Elimination Chamber React!

The Road to WrestleMania XXVIII continued to be paved last night as WWE Elimination Chamber came to fans live from Milwaukee and on Pay-Per-View.  Check out the respective take’s of Tom and Jim in the aftermath of last night’s events!

Tom’s Take:

WWE’s Elimination Chamber was a much stronger show that last month’s Royal Rumble.  As I watched last night, I was constantly entertaining and engaged in the on-goings as they pertained to the wrestlers involved and the stories surrounding them.  Is it possible to nitpick?  Absolutely, but I’ve decided that I really won’t go that route in this take.  The positives outnumbered the negatives and that made me happy.

I was shocked that the show opened with RAW Chamber Match.  Ahead of the show, I was almost certain this was the main event and would close the show.  Also, it has been a long, long time where the strongest match on the show was the opening contest…yet, most openers don’t go 35+ minutes!  A clean shaven CM Punk retained his title (as I successfully picked on Friday!) and did so with the story between he and Chris Jericho nowhere near resolution.  I wasn’t the biggest fan of the way Jericho was outed of the match, but it was a “smart” way to do it without having him lose and keep the interest/issue between he and Punk going.  I look forward to their bout at WrestleMania without a doubt.  Other thoughts: Dolph Ziggler going out before The Miz was a head scratcher.  Ziggler was outstanding in this match, taking endless punishment!  When will WWE really get behind the Zig Zag Man?  Hopefully at ‘Mania.  Kofi Kingston was also a stand-out in this match and with the team of Air Bourne being done (most likely), I hope Kofi gets more opportunity to rise.

Beth Phoenix-Tamina Snuka was a good Divas Title Match.  The story of “The Glamazon” being just so dominant is a good one.  She has competitive matches but comes out in the end on top.  Will Kharma be the one to finally prove to be the challenge she cannot overcome?  Time will tell.

The John Laurinaitis segment was fun, if for no other reason than to see Alberto Del Rio and Christian again.  I feel like the whole “GM of BOTH shows” story is coming up because of election season, but perhaps I am wrong.  Could it be the heels aligning with Laurinaitis and the faces aligning with Teddy Long?  If so, it would be a perfect tie-in to a “Bragging Rights” or “Survivor Series” –style match, but that is just wishful thinking on my part.

The Smackdown Chamber Match was a pleasant surprise, in that as it went on, it did get progressively better.  Beginning the bout with Big Show and Wade Barrett gave it a flat start to me.  Randy Orton’s absence was very noticeable, but I continue to be amazed by Santino Marella.  For the scuttlebutt and the apparent on-line disdain for Santino, the people in Milwaukee were going crazy for him last night.  Isn’t that a staple of what wrestling is all about?  Making a connection with fans and getting them to invest in you?  Santino did that better than half of the wrestlers on the show last night.  Was it magic in a bottle, right place, right time or something else?  Regardless, it made the final stretch of the this Chamber match the most dramatic thing of the night!  My only minor complaint on the match was that the Big Show-Daniel Bryan issue was not fully resolved to me and I would have liked to see that.  Bryan getting the win and going to WrestleMania as defending champion is very awesome to me, having first seen him live in a small Philadelphia venue 10 years ago.  Sheamus’ post-match involvement made sense too and gave a nice nod to PPV continuity as he made his “choice” of which title he’d be going after thanks to his Rumble win.

Jack Swagger-Justin Gabriel was somewhat of a throwaway match.  The basis for their “issue” was created just minutes beforehand and spoke to the times where it comes across that WWE doesn’t even attempt to develop issues/feuds/rivalries.  On paper, I could see this being a fun match, but that means it would be more than just an after thought when it comes together during the show.  To me, it comes across as more “time filler” instead of “anything can happen in the WWE!”

The Ambulance Match as the main event was a shocker to me, if for no other reason than it displaced the Chamber bouts.  For the TV time and more invested, it did make good sense to see Cena look to end his issue with Kane on top.  I make no bones about it, I am a Cena fan.  I don’t ever have issue with where WWE places him.  His earned and is worth all that he gets.  This match certainly exceeded my expectations and all of the “stunts” aside, it was main event worthy to me.  It ended with the proper close of Cena speaking to the camera, standing tall heading towards his encounter with The Rock and the WrestleMania logo in the background.  Cena vs. Rock should be epic and I cannot wait!

Jim’s Take:

Elimination Chamber has come and gone, and we are in the express lane on that Road to Wrestlemania! 

All in all the show did what I expected it to.  We are all set now for Punk vs. Jericho at Mania, as well as Bryan vs. Sheamus.  It also seems to have (at least for now) ended the Cena/Kane storyline so Cena can move on to more pressing matters (and frankly for me, more interesting matters), namely his main event match that has been one year in the making against The Rock at Wrestlemania. 

I do have to agree with Tom that I was very surprised the Raw Chamber opened the show, I had also thought it would be the main event, and was disappointed to see it open the show, but it did it’s job it seems.  Kofi Kingston definitely needs to be pushed as a top guy right up there with Cena/Punk on the top of Raw, so I hope we continue to see that.  He has more than earned it, and we’ve seen a few times that it seems he would be able to carry the ball, if only creative would actually give him the damn thing! 

