The WWE Live Experience - So Much Better than the TV

This blog post regards my experiences of seeing the WWE Live that I eluded to in my blogs here, here and lastly here.


WWE Raw Live at the O2 - 18th April 2011

My very first experience of live WWE action was at the taping of Raw at the O2 in London. I had been an on and off fan of the WWE, as I had said in my previous blog posts. But as this would prove to be a new experience for me. I was excited to break my live wrestling cherry. Our seat location however wasn't great. We found ourselves in the top tier and it was very difficult to see anything. On top of that, because of the fact it was a full house, it was uncomfortably warm. This photo may look like it was close, but my camera was zoomed in full:

I excused this fact though as it was my first ever event. WWE Superstars was filmed before the Raw show which was ok. Then, the Raw event started.

The first match of the show was R-Truth vs. John Morrison. John Morrison had goaded Truth into putting up his number 1 contendership spot for the WWE Title. John Morrison won the match, and in an infamous (and illegal spot) R-Truth lit a cigarette and blew the smoke into the face of Morrison. It was edited out of the broadcast of Raw as smoking in an indoor place was outlawed in the UK! Dolph Ziggler (going through his "Perfection" gimmick when he aligned himself with Vickie Guerrero) also defeated Evan Bourne in a short match.

Then was the entrance of John Cena. Even here, he was receiving polarising views from the crowd in our block, where the younger members of the audience would cheer for him and the older members would boo him. He teamed with Sin Cara (the original Sin Cara) against The Miz and Alex Riley. Cena and Cara won the match when Cena pinned Riley. Eve Torres defeated Nikki Bella in a forgettable encounter.

The last 2 broadcasted matches involved a very quick encounter between Sheamus and Santino Marella (in which the former won) and Randy Orton and CM Punk (during his New Nexus days). This photo shows the view of Randy Orton's entrance that I had:

Randy Orton won a long match-up, solidifying his position over CM Punk at that stage. This would be 2 months before CM Punk's infamous "Pipe-Bomb" which would alter the shape of the WWE. The dark match (a match that is not filmed for TV but is a parting "gift" to the fans) was John Cena & Randy Orton against CM Punk and The Miz, a match that the babyfaces won.

I loved my experience of a live WWE event. It would not be long until I repeated the experience, at the same arena as well.


WWE Raw Live at the O2 - 16th April 2012

This was a last minute decision to go this year, it was not as planned as what the first occasion was, however I believe this was a better occasion. Thanks to last minute ticket buying, we found ourselves just to the left of the stage (meaning we could not see the titantron) but we were able to see the entrances in their whole.

The first match on the card was the most important, The WWE Championship match between CM Punk and Mark Henry. CM Punk was going through his "Best In The World" gimmick (and his 434 day WWE Title reign). The crowd were white hot for Punk, and the match was over in minutes. There was then a promo from Chris Jericho (who at the time was claiming the teetotal Punk was an alcoholic) and then a short match between Santino Marella and David Otunga for the formers United States Title, which the champion retained.

Daniel Bryan (fresh from his 18 second defeat to Sheamus at Wrestlemania XXVIII) then faced off against Kofi Kingston. A match that Bryan won with the newly christened "Yes" Lock. He then kept the hold going until Sheamus ran into make the save. Brodus Clay then made his first appearance in the UK under his "Funkadactus" gimmick, in a match that Clay's entrance lasted longer than the actual action against Dolph Ziggler. Then a throwaway matchup between the world's largest tag team, Big Show and Great Khali verses Primo and Epico. a match that was easily won by the giants,

The last match featured the returning Lord Tensai vs. John Cena in a extreme rules match. It was Tensai's first appearance in the UK for WWE since returning from Japan. He surprisingly won the match against Cena, thanks in part to interference from John Laurinaitis and David Otunga. The shows dark match featured a WWE Title match between CM Punk and Chris Jericho, which featured a run in from pretty much half the locker room and that ended up with CM Punk retaining the belt.

It would be a while until I went to my next WWE Live event, and boy did I make it a good one,,,


WWE Summerslam 2013 at The Staples Center, Los Angeles - August 18th 2013

This ranks as one of the best experiences of my life. A trip that again was only planned with about 3 weeks notice, it was my first time in the United States, my first time to a WWE Pay-Per-View and my first time to see the WWE Championship change hands at an event.

We started our Summerslam Day by visiting the WWE Axxess session at the nearby Nokia Plaza. When we arrived, this hyped me for the whole day:

My personal highlight of the day was meeting R-Truth. He was such a nice guy and was so welcoming, including giving me this photo:

The event itself came up quickly (5pm local time). We found our seat, which gave us this view:

We could see everything, and we had a fantastic event. The pre-show started with the WWE United States Championship between Dean Ambrose and Rob Van Dam. RVD had the match won until Roman Reigns made the save for his Shield team-mate. Then The Shield started a 3 on 1 beatdown until The Big Show and Mark Henry made the save.

