Opinion

Mishal’s Top 5 Worst SummerSlams of All-Time

With the event around the corner, Mishal lists out his 5 WORST SummerSlams ever! Do you agree with his rankings?

Published

5 years ago

August 14, 2020

Last week I took a dive into the very best that ”The Biggest Party of the Summer” had to offer, the very best shows in the events long, storied chronology that have created a vast number of incredible moments, matches, future superstars & events that I find myself revisiting more often than most.

But that was last week, that was the positive side of any aspect of professional wrestling. That was when things were at their very best, with everything coming together how most fans wish they would. When professional wrestling gets it right, it’s a beautiful sight to behold to either the casual or hardcore fanbase because it satisfies every desire a fan has when it comes to this form of entertainment. The storytelling is on point, the action is crisp & every wrestler on the card regardless of status has a moment to shine in the spotlight.

Sadly, like anything else in this world, that just isn’t always a reality.

Wrestling has its bad days, and SummerSlam is certainly no stranger to these days like any other show you can come up with in your head.

While it is generally marketed & promoted as the 2nd biggest annual event only to WrestleMania on a yearly basis, the show isn’t without its blunders, sometimes its flat-out misfires. Not every event has the capability to live up to the hype it exudes during its build-up, and today we’ll take a different perspective on WWE’s 2nd largest annual event, focusing on the times SummerSlam failed to live up to expectation.

(Dis)Honourable Mentions

SummerSlam 1997 – Widely remembered for being the infamous night that Steve Austin broke his neck as a result of a botched piledriver from Owen Hart, it’s a shame that this event historically, will rarely crawl away from such a dreaded moment. While the epic, near 30-minute main event between Undertaker & Bret Hart is just as good as it sounds, nothing else stands out due to the overall state of the product at the time. It’s the very definition of a one-match show.
SummerSlam 1993 – An Undertaker/Giant Gonzalez rematch, a main event ending in a count-out under absurd circumstances & only one truly memorable match on the card makes this a tough one to put below the top 5 spots. While the rest of the card obviously underwhelms, there’s nothing distinctly dreadful that drags it as low as some other entries on this list. The early to mid-90s were a rough time for WWE’s product as a whole, and this show, to me, began to show the cracks in the foundation that would develop in the coming years.
SummerSlam 2016 – The longest SummerSlam to date, and you feel every minute of it. Mauled by an overstuffed card, restless crowd, matches with questionable booking choices that sadly undermined the fairly solid action & a showing closing angle that still leaves a bad taste in my mouth, the 2016 edition of SummerSlam was a perfect example of quantity over quality. Were in not for AJ Styles & John Cena putting on one of my favourite matches of the last number of years, this could easily slot itself at the higher points on this list.

5) SummerSlam 2006

I’ll never be able to make sense of WWE’s product in 2006. It was such a bizarre time for the product as a whole that it makes most shows over the course of that year feel too ‘out there’ to really invest in properly. With the resurgence of ECW, the return of DX, the rise of King Booker & Edge taking programming in directions we never saw coming, the whole year always feels like a blur to me. An awkward blend of the Attitude Era combined with a product in the midst of a big change with an ever-changing culture.

2006, feels just like that, a mish-mash of different eras of storytelling that never quite land.

Carried by an insane, over-the-top ‘I Quit’ match between Ric Flair and Mick Foley, as well as another excellent encounter between bitter rivals Edge & John Cena for the WWE Championship in the main event, the show left little else to truly standout beyond garnering cheap crowd reactions. At the very least the two matches I just mentioned had a backstory to them that provided them with some kind of tension or investment, which can’t be said for anything else.

At its core, this event was built around the reunion of D-Generation-X taking on Vince & Shane McMahon, and if you’re familiar with this feud at all you’ll know that if you had any doubt that the McMahons had a single chance of beating the rebellious duo in the main event, you were dead wrong. The match itself had its moments but always felt more like a prolonged comedic affair rather than a serious storyline, used more than anything to embarrass a plethora of potentially incredibly entertaining talent from both RAW & SmackDown (except The Spirit Squad, of course).

Elsewhere on the card, there was an ECW Championship match between The Big Show & Sabu which struggled due to the lack of believability behind it, King Booker & Batista displaying just how little chemistry they had in their World Heavyweight Championship match, Hulk Hogan wrestling Randy Orton in his final match on the WWE roster to date & Chavo Guerrero facing Rey Mysterio in a throwaway opening match. While I’d consider this more watchable than any of the upcoming picks on my list, this isn’t the company’s bright spot when it comes to SummerSlam events.