Tamina Snuka has been built up nicely, but it was obvious she was going to be the “flavor of the month challenger” for Phoenix.  Let’s hope we start a build towards Phoenix/Kharma tonight as I think that’s a GREAT woman’s match to add to Wrestlemania (provided they give them more than 30 seconds).  I do hope however that they try to keep Snuka strong…they have to figure out that if there are more than 1-3 ladies strong at any given time, that’s actually a good thing! 

I think that the GM angle isn’t going to go to Bragging Rights or Survivor Series.  The way that WWE burns through angles with reckless abandon, it could be decided as early as Raw, but most likely they’ll have some sort of match at Wrestlemania where each has a wrestler or wrestlers representing them, with the winner becoming GM of both shows.  Eh.  Hope the match will be good at least, be interesting to see who Long picks, given that it looks like Del Rio, Christian, Henry and Otunga could represent Laurinaitis

The Smackdown Chamber may just have made a star out of Santino.  The guy actually can work when they let him, so I’d love to see them make him a bit more serious in the ring, he could evolve into a solid mid-carder.  I love the comedy stuff, don’t get me wrong, but if there is a way to mix that with some actual wrestling skill (which he has), that would be really fun to watch develop.  Bryan winning was the only way they could really go in this match, especially with Orton out, and frankly, he’s earned the right to have a featured World Title match at Wrestlemania.  Now, let’s hope they don’t do what they did with Del Rio/Edge last year and have the World Title start off the show.  Sheamus coming out and choosing Bryan made total sense, and it’s sweet revenge for both guys since their match last year got cut for time restrictions. 

Swagger/Gabriel, totally agreed with Tom, no build, no nothing, just looks like someone in creative went “we gotta fill some time….umm…how about Swagger and Gabriel, yeah, let’s do that”.  Heck, there had been more build to Primo/Epico vs. The Usos lately, that could have gone here just as easily.  Or Hunico vs. Dibiase…something that actually had a moment of build…oh well. 

While I’m not crazy about the Ambulance Match ending the PPV, it ends the feud, and sounds like it was a decent enough match.  I freely admit that my distain for the angle in general has clouded any hope of me liking the match.  I’m ready to move on to Cena/Rock, big time! 

Well, after the Head 2 Head tally is all done for Elimination Chamber, Tom was perfect in his predictions, while I missed my Raw Chamber prediction of Jericho, leaving us tied up at 7-5 each going into Wrestlemania!  Bring it on for ‘Mania Tom!!

Head 2 Head: WWE Elimination Chamber

We’re back with the second installment of Head 2 Head here at Two Spot Monkeys! Just a reminder of the stakes: Tom and I are competing to see who can be more successful predicting the outcome of the matches at WWE Pay Per View’s this year. Whichever person loses will have to purchase a shirt of the opponent’s favorite NFL team and wear it to the first show Tom and I attend together live in 2013. Currently after the Royal Rumble, I am 4-4, and Tom is 3-5. Let’s get to our look at the Elimination Chamber! (Fair warning: Smackdown Spoilers appear in the thoughts below!)

Divas Title Match
Beth Phoenix (C) vs. Tamina Snuka

JIM: They have done a nice job of building up Tamina over the last month or so, and I love her now using her last name as well. When someone is a 2nd generation superstar, and they are presented as that, but don’t use the same last name (or one at all), it comes off weird to me (don’t get me started on Michael McGuillicutty’s name). That being said, I really think we are headed towards Beth Phoenix vs. a returning Kharma at Wrestlemania, so I just don’t’ see any way Tamina gets the win here. Down the road though, I could absolutely see her with the Divas Title. My prediction is Beth Phoenix in this one.

TOM: From seeing the re-tweets that WWE is sending via Twitter, they are really pushing Beth Phoenix as truly unbeatable. I do like the idea of Tamina utilizing her family name, but in the end she will be another notch on the champions resume of successful defenses. My prediction is Beth Phoenix.

Ambulance Match
John Cena vs. Kane

JIM: This could be my favorite match of the show, but only because it means this awful storyline will finally (hopefully) be over! It has been painful to watch a bad horror movie play out for a couple of months now, so it is nice to know it ends this Sunday. Ultimately, one of these guys is in the main event of Wrestlemania facing The Rock, and the other isn’t. No question here, my prediction is John Cena.

TOM: My wondering is “Can the maximize the storyline here of Kane getting John Cena to ‘Embrace The Hate’?” That is what I was hoping for at Royal Rumble and based on TV it had continued to challenge Cena in that regard. Aside from the “stunts” that this match should feature, that is my biggest hope. On the flipside, if Cena does indeed embrace hate, what does that really mean? That he’s successful in beating Kane? That he is really ready to face The Rock? We shall see and I am not holding my breath in hopes that the story concludes in any satisfactory way. John Cena wins and that is my prediction.

World Heavyweight Title – Elimination Chamber Match
Daniel Bryan (C) vs. The Big Show vs. Santino Marella vs. Wade Barrett vs. Cody Rhodes vs. The Great Khali

JIM: With Randy Orton’s injury meaning he’s going to miss this match, to me, the only way you can go is Daniel Bryan retaining and go with him and Sheamus at Wrestlemania. You can then either have Orton/Barrett, or somehow work Orton into a three way with Bryan and Sheamus. Big Show has another match already in the cards for ‘Mania (I’ll keep this spoiler free for those who don’t know who he’s facing). I just don’t see Barrett or Rhodes walking into the biggest show of the year as the World Champion, not in their first month as champ. Both will be World Champion someday, but this is not the time. And Khali and Marella have no chance in hell, so honestly, the only way they can go here is Daniel Bryan winning this match. Whatever they need to do to setup their planned Mania matches, do it after this one (unless it’s just Bryan/Sheamus planned, in which case, this is easy!) My prediction is Daniel Bryan.

