411’s Instant Access 01.30.11: WWE Royal Rumble 2011

Hey kids, I’m Scott, and this is 411’s Instant Access: WWE Royal Rumble 2011. Instant Access is the companion piece to 411 Live Pay-Per-View Coverage and features immediate reaction to wrestling pay-per-views. The focus in Instant Access is on first thoughts and initial reactions instead of play-by-play with the goal of providing you with instant access to one two three FOUR writers’ thoughts on the show. That’s right, Instant Access will now feature multiple analysts for all WWE pay-per-views. Here’s the team for Royal Rumble:

• Scott Slimmer, author of Don’t Think Twice.
• Chad Nevett, half of the High Road/Low Road team.
• Michael Ornelas, author of 411’s ROH on HDNet Report.
• Jeff Small, retired author emeritus of the Tuesday Small-For-All News Report. Small is LIVE at the Royal Rumble along with fellow 411Mania retired author emeritus JP Prag. JP wanted to honor his commitment to the readers, and so he declined our offer of a one shot deal. On the other hand, Small will do anything for a buck. Seriously. We’re not supposed to talk about the 2007 411Mania Staff Christmas Party, but trust me, Small did some alarmingly distasteful stuff for the grand total of $8.47. Stay classy, Small.

Okay kids, enough with the explanations. Let’s get to the wrestling.

World Heavyweight Championship Match
Edge (Champion) vs. Dolph Ziggler w/ Vickie Guerrero
Match Result: Edge defeats Dolph Ziggler with the Killswitch.
Match Length: 20:44
Match Analysis:
Slimmer: I was definitely looking forward to seeing how well Ziggler could deliver when challenging for a world championship, and my interest in this match only grew when Edge’s Spear was banned. I loved the WWE Championship Match between Randy Orton and Shawn Michaels at Survivor Series 2007 when HBK’s Sweet Chin Music was banned and he utilized some of his most famous opponents’ finishers including the Sharpshooter, the Crippler Crossface, the Ankle Lock, and the Figure Four Leg Lock. I suspected that Edge might use a similar strategy in this match, but instead he focused on finding innovate ways to counter Ziggler’s offensive maneuvers into offensive maneuvers of his own. I’m not sure we’ve ever seen that particular story told in the ring, and I’ll always mark for matches that give us something new. Ziggler looked strong throughout, and there were at least three different moments throughout the match when I honestly thought that Ziggler had just won the title. In the end, Edge did hit the Spear when neither the referee nor Vickie Guerrero were watching, and I loved his homage to Eddie Guerrero directly afterward. Edge won the match with Christian’s Killswitch, but Ziggler’s performance in this match may have been more valuable to his career than a title win. Edge will head into Elimination Chamber as the World Heavyweight Champion, but I would wager that Dolph Ziggler will hold the Big Gold Belt at some point in 2011. This was a hell of a way to open the show and a hell of a way to open WWE’s first pay-per-view of the year. I just wish that Edge had resorted to using the Twist of Fate at some point. I would have marked hard.
Nevett: Out of the announced matches, this was the best choice to begin the show and delivered a strong match. Ziggler more than held his own, putting on one of his best performances and pushing himself in the ring. There were a couple of times that I thought he might actually win. I loved the finish with Edge play-acting a little and showing off his smarts by not going for a cover after the Spear, but hitting the Killswitch first. Definitely a great way to kick off the show.
Ornelas: The opener was a really good showing for the challenger, and a fun match all around. Everyone says that he needed tonight to be stellar to cement himself in the main event, but I don’t think that’s true. He did perform really well tonight, but his consistency is what will get him over more than anything. For the match itself, I liked it. The only thing that bothered me is Edge’s use of the spear. I understand that “no one” saw it, but if Vickie watches a replay, couldn’t she strip him on Smackdown? Maybe that’s the plan, but I wish they would have gone the route of Orton/HBK from Survivor Series 2007 and gone with it more in the match. Edge ending the match with the Unprettier was great, and makes me think Christian has a chance of winning this thing. Not saying he will, but it makes him an intriguing choice.
Small: Five stars. One for every Ziggler chin lock.
Match Rating:
Slimmer: ****
Nevett: ***¾
Ornelas: ***¼
Average Match Rating: ***¾

