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WWE Royal Rumble 2014: Live coverage and results, 26th January 2014

WWE Royal Rumble 2014

Hello ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to The Royal Rumble 2014! We’re live from the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Get ready for a wild ride tonight, as WWE rolls out with one of the top four PPVs in its calender year!

 

Pre – show match:

Goldust and Cody Rhodes vs. The New Age Outlaws for the WWE Tag Team championships

The first match on the card was the pre – show match between NAO and the Rhodes brothers for the prestigious WWE Tag Team titles. Cody started things off with Road Dogg, and Cody immediately went for a pin attempt, but Dogg came back with an offense of his own, thanks to Billy Gunn. Dogg ducked the Cross Rhodes and tagged in Gunn, but Rhodes sent him outside. Goldust took out Dogg with a leap and Cody took Gunn out the same way!

Back from commercial and NAO were in control of the match. Good back and forth action between both the teams, and NAO managed to keep the champions down. The end sequence saw Cody taking Dogg out with the Disaster kick, but Gunn tagged himself in and took Cody out with the Fame-asser for the three count! We have new WWE Tag Team champions!

Winner (s) and the new WWE Tag Team champions: The New Age Outlaws

 

 

Rating: ** 1/2 

Analysis: I honestly didn’t see that coming! That was a good way to kick off a major PPV, and we once again have to question the creative’s decision to put the titles on a team which was in contention about a decade and a half ago. Either way, this leaves a door open for a rematch at WrestleMania between both the teams. A good bout to open the show.

 

Main – show:

Daniel Bryan vs. Bray Wyatt (With Rowan and Harper)

Daniel Bryan made his way out to a huge ovation from the Pittsburgh crowd, and The Wyatts made their way out. The crowd started a huge “Yes” and “Daniel Bryan” chant before the bout started. Bryan went right at it with some stiff kicks as the crowd got firmly behind him.

Bryan unloaded on Wyatt to kick things off and took him out with a leap. Bryan hit a big crossbody for a 2 count. Bryan unloaded in the corner, but got knocked off the apron and landed hard! Bryan came back with a reversal and a submission hold, and worked on Wyatt’s leg. Bray found an opening and drilled Bryan in the head, and tossed him out as Daniel Bryan hit his head hard in the corner and stumbled out of the ring, as the referee went for the count. Wyatt then came down on Bryan’s head with a huge leg drop on the outside!

 

Bray Wyatt continued to work on Bryan’s head and neck region, catapulting his head between the ropes. Wyatt then went for the headlock as the fans chanted for Bryan. Bryan tried to make a comeback, but Wyatt drilled him to the mat with a thud, and did the spider walk again! Wyatt then rammed Bryan in the corner and covered for a nearfall. Bryan then avoided a charging Wyatt and then busted Bray’s head in the corner with a drop toe hold as the fans chanted for Bryan! Bryan then drop kicked Wyatt in the corner and put him on the top rope, bringing him down with a huge hurricanrana! Daniel Bryan started building momentum and went for the running dropkick, but Wyatt stopped him with a huge elbow! Bryan then threw Wyatt out, but Wyatt got caught on the ropes as the crowd chanted “This is awesome!” Bryan then drilled Wyatt’s head outside with a huge tornado DDT! Bryan then came down with a huge suicide dive and connected with a missile dropkick! Bryan connected with some beautiful kicks as the crowd chanted “Yes”, and drilled Wyatt in the head for a 2 count! Bryan drilled Bryan in the corner and drilled him with a couple of drop kicks, but Wyatt caught Bryan with a huge clothesline, spinning him in mid air for a nearfall! Wyatt went for Sister Abigail, but Bryan countered it into an inside cradle for a 2 count! Bryan then went for the LaBelle Lock, but Wyatt bit his finger and drilled Bryan with hard elbows to the head!

Wyatt put Bryan on the top rope, as they traded headbutts as the crowd did a dual “Yes/No” chant. Bryan dropped Wyatt and came down with a huge splash! Bryan went for a drop kick, but Wyatt went outside. Bryan then went for a suicide dive once again, but Wyatt caught him and connected with Sister Abigail on the outside on the barricade! The crowd started a “Holy sh*t” chant and a “This is awesome!” chant. Wyatt brought a lifeless Bryan back into the ring and connected with the Sister Abigail for the victory!

Winner: Bray Wyatt

Rating: ****

 

 

Analysis: That was an amazing way to kick off the PPV. It was arguably the best opening match in Royal Rumble history. Was it the right decision to give Wyatt the victory? Maybe, but the two matches that took place went against the better judgment of the fans, and that can also be a good thing. Rumble so far has been unpredictable, and if this continues till the end of the night, this might just turn out to be one of the best PPVs of the year.

Backstage, Rene interviewed Heyman, who apologized to the fans before hand for what Bryan would do to Big Show in their match. Heyman cut a promo about how Lesnar will dominate, and how Big Show will pay for mocking Lesnar and Heyman.

Shawn Michaels, “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan and “Nature Boy” Ric Flair were the special guest panel for the Royal Rumble PPV. HBK gave props to Bryan for his performance.

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