Ring Rust Radio is the best wrestling show on the airwaves, and this week was no different. With strong opinions on Randy Orton, Neville and more, this is where you need to go to get all of your weekly WWE nuggets.
Bleacher Report featured columnists Mike Chiari, Donald Wood and Brandon Galvin give the lowdown on everything going on in the wrestling world. Also, TNA star Drew Galloway joined the show to offer his inside perspective on the business.
With another unpredictable episode of Ring Rust Radio in the books, you can't afford to miss another second of the action. Catch us live every Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET (some language NSFW) or follow us on Twitter @RingRustRadio.
We may just read your questions and comments live on the air. Visit our new website at RingRustRadio.com. You can also email us here: RingRustRadio@Yahoo.com.
*Some language NSFW.
Upcoming Guests/Events
April 14: Wrestling artist Rob Schamberger
Randy Orton Emerges as No. 1 Contender for World Title
WrestleMania 31 saw Seth Rollins lose to Randy Orton early in the show, but Rollins ultimately got the last laugh by successfully cashing in his Money in the Bank contract to become the new WWE World Heavyweight champion. Orton maintained that his win over Rollins meant he was entitled to a shot at the strap, and the Viper earned that right on Raw.
Question on Everybody's Mind: Is This the Ideal World Title Situation?
On Raw, Orton faced Roman Reigns and Ryback in a Triple Threat match with a title bout against Rollins at Extreme Rules on the line. The Authority was heavily involved in the contest, but the opportunistic Orton was able to come out on top by hitting a distracted Ryback with an RKO. With that victory, Orton established himself as the No. 1 contender for the world title, and he figures to main event Extreme Rules against Rollins.
Rollins and Orton put on a very solid performance at WrestleMania, with the main highlight being Orton's awesome reversal of the Curb Stomp into an RKO. There is every reason to believe they can have another entertaining encounter at Extreme Rules, especially if a stipulation is added.
Since it promises to be the main event of the pay-per-view, it's a fairly safe bet that it will become an Extreme Rules match, which will allow for the use of weapons and add another dimension to their rivalry.
Ring Rust Radio's Take
As good as Orton versus Rollins could be from a match-quality perspective, it's is tough to get too excited about it. They have already faced each other in some way or another on several occasions, so the novelty has worn off to some degree. Also, it is blatantly obvious Rollins is destined to come out on top, given he just won the title. Orton had a fairly lengthy title reign last year, and there wouldn't be much logic in putting the belt back on him despite the transformation of his character.
A better option would have been to make the Extreme Rules main event a Triple Threat with Reigns involved. While Reigns technically took the loss in the WrestleMania main event, he came away looking strong and deserves a rematch from a storyline perspective, since the match he earned was altered by Rollins' cash-in.
Not only would Reigns' involvement have helped the match quality, it have also would made things far more unpredictable, since the thought of Reigns winning the title wouldn't have been outlandish. Even if it is only temporary, Reigns has now been relegated to the midcard, and passing him over does little to maintain the momentum he gained entering WrestleMania.
Rumor Mill
Backstage news on Reigns' family at WrestleMania (Wrestling Observer Newsletter via WrestlingInc.com)
Neville Challenges WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins
Rollins was not only newsworthy on Raw due to the fact that a new challenger was established for his title but also because of the match he was involved in. Kane booked Rollins in a tilt with newcomer Neville, which turned out to be the highlight of the night. It was only Neville's second official match since making the jump from NXT, but there is no question that he made an impact.
Question on Everybody's Mind: Did WWE Handle Neville and Rollins Properly?
Neville made his true debut on the main roster on the post-WrestleMania edition of Raw. He defeated Curtis Axel in a squash match, and he showed off his exciting brand of wrestling in the process.
While Neville is brand new to casual viewers, hardcore WWE fans with access to WWE Network know him as one of the most successful stars in NXT history and the longest-reigning NXT champion of all time at 287 days.