WWE Championship Match
The Miz (Champion) w/ Alex Riley vs. Randy Orton
Match Result: The Miz defeats Randy Orton after a Go To Sleep from CM Punk.
Match Length: 19:47
Match Analysis:
Slimmer: This match didn’t have as much of a cohesive narrative thread as the World Heavyweight Championship did, but Alex Riley’s ongoing interference actually added an interesting layer to the match. I mean, it made perfect sense. Riley’s attacks continued to weaken Orton, and the only possible downside is that Riley would be caught and Miz would retain the title after being disqualified. Of course, the other item of note from this match is New Nexus’ interference which resulted in Miz retaining the championship. Nexus had previously been focused heavily on John Cena, but now it seems as though Randy Orton is in their sights as well. Of course, if Randy Orton is in New Nexus’ sights, then New Nexus is also in Randy Orton’s sights. And that’s never a good place to be. As it stands, it looks as though Miz will carry the WWE Championship into Elimination Chamber. However, I still can’t see Miz in a championship match at WrestleMania (at least not in a one-on-one match, but I’ll discuss that later), so I would guess that Miz only has three more weeks to hold onto his precious belt.
Nevett: Overall, I thought this was a good match, but a few things bothered me. Alex Riley’s constant interference made sense for the character, I just didn’t buy the ref not ejecting him after his first act against Orton. Orton goes from dominating the match to lying on his back? Selective use of ejection just makes the ref look dumb. And, speaking of which, the ref playing like he was hurt after Orton tossed Riley out of the ring onto the New Nexus when all he did was dive out of the way, an act similar to what refs do a couple of dozen times every match? Why was I even noticing the ref? That’s not a good thing! Another screwy finish with the Nexus delivering a victory to someone felt like a cheat. A lazy way of booking. It’s happened before and didn’t go anywhere, so why will it this time? Orton and the Miz played their parts well and put on a good show, it was just the booking and everyone around them that dragged the match down for me.
Ornelas: This match was just difficult to get into for me. I enjoyed the last 4 or 5 minutes of it, but it was too plodding throughout. The Miz and Randy Orton are great characters in wrestling, but they need the right opponents to put on a great match. One another aren’t the right opponent. Anyways, after Miz hit his backbreaker/neckbreaker combo, I enjoyed the wrestling in the match. Also, the New Nexus involvement was good if it’s going where I think it might (CM Punk being in a WrestleMania championship match against who he thinks is easier to beat). It shakes things up, and I like that. Mild thumbs up for the match itself. Good booking, sloppy wrestling.
Small: I need new pants.
Match Rating:
Slimmer: ***½
Nevett: **½
Ornelas: **½
Average Match Rating: **¾

Fatal Four-Way Match for the Divas Championship
Natalya (Champion) vs. Eve Torres vs. Michelle McCool vs. Layla
Match Result: Eve Torres defeats Layla with a moonsault.
Match Length: 5:10
Match Analysis:
Slimmer: Okay, be honest. When the anonymous Raw General Manager announced that this match had been switched to a Fatal Four-Way Match between Natalya, Michelle McCool, Layla, and a Mystery Diva, you were PRAYING for KONG to come through the curtain, weren’t you? I sure as hell was. However, I’m always happy to see the comely Ms. Torres, so my disappointment was quickly dissipated. This was clearly the weakest match of the night. There’s simply no way to deny that fact. However, it would be unfair to say that this was a bad match. More importantly, the match served an important purpose on the card. It was the “breather” between the two world championship matches and the Royal Rumble Match, and it played that role without being silly or pointless. We could have easily wasted five minutes with a throw-away comedy match, but instead we got a decent Divas Championship Match that saw the title change hands. Speaking of which, where does Eve go from here as the new Divas Champion? Michelle McCool will almost certainly claim that she should have won the title when she pinned Natalya, but I bet we’re all still hoping that someone a bit more AMAZING and / or AWESOME shows up to challenge for Eve for the title.
Nevett: Ah, the surprise competitor! Somehow worse than the surprise match… Eve comes out and did anyone think she was not winning the belt? There was some good storytelling here between McCool and Layla, and the double-Sharp Shooter was awesome. But, another weird finish that looks like an excuse to keep LayCool in the spotlight despite putting the belt on Eve. Ugh.
Ornelas: I thoroughly enjoyed this match. They all worked hard, they kept LayCool together in the end (although I think the seeds have been planted for a break-up), and the ending was done well. Michelle has a claim because she’s the one that actually pinned the champion. She may also blame Layla for eating the title-changing pinfall. Layla plays such a good punching bag, and has improved drastically. I actually look forward to her matches (if I have to see a Divas match, I’d like her to be in it). Either way, good match. Well-done ending. Not too time consuming.
Small: Uuhhhhhhhhhhh…
Match Rating:
Slimmer: *¾
Nevett: ½*
Ornelas: **
Average Match Rating: *½

