WWE Royal Rumble 2024 Review - Who's Going to Wrestlemania?

[@coleslade]

Something I loved was, not only was Jordynne Grace in the Rumble, not only did she have some great spots, but commentary really made sure to put her over and make her feel like a legit champion. She wasn't just there as a one off guest star who was going to get dumped out in record time. They gave her some great exposure which I thought was top notch.

[@kittenpuke8918]

Not to mention it required her taking a finisher on the apron from a top star like Bianca to get her out!

[@mattthomas1442]

Yeah when Cole said she was the TNA World Champion and either Corey or Pat responded with "TNA World Champion you say?" I was expecting them to follow with some smartass comment like "What's TNA?" or "Jeez that doesn't say much" or something of that regard but instead they said "TNA World Champion you say? Well it looks like TNA has themselves a hell of a champion(or some superlative like that)" Was definitely nice to see.

[@mspacely6521]

She looked like a star imo

[@craigisapunk]

Yeah I actually liked Cole, Graves and Pat's dynamic where Pat basically admitting he hasn't been around and isn't fully up to date on what's going on in wrestling and Cole and Graves kind of explaining it. When Jordynne came out Graves basically said "Pat, if you're unfamiliar, this woman is a beast!" really was a fun and creative way for them to put her over to those unfamiliar

[@TheRealAdaWong]

I agree, the very same with Cargil. Michael Cole was very clear to announce she is the most sought after free agent. This. Is. Big. WWE not only are trying to spotlight the women’s wrestling industry, they are trying to make it very clear that WWE is opening new doors for wrestlers and talent exchanges.

[@kenterminateddq5311]

I agree with Zane on 4:26 . WWE showing the run times of three superstars who lasted the longest in the Rumble match is a good idea. It reminds me of a racing event on TV and it shows who are the top 3 athletes in the lead.

[@chikovida10]

I like it, but idk I also feel like spoil's the winner a little

[@OccasionalNASCARRaces]

​@@chikovida10Yeah, it telegraphed it way too much. Case in point, towards the end showing how long Gunther had been in but not Dominik who had come in even before Cody

[@UndertakerNeverDies]

Ever since last year when length of time in the rumble became such a big thing in both rumble matches that WWE took the time to point it out like with Rhea and with Gunther even though he wasn’t the overall winner I been very interested to pay attention to that accomplishment this year. Like how Jey was this years Iron Man of the rumble match and Bayley being both the Iron Woman and winner of the rumble match. From now on that’s gonna be an accomplishment I want to acknowledge of who are the iron men and iron women in the rumble matches.

[@chrissegura1246]

I marked out for it immediately

[@Phyrre56]

Except they didn't show the Top 3 who had been in there the longest, they showed the Top 3 Relevant Characters which made it really obvious in both rumbles that someone from the graphic was going to be the winner.

[@Dragnix]

So your comment on the crowd, I was there ,and let me try to explain some things: 1) There were technical issues all through the night. There were times that the screen didn't show anything, and it didn't help that 2) A lot of people were pissed in a lot of different ways. The floor seating was a nightmare. A lot of views were shit:, and it didn't help that security/WWE staff did NOTHING to stop people from standing on chairs, or doing anything to keep people who were causing issues. People were just all over the stadium at that point, trying being able to see ANYTHING, and well, it was bad. I will admit, it was the worst "stadium" experience I've had when it comes to staff/seating/etc. 3) Tropicana Field is a bad stadium when it comes to acoustics in the overall ballpark. Part of it is the stadium design: The slanted roof that's done to protect against hurricanes also means that acoustics can be a problem. ESPECIALLY when on the field and you have multiple sources of audio. Hell, even when the Rays were bringing in crowds, they still piped in audio for cheering. Hope that explains some things.

[@blade9871]

Floridian here, Tropicana Field is indeed terrible.

[@juliooquendo220]

Should have been in an arena where the TB lightning play or Raymond James stadium

[@hitmangfx7162]

I think they've talked about tearing down Tropicana Field from the day it went up. I've never had any desire to go there for any type of event.

[@Dragnix]

@@juliooquendo220 they had one of their Royal rumble shops at Raymond James this year, and I bet you they would have really considered it if Gasperilla (pirate themed event) wasn't going on in Tampa the same weekend, on top of the NFL playoffs (as technically it could have been possible the bucs could be hosting a playoff game during that weekend). Regardless, both arenas would have been a lot better of a choice

[@Dragnix]

@@dank9300 don't get me wrong: international events are definitely more up beat and have a lot more passionate fans in any one PPV. Granted, ive only been to a couple of WWE events, and a good amount of them have been when I lived in Chicago, and there's never been an issue with crowds there. But I don't think that's the case here. Going to the event, people were definitely excited, you could hear the "Wooos" and LA Knights "Yeah" chants echoing all around the stadium event before the event, and if you were in the actual baseball seats area (not the seats on the ground), you definitely heard the crowd going (just getting up and walking around and hearing things while we were watching). They definitely should never have another event at Tropicana though, that much is clear.

[@davidthorson2036]

This was arguably the best Womens Rumble but R-Truth really should have won.

[@charlottecorday8494]

You're right, but it's so sad this snooze fest was the best.

[@ramiking745]

This crowd was one of the weakest I've heard for a PPV in quite a while. I felt somewhat similar for Survivor Series, but this one was way more noticeable. I hope the fellas in Philly don't disappoint for the next US-based PPV.

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

Keep in mind that Tropicana Field is one of the Worst Baseball stadiums in the country. So I blame the venue instead of the audience

[@ramiking745]

@@lancethefilmguy9392 I can see that if I knew anything about baseball and the venue, but the crowds were so silent during many sequences that it was noticeable and distracting. There have been other similar or worse venue setups that had better crowds than those in Tampa.

