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AJ Styles has had a distinct edge over Kevin Owens as the two villains have reigned over WWE SmackDown and Raw, respectively: superior booking. The amount of electricity surrounding their upcoming title bouts speak to that. Styles is poised to face John Cena for the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view on Jan. 29. Owens will defend the Universal Championship against Roman Reigns the same night. SmackDown's championship bout is more appealing, a collision of titans belonging to the blue brand's top tier. Owens vs. Reigns is harder to get psyched about. It's the latest chapter in KO's underwhelming time as champ. That's not his cross to ...

In a time of transition, WWE fitted a crown on Brock Lesnar's head at the 2003 Royal Rumble to signal his reign over the kingdom. The Next Big Thing's victory that January night is a reminder of the power of a Rumble win. It's a testament to the impact of lasting images. And it's proof of what steadfast commitment to a new star can accomplish.  The process of anointing Lesnar began the previous year, well before the 2003 Rumble.  In 2002, WWE was in need of a fresh centerpiece. The Rock's Hollywood career was pulling him away. Neck and knee issues slowed Stone Cold ...

Few things propel a WWE NXT Superstar like finding a character that fits them snugly. Both Nikki Cross and Tye Dillinger have done just that of late, and Wednesday's NXT provided more proof. Cross is thriving as a rabid, bloodthirsty loon. Dillinger has evolved his gimmick to be about far more than counting to 10. Cross' craziness exploded on the screen at Full Sail University. Dillinger connected with the crowd by going public with his self-doubt. NXT also featured The Revival dishing out another beatdown and Roderick Strong excelling between the ropes. Scott Dawson continues to look ready to jump to the main roster. ...

Charlotte Flair and Bayley's battle over the WWE Raw Women's Championship has the potential to be a stellar, stirring story that fans will remember for years to come. Its foundation is strong, as the rivalry is built on a classic dynamic. Bayley vs. Flair is good vs. evil, the common (wo)man vs. ruthless royalty, heart vs. physical superiority. Bayley thrives as a babyface. Flair is a top-notch heel.  And their title matches, at the Jan. 29 Royal Rumble pay-per-view and beyond, promise to be excellent. As WWE marches forward with this narrative, though, plenty of missteps could trip it up. The company cannot leave fans ...

Cliffhangers comprised much of Tuesday's WWE SmackDown.  A yank of a mask revealed a returning Mickie James to be La Luchadora. The fuse on the Nikki Bella vs. Natalya feud almost burned completely down. Randy Orton and Luke Harper looked ready to tear each other apart. Throw in an announcement for the upcoming Elimination Chamber pay-per-view, and Tuesday's show left the audience hungry to see what's ahead. What's James' motivation for pairing with Bliss? What will the apex of Bella vs. Natalya be?  And will it befit their surging animosity? Will Orton and Harper shred The Wyatt Family to bits when they clash next week? These ...

WWE SmackDown's women's division changed in an instant when Mickie James stepped into the steel cage on Tuesday night. The former women's champion made her return to WWE's main roster under a mask, posing as La Luchadora. She aided Alexa Bliss, preventing Becky Lynch from escaping the cage. The collusion kept the SmackDown Women's Championship in Bliss' grasp. Lynch yanked off the mystery woman's mask to reveal what many fans expected: She was back. The blue brand grew stronger in that moment. Lynch now has a top-tier rival in her path. And WWE has a healthy supply of intriguing options for booking the SmackDown women's division moving ...

1. Fact Bleeding into Fiction Dolph Ziggler coldly reminded Jerry Lawler on Tuesday's WWE SmackDown that he had dropped elbow after elbow on his chest before The King suffered a heart attack in 2012. Speaking more menacingly than normal, Ziggler followed up with an unsettling threat: "If you don't stop with these questions, I will finish what I started four years ago." The Showoff's visit to the past, one where Lawler nearly died, elicited a variety of reactions. For some, the segment simply allowed a heel to show off his villainy. Others were stunned by the direction WWE took. Vaughn Johnson of Philly.com seemed to be ...

Championship pursuits generated some of the biggest questions to come out of Monday's WWE Raw. Bayley is closing in on the Raw Women's Championship. Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson nearly won the red brand's tag titles and look poised to grab the gold soon. What will be the pace of these narratives moving forward? Will Bayley unseat The Queen before this feud has reached its peak? Is a Gallows-Anderson reign around the corner? After Raw's visit to Little Rock, Arkansas, on Monday night, fans have to be wondering what's ahead for Alicia Fox's character and where WWE can possibly take the story of Titus O'Neil ...

It's not hard to imagine Braun Strowman emerging from WWE Royal Rumble 2017 as the monster alone on the mountaintop. WWE has presented Strowman as an overwhelming predator and a beast among boys. But should it anoint him the latest winner of the annual Royal Rumble match? Is this the right time to elevate Strowman to that level? How would he fit on the WrestleMania marquee? Is the company ready to commit to the New Era? Those are the questions swirling as the Jan. 29 pay-per-view draws closer. A difficult decision looms, and Strowman is sure to be in the discussion when it ...

Gladiators stepping inside a steel cage will highlight Tuesday's WWE SmackDown. Alexa Bliss will look to fend off Becky Lynch to keep hold of the SmackDown Women's Championship. She'll have to do so in an unsettling metal structure. Memphis, Tennessee, will host a show brimming with animosity, one that will also feature a big announcement. As the blue brand marches toward the Royal Rumble pay-per-view on Jan. 29, The Wyatt Family has to fight off collapse, Dolph Ziggler will get to explain his recent dastardly actions and the women's division may add a familiar face. What else does SmackDown have in store for the Home ...