Cara. Sin. Cara... this doesn't help things.

Winner: Dean Ambrose, just because he needs a win and needs to feud with the main roster again.

Bill: I really dislike the "hey lets talk about all the bad stuff that's happened to you in the past" storyline, much like I did when Chris Jericho was trying to force Phil Brooks to drink because Dad was an alcoholic. The conclusion of Hell In A Cell got me very excited, because the thought of Dean Ambrose (Crazy) and Bray Wyatt (Super Crazy, not the Mexican wrestler) battling via promos made me feel tingly all over. Their in-ring ability was just the cherry on top. However, why have these two had little to no ring action leading up to this. With two crazies leading up to this match, why aren't they full-on brawling on the go-home RAW? Not sure who needs the win more, Ambrose (who hasn't really had a real match in a while) or Wyatt (who creative destroyed but then brought back HOT after a couple months.)

Winner: Dean Ambrose

Corey: Even though the build up hasn't got me as excited as I thought it would, this should still be a great match. If you asked me 6 months ago, I would have Wyatt winning hands down. The top of the WWE main event scene has shifted, however, and Ambrose finds himself as the top face behind the ever-present Cena. Coming off the loss in Hell in a Cell due to Wyatt's interference, it's Ambrose's time to get even.

WINNER: Ambrose

Team Cena vs. Team Authority 

Traditional SS Tag Team Match

Lee: It was announced on Smackdown that if Team Cena loses, all of team Cena will be fired. HA! Yeah okay, like that's going to happen. But then again, this is the WWE. So who do I want fired more? I want Vince McMahon back in power and the only way that can happen is if his daughter and Son-in-law are fired. So will we see Vinny Mac Sunday night? Not likely, let's wait until Monday Night Raw because let's face it, the Raw after PPVs is always more entertaining than the actual PPV. But where is Roman? Could we possibly see him Sunday night or a surprise return Monday on RAW?

Winner: Team Cena, Buh-bye Authority.

Bill: Two words. GENETIC. JACKHAMMER. The Authority storyline is lame now. Hey let's have a tyrant boss who just decides outcomes of matches because that's what he feels like doing. There MUST be a Vince McMahon appearance at around 10:45 Sunday night. Not to tell Triple H and Stephanie that they're fired, because we all know that's not the case, but to STRRRRRIP them of their power. I would love to see a GM search story go on for a couple weeks with hilarious backstage pre-tapes of the interview processes. However, I'm hoping the GM ends up being either Mick Foley, or Ric Flair (PLEASE NO HOGAN.) We all know John Cena's not going to be fired for the billionth time, all the kids will cry and have nightmares for weeks! Triple H might be back in action around Rumble time to get ready for a possible match with The Rock, and Steph supposedly has a bun in the oven. Hopefully Rollins will finally stray from this story and feud with Orton when he gets back, and eventually with the WWE World Heavyweight Champion, whoever that may be down the road. Everyone in this match needs to branch out into their own storyline, and maybe we could finally have a 3-hour RAW without lame "Guest Star" segments. Yeah, I'm talking about you Nene Leakes, Todd Chrisley, Grumpy Cat, and Larry the Cable Guy.

Winner: Team Cena

Corey: With the stipulation added that all of Team Cena will get fired if they lose, it would be hard to imagine Cena and the boys taking the loss here. I'm expecting a great performance from Rollins and a strong showing from Rusev. As always, Cena will step up and have a strong performance in a big spot. In the end, Team Cena gets the win and Team Authority is disbanded. How long will that actually last, though?

WINNERS: Team Cena

2015 Royal Rumble.. A Dream Scenario by Bill Neville

The date is Saturday, January 24^th, 2015. I’ve just completed my daily routine of EAT, SLEEP, ATB, REPEAT. Myself, Lee and Corey are all packed and ready to head to the City of Brotherly Love (not Brother Love for you wrestling smarks) for Royal Rumble 2015. After a reasonable 5.5 hour drive, we finally arrive in Philly. We do a meet and greet with THE DOZENS (and dozens) of ATB fans, record our first out-of-state podcast, and the rest of Saturday is history.

Fast forward to about 10:40pm, Sunday night.

The Wells Fargo Center crowd has been on fire the entire night, seen everyone they wanted to return and then some.. except for one. The fans are getting restless waiting to see who will be only the second 40^th entrant in history.

39 other superstars have made their way to the ring over the past hour or so, and only two remain (who? I’m not THAT good..) The final two superstars are doing battle in the corner. Superstar A picks up Superstar B onto his shoulder intending to toss him over the top, but Superstar B reverses it, grabs the top rope.

See the video below if you can’t picture what I’m talking about. (Fast-forward to 1:11)

Except THIS time, both Superstar A and Superstar B go sailing over the top, feet on the floor, and both men have been “accidentally” eliminated. The Wells Fargo Center is stunned! What’s going to happen now? Will Vince come steamrolling to the ring again and tear his quad trying to restart the match? 

The crowd then realizes that the match isn’t over, as the :10 clock appears on the screen. Each second ticking off sounds like a million people counting in unison.

3…….2…….1…….. EHHHHHHHHHHHH.

BAH GAWD it’s Daniel Bryan! Daniel Bryan is back! The YES chants are so loud that it’s literally shaking the arena. Daniel climbs the steps, climbs to the top turnbuckle and continues the YES chant. Daniel looks across to referee Mike Chioda, smiles, shrugs his shoulders in an “I guess that’s it” fashion, hops in the ring, and Chioda calls for the bell.

The winner of the 2015 Royal Rumble and the NEWWWW #1 contender for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 31, DAAAAANIEL BRRYYYYAN!

With all the recent rumors about Daniel not being able to compete at the Royal Rumble, this scenario covers a lot of bases. Not only does Daniel become the #1 contender, but the only match he’s actually booked for is the World Title match at WrestleMania, and it will stay that way.

Daniel can also start making a living again because his funds are dried up (uhhh sorry Total Divas.)

This would absolutely be the ideal way to have Daniel Bryan return to the company, and delivering RAW the consistent star power it has been missing so badly, but not in a competing role until he’s 100% healthy.

What are your thoughts on this scenario? Tweet me at @ATBWrestling or at @Bill_Neville