4) SummerSlam 1990

There isn’t a single match on the SummerSlam 1990 card that I would label as ‘good’, not a single one.

In fact, SummerSlam 1990 is a really solid example of a wrestling show that simply exists without any long-lasting impact or historical value, which is something no fan takes pride in saying. It’s an event packed with potential that consistently under-performs in all the key areas you need for a show like this to mean something.

None of this is to say the show was devoid of moments, as there were a few that elevates this out of the territory of being simply god awful, but almost everything this card offered is the kind of content you’d see on an average night of free television. The 2-out of-3 Falls Match is arguably the best on the card, while Hulk Hogan’s bout against Earthquake is far better than you’d think it is on paper (with the exception of the atrocious ending). But everything else simply exists. It’s all capped off by the main event that barely gets time to feel like a headline match, especially one inside the Steel Cage which was one of the pinnacle matches of that era, instead feeling like simple filler once it ends just above the 10-minute mark.

I wish I had more to say about SummerSlam 1990, but it’s just one of those shows that offer nothing of really critique or substance.

3) SummerSlam 2007

A year after the letdown that was the 2006 SummerSlam card we got this, an even bigger letdown than one would come to expect.

Essentially a one-match card slightly elevated by a ‘big fight feel’ main event between John Cena & Randy Orton, both on their way to the very peak of their careers at that point in time over the WWE Championship the rest of the show offered nothing substantial for an event with quite a lot at stake. The returns of both Triple H & Rey Mysterio were at the center of the show, while the rest of the card didn’t really have any kind of vibe that resembled ‘The Biggest Party of the Summer’ in anyway.

From a booking standpoint, the evening left a lot to be desired. Both return matches of Triple H & Rey Mysterio received inadequate timing against both King Booker & Chavo Guerrero, respectively, leaving their returns feeling mostly unsatisfying despite their lengthy layoffs. Other matches on the card such as a Triple Threat Match for the Intercontinental Championship, criminally short ECW Championship match, Kane facing Finlay in the opener & a Divas Battle Royal added nothing to a card already lacking in excitement outside of the main event.

Thankfully the main event itself was pretty solid, starting off a rivalry between Cena & Orton that would only end roughly two years after this event concluded. As far as SummerSlam’s go, I can’t think of an event that feels less like the hype that built up to it.

2) SummerSlam 1995

1995 is widely regarded by most fans as the worst year in the history of WWE. It was a year riddled with creative bankruptcy, departures from numerous talent, a product refusing to change with the culture around it & a roster that felt like it was stuck in the 1970s in terms of almost every aspect that comes with professional wrestling.

1995 embodies those sentiments, displaying the very worst of WWE as we know it.

If it weren’t for another phenomenal match between Shawn Michaels & Razor Ramon, a rematch from their WrestleMania match just a little over a year prior, this event would have been a disaster from top to bottom. Aside from that match, the card is amongst the worst you can find in terms of star power & booking.

Few events the company puts on feel this lifeless to me, boasting almost nothing of excitement outside a few moments that you’d notice upon your first viewing. Every match on here either falls flat, feels uninspired or is booked like a standard episode of RAW & nothing more, the very opposite of what this time of the year is meant to represent. Much like the product at the time, the event felt void of any motivation, creativity or anything to even try to excite the audience, capped off by one of the worst main events to any wrestling show I’ve come across. The headliner between Diesel & King Mabel, despite running under the 10-minute mark, is one of the most difficult to sit through that I can name, and thankfully marked the first & only time Mabel stepped foot near the main event scene.

Judging by my rhetoric this should easily be at the top of the list, but no, there is another.

1) SummerSlam 2010

Wrestling’s biggest ‘What if?’ show in my mind.

The build to this event had every WWE & wrestling fan pumped, from young to old. It was a show built on the back of one of the hottest angles WWE had put on display in years, with The Nexus running wild, mauling everyone in their path & setting up a potential suitcase of talent to build a brand off of in the future. Pitting them against the company’s biggest name in John Cena along with the likes of Chris Jericho, Edge, Bret Hart, John Morrison & a returning Daniel Bryan (fresh of his firing) made this the show nobody wanted to miss until it happened.

