Matt D

The Mickie/Trish stuff was great too. They packed a ton into that Women's rumble.

Another nitpick/missed opportunity: Alexa tripping Naomi off the chair as she passed by to eliminate her would have been so much better than Nia catching her and tossing her out.

I would have rather Asuka fought off both Bellas as opposed to having Nikki eliminate Brie. Especially so soon after the really great Natalya turn on a crying Beth.

Is this really true? I thought the final six felt special (both the young vs old and then shifting to Cena/Reigns vs Nak/Balor) which is pretty much half the battle. The Corbin stuff was good. The Slater stuff was good. One very fun surprise and one great return. Cole completely didn't matter. Almas had a good showing, I guess. The Kofi stuff was ok but went on a bit much with him hopping on one foot. The match felt like it was missing a hoss/giant. The women's match felt a lot more special/memorable to me.

I loved how the Women's Rumble felt like some sort of weird celebration of the last twenty years with all the ups and downs including the Bellas as final bosses for the Revolution. Rousey came off as charming actually, and I'm naturally inclined against her.

Kelly gets a K for effort. Sorry Stace.

Molly coming out with the Mighty Molly styled walk and then just killing everyone was tremendous.

Where's Torrie's little dog? Or at least David Flair? Logan feels like a really good base for this thing so far.

Shouldn't Dana be working the new character somehow? (also, how awesome was Hojo getting her moment?)

Lita's astoundingly blown up. Sasha has to be in heaven though.

This is fun.

I just thought Braun eliminated Brock by tossing him over the top. I think I'm still an hour ago here.

Rey vs Finn seems like a very natural Mania match. Watch them do Finn vs Kane instead.

I can't imagine being in the crowd at this point, for this match. I'm burned out just sitting here.

I'm just caught up. Some of the face-offs there with the final six felt like such a huge deal. Good for them. I will say that there were a ton of mechanical bits that felt off for the whole thing really. Stuff like Big E putting himself on the apron with Jinder or Ziggler and Nak struggling to get in the right spot or sure, Cena talking to Reigns openly during the double 619. But there was just a ton of that up and down. I noticed it way more than usual, maybe because the camera seemed to be playing catch up the whole time.

I eat crow about being wrong about the women not going last

The good thing about the Rumble vs Mania is that next to none of you will be at the show so we can be our own support group.

Unless its to set up a Mania feud against an interfering Hunter or something.

I'll rescramble things on Tuesday. In the meantime, if anyone needs to jump out or just take a week off, let me know. I'll try to get the new people in and at least make a minor attempt to make sure people have new match-ups, but like I said, I'll be doing that less and less as I go on.

*I also reserve the right to go back on what I said after a second watch because I was posting after mid-night with an unhappy baby in my arms. I'll revisit soon. There were a few things that stood out at the time though. Almas is an Ingobernable too which isn't 100% the same.

Could you elaborate on this, what is the difference? I'll bs my way through it, but not tonight. Too late here. Tomorrow or Monday.

I'm not 100% sold on the main yet (I just need to digest it. I just finished it), but I do think what made it work so well were three things: 1.) The counter stuff/athleticism felt next level at times, and so many things were built up and paid off. 2.) But it was always grounded in the characters and who they were. Even when it got a tiny bit too dancey or slightly too pop-uppy, it was always Gargano as the arch-babyface and Almas wrestling like a rudo (which isn't necessarily the same thing as a heel). The roles mattered and they drove the match. 3.) They gave it both highs and lows. They had time to make things breathe and to build and build and build and payoff. If there's a four, it's Gargano's quasi-concussed dead-eyed facial sell.It's almost uncomfortable to watch him sell, and that's just artistry. He can take that to the bank.

That I would take you up on. It might be 20 women with 30 second intervals next year, but they cant go back on it so soon.

Maybe if they get Oprah to put up her hair and Reigns and Brock both get eaten by Sharks.

Yes. Maybe it could main event Extreme Rules. Maybe. Its like you guys dont know this company at all. Shane vs Hunter is way more likely to main event the show.