The main roster is totally different animal, though, which means the entire WWE fanbase needed to be given a reason to care about the British high-flyer. They were certainly given that on Raw when he went head-to-head with the new world champion and acquitted himself well. In addition to showing off the amazing things he can do in the ring, Neville dominated portions of the match and looked like Rollins' equal before the resourceful titleholder won with help from J&J Security.
Ring Rust Radio's Take
Establishing new talent isn't always WWE's strong suit, as evidenced by the struggles of some of the NXT Superstars who have made the leap to the main roster over the past year. Neville is at a totally different level in terms of ability and potential when compared to the likes of Adam Rose, Bo Dallas and the Ascension, though, which put WWE in a far more favorable spot. Even so, the writers should be applauded for the manner in which they have handled Neville thus far.
He could have continued to win squash matches against lesser talents for weeks on end, but he wouldn't have gained much from that formulaic approach. Losing against Rollins did far more good, since it made him look legitimate and gave him immediate credibility. Even though Rollins needed some help, he also came away in a positive light by getting the win and garnered extra heat by cheating.
It remains to be seen what Neville's first big move will be on the main roster, but having him face Rollins in a competitive match certainly set him up for success.
Rumor Mill
Backstage news on world title match at WrestleMania (Wrestling Observer Newsletter via WrestlingInc.com)
RRR Interview with TNA's Drew Galloway
As TNA continues to establish itself on Destination America, one of the biggest keys to success is building a talented and star-studded roster. Impact Wrestling certainly took a huge step in the right direction when it signed Drew Galloway, who joined Ring Rust Radio to discuss his goals and expectations moving forward.
Question on Everybody's Mind: What's Next for Galloway?
It is well documented that Galloway had a lengthy run with WWE as Drew McIntyre. He was dubbed the "Chosen One," and went on became an Intercontinental and Tag Team champion. Most figured that he was a shoo-in to win the world title eventually due to his youth and potential, but it never came to fruition.
Galloway may finally get that chance to ascend to the top of the company in TNA, though, and he's ready for the challenge.
Well, if you're not hoping to win the world title, then you're out of your mind. That is the prize and that is the goal. Kurt Angle currently has it, and I'm very excited for the chance and opportunity to wrestle Kurt. That's somebody I grew up watching and every time he came on the TV I was very, very excited to watch.
The idea and the possibility to wrestle Kurt Angle for the world title, I mean, holy crap. Would you guys think if you were in a position to potentially get that opportunity would it be the dream right now? I'm going to keep working my ass off until I get there.
As an opponent of the Beat Down Clan, it hasn't taken Galloway long to emerge as one of the top faces on TNA's roster, and it feels as though it is only a matter of time before the 29-year-old Scot enters the world title picture.
Ring Rust Radio's Take
In addition to his work with TNA, Galloway has taken the independent scene by storm. That is evidenced by the fact that he is currently the Insane Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight champion, Evolve World champion and Dragon Gate USA Open the Freedom Gate champion.
It is clear Galloway loves to wrestle, and he has projected that passion onto the screen during Impact Wrestling. When asked about his hopes for TNA and the wrestling business moving forward, Galloway expressed a simple yet identifiable viewpoint.
I would like there to be wrestling on the wrestling shows. When fans react to somebody and they obviously like somebody, that person should get the opportunity. In the end, it's the fans that paid to come and see, to turn on the TV show, and if you don't give them what they want, they're going to turn the other direction.
...
Just getting the wrestling on the wrestling shows is fundamental. It's like watching wrestling for any other reason than to see wrestling. Fans get invested in the people through the wrestling and just give the fans what they want.
Galloway has echoed the sentiments of a large portion of the wrestling fanbase, and there is no doubt that he is gaining an even bigger following because of it. He is truly coming into his own as a performer as well, which means that signing him could ultimately prove to be a major coup for TNA.
B/R Article
Drew Galloway Talks TNA Impact Wrestling, the Rising, WWE Career and More (via Donald Wood)
Ring Rust Radio's Season 8 Fantasy WWE Standings
T1. Joe Arcidiacono: 25
T1. Donald Wood: 25
3. Brandon Galvin: 20
4. Mike Chiari: -5
Add comment
Comments
Jahifomercedes