SummerSlam 2010 is a show that leaves a bad taste in the mouth of fans who want the best from their wrestling content. It’s a booking disaster on every level, with the exception of a World Heavyweight Championship Match between Kane & Rey Mysterio that stands out as the single standout segment in a show that struggles under the weight of bad creative decisions. The event is the personification of what WWE gets wrong at its worst, favouring their standard booking tropes over long-term plans that could actually improve the product in the long-run.

Matches such as Sheamus vs Randy Orton for the WWE Championship, Dolph Ziggler vs Kofi Kingston for the Intercontinental Championship & Big Show vs The Straightedge Society have the potential to build a small, yet exciting card that never feels overstuffed, but does everything it’s not meant to do. All of these matches, every single one of them, are booked by a group of people out of touch with their fanbase, unaware of what makes the sport so great at its peaks.

None of this, however, is as criminal as the main event between Nexus & Team WWE, a match that single-handedly killed the hottest gimmick the company had produced in years, and a decision they never recovered from in the months that followed. The match itself was quite the spectacle but totally undermined by a closing sequence that leaves a bad taste in mine, and other fans mouths upon repeated viewings.

As far as SummerSlam goes, topping this in terms of being the worst will be a daunting task.

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Opinion

Greg DeMarco’s 2025 WWE Royal Rumble Results, Review & Reaction

We are firmly on the Road to WrestleMania, starting with the Royal Rumble! Greg has his initial thoughts and reactions for everyone’s favorite event!

Published

3 weeks ago

February 2, 2025

Greg DeMarco

We are firmly on the Road to WrestleMania, starting with the Royal Rumble! Greg has his initial thoughts and reactions for everyone’s favorite event!

It’s the first Royal Rumble in an NFL stadium (thanks to the WWE calendar change), and both Rumble matches feature a star-studded line-up that makes it much harder than you’d think to pick a winner. I was lucky enough to attend one Royal Rumble live, 2019, and it’s always the best way to set the stage for WrestleMania.

If @whoislaniee‘s rendition of the Star Spangled Banner is any indication, we are in for one hell of a night with one hell of a crowd!

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 1, 2025

Always great to see Stephanie McMahon kicking off a show–the more Stephanie, the better. Apparently we’ve managed to pack 70,000 fans into Lucas Oil Stadium, and if you didn’t know, Pat McAfee loves him some Indianapolis.

With each match you’ll see my picks, in my traditional “Who Should Win?/Will Will Win?” format. I made them in this week’s solo edition of The Greg DeMarco Show, which you can listen to here:

Women’s WWE Royal Rumble Match

Greg’s predictions from earlier in the week:

Who Should Win: Bianca Belair
Who Will Win: Bianca Belair

Last year’s winner was Bayley, entering at #3, and she went on to defeat Iyo Sky for the WWE Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 40.

Iyo Sky enters #1, and I do love the elevated platform–it’s not really a stage, but it does enhance the overall feel of the show. Old school fans will remember the entrance from Montreal watching Prime Time Wrestling.
I feel like Liv Morgan always enters these matches early. I also didn’t realize she’s been in all 8 Women’s Royal Rumble matches.
I do love the “ticker” across the bottom of the screen with stats and info during the entrances. Very ESPN, very “Wrestling As A Sport” to me.
Gotta say I was hoping for the black canvas (I’m biased), but I’ll always take grey over light blue.

Roxanne Perez has “Iron Woman” written all over her entering at #3. #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 1, 2025

We even get “Active” and “Eliminated” in the ticket? I am REALLY digging this.
Lyra Valkyria enters to very little reaction–she’s a fantastic talent but has not connected on the main roster.
Lyra with the early wardrobe malfunction and we are already slightly derailed, kudos to everyone for getting it together.
Interesting to have the secondary champions enter back-to-back, and Indianapolis doesn’t seem to care much about her, either. Maybe I was wrong about this crowd, and maybe my criticism of Lyra was premature.
Chelsea thinking she’s dumped everyone and pointing to the sign is a great piece of business.
B-Fab enters at #6, and I would assume she has the lowest chance of winning of anyone in the field.
Man, B-Fab is still very NOT good.
Ivy Nile enters #7, the 5th straight entrant who has zero chance of winning this thing.
Also, we are still without an elimination, but probably 10 “hanging on the rope” spots already.
Ivy Nile is already more over in Indy than the Intercontinental and United States Champions.
Zoey Stark, complete with Barry Windham’s “Stalker” facepaint, enters eighth to continue our run of women with zero chance of winning.
Lash Legend enters at #9, and I have a feeling she’s about to win this crowd over.
LASH POINTED TO THE SIGN.
“Get her on the Fever” – Pat McAfee.
Chelsea Green gives us our first elimination, of B-Fab.
Bianca Belair enters at #10, really hurting my chances of being right.