TOM: What a rough 3 month stretch for Randy Orton, huh? Missing him in this bout puts a lot of spotlight on the other talents and with that spotlight, comes pressure. Compare the star power in this match to the RAW bout and it also pales in comparison. I see Santino getting “Kofi’d” like a few years ago with Edge, but with Mark Henry or possibly Alberto Del Rio getting the other spot. Henry’s inclusion would really allow the story between he, Show and Bryan to wrap up. Del Rio could be the star power spark that this match needs. No matter what, I am eager to see the match play out. I also predict Daniel Bryan to win.

WWE Title – Elimination Chamber Match
CM Punk (C) vs. Chris Jericho vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. R-Truth vs. The Miz vs. Kofi Kingston

JIM: Another match where there are only two real possibilities here. Ziggler, Truth, Miz and Kingston are all good talents and the quality of this match will likely far exceed the quality of the Smackdown match, however, there is no chance any of those four win the title here. Punk vs. Jericho at Mania is obviously where they are going for Mania, so the question here is, does Punk retain the title here and head to Mania as the defending champion, or does Jericho somehow win the title and Punk gets his rematch at Wrestlemania? I can really go either way with that one, as you can create a great story out of either one. Hmmm…I guess my official prediction will be Chris Jericho winning the title here, somehow “stealing” it from Punk.

TOM: This is the match I am most interested in. It speaks very loudly on how those involved have been built and positioned heading into this contest. I share the same ideas to an extent, as Jim. As big a fan of Dolph Ziggler as I am, this is not yet his time. This will come down to Punk and Jericho and while historically this show (be it called Elimination Chamber or its former name, No Way Out) has often shaken up the champions headed into WrestleMania, I am going to side with the “surprise” of both champions being successful and heading to Miami as defending their titles. CM Punk is my pick here, but Jericho will still oppose him at WrestleMania!

There you go – it will be another close weekend for picks.

Can Tom pull neck and neck with Jim or will Jim extend his lead?

Check back early next week for ‘REACT.’

The Wrestling Bucket List

So, we all know the idea of a “Bucket List”. The things you want to accomplish before your time on this earth is done. Today, we want to take a look at our “Wrestling Bucket Lists”. That is, what are the things as a fan of pro wrestling that we each think you should do before you leave this earth. Some of the things we may have already “accomplished”, which we will note, but certainly, some are yet to happen!

Jim’s Wrestling Bucket List

1. Attend Wrestlemania Live – CHECK: It is the “granddaddy of them all”, and the biggest show in pro wrestling each year. Even if you aren’t a huge fan of the current WWE product, you owe it to yourself to check out the pageantry and atmosphere of it at least once. And hey, there are always a bunch of other wrestling themed things happening in the city it’s in each year too, so a perfect time to check out a ROH or DGUSA show, or Axxess, or something else. I’ve been lucky enough to attend Wrestlemania 23, 24, 26 and 27. I certainly plan to make another few in the years to come!

2. Attend a WWE live event in Madison Square Garden: It’s WWE’s home base, and likely the most famous wrestling venue in America, and next to maybe the Tokyo Dome, likely the world. I would have loved to have made it there before the renovations, but alas, it didn’t happen. I hope to someday make it to at least one show there.

3. Get a picture with your all time favorite wrestler if possible – CHECK: Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat is my all time favorite, and I had the chance to meet him at a ROH show in 2004. Really an awesome moment for me, the picture came out somewhat dark though, as the guy I asked to take the photo of us didn’t use the flash, and it was a disposable camera, so I was unaware. It’s an ok photo, but I would love the chance to update it.

4. Attend a live event at the “ECW Arena”: Well, this one will likely never be fulfilled for me, as it seems we have seen the last of shows at the Arena, but, honestly, this has been on my list for quite a while. Perhaps one day shows will return there and I’ll get a chance.

5. Be sure to sit in the front row for a show – CHECK: I’ve sat all over the arena for shows, and there is just nothing like sitting in the front row. You may have a chance to interact with the wrestlers and of course, no one (outside of camera guys and managers) are in your way! Do it, if only for an indy show!

6. Attend the Royal Rumble live: To me, the Rumble is always a favorite match to watch, and I would love to see it live. This year it was actually close enough, in St. Louis, but due to a variety of reasons, I wasn’t able to go. Hopefully it will be back in the Midwest sometime in the next few years and I can get there to check it out!


I am going to take a little different direction from Jim on my list, in that I am listing things only that I have yet to accomplish:

Tom’s Wrestling Bucket List

1. Attend a WWE live event in Madison Square Garden: As Jim states, it is the “home” venue of WWWF/WWF/WWE and the most famous venue in the United States. Be it a pay-per-view, TV event or a house show, seeing wrestling at MSG is a big goal of mine. Having been in NYC for ROH many times before, I’ve walked right by this venue. I hope my next time is to attend wrestling there!

