Jay2K...got a wrestling question for you...

[mjr]

To the best of your knowledge, how do they coordinate these "rumble" type matches?

Especially once they get 10 or 15 guys in the ring?

I can understand having them go in one at a time, but how do they determine when most of them are supposed to be eliminated?

[Jay 2K Winger]

I honestly don't know exactly how they book these things.

For Rumble-style matches, they pretty obviously set out who enters when, and they establish who will win and probably who they'll eliminate last. Other than that, I think they may determine some major eliminations, but otherwise I assume they may tell the guys "No eliminations after [So-And-So] enters, until [Big Hoss] comes out and tosses out [x number], leaving [whomever]."

Battle Royals (where everyone starts in the ring at the same time) I assume are similar, minus the entrance parts.

I assume the referees/officials are kept informed of how much time has elapsed and then they give cues to the wrestlers to start tossing people.

[Jay 2K Winger]

Thread necromancy, ahoy!

As the Royal Rumble is tonight, one of the wrestling forums I frequent has a bunch of Rumble-related threads, and in one of them, someone linked to an article from Jimmy Korderas, referee who has worked a number of WWE Royal Rumbles, in which he explains what goes into the planning of the match.

So, here, scope it out.

[mjr]

That was an interesting read, Jay. Thanks!

[Jay 2K Winger]

I will say that this year's Royal Rumble show was LOADS better than the last two years. A solid undercard, and the Rumble itself was much better booked. All those so-called "indie darlings" and midcarders that fans are actually into got decent chances to shine, and unlike last year weren't just plowed out of the way by Kane and Big Show in the most humiliating fashion.

Plus, having AJ Styles debut at #3, and get actually acknowledged by commentary as an accomplished wrestler who simply has never competed (on a major level) in WWE, that was great. Having him get eliminated by Kevin Owens-- one of those indie darlings, but also genuinely over as a heel-- helped as well.

WWE finally seemed to recognize that Roman Reigns isn't well-liked at the Rumble, which tends to be heavily attended by smarks, and so they did their best to save it. Fans in attendance (and watching) could probably see what was going to happen when Reigns was laid out by the League of Nations, but having Reigns make his return to the ring by punching out Sheamus-- who the fans don't like-- at least got him a pop, even if Reigns' eventual elimination by HHH got a larger pop.

They planted many seeds for Mania feuds, too. Potentially Styles/Owens, but the bigger one would be Owens/Zayn. They're obviously building Lesnar/Wyatt, but they teased Wyatt/HHH, which got a bigger "I wanna see this fight" reaction than the HHH/Reigns staredown.

Ultimately, while I don't like the end result of the Rumble match, I have zero problems with the match itself this year. I am now getting hyped for Mania, baby!

[mjr]

Ultimately, while I don't like the end result of the Rumble match, I have zero problems with the match itself this year. I am now getting hyped for Mania, baby!

I saw a video on one of the Wrestling-related sites I go to that was 'Taker "training" for WM.

It was basically a video of him in a gym doing a few deadlifts. He was deadlifting 405 from lower pins (not picking it up off the floor), but doing it like it was nothing! I'd be ecstatic if I could deadlift 405 pounds once.

[Sandman]

I'm thinking we might see a Sting w/ Reigns or vice versa vs HHH for Wrestlemania

[Jay 2K Winger]

I'm thinking we might see a Sting w/ Reigns or vice versa vs HHH for Wrestlemania

They did Sting vs HHH last year. And it was ... not good.

Plus, I think Sting is still recovering from his neck/spinal injury after his match with Rollins in the fall.

[mjr]

They did Sting vs HHH last year. And it was ... not good.

Plus, I think Sting is still recovering from his neck/spinal injury after his match with Rollins in the fall.

Hillbilly Jim vs King Kong Bundy...

C'mon WWE...make it happen! ;-)

[AnaKhouri]

My husband is a master of prediction so he knew all along Triple H was going to come out and win.

Glad to see AJ Styles in action, though I hate it was Kevin Owens who booted him. Kevin Owens is a master of crowd psychology, because every time I see him I want to punch his stupid face. But Sami Zayn got some revenge, which made me happy.

They seem to be setting up a major feud between Brock Lesnar and the Wyatts. I feel like they don't know what to do with the Wyatts. They just go out and screw with random people because, they're crazy I guess. I like Bray's bird pants though.

[Jay 2K Winger]

My husband is a master of prediction so he knew all along Triple H was going to come out and win.

Glad to see AJ Styles in action, though I hate it was Kevin Owens who booted him. Kevin Owens is a master of crowd psychology, because every time I see him I want to punch his stupid face. But Sami Zayn got some revenge, which made me happy.