40-Man Royal Rumble Match
Match Result: Alberto Del Rio wins the Royal Rumble by last eliminating Santino Marella.
Match Length: 1:09:46
Match Analysis:
Slimmer: This match was all over the place, but almost all of it was all over the place in a good way. New Nexus’ early domination clearly cemented their place as a dominant force on Raw. John Morrison may have had the single most impressive non-elimination in the history of the Royal Rumble. However, my one complaint about that incredibly impressive spot is that it telegraphed the fact that Morrison would not be winning the match. I don’t think he was ever a favorite to win the Rumble, but there was certainly the possibility of it happening. However, the fact that he was allowed to attempt a spot with a good 80% chance of him falling on his ass outside the ring was a pretty clear message that he wouldn’t be around at the end. Some people will probably complain about the Hornswoggle shenanigans near the middle of the match, but I thought it was a fun little break that gave a bit of variety to a very long match. As for the two big surprise entrants, it was nice to see Booker T and be treated to one more Spinaroonie, but what we’ll all remember is the crowd’s thunderous response to Diesel. Boston was on FIRE for Big Sexy tonight, and he clearly had the highest Pop / Mobility ratio of any performer in the history of the industry. I really only have two complaints about the match. First, while I liked New Nexus’ string of dominant eliminations, I thought their storyline peaked a bit early. It would have been more impressive if they had gone on the same run thirty minutes later. Second, I certainly expected Triple H to make his long-awaited return tonight, and I know I wasn’t alone. After thirty-nine other men entered the ring, I took it for granted that he would be number forty. And then he wasn’t, and I felt more than a bit deflated for a few minutes. The action in the ring picked up and everything was eventually right with the world, but I was still disappointed. Anyway, the bottom line here is the Alberto Del Rio just won the Royal Rumble, and he’s headed for a high profile match at WrestleMania. However, with Elimination Chamber only three weeks away, there’s really no way to guess who will be holding either of the two world championships by the time Del Rio challenges for the title. The Raw main event scene seems crowded with Cena, Orton, Punk, and Miz all basically at the top of the card, and now they all seem to be entangled in each other’s lives. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them in a Fatal Four-Way Match for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania. That leaves Del Rio to challenge for the World Heavyweight Championship against whoever comes away from Elimination Chamber as the champion.
Nevett: I was looking forward to this and it delivered big time. The opening with the Corre and New Nexus played into that story right away in a surprising fashion. And the choice of CM Punk and Daniel Bryan to start? The trio of commentators had it right when they said the internet would be marking out. John Morrison save from elimination was AMAZING but also confirmed that he wasn’t going to win, because there’s no way they’d take a chance like that with the eventual winner. The eventual dominance of the New Nexus was played perfectly even if it meant Booker T not staying even 90 seconds. But, he hit his moves and looked like he could stick it out until John Cena eventually came in and cleared house. That gave the match a sense of a halfway mark and helped in telling a few different stories. The Hornswoggle stuff was funny at times and got old quick. I bet all of the guys that didn’t get in the match are comforted by the knowledge that they rate belong Hornswoggle. Nash coming out as Diesel was surprising as I know I’m not the only one who expected… well, just Kevin Nash. I thought for a little bit there that Alberto Del Rio wasn’t even going to make it into the match when Orton came out and could have gotten into the ring before him for the elimination (or does it not work that way anymore?). I’m not sure we needed Orton and Ziggler in the match… but I’m also not sure I’d have rather seen someone who didn’t make the cut. Honestly, there’s not much about the Royal Rumble match this year that I did love. Lots of cool spots, some good storytelling, some great mark out moments, and a surprising-yet-not-surprising choice of the winner. Though, ANOTHER somewhat screwy/strange finish?
Ornelas: Please forgive me that this is in present tense. I’m writing while watching it. Anyways, right off the bat, I was wrong. I predicted CM Punk to be #40, haha. The start of the match was…odd. Whatever. We got CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan to start, and that’s AWESOME. Morrison’s near-elimination save was amazing. Loved the Nexus domination. Using Khali to trade Husky for Mason Ryan was good. Booker T looked great and had his minute to shine. Hit all his moves and actually looks like he’s not that old. If this is a one-time appearance, that’s fine, but if it’s one last run with the company, I’d DIG IT…SUCKAAAA!! Of course it’s Cena that takes out the Nexus. NOO!! CM Punk is gone. At this point, there are only two people left that I’d WANT to win the match. Alberto Del Rio or Christian. Cena’s stuff with Hornswoggle was great. We probably have the most star power in the ring so far right now with Cena, Barrett, Sheamus, Mysterio, Kofi, and Ziggler, who just entered. Diesel’s in! NOW it’s the most. He gets a HUGE pop! Booker and Nash would be great for WrestleMania with a WCW focus. Orton and Cena’s face-off makes me think they’ll be competing against one another at Mania. Kane is 40 and there’s not going to be any Christian, unfortunately. The only man I want to win here is Del Rio. Barrett wouldn’t be too bad either, but that doesn’t feel like WrestleMania. Final four are Barrett, Del Rio, Cena, and Orton. Another Cena/Orton face-off gets cut short by Barrett. MIZ ELIMINATED CENA! AWESOME! (See what I did there?) Orton tosses Barrett and DEL RIO TOSSES ORTON!! DEL RIO IS GOING TO….or is Santino?? BRILLIANT!! Nothing wrong with that ending! Del Rio wins anyways, but that was fun. After Punk was eliminated and Christian wasn’t in the match, the right man won. I’d love to see Christian challenge Del Rio for a spot in the championship match at WrestleMania next month given their history. Edge/Christian, Edge/Del Rio, or even a triple threat would be a great match for the biggest show of the year.
Small: Morrison with a main event pop.
Small: JTG is my pick. Since Yoshi is gone.
Small: Khali – *faint*
Small: Amazing Rumble. Boston fans were wicked awesome. JP is stunned. He is a loser. Ricardo keeps talking shit in Spanish to everyone. Crowd is shocked. But it’s a great pick. Del Rio is a star and way more over than Barrett and Ziggler.
Match Rating:
Slimmer: ****¼
Nevett: ****¼
Ornelas: ****
Average Match Rating: ****¼

