WWE: Good Week, Bad Week - Alexa Bliss and Dean Ambrose impress
Roman Reigns and The Wyatt Family endure tough few days...
Friday 20 January 2017 10:42, UK
Not only are WWE celebrating 30 years since the inaugural over-the-top rope Rumble match but some of the biggest stars in the company will be taking part, including The Undertaker, Goldberg and Brock Lesnar.
With the Rumble edging closer, let's look at which WWE Superstars enjoyed good weeks - and which didn't!
GOOD WEEK
1. Alexa Bliss
Bliss has been one of the standout talents on Smackdown since she was promoted from NXT back in July and recently became only the show's second Women's Champion. This week, Bliss made history as she and Becky Lynch became the first females to main event Smackdown as a Women's Title was defended inside a steel cage on the blue brand for the first time.
Not only did The Wicked Witch of WWE win the match and retain her championship, but there were also "This Is Awesome" chants from the crowd throughout. Bliss then finally unveiled her partner in crime, La Luchadora, to be none other than former WWE Women's and Divas Champion, Mickie James.
2. Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson
Since joining WWE from New Japan Pro Wrestling last year, Gallows and Anderson have not walked the path of destruction that they would have expected to, given that they were once part of one of the best wrestling stables in the world, The Club. In fact, without AJ Styles, they have looked quite lost over the past few months.
This all changed on Monday when Gallows and Anderson were in the fight of their lives against Sheamus and Cesaro for the Raw Tag Team Titles. They won the bout - only to see the referee reverse the decision and announce a disqualification result after he had been struck by Sheamus. Still, it seems Gallows and Anderson are moving up the tag division.
3. Dean Ambrose
The Lunatic Fringe may have won the WWE Championship for the first time in 2016, but the year did not turn out the way he thought it would following his move to Smackdown. That said, WWE seem to have finally found a place on the roster for the former Shield member, who won the Intercontinental Title for the second time in his career a few weeks ago.
This Tuesday, he went on to defeat Randy Orton in a singles match - sure, it was earned via a roll-up pin and Luke Harper causing a distraction, but it was a huge win for Ambrose heading into his first Rumble since he finished runner-up to Triple H in 2016.
BAD WEEK
1. Roman Reigns
Reigns is not having a good time of it lately - he dropped the United States Championship last week during a handicap match against Chris Jericho and Kevin Owens and WWE have yet to mention whether the ex-Shield man will be given a rematch.
This week was no better for Reigns, as he was powerbombed through the announce desk by Owens after he, Seth Rollins and Sami Zayn had been defeated by Jeri-KO and Braun Strowman. Reigns fights for the Universal Championship next Sunday and if this run continues, he won't be in any kind of shape to compete, let alone win the title.
2. The Wyatt Family
Bray Wyatt finally won his first WWE championship when he and Orton defeated Heath Slater and Rhyno at TLC in December to claim the Smackdown Tag Team Titles - but they then lost them to American Alpha a few weeks later, with Orton and Harper representing The Wyatt Family, and also suffered defeat in their rematch.
Orton and Harper have seemingly imploded and cost their team much-needed victories, leading to Wyatt punching Harper on Tuesday night to stop him brawling with Orton. Harper and Orton will face each other next week, with Wyatt insisting that "one will rise and one will fall."
3. Sami Zayn
Poor Sami Zayn. Over the past few weeks, fans have witnessed some brutal bouts between Zayn and Strowman, including a Last Man Standing Match, and Zayn suffered another defeat on Monday night when he was pinned by Strowman in the main event.
Rollins and Reigns also walked away from the Canadian backstage after he put his fist out Shield style. It seems there really is no way back for Zayn now and a change to a darker attitude may be looming for the Underdog from the Underground.