2. Attend a WrestleReunion Weekend in California: This just wrapped up for the year a little over 1 week ago, bringing Dragon Gate USA, Pro Wrestling Superstars and Pro Wrestling Guerrila live events, wrestling legends, photo opportunities and so much more. It comes across like such an amazing weekend and one as well that challenges your “wrestling stamina.” I really hope, maybe as early as next year, to get to L.A. and take one of these in.

3. Attend a live Pro Wrestling Guerrila event in Reseda: Now, you may ask why would see PWG twice, especially if you can see them at WrestleReunion? Well, based on the DVDs I have watched, there is no venue and atmosphere that comes as close to capturing the “magic” of what the ECW Arena had from 1995-2001 than PWG and their venue in Reseda. No ring barriers, the potential for wrestlers flying your way and the overall involvement (including banging on the mat) just draws me in each time I watch and makes me want to be there live.

4. Attend a live UFC event: Diverging a little from the “wrestling” theme of this list, I am throwing a MMA event on here. UFC has run once in Detroit since the growth of the company and I could not hit that event. I imagine they will run again in the Motor City, but even in surrounding areas like Chicago, Indianapolis and more, I would like very much to see the best in MMA clash live.

5. Attend SummerSlam live: This is an important item for me, as I was once planning to go to SummerSlam in 2009, but life events caused that to not occur as planned. Having attending WrestleMania twice and The Royal Rumble once, to me SummerSlam and attending live would complete the trifecta of the “big” 3 for WWE events.

6. Meet John Cena: This may shock some people - I am a really big Cena fan and supporter. He comes across as one of the most genuine wrestlers and I feel like his “character” is more of who he is in real life than possibly any wrestler before him. Getting a chance to meet Cena would be an opportunity to see the larger life person who comes across on WWE programming up close and personal.

So, there you go. Jim and I have opened up and allowed you a peek into our worlds. What is on your personal bucket list as it relates to wrestling? Leave a comment below or “Like” us on Facebook to bring the conversation over there!

Royal Rumble: React!

It has been little more than 36 hours since the conclusion of the 25^th edition of The Royal Rumble.  Jim and I are here to each give our takes, including highlights and lowlights.

Tom’s Take:

CM Punk vs. Dolph Ziggler was the best match on this event.  They had a great in-ring contest, had the Johnny Ace elements mixed in well from the storyline perspective and had a finish that had to be satisfying to fans.  As much as I believe Dolph Ziggler could have won the title here without doing any damage to Punk, WWE still is not ready to ride the “Zig-Zag” and get behind him yet.

The 30 man Rumble Match was a mixed bag.  Good surprises like Kharma and the nostalgia of Road Dogg made it entertaining.  The final 2 being Jericho and Sheamus also gave some good action and a sense of unknown over who would win.  Considering Jericho’s history, I imagine most people felt he was destined to win (myself included) and Sheamus getting it instead could be the sign of bigger things for him and WWE choosing to get him back to the main event level.

My biggest complaint on the Rumble match was the lack of drama.  Where were the stories?  When WWE takes the time to put together the video packages they do, highlighting the statistical and historical nature of the Rumble, why not draw those things in and tie them to the Rumble Match itself?  I cannot recall the announcers alluding to the fact that The Miz could be challenging for the overall Rumble endurance record.  Things like that get fans more invested in what is going on.  Do they not want fans to have an emotional attachment to the “sports entertainers” and the product overall?

Other notes: Daniel Bryan’s win was a good one and it was impressive seeing Big Show virtually deadlift him with one arm while perched atop the cage.  Seeing “The Funkasaurus” Brodus Clay allowed me to understand what the hype is all about.  He is entertaining, figuratively and literally larger than life and will probably sell good amounts of merchandise.  The only missing element was not seeing him as part of the Rumble bout.  If you would have told me when I saw him in Florida Championship Wrestling in August 2010 that he’d be where he is now, I would likely have not believed you. 

Jim’s Take:

The Royal Rumble PPV has come and gone.  And from the online reaction to it, it seems that it was not a finer attempt from WWE this time around.  To me, it was a mixed bag of results. 

Daniel Bryan retaining actually has me holding out hope that he’ll hold the title all the way to Wrestlemania, allowing him a featured bout on “the biggest stage of them all” which is just awesome for guys like Tom and I who have been following his career for years.  Mark Henry also deserves major kudos for working injured yet again.  He has been an MVP for WWE over the last year or so.  Show being all the way on the top of the cage was very cool, and I agree with Tom, the visual of him holding Bryan in the air was also great. 

A complaint I have on the show was the inclusion of the total filler Divas match as well as the Brodus Clay/Drew McIntyre match.  Those were both segments that belonged on Raw or Smackdown, not a PPV that people have paid good money to see.  Clay could have gotten just as over by being in the Rumble (maybe even set it up so he could somehow still do his entrance), eliminating a few people and then have either the rest of the guys gang up on him, or have a heel low blow him and eliminate him, thus setting up a program for him so he can move past these introductory squashes he’s working now. 

Cena/Kane can’t end soon enough.  I just hate the whole storyline, it plays out like a really bad horror movie.  I like horror movies when done well, this one is not being done well, not at all.

