El-P

Jushin Liger. Because not only was he the top star of his division, but he was also the booker. Rock is probably the best instance of a top guy losing so much, but it was not his choice. Of course he could have "lost his smile" but who knows how that would have ended up, Austin basically shoot himself in the foot by (rightfully) refusing to do that job to Lesnar. The powerplay was much different in a context where the business was under a monopoly that during the territory days of the WWF/WCW rivalry, that has to be taken in consideration, you just can't compare things in a vacuum.

Honestly, I always thought it was an angle anyway. Jay White vs Ishii. I'm so there.

It absolutely does. As much like with the "pointing at sign", this is part of the WWE mentality (well, current ultra-capitalism) that puts the Brand above everything else (aka above every human being). The participants matter less than what they do inside the strict context of the Rumble. By dropping this ridiculous avalanche of useless stats, it makes everyone homogenized, from the guy with the most impressive records through the guys with the stupidest records. They are just passing through. The only constant which matters is the Rumble. The stars don't make the match, the match itself is a huge machinery of recycled tropes (some of which incredibly annoying like the "if you feet don't touch you're not eliminated" which was cute at first but has now long sunk into offensive dumbfuckery as showed by Naomi's spot this year, she was laid out flat on her back outside but yet not eliminated ? Da fuck) which produces stats assigned to seemingly random WWE peons. From Steve Austin to Bushwhacker Luke to Rey Mysterio, everybody is just a stat, what matters is The Rumble Brand, the workers are just interchangeable. Of course it's getting even worse when you're having these guys doing their hundred's Rumble in a row, and I thought this year was really telling in term of how dull the Men's Rumble was, including in its surprises (really, people, you were this happy to see fucking Carlito ? Can't wait for the Elias cameo in 2035, that is if he doesn't spend the next 15 years here to begin with). In the end it's why as much as I loved BeLair's win (and the ending stretch which was terrific), I did not care one bit for her post-match interview, because it was a little girl crying because she could Point@Sign. The Boyhood Dream is in full effect, but there's a totally patronizing way of making their current generation's people a bunch of fragile little beings whose only goal in life is to be in WWE (that's what Companies want, really, that your "life dream" is working for their Brand, whatever it may be) and go to Mania, not because they are the fucking Gods of Pro-wrestling and shit but because they want to go to Mania because they want to go to Mania because... There's a reason why WWE can't make new stars. Because they don't want too. The Stars of the promotion are named Mania and Rumble, these two big ones have swallowed every other event (the fact Rumble is pretty much the Door to Mania really means that Mania is the only star) and also swallowed every worker in the company. Of course, if done right, the Rumble can either make someone or validate the choice of the audience (in term of who is over and who do they want, which is something that has been destroyed during the "not Daniel Bryan" years) and the Women's Rumble this year was a good exemple of this. Although the match itself like I said really wasn't that great in term of inner workings, there was enough fresh and exciting workers in it to make up for it. But their ability to follow-up on anything these days in a non-dumbass fashion is really in question.

Come on it was obvious. The second Orton showed up it was way too much of a bullshit finish to be believable. Glad for Bianca BeLair. Sasha vs Carmella was really good. The rest was pretty much trash (the men's Rumble had a few cool spots but also Kane and a really stupid choice of a winner). 5am. Good night people.

Edge. They managed to get this guy back because they have no one else from the previous generation and no one else from his generation either. 50+ demo, here we come.

I was thinking the same thing. Probably because they do less cut when there is so much people in the ring, but now it's just epileptic city.

aCtINg

Are they piping a fake "This is awesome" chant ?

Braun in 2021 is like the Big Show by the late 00's, dated and tired already. No Fiend fuckery ? Color me disappointed !

Orton is coming back, right ?

You wanted Becky, you got Seth.... Yeah, the disappointment is huge, I know.

Everybody is over 40. It's the WWE.

Raymond Mysterio.

AJ Styles, well, you know the drill. But he REALLY was from TNA fame.

CHRISTIAN CAGE, YOU KNOW IT, OF MOTHERFUCKING TOTAL NONSTOP ACTION FAME !!!!!!!!!!

OF TNA FAME !!!!

Hurricane Helms as Bushwhacker Luke.

I'm sure he does. Not his fault. Lashley vs Big E is fun.

Bobby Lashley of TNA fame. You know he had those great matches over there.

Edge in the Bob Backlund spot. Orton backstage because he's a lazy old fuck. I'll say this : Dominic Mysterio is a dumb as fuck name. Rey Mysterio means King Mystery. It's not a name and a surname you imbeciles !

Ah ah. Hey, member when people said he was a surefire huge star. Yeah... lulz...

Ricochet eliminated by Kane. How awesome is that, uh ? Bryan gladly working with Kane. Don't ever talk about your politics again Bryan. You're a hypocrite. That was embarrassing for everyone involved. What's next ? Jackson Rykker ? Oh. I forgot Baron Corbin even existed.

I legit never heard of him before. I know I'm not representative and soon 45 years old, but still. I had no idea this guy even existed. You gotta be kidding me. Kane ? KANE ? KAAAAANE ? ANTI-MASK MAYOR FUCKING KANE ???? Is Donald Trump N°30 ?

Riddle should wear a big badge a la Rick Martel, only with "Yes, I'm a rapist" on it...

Bad Bunny lifting one of the most famous spot of AEW this year.