[@purpleperc1012]

Survivor series was just boring though and the fans were just not interested. You can tell because of how they reacted when punk returned, It was like they finally saw something that they wanted to see.

[@Vinnyp1020]

We won’t disappoint

[@lizardjr.7826]

Philie fans only know how to be rowdy and chaotic.

[@Hains22]

The Woman’s rumble was superior. I marked out hard for Jordynne Grace. I’m gonna miss Naomi in TNA, that was the best run of her career.

[@wildercerrate7295]

Tbh my friend and I as returning fans (we watched as kids in like 2000’s era) we weren’t expecting much from the women’s rumble but man they blew the show out of the water! Jade cargills already a certified star in my eyes

[@Hains22]

@@wildercerrate7295bro, the woman’s rumble had 4 great spots/moments. They stole the show for the 2nd straight PPV.

[@jays447]

Lol there were so many botches in that match

[@joehooker7522]

​@@jays44790% were Naomi, natayla and maxxine

[@kylefields3951]

@@Hains22 I thought the beginning was very subpar, but the ladies really went all out after the start and it was electric until the very end. Nasty showing from the women this year at The Rumble 🔥🔥🔥

[@YubelMalevolent]

Xia Li coming out with a sword made me wonder, if both feet have to touch the floor, do they have to still be attached

[@bdo333]

asking the real questions here

[@iceblaster1252]

No DQs in a rumble, after all…

[@newgame897]

BASED

[@bobbydrake2486]

Man what!! Lol 😂😂 hilarious!

[@sameoldsameold9239]

The recent newlegacyinc Rumblethon taught me it is possible to be eliminated after being cut in half. Also RIP knock off McDickie Sting.

[@Skreezilla]

Graves saying Cena was R-Truths Childhood hero in that hot tag was the best thing ever.

[@andrewdunn5568]

Graves also saying Dom dyed his cowskin boots in a prison toilet with Pruno and making Cole and Pat crack up was also a great line

[@mattm7798]

Haha right since IIRC Truth was NWA champ while Cena was still in OVW

[@mattm7798]

Also did you catch Cole saying there has never been 2 winners of the Royal Rumble...I was almost yelling at my TV "Bret Hart and Lex Luger 1994!"

[@SenatorPartySocks]

@@mattm7798Cena and Batista as well

[@Skreezilla]

oh god i am glad i am not the only dork to yell that at the TV! :p @@mattm7798

[@dustindavis3406]

The best part was Cody saying right back, "I'm not Dusty's kid anymore!" as he threw him out.

[@purpleperc1012]

That was Pat McAfee that said that lol

[@purpleperc1012]

The actual best part was CM punk breaking out a perfectly executed pedigree. We haven’t seen a pedigree that good since Triple H was in his prime. It also lead to a brilliant promo, the best mid match promo we’ve ever seen in our lifetime, basically set the stage for Cody’s road to WM and simultaneously created a new storyline for himself.

[@mattm7798]

Hmmm, totally missed that.

[@tomthesportsnerd1892]

Cody cena wins

[@James.chalmers]

That was the commentator

[@RevLink]

As a TNA fan from the first episode of Impact, I was thrilled to see Jordynne appear, and loved hearing Cole actually say TNA's name and put them over. I know they've done it once before, but it was still awesome. TNA has been doing collabs with Japanese and Mexican promotions the last couple of years. It would be insane to see them do a show with WWE, even if it was just NXT. But if I had the book, I would not be able to help myself from booking AJ Styles vs. Chris Sabin one more time!

[@nathanakers45]

I was curious about the crowd mixing too. It was eerily silent for long streches of the men's match, even deep into the final 4.

[@Jessica_Roth]

There were parts where the commentary went oddly quiet at an entry (no "Sami Zane IS BAAAAAAACK!!!" screams when #30 was a ’surprise return") and all I could think is that they were waiting for pops that didn't come. (As a Major Miz Mark, I first became concerned when he didn't get much of a response, but it wasn't only him, it turned out Very odd, considering that Becky Lynch DID get her standard "The house goes electric as everybody stands for The Man" reaction earlier. Did Becks getting largely disrespected [took a LOT of punishment, got no revenge on Nia , and her only elimination was finishing off Chelsea] kill the crowd, and the Eternal Boredom that is The Dud Line bury it for good? That conforms to my biases, but seems too simple an answer.)

[@purpleperc1012]

@@IAmTurboman I disagree during the broadcast it sounded really quiet, but when you look at clips you can’t hear the crowd singing cult of personality. I think the broadcast just wanted to push Pat McAfee and Michael Cole on commentary. They were acting like the stars of the show.

[@JPD2587]

Tropicana Field is notoriously bad for baseball as well. Maybe it’s just that it’s always gonna have a weak atmosphere.

[@mattthomas1442]

This doesn't really defend the quiet ending but I think a big reason it was so quiet for most of the match was because basically everybody assumed that it was either going to be Punk or Rhodes to win with an outside shot of maybe Drew. So basically everybody else was just filler in their eyes so it's hard to get too invested or care about elimination teases. Its almost like in the fans eyes they were just ready for it to get to the Cody/Punk finish like most people expected. That is in contrast to the women's rumble where any number of superstars could've won. Plus they did do a better job of ordering the women, they had a legit contender(s) in their at all time where as the men's stacked most of their big stars at the end.

[@mano_lamancha4716]

I didn't realize Sami Zayn was even out. He wrestled like 2 months ago.

