A heartbreaking CM Punk and Cody Rhodes moment backstage.
A massive WWE roster shake-up.
And my review of AEW Dynamite, with CMLL invasion to AEW confirmed.
I’m Oli Davis, and this is the WrestleTalk News.
After Michael Cole spent practically the whole Royal Rumble Premium Live Event saying only
three people have ever won Rumbles back-to-back, wink, Cody Rhodes became only the fourth person
ever to do it, by eliminating the match’s other favourite CM Punk in the final two.
Tragically, though, in Punk’s first televised in-ring match for ten years in WWE, he also
tore his triceps - which he confirmed on the following episode of Raw - meaning he would
be pulled from his planned WrestleMania main event against the also injured Seth Rollins
for the World Heavyweight Championship.
It’s a strange parallel to Cody himself, as shortly after Cody made his shock return
to WWE at WrestleMania 38, he then tore his pec and was out of action for many months
with adverstitty.
I really feel for you, Mr Punk, I know main eventing WrestleMania is your childhood dream.
And now footage has been revealed of the two together backstage at Raw:
I’m not crying, you’re crying.
Because I will not and have not ever cried over CM Punk.
With the roster plagued by injuries to the likes of Rollins and Punk, and… other stuff
meaning Brock Lesnar isn’t around, WWE is reportedly planning a talent shake-up on the
Road to WrestleMania.
Hot off their standout Rumble performances, NXT’s Bron Breakker, Tiffany Stratton and
Trick Williams will be officially called up to the main roster imminently.
PWInsider is reporting there have been pitches to bring Stratton to Raw very soon, where
she could start as early as next month.
And Haus of Wrestling writes the SmackDown creative team were blown away Trick saving
Carmelo Hayes on last Friday’s episode.
So much so, that some backstage are now seeing Williams as a potential future WrestleMania
main eventer.
Wow, what an amazing feeder system NXT has become.
Stratton, Breaker and Williams, they are genuinely homegrown stars.
Not just Ring of Honor or TNA stars WWE signed and pretended they made themselves.
WWE are successful enough on their own now…
Just one more thing.
As of right now, February 1st, Kazuchika Okada’s New Japan contract has officially expired,
meaning Okada could be showing up on any wrestling show at any moment.
He does still have his last match for New Japan on the 11th February against Hiroshi
Tanahashi though, so it will likely be after then.
But despite AEW still being the heavy favourite to sign him, Fightful Select is now reporting
WWE are also in talks with Okada.
Okada has reportedly reached out to people on the WWE roster to gauge his offers and
weigh up his decisions, but there’s no word right now on any WWE creative plans or pitches
for him - whereas AEW apparently do have a storyline in place, and they’ve made a “substantial
offer”.
Now it’s time for my review of AEW Dynamite… in about 5 minutes.
After his impressive showing last week against Swerve Strickland, young upstart Jeff Hardy
continued his call-up momentum from the Rampage roster by taking on Jon Moxley.
It was another decently competitive match for Hardy.
The sort that makes you guy, ‘maybe he could actually get a credible midcard push’.
Until you remember, no, I always fall into this trap.
We all forget, get behind him again, and he self-sabotages.
Moxley channeled his inner dickhead Randy Orton, doing some violent ear play with Jeff’s
piercing, and choked him out to win.
Jeff refused to shake hands and swore at Mox afterwards, potentially teasing a heel turn.
The most intriguing part of this whole segment, though, was the subtle tease for an interpromotional
invasion angle, of CMLL attacking AEW.
CMLL’s Hechicero will be wrestling Bryan Danielson on Saturday’s episode of Collision,
so he was in the audience with his lucha backup Mistico, Volador Jr and Mascara Dorada.
Because Danielson is Moxley’s factionmate, and because Moxley is Moxley, he flipped them
off while he was celebrating.
The CMLL didn’t appreciate the gesture, and beat Mox down in the ring - only to be
chased off by the fearsome force of 2.0, Christopher Daniels and Matt Sydal.
Because it was such an assortment of wrestlers, it felt like they were meant to embody AEW
as a promotion, fighting off the dastardly CMLL.
Perhaps that’s what Tony Khan’s latest big announcement will be about, that was announced
on this show for next week in Winnipeg.
Where we’re going to level up.
Shazam: Fury of the Gods!
