Loss

I don't think they are putting Bryan in the title match, and it's funny that people think that might happen. But shouldn't Show-Reigns have been the main event match on this show considering their direction?

I don't really get the mixed messages behind putting their next big star in an opening match where he press slams Big Show and it's not even put over very much while putting the guy we are supposed to stop liking in a 22-minute main event where he decisively beats the guy people are tired of him facing to put that feud behind him.

The problem is that sometimes it takes lots and lots of pushing for the numbers to catch up. Steve Austin wasn't really a difference maker until 1998, even though it was clear long before that he was the guy.

I feel the need to post this yet again since it was reported in the WON once again. Summerslam 2013 did not draw a disappointing number. It was originally reported as 296,000 buys. They later revised the number to 332,000 buys, which Dave buried in the WWE section at some point last year. He never even discussed the ramifications of the bad decisions that came from the original low number. That number is still being used against Bryan when it was actually a good number. Initial projections were off, sadly. Compare it to HHH-Brock, which drew 350,000 buys and was considered a huge success. It's not a major difference.

Summerslam 2013 actually did not draw a disappointing buyrate. The initial numbers were disappointing but they were later revised.

Sheamus's card positioning is simply what they want the lid on Daniel Bryan's potential to be -- upper midcard mechanic. Fans want more, so they have to tell us how wrong we are until we get the message. He doesn't belong with the real stars, he belongs with the guys that we have been calling our future for a half-decade or more. Strange how that future never quite comes.

It all blew over so quickly that I'm not sure anyone had time to take sides, really.

Later in that show, of course, Nash got a concussion when Funk potatoed him.

Nash told everyone for years in WCW that one day he would go to the WWF and shoot on Rock by calling him a bitch. This got back to Rock when they were finally paired up in a segment in the WWF, so Rock beat him to the punch. Nash was pretty angry about it because he said it wasn't consistent with his character to not rush the ring and attack someone who said something like that. Then, they had a singles match on Smackdown later that week and Rock told Nash he'd let him get his three big moves in and asked him what they were. Nash took that as an insult and responded that since it was his first featured match in WWE, he would like to do all six of his moves. I think it all blew over quickly, but that's what happened.

I think the timing is suspect too, even though I doubt the cancellations were a major issue.

If WWE hitting 1 million subscribers means they can keep Brock, no way should he lose at Wrestlemania. He should have a total dynasty run until they find their next super duper megastar.

I got the same vibe from that promo. I think they are dumb enough to think they can turn Daniel Bryan heel. The mind boggles.

what match are you talking about? Bryan-Sheamus.

As a midcard match, they would be lucky to get ten minutes of bell time. Wrestlemania is not typically a great showcase for anyone outside of the main events.

They didn't see this coming because they thought Daniel Bryan was a fad and people would just move on. He's not over at the level he was last year right now, but first, he just came back and second, he's still more over than everyone else.

Will is joined by Dylan and Dave from the Wrestling Culture podcast, Johnny & Pete from Titans of Wrestling, and Kris Zellner to walkthrough the 2015 Royal Rumble. They discuss the four tag matches that opened the show and ponder if Cena/Lesnar/Rollins was a match of the year candidate. They also ask, was this the worst booked Rumble in history? Is this a show that looked good on paper but just failed in execution. All this and MUCH more! http://placetobenation.com/royal-rumble-2015-reaction-show/

It's really hard for me to see what they did tonight as anything but a deliberate attempt to devalue Daniel Bryan because the company does not want him to be as over as he is. They know how to book guys - look how they protected Reigns for so long, and look how they book Rusev. They just choose not to protect people they don't have pre-ordained for those spots. Whereas previous attempts to take Bryan down a notch ended up benefitting him in the long run, sadly, I don't see a way out of this one. I think they have finally succeeded. This post sounds angrier than I really am about it. I'm more stunned than anything. The kind of thing they did to Bryan tonight is the type of thing usually reserved for someone on their way out of the territory or headed to the competition.

It was also covered in the WON that they were having a real problem getting over new stars and that was contributing to their decline.

They went HD in late 2007, and I'm guessing that's when those go away.

Paul Heyman had one of the only genuinely funny moments last year that legit made me laugh out loud at the television. Heyman: "Knock, Knock." Crowd: "Who's there?" Heyman: "Mike." Crowd: "Mike Who?" Heyman: "Mike...lient Brock Lesnar conquered the undefeated... (etc.)" That was gold! I always thought they should have done a Heyman On The Street segment in whatever city they happened to be in where Heyman would harass passers by in a busy area to tell them that his client Brock Lesnar conquered the streak, maybe even with a megaphone, that they could tape earlier in the day and then air.

Next installment is up, covering January 25 - January 31: http://placetobenation.com/this-week-in-90s-wrestling-january-25th-31st-3/

I'm excited for you to see more minis because there's plenty more where this came from, including a few absolute classics. Enjoy the road ahead!

Looking forward to listening to this!

By a significant margin, even.

I think that might be possible, although I strongly suspect they already changed their Wrestlemania plans a few weeks ago. It's worth noting that Daniel Bryan's autobiography that was originally supposed to be released over summer is being pushed up to the week of Wrestlemania.