[@ThemeParkCrazy]

Honestly, the people taking their frustration out on Cody for the Men's Rumble being disappointing is misguided. Even blaming Triple H is misguided (though he didn't help with his response to the Vince question). Sure, the Men's Rumble was underwhelming, but it was a number of factors: 1. Brock Lesnar being pulled last-minute (for good reason), forcing them to remove a good portion of the match where he likely would have interacted with Cody and Gunther 2. CM Punk's ring rust hindering his performance 3. WWE being unable to get many surprise appearances, and deciding to focus more on their roster. Less surprises meant less crowd reactions. 4. The gravity of the Vince McMahon news still hovering over the fans and performers 5. The crowd's high expectations draining their energy when they weren't lived up to. Crowd energy (or lack thereof) is contagious 6. The rumors of Rock vs. Roman, leading fans to boo CM Punk because they want Cody to finish his story All of these naturally led to a Rumble that was seen as "mid" by fans, which I agree with. But it wasn't due to backstage politics or solely bad booking; just an unfortunate set of circumstances. That said, it was great to see the women shine, and it was a symbolic victory after the departure of Vince.

[@ITalk69]

I love watching a PPV and then wondering, what does Brian think? Always love your perspectives on everything wrestling. Long time viewer 🙂

[@JoeChillton]

Thank you for saying PPV and not PLEs. Hate that term

[@Conventionalone]

I was literally thinking the same thing as I was watching through, Brian is so consistent to the point where if I need a second opinion on ppvs etc I'll swing by and watch the legend

[@BabysitterSky]

​@@JoeChilltonit's literally not a pay per view anymore. Things change. Learn to deal with things.

[@mrlaidback83]

​@@JoeChillton Same. I'm always gonna call them ppvs no matter what

[@Kamau1865]

Brian's presentation and analysis are easily the best; humorous, human, logical and accurate. Other wrestling content creators are good, but it's a shame because there are so many that it fracturs Brian's audience, and he doesn't get the million plus views his videos clearly deserve. I also commend him for saying what he things about Vince and other controversial topics. I couldn't watch anyone who minimises or apologizes for that horrendous behaviour that Vince and Co seem to have participated in. I believe that like me, Brian is the Father of daughters, and I can't stand men who abuse their power to mistreat women.

[@thomasschroeder7313]

The crowd in my living room had been day-drinking so by the time the event was underway, they were shouting and screaming at every bump and spot.

[@thomashooper2451]

If you're going to have a heel champion who cheats to win, at least mix it up a bit. Low blow, eye rake, dirty pin, chair shot. So many other options. This is Solo run-in number 47 at this point, right?

[@martyhogsed5172]

It was a no dq match. Meaning all them examples wouldn’t of mattered. That’s why solo didn’t get ejected

[@MySicknezz]

@@martyhogsed5172 I think that's his point, make him act like a heel by doing dirty moves, especially in a No DQ match, you know? he goes for the dirsty while the others try to win clean, but the "getting help to get the win" thing has been overused at this point

[@isaacwillbanks3723]

This is a great point. I think it would really help Roman if he could fuck the baby face on his own, rather than it always being a run in. Flair was able to get a quick one in all the time, and I don’t see why Roman can’t.

[@martyhogsed5172]

@@MySicknezz it’s been 40 years “on the main stage” since Vince jr took over. All them finishers are played out too. Need something else

[@djpegao]

It's such a stark contrast to both Rhea and Gunther who win clean on most of their defenses and use the occasional heel dirty tactics and outside help instead of Roman whose matches have become so formulaic that all that changes is the PPV/PLE background and motif.

[@Billy-ot8mk]

I enjoyed the show and the mention of TNA by name was cool. Jade scooping up Nia like a bag of ice from the gas station was awesome too.

[@hppvitor]

Finally a reviewer gives enough emphasis to Jordynne showing up. Other mainstream wrestling KZbinrs just talked about it as a passing note when we're seeing the original forbidden door being finally opened, to me that was the biggest event of last night.

[@mikeduncan3953]

I've watched a few reviews and every single one of them put her over big. WrestleTalk went on about her for like 15 minutes.

[@JamesGordon-d8s]

​@@mikeduncan3953the great one didn't he kinda skimmed over it

[@LeftIsRightCD]

@@JamesGordon-d8sWell then he’s not so great, is he? Lol

[@paradigmshift7907]

Micky James did the same thing last year

[@hppvitor]

@@paradigmshift7907 1-It was in 2022 2-Wasn't nearly the same thing: commentary barely mentioned Impact, the graphic called the belt "women's championship" instead of Knockouts, and the fact was barely talked about on social media 3-Mickie has a very long history in WWE, while Jordynne doesn't, so she was 100% a TNA rep 4-for some reason every single one of you who bring this stupid argument can't spell Mickie correctly

[@wstine79]

I'm glad Brian Zane is still doing the WWE PLE reviews.

[@claymathewselevator8121]

Same

[@rogerstraun818]

HELL YEAH!

[@jpowers55]

When did he ever stop?

[@bennwardhaugh3013]

@@jpowers55 Watch his Vince is gone video and that'll explain this OP. He basically said that because of these allegations he wasn't sure about watching WWE from now on. Personally I thought that was very much a "Close the barn door after the Horse has bolted" type of reaction and it proved to be right. If you were watching and making videos whilst he was there, then why the hell would you stop once he gets usurped?

[@3DBrawlChannel]

​​@@bennwardhaugh3013 Ha, yeah right. Like there was any chance he'd skip one of WWE's big four PPVs. Sounds like Zane was just going riding the outrage wave a bit.

[@TakerKaneanite619]

A great touch from GUNTHER, whereas every single champion who brought their belts out ended up dropping them on the ramp, GUNTHER showed his title respect and placed it in the hands of one of the referees.