They seem to be setting up a major feud between Brock Lesnar and the Wyatts. I feel like they don't know what to do with the Wyatts. They just go out and screw with random people because, they're crazy I guess. I like Bray's bird pants though.

Yeah, I think WWE is juuust smart enough to know that having Reigns go the distance and retain the title in the Rumble would not get him over in the way they want, and that for the third straight year, they'd have fans in a riotous fury again. So that said to me that Reigns would lose, and I suspected HHH would be the last entrant. (Though some fan speculation I saw would be that HHH would actually be out at #31, just to twist the knife on Reigns a little more.)

Owens is indeed an expert in getting fans to hate him. And I'm glad to see that he's making himself established in the WWE. KO was also the best person to eliminate Styles. Styles' elimination was going to get the fans angry, and so putting that heat onto a natural heat magnet like KO makes sense. And seeing KO's face when Zayn came out-- and his face when he, KO, was subsequently eliminated by his archnemesis-- was priceless.

I agree, WWE seems to want to establish the Wyatts as a significant upper midcard threat, but the problem is, every time they have a chance to give them a major win, they back off on it. Having Wyatt beat Cena in their feud could have MADE him. Likewise, if they'd used the Wyatts to write out Taker and Kane on a more permanent basis, or had the Wyatts BEAT Taker and Kane in their feud, it would have MADE them.

I do look forward to the prospect of Wyatt and Heyman dueling with words.

[Jay 2K Winger]

Double post just because Rassle Mania Season is upon us, and this is when WWE tries to at least pretend like they want to put on great shows, and Wrestlemania itself is always a spectacle.

Their "developmental program," NXT, has its own weekly show on WWE Network (put up on Hulu a day after) which is generally going to be better on a regular basis to Raw or Smackdown. They put on periodic major shows, called Takeover specials, which have often been better than WWE's PPVs. (The last three Takeover specials, "Takeover: Brooklyn" "Takeover: Respect" and "Takeover: London" were all great top to bottom.)

Well, they're doing a Takeover special in Dallas (appropriately titled "Takeover: Dallas") for Mania weekend, and at the latest set of NXT TV tapings (shows will air probably over the next month or two) they've announced five matches for the special so far--

(spoilered for those that care)
NXT Champion Finn Bálor defends vs Samoa Joe
NXT Women's Champion Bayley defends vs Asuka
NXT Tag Team Champions Dash & Dawson defend vs American Alpha (Jason Jordan & Chad Gable)
Dream Match - Sami Zayn vs Shinsuke Nakamura
Baron Corbin vs indie darling Austin Aries
(end spoiler)

I am hyped as hell.

[mjr]

Well, they're doing a Takeover special in Dallas (appropriately titled "Takeover: Dallas") for Mania weekend, and at the latest set of NXT TV tapings (shows will air probably over the next month or two) they've announced five matches for the special so far--
I am hyped as hell.

And WM is at JerryWorld (aka "Deathstar" Stadium). I've been to that stadium a couple of times. It's MASSIVE. But people are gonna be distracted by the JerryTron, and not focus on the ring.

I'd love to go to WM at least once. I don't think they'll be swinging back through Dallas any time soon, though (I live in the Dallas area). I'd also like to see 'Taker wrestle once in person...if nothing else for that damn entrance (top in the WWE, in my book).

[Jay 2K Winger]

And WM is at JerryWorld (aka "Deathstar" Stadium). I've been to that stadium a couple of times. It's MASSIVE. But people are gonna be distracted by the JerryTron, and not focus on the ring.

I'd love to go to WM at least once. I don't think they'll be swinging back through Dallas any time soon, though (I live in the Dallas area). I'd also like to see 'Taker wrestle once in person...if nothing else for that damn entrance (top in the WWE, in my book).

If Mania is in your neighborhood, then I'd urge you to go.

Something else to keep in mind, indie wrestling will be in full effect in the Metroplex throughout that week as well. Indie companies will be running shows in the area to capitalize on all the rasslin fever. Ring of Honor, one of the top indie companies in North America, will be holding their "Supercard of Honor X" shows on Friday and Saturday for one.

Obviously, I'd go for Takeover Dallas over ROH, if Takeover Dallas weren't already sold out.

[mjr]

If Mania is in your neighborhood, then I'd urge you to go.

I don't know if I have that kind of scratch right now. Otherwise I'd love to.

There's a guy on the sports station that I listen to who goes every year, no matter where WM is held. He goes with his dad.

Aside from that, even if I went, I'd probably end up staring at the JerryTron (I'm assuming it'll be on). The screen on the length of the field runs between the 20's (it's 60 yards long). Then the "short" side is 48 feet wide.

At this point, I'd want a reasonable price, and probably end up in the "nose bleed" seats.