This is shocking because it wasn't too long ago that he was the TNT champion in AEW and there must have been plans for him to come back as the leader of The Dark Order. He was only 41 as well which makes it even worse and I've seen some interviews of him in real life and he came across as such a nice person. He did some great stuff as Luke Harper in WWE as well.

 

R.I.P Brodie Lee

It's crazy how much he's touched everyone practically. Some really nice tributes on Raw from New Day (and Woods in the 8 man tag), Tom Philips and Drew.

 

There's going to be a special tribute show to Brodie on AEW tonight a bit like the one with Eddie except the matches are... all tag matches of some kind with members of the Dark Order teaming with babyfaces for one night. I expect Jon Morley will also still appear as advertised and that will be tough as he would be amongst Brodies top 5 rivals across wwe AEW and the indies!

 

Referring back to Raw which came under fire from some that they should have done more than just a pic tribute. There's more reportedly coming this week presumably on smackdown.

 

--

 

On NXT there will be their NXT awards and a North American Title match between Gargano and Leon Ruff! So both should be good for different reasons. It'll be a no brainer that AEW will win the ratings again by a huge increase. I'll be surprised if it's not very much.

Edited December 30, 20204 yr by Rob S Claus

Two matches I totally didn't see coming and at the Royal Rumble off all events...

 

Drew Mcintyre vs Goldberg

Roman Reigns vs ADAM PEARCE :lol: - the lol gif is in reference to how random it is not that Adams a bad wrestler at all as he's quite accomplished on the independent scene. 5x NWA champion but what the hell!!

 

Wwe really likes to throw up some odd title matchups :')

Drew has tested positive to Covid...

Yeahhh. Not sure what this means for the rumble, but they should postpone the rumble until they can have crowds anyway! Plus the amount of people that are likely to be in the ring all at once? Yikes.

 

Have a Summer Mania instead (June/Jul time). RR in March...

Wow Raw was erm, messy, one of the worst in recent memory for me. That says a lot too cause at least the last 6 months of Raw haven't been great, especially women's wrestling wise sadly. I think with the Covid outbreak there that should maybe make them think they should delay the Rumble, RR is such a special event, without a crowd it will lose a great part of what makes it exciting.

Agree with you on the Raw women's wrestling side of things. The only matches I'd argue were strong matches last year were any involving Asuka and Sasha/Bayley (latter being smackdown stars). The raw side women's and shows in general have been abysmal for ages now. Easily the worst of the shows out there right now.

 

 

Agree with you on the Raw women's wrestling side of things. The only matches I'd argue were strong matches last year were any involving Asuka and Sasha/Bayley (latter being smackdown stars). The raw side women's and shows in general have been abysmal for ages now. Easily the worst of the shows out there right now.

 

They've had all this time too in which they could have built up someone different like Peyton Royce in the background. I don't think the odd coupled tag champions work as well as Vince thinks they do either.

The best bit about RAW was the Orton/Triple H/Alexa stuff. The rest... MEEEHHHHHHH!!

 

Why do Charlotte and Asuka have the tag titles, exactly? There is NO NEED if they are just gonna shove Charlotte into a feud with Lacey bloody Evans!? I can only assume it's coz WWE think Charlotte needs to have a title around her waist. :rolleyes:

 

Asuka is the only main roster champ that doesn't have a feud building for the rumble... surely it's easy enough to throw Peyton into the match against Asuka to see how she performs in a singles match at a big PPV. It's just a shambles in all honesty. So many women had segments on SmackDown... but no match and no Sasha (but I'm fine with that tbh, she doesn't HAVE to be there every week).

 

I just need the women's tag belts off of Charlotte and Asuka so that Charlotte can FINALLY have a feud where she's not in a title picture (I'm pretty sure Lacey & Peyton are gonna win the belts before Riott Squad get their Mania moment) and Asuka can have feuds with various people! :(

The best bit about RAW was the Orton/Triple H/Alexa stuff. The rest... MEEEHHHHHHH!!

 

Why do Charlotte and Asuka have the tag titles, exactly? There is NO NEED if they are just gonna shove Charlotte into a feud with Lacey bloody Evans!? I can only assume it's coz WWE think Charlotte needs to have a title around her waist. :rolleyes:

 

Asuka is the only main roster champ that doesn't have a feud building for the rumble... surely it's easy enough to throw Peyton into the match against Asuka to see how she performs in a singles match at a big PPV. It's just a shambles in all honesty. So many women had segments on SmackDown... but no match and no Sasha (but I'm fine with that tbh, she doesn't HAVE to be there every week).