[@jaybee5315]

That thumbnail was perfect. This rumble was indeed Dynamite, putting Punk and Cody last was an epic Collision between two Elite superstars.

[@mdtisthebest6249]

……I don’t get it

[@mikeduncan3953]

Rampage!! And I'm pretty sure it is spelled Collison.

[@judeelaman1902]

​@@mdtisthebest6249do you seriously not?

[@Rommas.]

Punk definitely needed more warm up matches. He couldn't blow out a candle after like 5 minutes in the ring and looked so sloppily worn out during the final Cody exchange. And you're right about the crowd, I'm going to Elimination Chamber so I hope the atmosphere isn't THAT bad.

[@ramiking745]

@@bhumibolrushing7830 I think it's because it was more obvious seeing how gassed Punk was here than say his last match with Samoa Joe at Wembley. It has been nearly half a year since then, so in some ways some of us should of seen this coming but I understand those that didn't expect to see a very groggy Punk.

[@richborn6700]

You'd expect the *Real Worlds Champion* would spend more time on the stair master building that cardio

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

Blame the venue not the audience

[@claymathewselevator8121]

Rey Mysterio son eliminated Rick Steiner’s son

[@G0NI25]

and... they ruined it, THEY FUCKING RUINED IT!

[@nlrproductions8106]

A heel Punk vs. Babyface Rollin would be interesting for mania. Rollins is a good foul for a heel punk I can see some great promos in the future for both Rollins vs Punk and Cody vs Roman.

[@mikeduncan3953]

With Rollins injured I don't think he will be having a match with Punk at Mania. It will most likely be Gunther beating Rollins for the belt in a (safe) squash so that Seth doesn't have to do a lot and they can get the belt off of him so he can take the time off to heal properly.

[@mattm7798]

True. Rollins has had a good un but oh my gosh his voice is beyond grating. Time for someone else to hold that title and a hell Punk with maybe some allusions to Paul Heyman returning to his side, causing friction between him and Roman.

[@TheGreatLKHS]

Thank you for the Young Bucks production image 👏👏👏👏 I always wonder what silly image will be used to these reviews, and that YB graphic did not disappoint.

[@cameroncorbin6952]

Thank you for mentioning Punk's shape. Thought I was going crazy how nobody else was acknowledging it.

[@ranii7895]

Everyone is 😭

[@wtbeecher]

Dude, Corey Graves said "LOOK at Punk he is in the best shape of his career" Last night on commentary. I'm like Uhhhhhh, whut!? 🤣

[@Conventionalone]

Yeah Punk looked kinda rough in this match, I could understand maybe if he was just off with no ring time in 10 years but bearing in mind he was in aew within the last year and has apparently been doing some house shows with WWE, it's kinda like when the rock came back earlier this year, triple h needs to start looking forward not in the rear view

[@mano_lamancha4716]

As someone who didn't watch during the CM Punk era, I was asking all night why anyone popped for this guy.

[@MySicknezz]

@@wtbeecher YES I was like, am I misremembering somthing? ´casue...

[@Falcnuts]

His Drew impression is incredible. Terry Funk tier

[@wdogg40]

The crowd was absolutely dead and to be honest it was infectious for the Men's Rumble. I had a hard time getting into it. I think it will be fairly forgettable. The Women's match was more entertaining but I think most people knew Bailey was due to win.

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

You sure it wasn't the stadium?

[@G33kCulture]

I was there, the only time the crowd died down was during the KO/Logan match. The acoustics of that building are just terrible.

[@wdogg40]

@@G33kCulture That's good to know. It played quiet on TV for sure.

[@thisshitsmoothh8894]

@@G33kCultureright, crowd was loud for the title match weren’t they ? Roman and knight got some biggg pops

[@TheRealAdaWong]

To me the overall message received was: power to the performers. Top names like Punk, Cargil, Mickie James, Jordynne Grace and Naomi are truly being perceived as their own agents. Gone are the days of gatekeeping, burying and shaming wrestlers for choosing other prospects and companies. The 2020’s have truly showed that wrestling isn’t trying to be a cutthroat business anymore. Doors are open between companies, wrestlers’ careers are being valued more, and WWE is finally playing nice. Even with Ronda going to ROH, that is odd choice for such an international celebrity to choose to work with a smaller company than choosing another profession or company. We are most likely if not already in a new era of talent exchange and industry cooperation. Companies like WWE, AEW, and TNA are absolutely approving and even vetting for their stars to work with other companies if it means getting the industry over again and hopefully back into mainstream.

[@michaelanderson6394]

I noticed you managing to sneak in an image of your KZbin channel on the smaller computer monitor. Nice touch there, Wregret team! 😄

[@radicard5193]

4:00 The "both feet need to touch the ground" rule made me think: What if Zach Gowen was in the Rumble? Would he be immune from elimination? Would he be eliminated if his sole foot touches the ground? Can he throw away his prosthetic to stop his own elimination?

[@p.d.l7023]

Loophole!

[@Obscusion2]

If WWE & TNA were to ever actually hold a proper crossover event (I mean, WWE has the "Worlds Collide" event name in waiting, and nothing's currently scheduled for June), then I'd absolutely love to see Jordynne Grace & Bianca Belair go at it in a proper match, since that KOD on the apron elimination pretty much makes for an instant reason for them to fight.

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

That would be a legitimate Worlds Collide 😂

[@mrdude88]

One thing that both company share is calling their PPV, Premium Live Events.

[@SammyNail]

Im hoping with Hunter at the Helm of creative now (or from what i understand he is) and RAW/WWE going to Netflix by this time next year. I'm really hoping this means we will see strong crossovers with other promotions. The one I highly doubt we'd see is AEW but that'd be so sick if it happened. Really bring "The World" part of WWE to life.