And here’s my pick to win the Women’s #RoyalRumble, Bianca Belair. At #10? Doesn’t look good for me!

(Seth Rollins won his from #10, I believe.)

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 1, 2025

The crowd definitely picked up with Bianca being in the match.
BIANCA IS A MACHINE.
Shayna Baszler enters #11, reminding me she works for WWE. Which is sad, I really thought she’d have a hell of a run in WWE.
Bayley is #12, and we still have quite the group in this match. Personally I don’t see Bayley being a back-to-back winner.
Sonya Deville is in at #13 to complete the PFC trio in this match. I’m sure that’ll work out well for them!
Iyo Sky is so good, she saved Sonya’s knee spot and I am sure no one noticed.
Maxxine Dupri in at #14, another non-winner, but to her credit she only keeps getting better.
With 12 women thill in this match, I have a feeling we’re getting Nia Jax or Charlotte Flair soon to give us a bunch of eliminations.
Ivy Nile out, followed by Maxxine Dupri, and the countdown is on!
Naomi brings the halfway point with her, entering at #15.

Naomi is a former women’s champion and had an amazing WrestleMania moment back in Orlando–why does Michael Cole keep saying 2024 was her breakout year? #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 1, 2025

All of PFC is gone, and nothing of value is lost (from this match–they are valuable as people).
Jaida Parker, entering at #16, comes in to a better reaction than half of the field. Miss Parker has a hell of a WWE career ahead of her.
Chelsea Green is so damn good at what she does.
And here comes Piper Niven at #17.
Will Piper somehow eliminate Piper?
Yes – the answer to that question is yes.
Naalya enters at #18, her eighth Royal Rumble. She’s a little over 20 minutes away from 3 cumulative hours in Rumble matches.

If anyone “deserves” a Royal Rumble win, it’s Natalya. #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 1, 2025

FANTASTIC reaction for Jordynne Grace–that has to raise some eyebrows among leadership.
JORDYNNE GRACE IS A STAR.
Michin in at #20, as we are up to 10 eliminations.

BUT THE INTERNET TOLD ME ALEXA BLISS WASN’T GONNA COME BACK DUE TO A CONTRACT DISPUTE. #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 1, 2025

Wade Barrett, Michael Cole, and Pat McAfee crapping all over the wrestling newz sites is amazing.
And you can tell Alexa Bliss is THRILLED to be back.
Zelina Vega in at #22 to not win the Royal Rumble.
HUGE SPOT for Zelina Vega and Jordynne Grace.
If you happen to rewatch this match, watch Bayley very closely. It’s a look inside the business–she’s basically an agent in the ring.
Candice LeRae enters at #23, and I am reminded that she’s the WWE Women’s Speed Champion. I also wonder if they’ve started piping in crowd noise for these entrances.
Of note, we haven’t closed a Royal Rumble PLE with the Women’s Royal Rumble Match since the first one in 2018.
Of the 10 women eliminated so far, 6 of them entered #4-5-6-7-8-9.

Great reaction for Stephanie Vaquer–Indianapolis seems to be an NXT crowd. #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

LET STEPHANIE VAQUER HER WIN YOU COWARDS. (Personal opinion, she’s the best women’s wrestler in the world.)
#25 already–we are trying to make up some time.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand it’s Trish Stratus.

Honestly, did we need Trish Stratus? #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

Kinda wanted Jordynne Grace to toss Trish Stratus right there.
Piper Niven just kncoked the SH*T outta Trish!
Raquel Rodriguez in at #26, and we have 4 more entrants left.
Nia, Charlotte, and…..Becky? Nikki? (Bella, that is.)
The crowd is NOT HAPPY about Alexa Bliss’ elimination.
#1-3 all still in the match.
Charlotte Flair and her new face at in at #27.