Punk/Ziggler furthered the storyline with Punk and Ace, however, did they really have to have Ziggler lose like 4 times in one match?  Why not have a really tough match that Punk “barely” wins, thus keeping Ziggler strong in the process?  Ziggler needs to get moved up, he’s more than ready, but they just seem to love cutting the legs out from under heels in this company right now.  Right now I have no idea where Ziggler fits into the Wrestlemania card, and for a guy with his talent level, that is not a good thing at all.  WWE needs to get behind this guy, and do it now before they have to totally rebuild him all over yet again. 

I actually love Sheamus winning the Royal Rumble as I think it was a surprise and it’s another guy that they needed to get out of a pointless feud with a lower mid-card guy in Jinder Mahal and back to the top of the card.  Jericho being there at the end was great too, as it seems they are heading towards him and Punk at Wrestlemania, so I was surprised to not see him get the win.  Good thing they went back to 30 Superstars in the Royal Rumble Match this year though, because they struggled to fill 30 spots it seemed, wasting time with 3 announcers.  40 could have been downright painful.  I’m sorry but I’m not willing to watch Derek Bateman and Titus O’Neil in the Royal Rumble yet, and that’s what it would have been.  Also, if you’re Mason Ryan or Michael McGuillicutty, how bad are you feeling right now?  Outside of the guys that are on NXT each week, those were about the only two “main roster” guys that weren’t used, and heck, actually Jey Uso got in, and he’s basically an NXT guy now as well.  I’d say they should be in a “rent, don’t buy” mode right now.  

Head 2 Head Update

We would be remiss if we didn’t update you on the outcome of our first “Head 2 Head” as well.  Neither of us had a stellar night by any means, but, I came out with a 4-4 record, while Tom fell just shy of that with a 3-5 record, so after one event, I’ve got a slight lead towards making Tom wear that Chicago Bears jersey! 

Thanks for reading our Royal Rumble React here at Two Spot Monkeys!

Head to Head: Royal Rumble!

Welcome to our newest feature here at Two Spot Monkeys, Head to Head!  Each month Tom and I will do a combined column previewing the WWE pay per view that month.  We will also provide our picks for the matches on the show.  Now, why is it called Head to Head you ask?  Well, because we decided to have some fun with this and turn it into a competition.  So, we will track our record of picks throughout the year.  At the end of the year, whoever picks most successfully will be declared the winner.  To make it even more interesting, we’ve gone ahead and made a wager on this.  The terms are as follows: as those who know us personally know, Tom is a huge Detroit Lions fan, while I am a huge Chicago Bears fan.  Whichever of us has a worse picking percentage at the end of the year will have to purchase a shirt of the other guy’s team, and wear it to the first live wrestling show that we both attend together in 2013.  Of course, we will document that painful experience right here at Two Spot Monkeys!

Without any further adieu, we present Head to Head: Royal Rumble Edition!  Since there are only four matches announced, we have also added who we believe the “Final Four” in the Royal Rumble will be, bringing us up to 8 picks made for this show!

John Cena vs. Kane

JIM:  Cena is being kept out of the World Title situation until after Wrestlemania due to his match with The Rock coming up at Mania.  This is the first match in the feud between them (which should keep Cena busy through the Elimination Chamber, and then after that, The Rock will be around more for the Mania build), so there is no way Super Cena should win this match.  Do I fear they’ll have him win?  You better believe I do.  But, to keep the story moving, I expect that we’ll probably see a non-finish or DQ of some kind with Kane “destroying” Cena at the end, throwing him off something or something of that matter.   So, my official prediction is “No Contest”.

TOM:  I really like the story with Cena and Kane, pushing the idea that Cena needs to embrace his “darker” side in an effort to bring the fight to The Rock at WrestleMania.  This should be a brawl style of the match, where Kane brings the fight to Cena and attempts to test him to expose those “heel” tendencies that might be buried inside.  I think Kane is successful in doing just that and as a result, Cena will get DQed because of his actions and Kane takes the win.  My official prediction is Kane wins, via DQ.

World Heavyweight Title Triple Threat Steel Cage Match

Daniel Bryan (C) vs. The Big Show vs. Mark Henry

JIM:  I’ve gone back and forth on this match a bunch of times.  Part of me thinks Henry gets the title back, but at this point, I’m seeing Orton/Bryan at Mania.  So, I think Daniel Bryan finds yet another backwards way of retaining the title, perhaps slipping out the door while the two monsters are battling it out.  Bryan has been really good in this “smarter than you” heel character so far, and I really hope they stay with it a while longer and let him hang on to the title until Wrestlemania, when the good guy can give Bryan what he has coming to him (but hopefully along the way, they let Bryan put on a hell of a show at Wrestlemania).  So, I’m going with Daniel Bryan. 

TOM: This is the hardest bout to pick, to me. Knowing and following Daniel Bryan from his Ring of Honor days, I am excited to see him in such a big match at this event.  I think Henry and Show neutralize and cancel each other out, but not before each seeking to demolish Bryan along the way.  This is the only outcome I agree with Jim on, Daniel Bryan retains his title here and moves on to Elimination Chamber in February.

WWE Title Match – John Lauranitis is the Special Ref

CM Punk (C) vs. Dolph Ziggler

JIM:  As much as I want Ziggler to get a title run this year, this is not the time to take the belt off of Punk.  The Punk/Johnny Ace story is still going strong, and this match will be all about how Ace tries to screw Punk out of the title.  Though with the news of his impending job review coming on Monday, perhaps he’s going to try to play it straight and only find ways to subtly screw with Punk.  Nah, after the GTS on Monday night, he’ll try his best, but won’t be able to.  I wonder if maybe Triple H shows up to get a first hand look at how Ace does his job on Sunday?  I really enjoy Ziggler, but it’s just not his turn yet.  It will be though, this year for sure.  The prediction here is CM Punk.