[@Sansri16761]

Jack Perry must feel really proud watching the final two in the rumble 😂

[@rickyrosay33977]

Perry: CM Punk may have been the runner up but I use REAL GLASS

[@claymathewselevator8121]

Cry me a river

[@bargaintuesday812]

Turns out the real glass was Punk's body.

[@_Pauper_]

@@bargaintuesday812😆🤭😏😆

[@joshb1137]

Cody wins!!!! Who's going to Wrestlemania? ... uhhh The Rock!! 🤯

[@heyyoitsmebrian]

yea that video title really hits now... WWE Royal Rumble 2024 Review - Who's Going to Wrestlemania? can cody finish his story? will cm punk get his WM main event dream?? NEITHER!!!

[@rmaree10]

Mat and Nick Jackson looking on like, Damn WWE's production is amazing 😂😂

[@jetman80pops]

While I like Cultholic and What Culture review of PLE my favorite is W3. Love the content Brian keep it up. I'm pretty sure executive #1 is Johnny Ace.

[@KillFriskey]

My wife just looked at me weird because I was busy cackling at your Drew McIntyre impression. Great work. XD

[@PhilLeotardosGhost]

Cole is a nimrod. He said "We've never had 2 winners in a rumble!" Ummm, 1994. Bret Hart & Luger.

[@Genolocs]

That unnecessarily pissed me off so much. I couldn't believe he said that. And didn't correct it lol.

[@thethedeanshow]

Don't think Cole worked there there tho

[@PhilLeotardosGhost]

@@thethedeanshow not at the time, no. But he should still know the history.

[@SpeakerguyYake]

RE: the quiet crowd, I was there last night Brian and I can't say that MY section was quiet, necessarily. We had some great pops throughout the night, though none bigger than Jade Cargill. I'm excited to sit down with the wife and watch it back on TV to see the differences. Even watching your review, seeing how amazing some of the entrance gears were up closer since I didn't get a good look at them makes me excited. I didn't notice any lack of excitement in the overall crowd as someone who was there, but it's definitely tougher to tell in those huge baseball stadiums vs the basketball ones they usually run in. Also I think the women's rumble was better overall, despite the sloppiness in the middle section. Probably helps the sloppiness is hard to highlight when you're there vs watching on TV. Loved the "time tracker" as well! Excellent as always. WWE is firing on all cylinders right now.

[@rhedosaurus2251]

Considering how it came out that Lesner was supposed to work with Dirty Dom, I can't help but wonder if he would have given Rhea Ripley an F5. In any case, Bron Breakker was an excellent backup choice. I just wish he'd lasted longer.

[@horgh_japan]

Bron will always be one of those guys that SHOULD be big but the WWE are likely really skittish about his dad and uncle. But then, they had Hogan, a guy who's been in and out with the company for his own controversy, introducing the show.

[@CM-jc7gk]

​@@horgh_japan Bron's been treated like a megastar-in-waiting in NXT, it's very obvious WWE has big main event things projected for Bron & Carmelo.

[@rhedosaurus2251]

@@CM-jc7gk I think that with Brock out of the picture, it will be Bron vs. Gunther for the IC title with Bron winning.

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

​@@horgh_japanSkittish? In what way

[@horgh_japan]

@@lancethefilmguy9392 Rick's transphobic tirade and Scott's history. Heck, the two have been known to do some pretty insane hazing backstage which border on the illegal (if stories are true). Neither were big enough stars to get the Uso/Hogan treatment. The WWE may worry that Bron COULD turn out like his father and uncle. And in this new corporate environment (and with the McMahon scandal), territory-era bullshit doesn't fly... unless you're a really big star.

[@ChrisManley1994]

“This Rumble was DYNAMITE!” Well played Brian 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@lewsmith9708]

I can't say for certain what's going to happen at WrestleMania this year, but I think it's interesting to note ( _warning: run-on sentence ahead_ ): the three previous men who won back-to-back Royal Rumbles (i.e. Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels, and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin), after winning their first Rumble match, would ultimately go on to lose their title match at Mania (or in Austin's case, not have a title match at all), but, after winning their next Rumble match, they would then go on to win their title match at Mania. Granted, Hogan was already champion in his first Rumble match, and the Rumbles in which he participated did not have the main-event stipulation as the Rumbles since 1993 onward. Still, it's just an interesting tidbit of info

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

I never put that together until you mentioned it. Very good observation my man ✌️

[@comixproviderftw_02]

WWE and TNA working together is the REAL Forbidden Door

[@burnthetrolls5971]

Maybe we can get more of this later on

[@squallrino6387]

People have memories like goldfish.......they let Mickie James come out when she was TNA Champ.

[@aliuniversal4100]

​@@burnthetrolls5971 yeah dude lol its totally gonna happen this time

[@comixproviderftw_02]

@@squallrino6387 That may be true, but Mickie James was already well known in WWE. I’m talking in terms of bringing in a TNA original while still working in TNA.

[@luchadorjones5256]

@comixproviderftw_02 Wow, I can’t believe you just used that silly and stupid term.

[@myntmarsellus241]

Part of why the women's was so good was that the first section of it was all building up and developing already existing tag team feuds. There was a lot of story in that women's match that helped modulate some of the sloppiness. The men's had some great stuff and managed the Brock/Bron thing pretty well (though dom eliminating him isn't quite as funny with Bron). I have a feeling both Punk not being in shape and Seth's injury were the big factors in Cody's win. Also possible that Rock was supposed to be in it (Pat's Jim Carey routine felt really weird and rushed and maybe a late addition) but decided against it after being right next to Vince a few days ago? Basically the Cody decision was good and felt actually unpredictable to me right until it happened, but I'm wondering if part of that is that this was a fairly recent decision given a bunch of recent events.