 

I just need the women's tag belts off of Charlotte and Asuka so that Charlotte can FINALLY have a feud where she's not in a title picture (I'm pretty sure Lacey & Peyton are gonna win the belts before Riott Squad get their Mania moment) and Asuka can have feuds with various people! :(

 

What was that about too, Lacey going off with Ric Flair, what a mess. I wonder if Asuka had symptoms of Covid or something, seemed odd to not have her at all.

 

That's what I mean all these months they could have built someone like Peyton so come Rumble, it would seem she might actually stand a chance but no. The women's segments on Smackdown I found more entertaining than all the men's matches.

 

I feel like Mandy & Dana are just as much in line for the tag belts as the Riott Squad are but just unsure which will first. The women's tag belts feel like they are apart of Raw when we was originally told it would be across all brands. Also, how amazing would it be if we see Sonya mess with the rumble numbers, next thing she's entry 30 and wins :wub: Would be a fresh match to see her against Sasha, again if they build her up properly she could be a star.

Yeah Asuka's run had been so lacklustre after a great summer. This is WWE's fault not hers though. Peyton really deserves a major title ppv match to show whether she's capable or not. I do find it unexpected how Billie is getting more attention than her though. I legit thought she'd not be used well and Peyton would.

 

There's so many things that frustrate me with WWE right now. The booking of champions (Asuka as mentioned, drews got stale for me after a good 4 1/2 months. Lashley as US champion and barely defends..) splitting up teams and doing nothing after their splits like Iconics, Heavy Machinery.

 

Just mind boggling creative personally. The alexa stuff is good though!

Yeah Asuka's run had been so lacklustre after a great summer. This is WWE's fault not hers though. Peyton really deserves a major title ppv match to show whether she's capable or not. I do find it unexpected how Billie is getting more attention than her though. I legit thought she'd not be used well and Peyton would.

 

There's so many things that frustrate me with WWE right now. The booking of champions (Asuka as mentioned, drews got stale for me after a good 4 1/2 months. Lashley as US champion and barely defends..) splitting up teams and doing nothing after their splits like Iconics, Heavy Machinery.

 

Just mind boggling creative personally. The alexa stuff is good though!

 

I agree, I find it odd though cause all over WWE social media they've put Peyton up there with Bianca as stars tipped to have a great 2021.

 

The creative department need a good shake, saying that, they are probably coming up with great ideas and Vince just doesn't approve them. Last night why did Sheamus and Keith Lee suddenly fight after teaming? Why did Drew Gulak have to win a match to enter the Rumble yet Mandy & Dana can declare they are entering? There's no consistency at all.

It's clear that Asuka has just been keeping the Raw Women's Championship belt warm for Charlotte ever since she became the champion which is why as soon as Charlotte came back they lumped her into a tag team with Asuka and then they won the tag titles. They did this just so Charlotte can eventually turn on Asuka which would set up their match but everyone knows that's what would happen eventually, there's also a chance that Charlotte might win back-to-back Royal Rumbles which I really hope doesn't happen. NXT is what is saving women's wrestling in WWE at the moment, the roster is so thick that they could even have their own tag division and tag titles and they're the ones really who should have a chance at the main tag titles for women.

 

 

I think the only way that the Royal Rumble gets postponed is if literally half of the roster test positive for coronavirus. Even Drew testing positive hasn't stopped his match against Goldberg getting booked for the PPV.

What was that about too, Lacey going off with Ric Flair, what a mess. I wonder if Asuka had symptoms of Covid or something, seemed odd to not have her at all.

 

That's what I mean all these months they could have built someone like Peyton so come Rumble, it would seem she might actually stand a chance but no. The women's segments on Smackdown I found more entertaining than all the men's matches.

 

I feel like Mandy & Dana are just as much in line for the tag belts as the Riott Squad are but just unsure which will first. The women's tag belts feel like they are apart of Raw when we was originally told it would be across all brands. Also, how amazing would it be if we see Sonya mess with the rumble numbers, next thing she's entry 30 and wins :wub: Would be a fresh match to see her against Sasha, again if they build her up properly she could be a star.

YES! I'm really liking Mandy & Dana as a team. They actually seem like a more natural fit together than Mandy/Sonya. I want the tag belts off of Asuka & Charlotte and given to a team that aren't involved in the women's main title scene all the time. They've tried to recreate the magic that the Golden Role Models had this last Summer and it's not working, coz nobody cares about Flair (or Lacey or Peyton) at this point coz the results are predictable and we know where it's all heading etc..