TOM:  This is the non-Rumble match I am most interested in.  Not following what has transpired on TV as closely as I would have liked, I still see Lauranitis  screwing Punk, in spite of his pending job review.   Dolph Ziggler wins his first World Title because of politics and rejuvenates Punk to go on a quest for revenge on “Johnny Ace” and regain his belt.

30 Man Royal Rumble Match

JIM:  This year’s Rumble seems to be hurting for star power, especially without Cena in it.  They have said that those who compete in other matches on the card can compete in the Rumble though, so I would expect that barring injury (or storyline injury) to anyone, we should see the losers from the top title matches show up here.  Ziggler will almost surely work twice, and I’d expect the two losers from the Cage match here too, unless they are “too injured to compete”.  I also expect we’ll see Kane, since this is kind of “his match” though he’s never won it.  To me, there are a couple of ways you could go here.  Chris Jericho would seem a really good option, as it would set up Punk/Jericho for Mania which seems to be where the rumors are saying things will go (and is absolutely a Mania worthy match).  I could also see Randy Orton coming back here and winning, as it is in his hometown, and if he’s healthy enough, I like that idea a lot.  Other outside possibilities are Wade Barrett, Sheamus or The Miz (though he’s a long shot now entering at #1), but while I’d love to see any of those three positioned in a main event slot for Mania, I just don’t see it happening.  I think it comes down to Ziggler, Orton, Jericho and Barrett.  For me, I’m going with the hometown boy, my pick for the Royal Rumble winner is Randy Orton!

TOM:  The Royal Rumble Match has always been one of my favorites and I love when the match tells a great story and has drama.  To Jim’s point, star power might be lacking on paper, but I also see that as an opportunity for new talent to break out.  One big selling point that I would be pushing to the moon is Randy Orton’s involvement and the event being held in St. Louis, Orton’s hometown.  Now, due to his injury it just might not have been possible, but it gives fans a great reason to invest and order this show, among other reason.  I agree with Jim too that many of the previous players from matches earlier on the card could find their way into this match and that, based on what happens earlier in the night, could have huge ramifications.  As you see from my picks above, I am going a different direction as Jim in the WWE Title Match.  I see the Rumble coming down to Jericho, Wade Barrett, Randy Orton and CM Punk as the final four, in what could be a foreshadowing of what we end up as two main events for WrestleMania.  I think Barrett eliminates Orton to add storyline reason for Orton to seek revenge and lead to Mania.  I think Barrett and Jericho double team Punk, only to see their co-existing backfire and Barrett go out on miscommunication between the two.  Now, Punk and Jericho as the final two is a pick’em, especially if they will eventually meet at Mania.  I am going to go with Chris Jericho to win and be as devious as ever as he seeks to go to WrestleMania and recapture a World Title.

We will be back early next week with our "Royal Rumble React"!  If you haven't "liked" us on Facebook yet, please do, as it's a great way to stay up to date on when we post new articles here!  Just click HERE and then click "Like"!  Thanks for joining us for the debut of "Head to Head"!

13 Questions with Mike Quackenbush!

Mike Quackenbush has had one of the more distinguished careers in professional wrestling, but has also expanded beyond the squared circle and is also an author and podcaster as well. Plying his trade in CHIKARA for the most part, Quack shared his time with Two Spot Monkeys to answer 13 questions. Enjoy!

1. CHIKARA celebrated 10 years as a part of the pro wrestling landscape in November. What did that accomplishment mean to you specifically?

Quackenbush: I think it validates the overall CHIKARA concept in a big way. There is room for a more progressive-minded brand out there.

2. Do you take added pride in that CHIKARA has had the level of success that it has without the TV exposure the likes that ROH has had or being heavily involved in Internet Pay Per Views to date like other companies and almost defying the issues of what some call an “oversatured” DVD market to utilize that avenue successfully?

Quackenbush: Sure. I think an overlooked part of our story is that we've accomplished all that we have without ever being cut checks by a millionaire backer or limitless resources from a hemorrhaging corporation. We've boot-strapped this crazy thing together in a fairly grass-rootsy way.

3. Aside from your Main Event bout for the CHIKARA Grand Championship against Eddie Kingston, what were your thoughts on the High Noon show as a whole and what does the iPPV future look like for CHIKARA?

Quackenbush: I would imagine it is a medium we will visit again this year. The numbers were a real pleasant surprise for us, and seem to indicate our global fanbase wants us to try this again.

4. What are the goals of 2012 for Mike Quackenbush, in ring and out of the ring?

Quackenbush: In the ring, there really isn't a lot left that I'd like to accomplish, truth be told. I was very goal-oriented for maybe 12 - 14 years of my career, and I crossed off pretty much everything on my To-Do list. Having said that, I would love the chance to team with Jushin Liger, I always enjoy wrestling against my students to test them and see them in action first-hand, and I would love to hold the CHIKARA Grand Championship, even if just once.

5. What can fans expect or look forward to from CHIKARA as Season 11 gets ready to kick off on January 28, 2012 in Easton, PA with “The Thirteenth Hat” and beyond?