[@AzureKite]

They didn't even give Pat MacAffee a heads up for the entrance, he was genuinely surprised and had to improvise. And I was really disappointed that The Rock didn't show up, so I wonder if the rock was supposed to appear and decided last minute not to, so they threw Pat to the wolves and went with Cody. The way the last few entrants were quickly eliminated was odd too, Sami Zayn did basically nothing before going out.

[@frankf684]

Cause your all simps and are desperate for women’s wrestling to not just be a piss break.

[@rmaree10]

I also loved the timers on the corner of the screen ...they need to also add a elimination counter

[@claymathewselevator8121]

Same

[@_wonderwall_]

It is reported that Mickie James, while being the IMPACT Wrestling KO champion, wasn't under contract with them, basically working on a handshake. Jordynne is the first actual contractualized TNA KO Champion to work in WWE, which is amazing!

[@JoKiR90]

That 4 way was easily the worst match of the night for me. And I thought Punk was gonna win the Rumble too. That or Rock was gonna show up and win. That’s why I don’t understand the whole “Cody winning was so predictable” thing that I keep seeing. Punk winning would’ve been predictable considering everyone thought he was gonna win. The men’s Rumble was the least predictable match of the night imo. People have been saying for months that Bayley was winning the women’s rumble and everyone knew Roman and Logan were winning their matches. I honestly couldn’t believe Cody won but I’m extremely happy that he did. Also, that was definitely an awful crowd. Thank you for the unbiased review man!! Those aren’t easy to find 😂

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

Tropicana Field is known for being a bad stadium 🏟

[@williamerazo3921]

@@lancethefilmguy9392Tampa the worst fans to even show up for playoff baseball

[@mikeduncan3953]

Just because you didn't think that Cody was going to win doesn't cancel out the large percentage of people who thought he would.

[@brianbenoit6883]

I heard one or two other people say they thought Punk too but here's the thing, generally you have to pay some dues (and be in ring shape) before they give you a main event at WrestleMania. You can't just walk in after a 10 year absence and only having had like 2 matches, each one resulting in injuries, and be given the brass ring.

[@LibraSnakeLibraSnake1018]

I think the main events for the next 2 Manias have had the groundwork laid for them already: Mania XL: Rollins vs. Punk Night 1, Roman vs. Cody Night 2 Mania XLI: Cody vs. Punk Night 1, Roman vs. Rock Night 2

[@WillyM79]

I love the sad emoji faces you put on the Bucks when you got to Jade LMAO

[@mewgiah8057]

What more could HHH have said? Surely he’s not legally allowed to make any comments on the current Vince situation right? Not to mention he’s married to Stephanie so Vince is technically family. That’s got to be awkward. I actually think his comment is the only thing he could have said at this point. Even if it’s not satisfying.

[@banditodestiny]

I couldnt make it to the show itself but i WAS at a bar literally next door and could see the stadium right there! Even walked to the merch truck and got heckled by some annoying protesters yelling about how wrestling fans are going to hell 😂 crazy night

[@wtbeecher]

LOL Whut? That's a new one. Sooooo y'all going to hell to huh? Welcome to the club!

[@martyhogsed5172]

Wait you couldn’t make the show but could make it to the bar across the street? Lol

[@Unethical_Ethical_HackTips]

Yea that didn't happen lol

[@toniindjov2485]

What a match the women's rumble was! Easily match of the night, awesome surprises, awesome spots, R-Truth doing his thing, Jade Cargill is a huge star in the making, great booking of Nia Jax, a cool final 3 and Bayley winning! Awesome way to start the show!

[@garretindall2820]

The fans online were pissing me off. It was a Good night at the Rumble, it wasn't really the bad

[@garretindall2820]

That* bad

[@Dovah21]

Turns out Punk tore his tricep at some point before the final four moments of the match. So he was wrestling injured for a long stretch of it, still doing suplexes and going for the GTS. That must have been hell.

[@maniacx1626]

I think people are giving Triple H too much crap for his response compared to Tony Kahn given it's an ONGOING lawsuit. People keep comparing it to Kahn talking about Jericho, but Jericho's was at the accusation stage, while Vince's is actual in legal action. I don't think it was asking a hardball question, because any journalist should know in this type of ongoing legal thing that they wouldn't be able to get an actual answer.

[@joshawott331]

I agree with the crowd. There was times on the hard camera you could see them all standing up but it sounded pretty dead.

[@houseoftoad292]

So pertaining to the crowd. I was there last night and the crowd was very lively but what people didn’t see at home was that multiple times throughout the night the screens didn’t show the action in the ring or even some of the entry numbers. There was a few times when there were people Chanting “fix the screen” . So I think the amount of technical issues got to people a bit the longer the night went on.

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

That makes sense.

[@houseoftoad292]

@@lancethefilmguy9392 yeah maybe some mixing issues too but watching it back compared to being there it was definitely loud at the stadium.

[@MAD81589]

R-Truth is a damn National Treasure

[@ChrisDeRoin]

16:12 Brian's Drew Schwarzenegger impression is tremendous.

[@Thechezbailey]

Chelsea Green and Piper Niven were glorious

[@Bucbucbang]

Heel punk is what wwe needs and fans deserve

[@GrimBiggyBenny]

I was there for the rumble, and it was really loud in person (Could be just my section). With it being in a baseball stadium, they were A LOT of empty areas with no seats that they could have easily fit another thousand people or so. So, I think it was just a mixture of audio mixing possibly and a large area that was not used for seating. Another great review!

