This Friday, we are reviewing the WWE Royal Rumble 2017 show on Rewind-A-Wai #44.
This was chosen by Espresso Executive Producer Joshua Martin.
Leave us your feedback and questions related to the show.
This will be released on Friday for members of the POST Wrestling Café.
WWE ROYAL RUMBLE Sunday, January 29, 2017 The Alamo Dome in San Antonio, Texas
*30-man Royal Rumble
*AJ Styles vs. John Cena for the WWE title
*Kevin Owens vs. Roman Reigns in a No DQ match for the Universal title
*Charlotte Flair vs. Bayley for the Raw women’s title
*Rich Swann vs. Neville for the Cruiserweight title
Alex from Minneapolis
I remember this show so well and being one the high points of WWE in 2017. After Mania 33, the company went into a slump as both Raw and Smackdown PPVs went through rough stretches of lackluster shows. Cena/AJ is no doubt one of the best trilogy’s of the 2010’s. MITB was the feeling out process, SummerSlam was them hitting their stride and Royal Rumble was them peaking at a ridiculous level. AJ losing didn’t hurt him as his world title run had established him as a top guy. Randy winning the rumble felt like a make good for the SummerSlam beating he got in the Brock match.
2 questions
John Do you know if WWE ever had serious talks with Kenny Omega to come in for this show other than feelers?
Hindsight being 20/20 do you guys feel putting Neville on 205 Live was a bad call given his walkout later that year in September?
It’s surprising, but I remember this rumble event much more than I remember the 2018 or 2019 event. Between this show, the UK championship tournament and Takeover to a lesser extent, the WWE was off to a flying start in 2017. Top to bottom, I think this card was quite stellar preshow not withstanding.
The Women’s match was a decent opener with Charlotte maintaining her undefeated PPV streak and Neville vs Rich Swann was good, given it’s spot on the card.
KO-Reigns and Cena-Styles were both bangers. I don’t think WWE has had the top two title matches that were that good.
The Rumble match was what it was given WrestleMania that year, but looking back, the follow up to the rumble was disappointing to say the least. The festival of friendship was excellent and the Elimination chamber match was decent that year, but we got the terrible maggots on the canvas match at WM and KO being back to the midcard with the giant Lesnar Universal Title reign. Royal Rumble itself was a solid 8/10 show, but the rest of 2017 was a bit disappointing.
Couple of questions
How much credence do you give to the rumors that Randy won the rumble for the Summerslam 2016 match with Brock?
Given Cena’s position at WM (the mixed tag) that year and the very weird Taker match next year, do you guys feel that 2017 was the last opportunity to do a Taker - Cena WM match that meant something.
I’ve listened to your reviews on the streets of the 6, at the Bastille Monument in Paris, in Ueno Park in Tokyo, on Australian beaches, while painting walls, while working out, while lying on the floor hungover, and commuting and traveling from Points A to Points B across the world. You’ve provided countless hours of entertainment and helped unfamiliar places and situations feel more comfortable.
Thank you for all your work. Here’s to ten more years of Putskis, puns, impressions, and captivating stories like a young John’s homicidal tendencies toward Tamagotchis and a young Wai having his eyes covered by his father’s napkin during the sex scene in Titanic.
On your fifth anniversary show (the Brawl for All tournament) Wai asked John to try to be less self-deprecating and more self-confident over the next five years. John asked Wai to say “yes” more often and to try doing more things (John specifically meant on-camera roles). How well do each of you think you have done with these challenges?