Listen, I’m going to hell, but Charlotte Flair’s entrance reminds me of when JR returned from his stroke. Lay off the plastic surgery. #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

Love Wade Barrett pointing out that Charlotte got pyro. I hope Roman gets his, too.
Took Charlotte forever to get her robe off, apparently.
Like I’m supposed to believe Jordynne Grace can’t suplex Charlotte Flair?
Charlotte definitely brought some fire to this match.
Giulia getting almost no reaction is surprising given the reaction of some other NXT talents.
Iyo and Liv approaching an hour in the match, along with Roxanne Perez.

Giulia eliminated Jordynne Grace, which makes me think Jordynne might be spending some time in NXT. #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

Nia Jax enters at #29, leaving a surprise for #30? Becky Lynch?
Good for Nikki Bella! And she gave someone in the crowd one hall of a souvenir.
And now it’s time for the “World vs Nia” spot.
Forget Superkick It’s an APRON PARTY.
Roxanne Perez just snuck back in without being eliminated.
Given who is left, it does seem like this is Charlotte’s match to win.
ROXANNE PEREZ IN THE FINAL THREE?

This company obviously believes in Roxanne Perez. #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

LOLCHARLOTTEWINS

Winner of the 2025 Women’s Royal Rumble Match: Charlotte Flair

I don’t love the decision to have Charlotte Flair win the Women’s Royal Rumble Match after being gone for over a year, but she IS Charlotte Flair. This should shock nobody. I know Charlotte Flair is a dream match opponent for Tiffany Stratton in the eyes of many, and if she were to put Tiffany Stratton over at WrestleMania, then I will eat my words and say it was worth it.

Hell of a performance for Roxanne Perez, I haven’t seen the tally yet but I do wonder if she broke the record for longest time in one Rumble.

I could go for a Slim Jim meat stick right about now.

Why was Mickie James in the crowd, and not IN THE MATCH??? #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

2 Out of 3 Falls Match for the WWE Tag Team Championships
The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) vs. #DIY (Tommaso Ciampa & Johnny Gargano, champions)

Greg’s predictions from earlier in the week:

Who Should Win: DIY (but it doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things)
Who Will Win: DIY (but it doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things)

(I won’t be live tweeting or doing a bulleted list for these two matches, likely just the two Rumbles.)

Had to laugh seeing the drone in front of Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin during their entrance.

DIY wins 2 falls to 1, making my prediction accurate. That is small change, though. I liked the match for what it was, but it’s a reminder of Charlotte Flair vs. Ronda Rousey from WrestleMania 38–great match, wrong setting. This was an arena match, not a football stadium match. Yes, that DOES matter. Setting is a huge part of pro wrestling.

NXT Black and Gold will always hold a place in my heart, but part of what made that what it was was the crowd. This wasn’t the crowd for this match. Plus it got around 15 minutes, which is about right for a 1-fall match featuring these four. On TV, counting commercial breaks, these guys get 25-30 minutes.

The Street Profits got involved, eventually attacking everyone. I fully expect a WWE Tag Team Championship Ladder Match at WrestleMania, with DIY, MCMG, the Street Profits, and possibly Pretty Deadly and Angel/Humberto. This was really just the beginning–it was just misplaced on this card.

Winners AND STILL WWE Tag Team Champions: DIY

Michael Cole did also inform us that Roxanne Perez is the new record-holder for longest Royal Rumble performance. Score one for the good guy (me, from my tweet above).

Ladder Match for the WWE Championship
Kevin Owens vs. Cody Rhodes (champion)

Greg’s predictions from earlier in the week:

Who Should Win: Kevin Owens
Who Will Win: Cody Rhodes

Love that Kevin Owens took down the Winged Eagle Championship during SmackDown last night, and entered with it. Granted, Cody Rhodes has his, too. But KO has a certain edge to him when carrying that title.

That little ladder is HILARIOUS. #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

This match was brutal, and whatever they are paying Kevin Owens isn’t enough. Cody Rhodes was beating on KO as a heel would, but he’s a babyface? I know everyone wants “Homelander” Cody, but really he might be more like “Patrick Bateman” Cody. Either way, as great as Cody is (and he is great), there is one missing element. At this point, it’s obvious to me that Cody is the worst babyface in the company. Look at him: THE MAN IS A HEEL.

While I’m glad Cody is fully out of The Bloodline’s shadow, he just needs to beat John Cena at WrestleMania, turn heel, and truly hit his stride. And I want true heel Cody. Chicken sh*t, goons, the whole thing.