[@eljefe6161]

Both companies gotta stop these post show scrums

[@adamoftheshadows]

R Truth deserves to be a World Heavyweight Champion!! Hear me out... R-Truth wins Elimination Chamber faces Seth Rollins at Wrestlemania and wins after Judgement Day interference. Rollins chases off Judgement Day with chair. Then faces new champ Truth. They shake hands. Seth departs. Imagine a huge crowd reaction of " You Deserve It"!!! Then Rhea commands Judgement Day to beat down Truth only to immediately be cashed in on by Damian Priest. Priest leaves as champ. Alternate versions of Wrestlemania title match 3 Way Rollins vs RTruth vs Finn Balor Same scenario otherwise. 3 Way Rollins vs RTruth vs Sami Zayn Rollins back goes out half way. Truth still wins. 3 Way Rollins vs RTruth vs Drew McIntyre At some point heel Drew injures Seth to be unable to continue. Somehow underdog Truth pulls off the upset as Rollins valiantly trying to get back in the ring. Seth saves Truth from Drew's attack with a chair the raises his hand. My point is R Truth's name will be in the history books as a World Heavyweight Champion. Almost brings a tear to my eye. So wrestling fans if you like this share this and who knows what might happen if enough people want it. #wweuniverse #RTruth #wrestlemania40 #SethRollins #TripleH #judgementdaywwe

[@LuigiFan64]

I also had thought the crowd was quiet and was thinking maybe the Vince news put the crowd in a mood? They sounded fine during the Women's Rumble though.

[@reallyoldgreg]

Rico Chet and “your ass is mine, I’m Drew McIntyre” made me laugh so Fucking hard.

[@evanrichter3893]

Punks in ring work in aew was great imo. So I still have high hopes that he can get back in shape.

[@rileyk5228]

The faces on the Bucks when Jade appears. Genius

[@benrushing5564]

I thought the same thing about Punk. Can he get himself in ring shape? I'm not sure he can work a long, dramatic match right now. Guess he has a few months to make sure he's in shape.

[@CHICANO1975]

No, you weren't the only one, Brian. The crowd sounded dead watching on Peacock too. It was so dead sounding at times that it took away from a lot of the pop the event could've had.

[@redbigun]

It's great to hear WWE not bury Naomi like they did when she left. Clearly, that was a Vince thing.

[@ShadowWolfe]

I really hope that WWE are more open to having cross-brand stuff with the men. It's great that Grace was there - especially with her not having any WWE history - but I'm confused as to why they're not doing that with the Men? There's so much potential here!! You've also skipped over Randy probably injuring his shoulder again on the mat slam before he RKO'd AJ off the ropes. This is far fetched, but I wonder if they had Cody win because they might actually let him win at Mania? That way it not only gets more sales for the game, but the champion is your cover star for said game. I didn't hear about how the Press Conference went, that's a yikes if he actually didn't read the lawsuit. I figured they knew because they had HHH do the whole "Are You Ready" thing at the start of the show. I didn't think they'd answer those questions in the Press Conference. I didn't even think they'd be asked, I thought they were screened!

[@jerryramey1849]

It's interesting to see Jordan Grace enter the Rumble. HHH has shown that he is willing to work with other companies like HHH sending Nakamura to Pro Wrestling Noah. TNA's Scott D'Amore has been in the business since 1993 with Border City Wrestling as the company's booker and seems very easy to work with. So there's probably a peer-to-peer respect with HHH and D'Amore I love how open to acknowledging other promotions HHH is. Feels like a long overdue breath of fresh air.

[@Neethan3247]

I honestly don't think Triple H has anything to do with what you've mentioned. Also, best not to get too attached as he could get the boot soon.

[@jerryramey1849]

@@Neethan3247 You're right. HHH could be removed but I have a feeling that as long as HHH's booking and storylines draws fans thus money and attendance, HHH will stay in place.

[@lb2.0.45]

Overall I enjoyed this rumble ple I too think that the women's rumble was superior to the men's. I loved the surprises in the women's rumble match and if Jordynne Grace appearing in it is an indication of some sort of working relationship between WWE and TNA then I'd be very interested to seeing how that would play out.

[@FUNKAF1ED]

Loved seeing Jordynne Grace, recognized as TNA talent, recognized as their champion, AND with the belt. That's something Vince never would have done. The healing is beginning already.

[@paradigmshift7907]

Dude Mickie James did the exact same thing last year lol

[@yellowsnowman9157]

The reason the crowd sounded soft was this event was in a baseball ballpark. It's far too large and impersonal for a wrestling event. Ring was setup in the infield which is too far away from fans. Sound isn't going to travel from right field to the ring. Bad venue choice. Can't do big wrestling events in ballparks. A hockey/basketball arena is far more suitable.

[@ImpendingDisaster26]

Honestly no answer HHH could have gave would’ve satisfied you, are you expecting him sit down to read pages of legal writing when he has people that do that? Props to the media for asking the questions, didn’t think they would. He did better than Dana White does when asked about touchy subjects

[@necie4466]

I was there. We were loud. We can tell you when Bayley won, the noise in the building made my head throb. Tropicana field is just horrible.

[@Winchesterfilmmaker]

The commentary team mentioning TNA was a weird moment for me cause now im thinking about what the relationship will be like for both companies in the near future. Like is HHH going to buy TNA or will it be like the AEW and NJPW relationship.

[@majortom331]

I hope they don't buy them.

[@666chaox666]

I don't watch WWE anymore so the only reason I'm watching this is because of Jordynne Grace and Naomi/Trinity being in the Rumble. I heard about it on Reddit a few days ago and I was blown away that this could happen, for the same reasons you had! They even called her the Knockouts champion instead of the Women's champion like they did with Mickie James. Super happy for Jordynne!