The event started with Bray Wyatt's first WWE PPV appearance against Kane in a "Ring of Fire" match. Thanks to some clever thinking from Luke Harper and Erick Rowan, they were able to help Wyatt win the match. The next match was the official break up of Team Rhodes Scholars, between Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow. Rhodes picked up the win after a Cross Rhodes.

Alberto del Rio then defended his World Heavyweight Title against Christian. Del Rio used his technical wrestling skills to work on Christian's shoulder and then won the match to retain his title. Natalya then faced Brie Bella in a throwaway Diva's match. Natalya won the match after locking in a sharpshooter.

Then the first of the main event matches, where CM Punk would face off against Brock Lesnar. The match during the pre-show was changed to be a no disqualification match. In a 25 minute classic, the match went back and forth with Punk being able to counter the strength advantage of Lesnar. The match was eventually won by Brock after an F5 on to a steel chair. CM Punk was wildly cheered by the Los Angeles crowd, even though he lost the match.

The 2nd main event was a match between Dolph Ziggler and Katliyn vs Big E Langston and AJ Lee. The match was a short affair and not very well received from the fans. The match ended with a ZigZag to Big E, and the faces took the win.

Then, the actual main event. One of the best wrestling matches in history between Daniel Bryan and John Cena. Cena, who went into the match as WWE Champion, was the huge favourite, but Bryan was the fans favourite. A clean match, the WWE fans were on the edge of their seats throughout. Triple H, who was the special guest referee, called the match down the middle. In a finish that surprised most of the arena, and most of the watching public, Bryan won clean to win his first WWE Championship. Cena congratulated the new champion and left Bryan to soak up the crowd reaction. Then Randy Orton, who was the Money in the Bank holder, came out and shockingly, Triple H delivered a Pedigree to Bryan. Randy Orton then cashed in his MITB briefcase and became the new WWE Champion. The arena was shocked by this, and that then set the Authority storyline in motion. I will never forget this moment, as I had witnessed the start of a storyline that ended at Wrestlemania XXX.

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The Best Possible Wrestlemania 32 Card - Update After The Royal Rumble

The Road to Wrestlemania has started. On the 24th January 2016 in Orlando, Florida, The WWE hosted The Royal Rumble event, an event that will live long in the memory of some, with Triple H returning to win the main event, and with it, the WWE World Heavyweight Title. I posted a blog before the Royal Rumble as to what I believed the best possible Wrestlemania card was at the time. This blog will re-address those points, after learning what we did at the Rumble.

This blog will only include those superstars who are currently employed by the WWE or NXT, those who are strongly rumoured to be returning from injury and those superstars that who have been announced as signing for the WWE.

Pre Show
Andre the Giant Battle Royal

I originally said that the only pre-show match would be the now traditional Battle Royal. As I will blog soon, I now believe there will be 2 pre-show matches (to mirror what happened last year). This match will go as predicted first time round, and will be won by an up and coming star to give them a big boost. I originally believed that Braun Strowman would be the winner, and at this point I do not see any other option for the win, especially now my original thoughts for a 6 man tag involving the Wyatt Family have now changed. Expect him to eliminate Mark Henry last, in what will be his last match in the WWE before his retirement.

Winner - Braun Strowman


Pre Show
Goldust, Darren Young and Damien Sandow vs. The Cosmic Wasteland

This match was previously blogged as a singles match between Goldust and Stardust on the actual card, I now believe that they will now go in a six man tag (to get as many superstars on the card for their Mania moments) on the pre-show. This again will be another retirement match, as Goldust will retire after losing this match to his half-brother. This will also mark the retirement of the Stardust gimmick.

Winners - The Cosmic Wasteland


WWE Divas Title Match
Charlotte (with Ric Flair) (c) vs. Sasha Banks

Originally blogged as a Fatal Four Way Divas match also involving Paige and Becky Lynch, I now believe it will just be a singles match. Charlotte will carry on playing the heel, while Sasha Banks (after her actions on the Raw of 1st Feb) will be the face character. I however do not believe the result will be any different. Expect Sasha Banks to win her first Divas title, immediately retire the belt and then bring back the WWE Women's Championship, bringing in a new era of Women's wrestling and a new mentality in the WWE

Winner (and new champion) - Sasha Banks


WWE US Championship 6-Man Ladder Match
Kalisto (c) vs. Alberto del Rio vs. Jack Swagger vs. Dolph Zigger vs. Kane vs. The Miz

Originally blogged as Alberto del Rio vs AJ Styles, Kalisto's win at the Royal Rumble will change the original prediction, and will carry on the theme of having a six man title ladder match on the Mania card. With differing styles in the match, this will be a breathtaking match that will go back and forth. I expect that Kalisto will retain against the odds here, after kicking The Miz off a ladder and then grabbing the belt.