Final Thoughts

Match of the Night:
Slimmer: The Royal Rumble Match (****¼)
I loved the World Heavyweight Championship Match, but it just couldn’t beat out an hour long match that had forty men, the New Nexus behemoth, leprechaun shenanigans, an absolutely insane pop for Big Daddy Cool, and Alberto Del Rio moving even higher up the card. The Rumble certainly did not disappoint this year.
Nevett: The Royal Rumble Match (****¼)
With 40 men, it could have dragged, but never did. Instead, it gave the New Nexus a chance to shine while still delivering a lot of regular Rumble action. The added time/competitors helped, I’d say.
Ornelas: The Royal Rumble Match (****)
How do I not pick this match when it can only be seen once a year? The returns were done well, and Booker got a nice pop. Diesel’s pop was HUGE, which really surprised me. The Nexus dominating the start was well done, Cena’s handling in the match was also well done. Loved the Hornswoggle interactions. Del Rio didn’t exactly look strong during the match, but he won, and that’s the only thing that really matters. He didn’t cheat at all, and is going to WM27.

Trash of the Night:
Slimmer: NONE
For the third night in a row, I refuse to call anything pay-per-view trash. The World Heavyweight Championship Match and WWE Championship Match both delivered, and the Divas Championship Match played its role perfectly. The Royal Rumble Match literally had a bit of everything, and there wasn’t even anything silly between the matches to steal TotN dishonors.
Nevett: The Miz vs. Randy Orton (**½)
WWE Championship match — Yeah, the Divas match ranked lower, but it was pretty much guaranteed to be the fourth-best match of the night. The WWE Championship match could have been a lot better. Orton and the Miz did their parts, and the booking of the finish just killed it for me.
Ornelas: The Miz vs. Randy Orton (**½)
This match just disappointed me and bored me a little at the start. For a WWE championship match, I expect more from these guys. I like them both, but feel they didn’t delivered tonight.

Final Analysis:
Slimmer: Let’s pause a moment to reflect on what we just watched. We started the evening with two world championship matches that were each given twenty minutes. It’s usually a miracle when one championship match is given that much time on WWE PPV, but I truly can’t remember the last time that both of the top titles were given this much time. We moved on to a respectable Divas Championship Match that served as a nice palette cleanser (Diva sorbet?) between the two world championship matches and the Royal Rumble Match. And then there was the BIGGEST RUMBLE EVER. No silly booking, no pointless impromptu matches, no inane backstage skits. Just four solid matches. This is definitely my choice for Pay-Per-View of the Month, and come December it will be on my short-list for Pay-Per-View of the Year. I’m still not sure that any PPV is worth $44.95, but I can at least say that tonight I don’t regret having paid for the show.
Nevett: The show began and ended well with the middle two matches not delivering. Actually, that the first match was as good as it was is a nice bonus since the pressure to have a great match at the Royal Rumble isn’t as high as other shows. The draw here is the Royal Rumble itself and that one was fantastic. Great booking, CM Punk stole the show for the second year in a row, and… well, unlike most Rumbles, there wasn’t any spot where I’d say I was bored. No, the 40-Man Rumble turned out to be a success as far as I’m concerned.
Ornelas: This show gets some points just for being the Royal freaking Rumble. I enjoyed it thoroughly, but I’m not as critical as most (I don’t actively look for what they’re doing wrong). The Divas match is going to be the most likely going to be the point of contention with my ratings, but I really don’t care. I enjoy what they did tonight. Orton/Miz wasn’t awful, just disappointing. Don’t mix that up. The Rumble match didn’t have the most quality wrestling, but there were a lot of fun moments with an exciting new winner getting thrust into the main event scene. Good show.

Verdict:
Slimmer: ****
Nevett: ****
Ornelas: ****
Average Verdict: ****