[@Nitendofan5]

Yeah I think it was a weird mixing problem because there are moments that a bunch of people are cheering and stuff but its super quiet, a bunch of people have mentioned this you aren't alone Brian :D

[@Piemanthe3rd]

Wow, a bloodline member interrupts a match then reveals themself in a black hood? Shocked!

[@ChuckingDice]

Gonna be honest. It took me a minute to figure out why you said Rico Chet. Well played!

[@johnpittsii7524]

Thanks for the review Brian ❤

[@danielgall7665]

When Kevin and Sami are a tag team you can also sing "Kevin Owens, and Sami Zayn" to KO's theme.

[@FloodBurger]

I also noticed Punk appeared to be struggling and was gassed. He was so red part of the way through. Hopefully he can turn this around otherwise it’ll discredit this whole run.

[@whatwelearned]

The dude was porky in his prime it's not exactly surprising now

[@hutrod7721]

I loved the graphic showing how long they've been in the match it added to the drama knowing how long certain people were in the match

[@killused90]

The one thing I liked about both Rumbles this year was that there were no legends needed. I think it tells you how stacked the roster is, and for surprises, it was just returns, a debut and, more surreal, a champion from another promotion with no prior WWE experience! It was great to see, although i made a joke with my friends saying wonder if Michelle McCool might be hiding in the crowd somewhere again 😅

[@jonathonbartos3061]

The respect WWE showed Jordynne Grace was incredible. She came off as an absolute superstar, and having it require one of WWE's top stars, hitting a finisher on the apron, to eliminate her was very telling. This feels like a test run and advertisement to other promotions (and the wrestlers within them) that WWE is fully done pretending they don't exist, and you can be treated as a star from your first appearance in a WWE ring. Honestly, would much rather have these types of surprise entrants than over-the-hill legends in the Rumble going forward.

[@magesentron]

Totally agree with the crowd being very muted or silent at times. I remember the pop when Bailey won and there was a little bit of a pop when Punk came out and then Cody's final win, but it wasn't anything like prior shows. The crowd seemed distracted at times, and other times, just bored. There were too many contrived spots in the Rumbles that took way to long to set up and there were a few audible groans at the awkward multi-person goof spots that took way too long to get everyone into position for, along with the fact that these match endings for the two mid-card matches are becoming so predictable and tedious that they're absolutely wearing down the audience's spirit. That, combined with the terrible news we keep getting about these high ranking WWE officials and I felt about as muted as the crowd at times.

[@G33kCulture]

I was there, no one was quiet. The acoustics of the building were just shitty. I couldn't hear myself think when Punk came out.

[@alligatorjonesphd]

The Trop has a soft top, it's basically a big tent so it has awful acoustics. I was there, it was very loud!

[@venomousnate7263]

It was a very good solid show overall.

[@EmperorMAR]

I was super impressed w the RR PPV as a whole. The smaller card made it fully solid for me. I haven't watched week to week much in the past 6 months so the worst part for me was seeing some of the silly or bland lower card gimmicks. But loved the women's rumble, then men's one felt more thought out than normal, no hopeless tag teams in there clogging things up.

[@guillermosierracuellar9812]

Fact this year the royal rumble winners had in common that they enter this year from the number that is the half of their last year entry Bayley entered with number 6th last year And Cody entered with the number 30

[@cloudtyr]

I really enjoyed both Rumbles. I expected CM Punk to win, so I was surprised to see Cody win again. If this is going to end with Cody taking Roman's belt this time, then I am all for it. I think Punk will somehow still get his main event against Seth at WM. Also loved the young bucks getting the crying emoji everytime they see people who left AEW. 😅😅

[@theluckiesteh9058]

Actually attended the show and let me tell you, most fun i've had in a long time even if the show was a mixed bag.

[@CrazedGinja]

Was it loud in the arena because it sounded like a dead crowd

[@Bk26342]

Was the crowd really dead?

[@theluckiesteh9058]

@MrGinja123 Crowd wasn't really dead where I was sitting, we were live all throughout the show.... lord knows I was live all throughout.

[@MasterMewtwo239]

Jordynne Grace in the Royal Rumble makes this one a bit more special.

[@ParsnipPizza]

As a Cody fan, the final 5 and especially the final 2 was so tense, I've never been more nervous about wrestling. Extremely cathartic. Both Rumbles were great, and nothing in the whole show was too bad.

[@Jessica_Roth]

Never thought I'd be pulling hard for The American Insurance Salesman, but I really loathe Crybaby Mediocre Putz so much that I'm willing to roll with it. If we couldn't get Drew choking out Miserable Phil, I can live with this. And hopefully Cody will rid us of Protected Baby Roman at WM, so Ro can be a non-wrestling NON-champion instead of the black hole of inertia he was for all of 2023. I mean, I'm pretty sure I'd be tired of this "Tribal Chief" crap even if it wasn't borderline racist…

[@Genolocs]

At this point the womens rumble was so good that I rather see Bayley main event night 1 lol They really outta figure out how to maneuver the main events between men headlining and the women. I only thought about this since Cole said during the womens rumble that the winner would be "main eventing" wrestlemaina. But i guess i need get off the mindset of main event vs last match Great review!

[@RhannyDF]

I was at the show live and you were right about the reactions. By the time we made it to the mens rumble the energy was gone.

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

You sure it wasn't Tropicana Field? I hear that stadium had bad acoustics

[@RhannyDF]

@@lancethefilmguy9392 it was pretty loud at the beginning but you could feel it whimper out it was a long day doors opened at 5 and show wasn’t done til midnight.