Winner (and still champion) - Kalisto


Triple Threat Match
Kevin Owens vs. AJ Styles vs. Sami Zayn

The indies, in the big time. The Royal Rumble set up 2 matches that could have involved Kevin Owens. He firstly eliminated AJ Styles (after sarcastically shouting "Welcome to the WWE") from the Rumble and was then eliminated by a returning Sami Zayn. I expect the WWE will capitalise on the WWE Fan's reaction to these rivalries and put this match on the card for at least 20 minutes. All three of the superstars in this match are very popular, and any result will prove popular with the fans. However, expect a win for AJ Styles here. He has proved the WWE Universe is behind him since his debut at the Rumble. Expect him to pin KO.

Winner - AJ Styles


WWE Tag Team Title Fatal Four Way Team Match
New Day (c) vs. The Dudleys vs. The Usos vs. The Wyatt Family (Luke Harper & Erick Rowan)

Originally predicted to be a TLC match not involving The Wyatt Family, due to actions at the Rumble, The WWE will give them a meaningful match. New Day will hold the titles until this point, but no longer. The Wyatt's will usher in a new era in the Tag division and will win this match. There may very well be interference from Braun Strowman (do not expect to see Bray Wyatt here - see below) but Harper will pin D-Von Dudley to win the copper belts.

Winners (and new champions) - The Wyatt Family


Brock Lesnar vs. Bray Wyatt

This is the reason why you will not see Bray Wyatt in the Tag Team Title match. I originally predicted Brock Lesnar would face Kevin Owens, however after the Royal Rumble and the Wyatt Family dumped Lesnar out of the match, and the predicted interference in the Triple Threat match at Fastlane involving Lesnar, the two best promo makers in the WWE (Bray Wyatt and Paul Heyman) will come together and make this match. This will be a brutal match, and I am unsure as to whether the Wyatt Family will interfere, but the result will be the same either way. The WWE have made both these superstars look strong over the last few months, and Bray will continue his push towards an eventual WWE Title Match by shocking the Beast Incarnate.

Winner - Bray Wyatt


WWE Intercontinental Title Match
Dean Ambrose (c) vs. Chris Jericho

The first unchanged match on the main Wrestlemania card from my original prediction, I believe this match will again be set up due to interference at Fastlane. While Brock Lesnar is incapacitated, expect Y2J to interfere and cost Ambrose the match. Again, as stated before, I believe the result will stay the same, with Ambrose retaining his belt.

Winner (and still champion) - Dean Ambrose


The Undertaker vs. Finn Balor

There is still no creditable information as to how the Undertaker will be used at Wrestlemania. With John Cena heavily rumoured to return to action for the Wrestlemania card, I am predicting he will lose his battle to be fit for the showcase of the immortals. Cena was given a 6-9 month injury layoff, meaning that in theory, Cena will not return until June. I will also persist with my belief that Finn Balor will make his main card debut at Wrestlemania, although this time I do not believe Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson will be involved in this match or build-up. I also no longer believe this will be Undertaker's retirement match, as the WWE will probably want John Cena to retire The Undertaker at Wrestlemania 33 (if The Undertaker vs. Cena does happen this year, expect this to be the main event).

This match will receive the same level of buildup that the Wrestlemania XXVII match between Triple H and The Undertaker did, with a silent promo between both superstars. I predict that Finn will lose the NXT Title at NXT Takeover: Dallas due to an"interference" by the Deadman (the signature gong). This match will be a sight to behold, with Finn getting the best out of The Undertaker. I do however predict the result will be different, and sadly Finn will debut with a loss at Wrestlemania.

Winner - The Undertaker


WWE World Heavyweight Championship - No Disqualification Match
Triple H (c) vs. Roman Reigns

I did originally want to type the words "Seth" and "Rollins" together in a way that would help Roman Regins win the WWE Title Belt. However, I do not believe however that he will be able to. The lowest estimate that Rollins will be out of action for is 6 months, which considering he suffered his injury on November 5th, would put him out of action until just after the Extreme Rules PPV (on May 1st). While it is possible that he could return for a non-active part and nurse the injury until Extreme Rules, I do not believe the WWE would risk Rollins in this, and instead go down the route I originally blogged.

I believe that Triple H will dominate the first part of the match, and it will spill out into other parts of the arena, thanks to the no disqualification stipulation. Triple H will eventually call for the League of Nations, and they will commence a beatdown of Reigns. The Rock will then arrive in the arena and run down to save Reigns. He will then deliver a Rock Bottom to Triple H (possibly setting up The Rock vs. Triple H at Wrestlemania 33) and help Roman to win the title. Another theory (that will take some believing and a lot of manoeuvrability) is a Rock heel turn at the Raw after Fastlane. He will explain his actions as him attempting to protect his legacy and stopping Roman from destroying it. During the match, The Rock will come out to feign an attack on Roman. He will then Rock Bottom Triple H and again, Roman will win the title.

Winner (and new champion) - Roman Reigns


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