Hangman Page’s graphic for his entrance next purely said ‘mustache’.
I haven’t read a better description of his new gimmick than Filthysize’s post on Reddit:
“He looks like he ends bar fights in gay bars.”
Page was wrestling a dealer’s choice match, which meant that his best frenemy forever
Swerve Strickland picked his opponent - Toa Liona.
That makes storyline sense, as Swerve has picked someone from his Mogul Embassy faction
to fight Page, and it’s also Strickland giving his subordinate his first ever singles
match in AEW.
And Toa looked awesome in the match, at one point no selling a Deadeye.
But if Swerve really hated Hangman as much as he says he does, why didn’t he pick Bryan
Danielson?
Warldow?
Jon Moxley?
Someone who would have a far more credible chance of destroying him?
That could’ve given this episode a much needed marquee match, as the card on paper
evidently wasn’t that strong, given its disappointing ticket sales.
Hangman beat Liona with a smart Crucifix Pin off a Samoan Drop.
Wardlow then had another perfectly structured match, where just like last week against Trent,
he somehow looked totally dominant, yet still gave his opponent a fun flurry of comeback
offence.
This time it was against Komander, who Wardlow chucked around effortlessly.
His knee buckled for the finishing powerbomb, though, and he limped a bit after - but he’s
since gone on X to say he’s ok.
The Best Friends then saved Komander from a Roderick Strong beatdown, making the Undisputed
Kingdom feel totally mid.
Wardlow’s the best thing about them.
Ricky Starks and Big Bill did all they could to create a tag team title feud in one week,
having a passionate sitdown interview with their challengers Sting and Darby Allin.
Sadly nothing could be enough to make me believe they’re retaining.
In fact, that was left to the Young Bucks.
After fining a production hand $500 for not using the name on their birth certificates,
they asked Darby why he’s letting a bloodsucking 65 year old get paid more than him?
Them three should team up together instead!
They even had a goth phase in high school.
Allin left, saying he was only focused on the tag team titles, so Nicholas threatened
they’d have to get his attention another way.
They could try costing them the belts, because they don’t want Sting to win them.
Chris Jericho beat Kyle Fletcher in a really, really good match with potentially the best
Judas Effect you’ve ever seen - knocking out Fletcher on a bullet dive.
It’s Judas Effective.
But because of where Jericho’s at right now, it’s always an uphill struggle to care.
He’s been feuding with the Callis Family for the better part of a year, even though
they had the climactic match two months ago.
Just like he would do in WWE, he needs to take some time off, as his act has become
stale after five uninterrupted years in AEW.
He’ll face Takeshita next week.
Bullet Club Gold and the Acclaimed had an in-ring segment totally built around a cardboard
version of Juice Robinson.
Aka Juicebox.
It was fantastic.
Deonna Purrazzo submitted Taya Valkyrie with a brutal looking finisher, but the main focus
was keeping her feud with Toni Storm bubbling on commentary.
And the main event saw Swerve Strickland take on a mystery opponent of Hangman Page’s
choosing.
Page had said Swerve would have to wait the whole f’ing show to find out who it was.
A line that clearly reveals it’s Rob Van Dam to anyone who’s ever watched wrestling.
So smartly, AEW had a second reveal up their sleeves - Swerve didn’t read the fine print.
They can pick the match stipulation too.
So this is a hardcore match - as Strickland turned right around into RVD throwing a chair
at his face.
Van Dam looked ageless once again, putting on a 15 minute main event against Swerve.
Brian Cage pushed RVD off the top rope at one point, so Hook made the save with a chair.
Strickland won with the Swerve Stomp.
This was a really fun match, but it was a total high spot.
Aside from some ECW connections in the Samoa Joe/Hook match, RVD made no sense for Hangman
to pick.
Again, if he really hated Swerve as much it seems, choose Jon Moxley!
Hangman came out after, pointing out they’re both top of the rankings and that he’ll
never let Swerve get the title.
Strickland countered that he’s beaten Page twice already, go away, but Hangman said that
was never truly one on one.
Swerve accepted one more time, which will decide Samoa Joe’s Number 1 contender.
To me, it sounded like the build to a cagematch down the line.
Or perhaps a draw to make it a Triple Threat at Revolution.
This week’s Dynamite is 75%.
Now go watch 12 times WWE got the Royal Rumble right…