 

I'm kinda annoyed we haven't got a different feud for Sasha though for the rumble after she beat Carmella CLEAN (even with interference by Reginald) at TLC. But meh. It is what it is and that match with Carmella was fantastic so... woo (but yeah I'd have loved a Sasha vs Nattie/Mickie match for the rumble tbh)

 

I'm loving what they're doing on SD with the men though. Shinsuke is the PERFECT example as to why you should never say a superstar is "buried". They built him up to be a top face, JUST. LIKE. THAT. But this is down to Daniel Bryan being on SD's creative team and pushing for those kind of guys. He's a HUGE reason as to why Drew Gulak got re-signed and why Big E is on the roll he is on atm.

 

They really need to stop letting Reigns open the show with his 7 minute entrance and 20 minute bland af promos. This is the best he's ever been character wise, but his promos are very boring, one-note and repetitive. There is not one thing that was said during that opening promo that he couldn't have done in 5 mins.

YES! I'm really liking Mandy & Dana as a team. They actually seem like a more natural fit together than Mandy/Sonya. I want the tag belts off of Asuka & Charlotte and given to a team that aren't involved in the women's main title scene all the time. They've tried to recreate the magic that the Golden Role Models had this last Summer and it's not working, coz nobody cares about Flair (or Lacey or Peyton) at this point coz the results are predictable and we know where it's all heading etc..

 

I'm kinda annoyed we haven't got a different feud for Sasha though for the rumble after she beat Carmella CLEAN (even with interference by Reginald) at TLC. But meh. It is what it is and that match with Carmella was fantastic so... woo (but yeah I'd have loved a Sasha vs Nattie/Mickie match for the rumble tbh)

 

I'm loving what they're doing on SD with the men though. Shinsuke is the PERFECT example as to why you should never say a superstar is "buried". They built him up to be a top face, JUST. LIKE. THAT. But this is down to Daniel Bryan being on SD's creative team and pushing for those kind of guys. He's a HUGE reason as to why Drew Gulak got re-signed and why Big E is on the roll he is on atm.

 

They really need to stop letting Reigns open the show with his 7 minute entrance and 20 minute bland af promos. This is the best he's ever been character wise, but his promos are very boring, one-note and repetitive. There is not one thing that was said during that opening promo that he couldn't have done in 5 mins.

 

I agree but I also think opening the show with promo's is getting old now, you'd look forward to it in the attitude era as they had the freedom to say most of it themselves.

 

It would also be nice to see Dana get a title at last, I wish they'd have kept Nia with Tamina rather than Shayna, surely they could have clashed then gone their own ways. That would've left Shayna for the title run with Asuka and Nia could team with Tamina again.

 

I guess this inevitable Sasha/Carmella match will be some form of stipulation now they have had a normal match.

To be honest I don't know what it is but Shayna is beginning to grow on me. I think with the overpushing in NXT didn't help me warm to her whatsoever but I guess being shoved with Nia has really helped me to come round. That said give me a Ronda return any day lol.

After last night it's hard to imagine anyone else other than Alexa winning the rumble. The Randy Orton side of it is coming off a bit cringy to me what with the mask.

Part of me is expecting two Alexa’s in the rumble. One getting eliminated quite early with the dark version possibly winning but we need an Alexa win *.*

Part of me is expecting two Alexa’s in the rumble. One getting eliminated quite early with the dark version possibly winning but we need an Alexa win *.*

 

Ok that would be cool, surely they will struggle with filling it this year. Not sure if I read it on here or on another wrestling site, they are trying to keep NXT separate to WWE this year due to COVID hence why we had no mixing of the brands at Survivor Series. I kind of prefer the idea of no NXT in the rumble, they never do as well as they should, just show up for shock value. I can see Eva Marie and Melina possibly showing up, be good to have Alicia Fox and Mickie James enter after their brief returns.

I want Victoria back this year, please and thank you!

 

Also, I'm not sure I like the idea of Alexa winning. I'm really not AS sold on this gimmick as much as everyone else (I hate Fiend too). Idk, this may seem like nothing to all of you but I just hate the whole no-selling thing when they're being beaten up and just get up laughing and whatever. It really irks me (and is one of the reasons why I hate Charlotte lmaoooo) and I HATE that they used and buried Asuka for this segment, when it should have been someone else (Charlotte woulda been perfect actually).

 

So will the rumble be the 3rd straight PPV with no RAW Women's title defense? Ugh.

 

I hate that they use Asuka as a placeholder so much :(