Winner, AND STILL WWE Champion: Cody Rhodes

Cody Rhodes is gonna buy Kevin Owens a lot of cigars, booze, or meat. Whatever that man wants. #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

You gotta think Sami Zayn not stopping Cody Rhodes from winning will be a major sticking point for Kevin Owens. Seems like we’ll get Sami vs Kevin at WM41.

Men’s WWE Royal Rumble Match

Greg’s predictions from earlier in the week:

Who Should Win: Jey Uso
Who Will Win: John Cena

Last year’s winner was Cody Rhodes, entering at #15, and he went on to defeat Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 40.

Rey Mysterio (Jr) enters at #2, and it’s obvious that gone are the days where randoms would enter at #1 and #2.
I believe I said on my podcast (if not, I meant to) that Penta would need to enter #1 or #2 so he can have his pyro.

I am so happy for Penta in the WWE. #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

I really hope we get a Lucha Underground reference on commentary.
LET PENTA WIN YOU COWARDS! (I know, it didn’t work for Stephanie Vaquer.)
PENTA IS A STAR.
I do appreciate how they didn’t fight on the apron, instead just got right back into the ring.
Chad Gable in at #3, and all we need is for Dominik Mysterio to be #4.
That spot looked NASTY, I hope Chad Gable’s knee is okay.
Carmelo Hayes in at #4, and I am reminded that we likely get Trick in this match.

Trick Williams’ #RoyalRumble entrance is gonna be ICONIC.

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

I know they have a temporary alliance at the moment, but Chad Gable vs. Carmelo Hayes would be an absolute BANGER.
KING CUERNO vs PENTAGON JR! #IYKYK
That spot was far too similar to what we saw in the Women’s Rumble.
Otis in and had some fun.
BRON BREAKKER IS A MACHINE.
The crowd reaction to Bron Breakker tells me the WWE might make even MORE money in the future.
What if Breakker won this match? He won’t, but What If?
If not for WWE, I wouldn’t know who IShowSpeed was.
Honestly, nothing wrong with what they did with IShowSpeed there.
Sheamus enters at #9, and I assume we will see some Beats Of The Bowery.

Gotta play the hits, pal. (Sheamus.) #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

This is the most normal Sheamus’ hair has ever looked.
Crazy that this is only Jimmy Uso’s 3rd Royal Rumble.
Big Jim definitely got a bulk discount on his new gear. I wonder how many color combos he got???
Andrade in at #11, and Wade Barrett points out what I’ve been thinking–why run to the ring?
Jacob Fatu enters at #12 and gets his pyro. The rocket ship has been strapped, pal.
Ludwig Kaiser enters at #13 and no one not named (Greg DeMarco Show co-host) Patrick O’Dowd cares.
Kaiser immediately dumped by Penta, and he’ll probably lose to him on Monday’s Raw, too.

Here comes the most underappreciated wrestler in WWE history, @mikethemiz. #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

We lost Michael for a minute there.

The fact that Joe Hendry’s fact on the ticket is “Say His Name And He Appears” is amazing.

Great pop for him, too.

And Michael Cole references Nic Nemeth! #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

I’d actually forgotten that we’d likely get a Joe Hendry appearance, so they got a little pop out of me.
I acknowledge you, my Tribal Chief.

☝️☝️☝️☝️☝️ #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

Roman Reigns vs. CM Punk would be one hell of a match at WrestleMania, just sayin’.
Showdowns like Roman Reigns and Bron Breakker is what the Royal Rumble is all about.
SPEAR TO ROMAN.
That might have been the greatest spear ever.
After Joe Gendry and Roman Reigns, Drew McIntyre gets very little reaction entering at #17.
Drew McIntyre with the very silky smooth hair tonight.
Finn Balor in at #18 and we have our second drone sighting of the night.
Something is wrong with Pat McAfee’s headset. Hell of a showing by Penta, by the way.
Jey Uso in at #20 to a HUGE pop.
LET JE YWIN YOU COWARDS.
Poison Rana by Jey???
Let’s hope AJ Styles can stick around for a bit this time. (Not necessarily in the Rumble, but in general.)

All these megastars, and Jacob Fatu might be the most over guy in the match right now. #ROYALRUMBLE

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

I’d be okay if Braun shaved his head again.
Jacob Fatu can literally do ANYTHING and it makes sense.