Quackenbush: The numbers really tell the story, to an extent. It's Season 11, not Season 2. We've matured as a company, as a group of performers, as a family. We were haunted by some dark specters in Season 10, and I hope in Season 11 you'll get to see the sun shine on us a little more. We've chased the dark clouds away.

6. How does the closing of The Asylum Arena impact CHIKARA running in the Philadelphia area? What are some of your favorite memories of that building, either as a fan or from the shows you’ve been a part of there?

Quackenbush: In short, if the renovations of the Arena do take place as announced to the public, and the new building proves too pricey or too pretentious to house wrestling, than Philadelphia will cease to be the center of the alt-wrestling universe. It was rewarding to deliver some of our own history in a building that has such immense history behind it. And you can't forget history, lest you be doomed to repeat your past mistakes. At the same time, you've got to keep an eye on the future.

7. CHIKARA has been known for the diverse array of talent that has had the chance to participate and wrestle in many capacities. What do you attribute to creating and fostering those various relationships, especially for Japanese promotions where there often seems to be a “them or us” mentality? Are there any other promotions you would still like to see CHIKARA work with, be talent in for a weekend or a greater partnership?

Quackenbush: We've been very fortunate in that the vast majority of the organizations we've wanted to work with have been receptive, and professional, and rewarding to partner with. Generally speaking, we want to keep the overall tone and aesthetic of CHIKARA in place, and so to a degree that dictates who we are willing to do business with. You have to be selective in that regard. There are companies out there that just don't abide by simple obvious guidelines of business, and there are those that don't really even grasp the pro-wrestling business. There are organizations out there that are anything but organized, or others run by people that "play" wrestling with their friends and mistakenly think that makes them professionals. You have to be able to discern between the real players and the goofs. Treat professionals with respect - like professionals. And realize the goofs are what they are.

8. On the flipside of the various International Talents that have made stops in CHIKARA, many of the regular wrestlers are “home grown” from the Chikara Wrestle Factory and have seen very good success. Is that another point of pride for you and do you think that it is a very good selling point for someone who would consider getting into pro wrestling as a profession? What is your role still with the Wrestle Factory?

Quackenbush: I am still the head trainer at the Wrestle Factory, and have been for just over ten years now. I take immense pride in seeing the Wrestle Factory grads evolve into the performers they are. The ones that evince dedication and real heart, become our stars. The ones that don't evince these qualities just fall by the wayside it seems. Our stars are the ones we built from the ground up. Even those that started in wrestling before coming to CHIKARA - Sara Del Rey is a great example - end up at the Wrestle Factory for periods of time. I think the few years Sara was able to spend training with us has helped mold her into the best all-around female wrestler of 2012.

9. A question many fans are eager to know the answer to: Will there be a Trios Tournament in 2012 and has there been any conversation as to where those shows will be held?

Quackenbush: If there's been a conversation on that topic, I have not been part of it. Wink's not exactly an open-door kinda boss.

10. Jushin “Thunder” Liger is a wrestler that you looked up to and was part of the reason you became a pro wrestler. What was it about Liger that created those feelings for you and put you on the path you took? Were there other wrestlers that you looked up to as well?

Quackenbush: Liger was basically the opposite of guys like Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior. I'm not saying that I don't get excited to hear "Real American" or see the Warrior run to the ring like a crazed maniac and shake the ropes, but the actual wrestling style of guys like that, guys that were dominant in the American scene for years, did not appeal to me whatsoever. They were great showmen. And lousy wrestlers. Liger, on the other hand, was fresh, and elegant, and innovative and artful. That really captured my imagination. The same is true of guys like Owen Hart, the 1-2-3 Kid, Manami Toyota, original Tiger Mask, and others as well.

11. Considering the regard you hold for him, what did it mean to face off, one-on-one against Jushin Liger on December 11, 2010? Is that a situation where you are comfortable with the memory and legacy that was left in that one bout or would you want to have another opportunity in the ring with him?

Quackenbush: I am content with that match, in that I wanted to wrestle a Liger match, that showed the influences of the people that inspired me and shaped my style. As surreal as that whole day was, it really ended perfectly, in that as we parted ways, Liger said to me: "I would love to wrestle you again in Japan." That may never really happen, but it was, for someone like me that always thought Japanese wrestling represented the pinnacle of our artform, the most wonderful thing my idol could have said to me.

12. How much longer do you see yourself wrestling? When the chapter closes on the career of Mike Quackenbush, Pro Wrestler what does the next chapter look like? When you call in a career, what do you believe your career will be defined by?

Quackenbush: I've been asked this a lot lately, which I infer to mean people are getting tired of seeing my weary face. There was a time when I thought that perhaps any legacy I left behind would be encapsulated by the moves I've invented, or the blending of styles I tried to pioneer and champion. But I think that stuff has a real shelf-life and perhaps is ultimately irrelevant. My trainees will probably all go on to be bigger stars and make a greater impact than I ever did. I've dedicated my entire adult life, and years prior to that as well, to the pro-wrestling industry, and it will be a sad day when pro-wrestling doesn't let me sit with it for lunch in the cafeteria any more. A sad day indeed.

13. How can fans best follow you and support CHIKARA? If a new fan discovers CHIKARA what is the best way that they can get acclimated to all of the CHIKARA backstories and history?

