As SmackDown drew to a close Thursday night, the “Yes!” Movement was
in full effect, a celebratory moment that could very well be a sign of
things to come at
WWE Fastlane if
Daniel Bryan overcomes Roman Reigns and punches his ticket to the main
event of WrestleMania. However, even though The Big Dog and The Beard
were seemingly on the same page when they stood triumphant after Tag
Team Turmoil on SmackDown, Reigns isn’t about to just hand over the
opportunity he earned by winning the
2015 Royal Rumble Match.
As
WWE Fastlane approaches, both Superstars will be looking to gain
important momentum in anticipation of their high-stakes battle, live on
WWE Network. How are these ring warriors preparing for battle, and what
does The Authority have in store for them on Raw? WWE.com has some ideas
John Cena guest stars on NBC's 'Parks and Recreation'
WWE Universe, don't miss John Cena on NBC's "Parks and Recreation"
Tuesday at 8/7 C! The critically-acclaimed hit comedy that follows the
Parks and Recreation Department in Pawnee, Ind., is celebrating its
final season. The show stars Amy Poehler, Aziz Ansari, Nick Offerman and
Chris Pratt, who has already faced a WWE Superstar before in Batista in
"Guardians of the Galaxy."
Hard times: The trials and triumphs of the legendary Rhodes family
“You don’t know what hard times are, daddy.”
So said “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes on the Oct. 29, 1985 edition of Mid-Atlantic Wrestling in a
passionate address to
his rival, then-NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair. In that
historic speech, Rhodes spoke of a changing economic climate, troubles
facing the common man across the United States and the “hard times”
Flair had put upon the Rhodes family.
Yet it was always in those
“hard times” that the Rhodes family has thrived and persevered, largely
thanks to the guidance of its indomitable patriarch. This Monday on Raw
at 8/7 C, The American Dream will attempt to ease the recent tension
between his sons, the face-painted duo now known as Gold & Stardust.
As history has shown, Dusty might be the only man capable of restoring
peace between the warring siblings.
Watch Rhodes family highlights |
More on Dusty’s Raw intervention
Dusty’s incomparable career, including savage bouts against the likes of Abdullah the Butcher, Harley Race and longtime nemesis
The Nature Boy,
was fraught with obstacles, both personal and professional. Yet, The
American Dream would never be denied, thrice becoming NWA World
Heavyweight Champion and cementing himself as one of the most beloved
in-ring competitors of the 1980s.
View photos from Dusty’s historic career | Dusty’s sons induct him into the WWE Hall of Fame
After a
stint in WWE,
Rhodes eventually transitioned to a behind-the-scenes role as one of
the creative forces behind WCW as his son, Dustin Rhodes, set out to
continue the family legacy. Sporting a fringed vest that looked like it
had come right out of his pop’s wardrobe, Dustin introduced himself to
the WWE Universe at large during the
1991 Royal Rumble event,
in a tag team match against The Million Dollar Man and Virgil. The
father-and-son tandem lost that bout, but Dustin would find greater
success in WCW, capturing the United States Championship in 1993.
However, he was ultimately fired from the Atlanta-based organization,
and it was a phone call from Vince McMahon that would transform Rhodes’
life forever.
SmackDown Results: Reigns & Bryan overcame friction to outlast
six dangerous combinations in a history-making Tag Team Turmoil Match
The best show on Thursday night opened with Kane and Big Show
addressing WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos, Los Matadores, The Miz &
Damien Mizdow, Titus O’Neil & Heath Slater and The Ascension. The
teams learned the incredible news that they’d be competing in a WWE Tag
Team Turmoil Match — a concept borrowed from WWE Hall of Famer Pat
Patterson.
As for the rules of the contest, two tag teams would
start things out, with the winning combination facing another tag team,
the winner of that contest facing another, and so on, until one tag team
reigned supreme. While the teams would be picked at random for the most
part, Kane made it clear that Roman Reigns would begin the match
alongside his opponent at WWE Fastlane, Daniel Bryan!
How will The Authority choose to deal with Big Show?
On Thursday night SmackDown, it seemed as if The Authority had
finally found a way to dismantle Daniel Bryan & Roman Reigns,
heading into WWE Fastlane. But just when it looked like Kane & Big
Show were going to pick up the pieces on their war-torn adversaries in
the final moments of a fierce Tag Team Turmoil Match, things completely
broke down and Big Show KO’d his own partner.
SmackDown exclusive videos | SmackDown highlights
Now
the question becomes: How will Triple H and Stephanie McMahon deal with
dissension in their ranks? In any leadership position, it is important
to send a quick and decisive message. By that logic, punishing The
World’s Largest Athlete is absolutely necessary.
If there are
repercussions, though, exactly what form will they take? In the past,
The Authority has had no problem using Big Show’s job and financial
future against him. Or could the misstep lead to another epic clash of
the titans between Big Show and Corporate Kane, in an attempt to settle
Authority business in-house? Could the giant be outright fired? Fined?
Would the often self-critical Big Show, upset over letting his temper
get the best of him, pull a Tiger Woods and choose to suspend himself?
On
the other hand, might treading lightly in the gigantic Superstar’s path
be what’s “best for business”? Never forget, before Survivor Series,
Big Show was a powerful force against The Authority. It was only when he
betrayed John Cena and his team that the threat was squished. Does The
Authority really want to reawaken that humongous hazard — just more than
40 days before WrestleMania? If WWE history shows one thing, you do not
want to see the angry side of Big Show.
Find out the answer to The Authority’s gigantic problem on Monday Night Raw at 8/7C on USA Network.
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