Welcome to a new week, Wrestling fans. It also kicks off a fresh Pay Per View cycle, and while it appears that we could be staring down the barrel of numerous Extreme Rules rematches for Payback Cena/Rusev, already announced. Sheamus/Ziggler aren't done. Kidd/Cesaro should have a rematch. Nikki Bella could have a rematch. I could see Orton having a claim to get another shot at Rollins… The show itself was good, but the build was just so underwhelming it was hard to get SUPER into Extreme Rules.
In fact, THE most interesting thing that came out of Extreme Rules last night? Was in their spots for the new content hitting the WWE Network, is that the King of the Ring will make its long pined for (At least by this humble writer) return to WWE television.
This incarnation of the WWE's tournament will not be a stand alone event, but a two day affair. Kicking off with 8 men battling in four matches that comprise the first round tonight. Then the semifinals and finals will take place tomorrow… LIVE… as a WWE Network exclusive. Be interesting to see how that plays out production wise tomorrow with the Smackdown taping.
The only gripe is the out of left field nature of this announcement. If you could have had this be hyped up and even added another round it could have really ramped up. That said? I'm just stoked its returned. With their roster and how they struggle to fill the many hours of television they have each and every week? How this single elimination tournament sat collecting dust in deep storage is beyond me!
Its been four and a half years since the last King of the Ring, and before that they were happening every two years, going back to 2002 when it was still considered one of the WWE's Major Pay Per Views (after Wrestlemania, Royal Rumble, Summerslam, and Survivor Series.). Past winners have included Bret Hart, Steve Austin, Edge, Booker T… and less successfully: Mabel, Ken Shamrock, and Billy Gunn (Ass King, King Ass, Your Royal Assness just didn't have the best ring to it) – so even out of the "less successful" list? Its only MABEL who stands out as a dud. Shamrock and Gunn both were successful and popular even as singles wrestlers when they both won. This was a hope to get them to the next level. Just didn't quite click for Ken and Billy.
Now, before i continue talking about KotR and discussing the bracket that kicks off in just over two hours… Currently one of the most popular books and television shows on the planet is Game of Thrones. WWE always prides itself on its Pop Culture Prowess. Why they haven't seen to capitalize on this before GoT's 5th season? There's a lot of fun stuff you could have potentially done with Game of Thrones references. What if WWE fashions their own "Golden Throne" of melted down former Championship Belts? What if each combatant cuts a promo from said throne:
Okay… I might be nerding out a little TOO hard, here sue me. (Also the photoshopping skills aren't exactly at a "professional" level.)
The fact is we're going to get a series of good WRESTLING matches (#RememberThe2ndW) – and someone is fixing to come out with a nice resume builder. Will it be the 2nd reign of King Sheamus? Or will we see someone like Dolph Ziggler get crowned? Before we look at who MIGHT win? We need to know who's in?
Tonight we'll see Ambrose versus Sheamus, Neville versus Luke Harper, R-Truth versus Stardust, and Dolph Ziggler versus Bad News Barrett. Some very good match ups. In fact the only "meh" match up to me is Truth and Stardust. And that's not awful, and the match itself could be really entertaining. Just from the competitors involved, it does the least for me as a fan. Its also the most predictable, in my opinion. Stardust moves on.
Ambrose and Sheamus is the most difficult to pick. Ambrose is coming off a big Pay Per View win. One that felt like the first in FOREVER for the "Lunatic Fringe". Sheamus is coming off a Pay Per View LOSS, in his first PPV match back. I get the feeling that Sheamus and Ziggler are done. Perhaps Ziggler costs Sheamus this match after being humiliated last night.
So as I pointer out above, IF Ziggler costs Sheamus, or vice versa… It could easily be Sheamus costing Ziggler in his match against Barrett. Of course that feels a little overkill to have the matches end in screwy fashion like that. I guess we'll see.
Finally Luke Harper takes on Neville. Neville has been on quite the hot streak, since debuting. I can't see Harper slowing that down. Great clash of styles here. Harper's big brawling and Neville's lightning quick athletic offense will mesh well. Neville gets to the Semifinals.
Ultimately there are more than a few possible and deserving winners of the 2015 King of the Ring. (I have Ambrose over Neville and Barrett over Stardust. Ambrose winning the whole thing.) – But there is added intrigue in how they handle however handles this. Do they get a title shot? Does the winner adopt the "King" Monicker? (Here is hoping for a King Cesaro in 2016!)
The King of the Ring coming back is an exciting and unexpected thing. Hopefully tonight and tomorrow will be the first step in a return to prominence for WWE's "Game of Thrones". They have the talent. They CERTAINLY have the time. This could be an annual special on the Network. It could expand. It could include NXT. There are a lot of possibilities if this is something WWE wants to make a more regular part of their annual Post Mania plans.
So tonight I'm looking forward to Raw and seeing who gets crowned tomorrow night on the Network.