JOHN CENA’S SOCKS!
JOHN CENA’S SOCKS!
JOHN CENA’S SOCKS!#RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

CM Punk, John Cena, and Roman Reigns all in the ring all at the same time? YES PLEASE.
Now add in Seth Rollins? This is the greatest Royal Rumble of all time.
The current field: Seth Rollins, CM Punk, John Cena, AJ Styles, Jey Uso, Drew McIntyre, and Roman Reigns. That is ABSURD.
The only man who can follow all that talent is indeed Dominik Mysterio. This is about to be amazing.
Imagine if Dom wins. I mean, just imagine it.
With the addition of Sami Zayn, the storylines in this Rumble right now are insane.
Damian Priest, who is probably challenging Shinsuke Nakamura at WrestleMania, enters at #28.
Two more to go. Any surprises?
LA Knight, who I forgot was in this match, enters next.
I kinda expect him to move to Raw in this transfer window.
Ah yes, Logan Paul. I also forgot he was on this.
We’ve had a Nic Nemeth and now a Ricochet reference tonight. I love when you’re WWE, and you are comfortable talking about (almost) ANYBODY.

If I’m WWE, I have Logan Paul wait until the final two before jumping back into the ring. #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

He didn’t, by the way. Opportunity missed.
Final 6: Roman Reigns, Jey Uso, John Cena, CM Punk, Seth Rollins, Logan Paul… STAR. STUDDED.
Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins – the WrestleMania Main Event we never got.
YESSS!
Brilliant spot to have Logan Paul eliminate CM Punk.
Final 3: John Cena, Jey Uso, and Logan Paul. Two of my picks are left.
The action on the outside between Rollins, Roman, and Punk drives home how important the Rumble is to the competitors.
And then there were 2: my Who Should Win vs. my Who Will Win.
Please God let Jey Uso win this thing.
(And that’s not a slight against John Cena.)
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

IT’S JUST YOU, UCE! #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

Winner of the 2025 Men’s WWE Royal Rumble Match: Jey Uso

Just like the sign said: EAT. SLEEP. YEET. MANIA. I am so damn happy for Jey Uso. You can tell John Cena was as well, along with Michael Cole. And probably everyone in the entire company. Jey Uso is the success story.

As for the match? Well obviously this is a knee jerk reaction, but eff it–this is the best Royal Rumble Match they have ever put on. The early action was fun and exciting. But from the time Joe Hendry’s music hit to the moment Jey Uso pushed John Cena off of the apron, this match was insane. I think Roman Reigns coming in at 16 was a huge part of that. Once Roman is in the match, you are watching to see a) what he does, and b) if he’ll get eliminated. CM Punk eliminating Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns was beautiful, and then Logan Paul tossing CM Punk was even better. If that leads to Rollins vs. Reigns and Logan vs. Punk at WrestleMania, you can take my money.

My money is a Peacock membership, which is automatically charged. But still. Take it.

If John Cena wins it’s still probably the best Royal Rumble Match of all time. But Jey Uso winning makes that an undisputable fact.

Overall Thoughts on the 2025 WWE Royal Rumble

The Women’s Royal Rumble was decent to good. Loved Roxanne getting the Iron Woman treatment, but in the end it’s another chapter of LOL Charlotte Wins.
I need to rewatch DIY vs MCMG because I was on the phone when my son called. Maybe I will enjoy it more on a second viewing.
The ladder match was brutal but the end result was expected. Cody is still missing something, and I think that something will continue to be missing until he turns heel. He’s just overshadowed by too many of the other babyfaces.
The Men’s Royal Rumble Match was the best Royal Rumble match they have ever put on. Great action in the early half, and from 15 (Joe Hendry) on, it was amazing. The storyline movement with CM Punk, Roman Reigns, and Seth Rollins was (here’s that word) cinema, and having the most over wrestler in the company not named Roman Reigns win, and doing so by eliminating the odds-on favorite, was perfect. I’m biased because Jey Uso was my pick, but it was the perfect ending to what was probably as close to perfect as a Rumble match has been since 1992.

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TheChairshot.com PRESENTS: WWE Crown Jewel Immediate Reactions

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4 months ago

November 2, 2024

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Join DJ and Tunney for their immediate reactions to WWE Crown Jewel. For the latest, greatest and up to datest, ALWAYS #UseYourHead and visit THECHAIRSHOT.COM