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Top 10 Wrestling Stories of the Week 1/31: Edge Returns, WWE Corporate Shakeup, Flair and McIntyre Win Royal Rumble

By Matthew Fowler • Published 31st January 2020
TJR Wrestling

Welcome back TJR readers. Did you spend all day Sunday and Monday contemplating how someone who was so talented, and touched so many lives, could be taken from us so soon and miss The Royal Rumble and Monday Night RAW? I cannot answer that question, but I can catch you up with the world of wrestling with The Top Ten Wrestling Stories of the Week.

10. WWE Worlds Collide Starts Out Royal Rumble Weekend on a High Note

Clearly someone forgot to tell NXT and NXT UK that WWE Worlds Collide was not technically a Takeover, as that is exactly what they attempted to do this past Saturday. The show featured many outstanding matches including DIY defeating Mustache Mountain in an incredible match and Imperium getting the victory over the Undisputed Era in the main event. Also during the show Triple H presented Angel Garza with a new NXT Cruiserweight Title, losing the purple strap for a more traditional black one. Garza, however, did not have long to enjoy the new title, as he lost the title in a fatal four way match to Jordan Devlin later in the night. Although I will have to give the Edge to the main roster which had the bigger weekend, NXT continues to show that they are ready to Takeover whenever necessary. (TJRWrestling)

9. BroserWeights Win the Dusty Classic

The BroserWeights, made up of Matt Riddle and Pete Dunne, were victorious in the Dusty Classic finals this week, defeating the Grizzled Young Vets. Dunne and Riddle will now go on to NXT Portland on February 16th to face the Undisputed Era for the NXT Tag Team Championship. It was a week of highs and lows for Riddle as he also entered the Rumble, but was eliminated in just 41 seconds by King Corbin. For Riddle and Dunne’s sake let’s hope they can avoid the lows in Portland and just stay high. (TJRWrestling)

8. Former WWE Superstar Luke Harper Rumored to be Signing with AEW

AEW may be getting a large addition to their roster very soon. Former WWE Intercontinental Champion Luke Harper is expected to start with AEW in the next few months. Harper, who will be going by his previous moniker of Brodie Lee, is free to sign with another company as of February 12th. AEW may, however, wait to debut Harper on March 18, when AEW Dynamite is held in his home town of Rochester, New York. No matter when Harper debuts, AEW will be hoping that he can drop a ridiculously large hammer on the Wednesday Night Wars. (TJRWrestling)

7. WWE is Returning to Saudi Arabia on February 27th

The road to Wrestlemania has gotten a little bit longer this year, as WWE has announced that they will be returning to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for Super Showdown on Thursday February 27th. WWE has yet to announce which senior citizens… I mean superstars that they will call in for the show this time. Let’s hope that whichever wrestlers they use for this show, that they can get them back for the Early Bird Special that Friday evening. (TJRWrestling)

6. Both Samoa Joe and AJ Styles Suffer Injuries

It wasn’t all good news for WWE this week, as two of their top superstars suffered injuries. AJ Styles landed wrong while taking a bump from a Spear from Edge in the Royal Rumble and suffered a shoulder injury. Styles noted that it was his own fault for trying to sell the move too much and landed right on his left shoulder. The following night on RAW, Samoa Joe and Kevin Owens were facing Seth Rollins and Buddy Murphy, when Joe attempted a dive through the ropes landing hard on the concrete floor. Joe suffered a concussion due to this maneuver and had to be removed from the match. It is unclear if either wrestler will be medically cleared or able to become ten years older in time for Super Showdown, but both competitors should be ready by Wrestlemania in April. (TJRWrestling)

5. Andrade Suspended for 30 Days for Wellness Policy Violation

WWE United States Champion Andrade may have partied a little too much like his soon to be father-in-law Ric Flair, as he was suspended for 30 days for a Wellness Policy Violation this week. Andrade was “injured” by Humberto Carrillo on RAW to help explain his absence, with a frustrated Carrillo hitting him with a Hammerlock DDT on the exposed concrete floor. With the WWE WWE Champion being a part-timer and now there being no United States Champion, the only constant men’s single title on RAW for the next month will be the 24/7 Title. Good luck to WWE to get the fans to “Stay Hyped” for that. (TJRWrestling)

4. Charlotte Wins the Women’s Royal Rumble Match

After a Rumble match that saw many old and new faces including NXT Stars Bianca Belair and Shayna Baszeller both having impressive showings, it was a familiar face who ended up winning it all. Charlotte Flair outlasted 29 other women to earn her spot at Wrestlemania this year. Charlotte has yet to announce which champion she will choose to face at Mania this year, but it has been heavily rumored that she will choose to return to NXT to face Champion Rhea Ripley (TJRWrestling). It is unclear why the ten-time Women’s Champion would decide to suddenly return to NXT, but without question, a match between Ripley and Charlotte should be dynamite. (TJRWrestling)

3. Drew McIntyre Wins the Men’s Royal Rumble Match

After eliminating the first thirteen competitors with relative ease, it seemed like Brock Lesnar was going to cruise to another Royal Rumble win. This was however until Drew McIntyre entered the Rumble at number 14. McIntyre eliminated Lesnar, and then went on from there to outlast every other competitor and win the whole thing. The following night on RAW, McIntyre officially challenged Brock Lesnar for the WWE Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania. McIntyre is hoping to become the first WWE Heavyweight Champion to ever come out of the UK, hopefully for his sake, his dreams don’t take a Brexit at Wrestlemania. (TJRWrestling)

2. WWE Parts Ways with the Company’s Co-Presidents

A major corporate shakeup occurred yesterday as both WWE Co-Presidents George Barrios and Michelle Williams were forced out of the company and removed from the board of directors. Vince McMahon thanked Barrios and Williams for their over 10 years of service, citing “conflicting strategic visions” as the reason for the change. WWE stockholders have not taken kindly to this change, with the stock dropping 23% since the news release. Frank A. Riddick III has been promoted to interim Chief Financial Officer until a permanent Chief Financial and Revenue Officer can be found. Personally if WWE is looking for a couple of guys to handle their finances I know who they should call. (TJRWrestling)

1. Edge Returns at the Royal Rumble

When WWE Hall of Famer Edge suddenly had to relinquish the WWE World Heavyweight Championship and retire from wrestling due to neck injuries in 2011, it was one of the saddest and most emotional moments in wrestling history. It seemed that one of the greatest of all times career was going to end way too soon and not on his terms. That moment made Edge’s surprise return to a WWE ring at the Royal Rumble after an over eight year absence, all the more exciting and special. Edge entered the Rumble at number 21 to a huge ovation, going on to last over 23 minutes and eliminate three other wrestlers including his former partner Randy Orton. Orton got revenge on Edge for the elimination the following night on RAW giving him a conchairto to end the show. Edge and Orton will now likely go on to wrestle each other at Wrestlemania or possibly Super Showdown, although they may not be old enough to reach the age requirement to main event a WWE Saudi show. (TJRWrestling)

That will conclude another edition of The Top Ten Wrestling Stories of the Week. Like always if you enjoy what I do please follow me on Facebook and Twitter @BackseatBookers and listen to my podcast the BackseatBookers (please be aware that it is explicit as I drop more F Bombs then Kobe dropped jump shots.)