Styles has quite a run going
When A.J. Styles won the WWE title from Dean Ambrose last Sunday at Backlash, it continued the whirlwind of a 2016 for Styles.
Had anyone told me a year ago, or even on New Year蘑菇视频, that Styles would debut in the WWE, have the best match on numerous WWE PPV蘑菇视频, pin John Cena twice, and win the WWE title, I would have laughed.
But all of those things have happened and I had to research back a few decades to see who I could compare Styles鈥� run to.
You see, Vince McMahon just does not bring in smaller guys, who happen to come from other promotions, and instantly make them heavyweight champion.
The last time it happened?
Ric Flair when he won the Royal Rumble in 1992 to win the vacant WWE title.
Flair debuted in the WWE six months prior and had come off of a run with the NWA and WCW.
Sure, it took Styles a little longer than Flair to become champion, but he is now in rarified air.
WWE women continue to shine
I have stated in this column several times that I feel there will be a women蘑菇视频 match that main events a WWE PPV at some point.
At Backlash, the six-person challenge to crown the first Smackdown women蘑菇视频 champion opened the show, and it was the second time in three PPV蘑菇视频 that this happened as a women蘑菇视频 tag match opened Battleground in July.
Then on Raw this past Monday, a promo focused on the Raw women蘑菇视频 title opened the show.
It may not happen this month or this year, but the women will main event a PPV.
Paige staying with the WWE
Last week, word broke that Alberto Del Rio left the WWE and that his girlfriend Paige was going to be right behind him.
Paige and the WWE talked several times this week and she will be returning to the company as soon as she is cleared to wrestle.
Cruiserweight division debuting tomorrow night on Raw
The Cruiserweight Classic concluded Wednesday with T.J. Perkins winning the 32-man tournament and being crowned the new cruiserweight champion.
Foley invites Bryan to Raw
Mick Foley has invited Daniel Bryan to Raw Monday to discuss Smackdown 鈥渞aiding鈥� the Raw roster.
But no, Foley was not talking about Jack Swagger.
Foley tweeted out about James Ellworth, who appeared Tuesday on Smackdown and wrestled on Raw in Pittsburgh in March.
For more on Ellsworth and his local ties, check out next week蘑菇视频 column as I interviewed him Friday.
2010s Mt. Rushmore
This decade (thus far) was easy for me to pick the Mt. Rushmore for.
John Cena: There is no question about this pick. Cena is one f the most popular wrestlers in WWE history and has carried the company for most of the last decade.
A.J. Styles: A bit of a surprise, I already discussed Styles in this column so I won鈥檛 repeat myself here.
Randy Orton: Almost honored like decade, like Cena, Orton gets the nod here for his consistency. Although he is in the back end of his career, Orton can still go.
C. M. Punk: Although he has not stepped in a wrestling ring for over two years now, Punk still had a great run up until he walked out of the WWE. His run in the UFC? Not so much.
Mt. Rushmore continues next week
We may be done with the Mt. Rushmore of wrestlers by decade, but there are many more mountains to climb!
Check back next week for the next chapter.
This week蘑菇视频 question: I saw The Miz蘑菇视频 Smack Talk segment a few weeks ago and it reminded me of C.M. Punk蘑菇视频 鈥減ipe bomb鈥� promo from a few years ago. I remember how Punk was championed by the fans as 鈥渟hooting鈥� his mind, but why this doesn鈥檛 seem to be for The Miz? Lamont from Monessen.
You make a valid point, and I think part of the reason is that The Miz has never 鈥渓ooked鈥� the part. No, Punk was never huge physically, but he came across as being believable whereas The Miz is more of a character than he is an in-ring performer.
The Miz could be a much bigger asset to the WWE if his storylines were written better.
Remember, this is a guy who beat John Cena and retained the WWE title in the main event at WrestleMania XXVII a short five years ago.
His current IC title reign of 167 days is the longest since Cody Rhodes held it for 236 days from 2011 into 2012, and it is already the 20th longest IC title reign in history, and considering there have been 157 reigns, that is saying something.