Quackenbush: Well, our YouTube channel is a great place to start. We release 4 or 5 new videos there for you to watch every single week. It's a great jumping on point, and of course it's totally free. Nothing beats seeing us live though, as our fans will tell you. If you are bored with pro-wrestling right now, CHIKARA is the cure you've been waiting for. Come see us when our never-ending tour comes to your area!

Author's Note: This interview was conducted before this past weekend's angle with Ring of Honor, so we didn't have a chance to ask about that!

Thanks to Chikara and Mike Quackenbush for taking the time to join us here at Two Spot Monkeys!  Chikara kicks off their 11th season this Saturday night with "The Thirteenth Hat" in Easton, PA!  For more info, check out chikarapro.com!  

Have you "Liked" us on Facebook yet?  If not, head HERE and click the Like link to stay up to date on when new articles are posted here at Two Spot Monkeys! 

Breakout Stars of 2012!

Last year I took a look at wrestlers that I thought were ready to break out in 2011.  On some, I was right, and on some…well, yeah, that didn’t work out so well.  I want to take a look at stars for 2012 that I see breaking out in this post…however, in fairness, let’s take a very quick look back at who I predicted in 2011, and see how I did…

2011

WWE

John Morrison – Oops, wasn’t re-signed when his contract expired and was never really a title threat.

Dolph Ziggler – I said I’d be surprised if Ziggler wasn’t World Heavyweight Champion by the end of the summer.  He’s been a featured guy, but not at that level.  Count me as surprised.

ROH

Chris Hero – Well, never broke out as a singles guy, but dominated in the tag ranks with Claudio Castagnoli until they left ROH in August.  He’s back at least for a short while now, we shall see.

Kyle O’Reilly – I was a bit early on this prediction, but I think the future is still very bright for him.

Mike Bennett – Not at the top of the card, but still a featured guy.

DGUSA

Ronin – Taylor and Swann are a top tag team, and Gargano won the Open the Freedom Gate Title, think I nailed that one.

Akira Tozawa – Featured star on many shows, having awesome matches, I think he broke out in 2011 for sure.

With a quick look at 2011 out of the way, here are my predictions for Break Out Stars of 2012!

WWE

Dolph Ziggler – If I keep putting him on here, it will happen right?  To me, he’s the most likely Money in the Bank winner this summer.  He simply has to be elevated to the top of the card this year, and soon.  He has so much of the “it” factor, it just isn’t funny.  The guy is money. 

Dean Ambrose – I don’t know if he’ll even make the main roster for sure in 2012, but again, this guy just has “it”.  He reminds me so much of Roddy Piper in his work, and his way of making you believe everything he says.  Easily one of the best mic guys in the business today, and he’s not even on the main roster of a major company just yet.  I think that will change quickly, and I could see him being a major player within the year. 

Cody Rhodes – Time for Cody to move from IC Title to top of the card as well.  I always thought Ted DiBiase would be the breakout star of Legacy, but I was clearly wrong on that.  Rhodes will be a top guy for many years to come. 

TNA

I don’t have any specific guys to name here, since I don’t follow TNA as much as other organizations.  However, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Crimson get a push towards the top of the card in the latter part of the year, as they seem to be behind him in a major way since Day 1 with him.  I do like that they have elevated Bobby Roode and James Storm to the top of the card as singles guys this year.  From the little bit I’ve seen, they are both flourishing in their new roles. 

ROH

Adam Cole – Cole can be a really effective heel as well, and I would expect that at some point this year, we’ll see him turn on O’Reilly and kick off a really good feud there, and also probably get some Cole/Richards matches out of that too, which could be a lot of fun.  Could be a big year for Cole, who I’ve read WWE has major interest in too, once his contract comes up with ROH, whenever that is. 

Michael Elgin – Elgin is freaky strong, and a damn good powerhouse in the vein of Dr. Death Steve Williams.  You can already see the seeds of a break from the House of Truth coming, and Elgin/Strong should be a good feud to see play out later this year.  I wouldn’t be shocked at all to see Elgin in the World Title mix at the end of the year, or certainly climbing towards that for 2013.  He will certainly be a more featured player I believe after winning Survival of the Fittest late last year. 

DGUSA/EVOLVE

Uhaa Nation – He basically broke out in 2011, however, I see this being the year where he climbs the card and ends up in a great feud or two.  Nation has that “it” factor that I keep talking about, and it will be interesting to see how 2012 continues for him.  A big man who can move like him is bound to catch some eyes in bigger companies in a quick way.  I know he’s under contract, but we’ve also seen Gabe willing to let guys out of their deals to go to WWE if they come calling too. 

The Scene – They will definitely be players in Evolve as they climb towards the top of the Tag Leaders Board.  However, will they also become players in DGUSA, perhaps even making a run towards the Open the United Gate Tag Titles?  The sky is the limit for this duo, and their loud mouth agent, Larry Dallas.  Could be a big year to be affiliated with the “A-Listers”!

So, who do you think will break out in 2012?  Think I’m way off base with any of these picks?  Did I miss an obvious one?  Let us know in the comments, or be sure to check us out on Facebook too, and feel free to comment there as well!  You can find our Facebook page by clicking here! 

Thanks for reading!  Next week is shaping up to be a big one here at Two Spot Monkeys, so be sure to check back!