January 31, 2025 • 18 mins
Rick talks Royal Rumble from Indianapolis, on ESPN 1530!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Back on ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati's sports station.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
All right, welcome back, since he three to sixty ESPN
fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station thanks to Penn Station. I
just want to share how far my guy, Austin Elmore
has come. There was a time when this show would
happen and I would bring up something about wrestling, and
Austin would pretty much lose his mind. We're not doing that.
(00:30):
I still scoff at that can't be anything that happens.
And then, to show a full circle moment, when we
were talking about what to do for the show today,
Austin said, what about Rick Uchino for the Royal Rumble.
That's a big step for you. Well, a couple Normally
it's me like, hey, we're going to have to do this.
I'm putting my stamp on it, and you're like, uh now.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
A couple of things. We had a listener earlier this
week ask if we would be having Rick on to
talk about it HM, and you said yes, and then
you never said anything to me, so I figure, Okay,
I guess I'll just book it. And then secondly, you
know you, I think you've had a bit of a
rough week and so I figured this would be helpful
to Tony Man, and it's something our listeners want and
(01:12):
I love hearing the voice of Ricky Chino. So let's
just bring it all together.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
So we got Rick with us right now, boots on
the ground, and what's up, Rick.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
What is going on? I can, honestly, you know, share
that sentiment TONI. I'm very proud of Austin and how
far he's come since the early days when I would
have to barge into his office and beg, beg for
a little pro wrestling coverage on Cincy three sixty.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
We've had comments this week Rick about shoes versus sandals,
flip flops, and et cetera. I know you're a flip
flop guy. The weather's almost sixty. Do you got the
flip flops out today?
Speaker 1 (01:46):
Uh? Oh no, no, but it was. It was hilarious though.
So I did leave my coat. I left my coat
at the Airbnb. I walked out this morning just to
test everything, and I'm like, forty seven, this feels like seven,
let's go. So I left the coat here and then
I get to the media junket today for the Royal Rumble,
(02:07):
and you could tell who was from the Midwest, and
who wasn't just based off of who was dressed to
the nines with gloves and coats and hats and all
this stuff. And here I am in a relatively nice
polo and jeans, just going y'all don't even know what
it was like two weeks ago.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
We obviously know your work here with WLWN, right here
with ESPN fifteen thirty. For those listening in the wrestling world,
What are you now doing for both AEW and WWE.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
Yeah, so back in September, I believe the last time
I was on your show, I was still with SB Nation.
Back in September, I was hired on the wrestling team
for Sports Illustrated. So I am now one of the
main wrestling writers for the Takedown on SI. And Yeah,
I've been doing a lot of a lot, trust me,
a lot of work covering both AEW and WDWE. I
(03:02):
was at the AW event just as past go what
just as past month ringside talking with Yeah talk ringside
for the first time in my life, you can now
call me Ricky ringside watching the show. Got to talk
to Tony Storm minutes after she won the inaugural Women's
Casino Battle Royal so yeah, I'm constantly working, constantly doing
stuff for Sports Illustrated. Now I am the James Rapine
(03:24):
of pro wrestling. To just kind of put that that
makes sense for your listeners.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Put this into perspective. I know what WrestleMania brings to
a city. It's it's almost like a week long takeover
from a Royal Rumble standpoint, what's the scene like, did
did it get under way yesterday? Is it just a
full day today? What is the takeover like in a
city like Indy when the Royal Rumble comes to town.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
So it is it's completely taken over the city. They
have signage everywhere. They have like completely taken over and
decorated the airport. Now I drove here obviously, but I
have seen people They have like like little event stations
where you can like make your own signs, and they've
like completely decked out the entire Indianapolis airport for people
(04:07):
coming into town for this Tony, there's going to be
over sixty thousand people at Lucas Oil Stadium for this event. Wow,
think about that. Sixty thousand people at Lucas Oil Stadium
for not to watch the Colts play. They might outdraw
some of the Colts Games this year. The way that
the tickets are selling for this, they have had to
open up, continuously open up more tickets for an event
(04:29):
like this. And then on top of that, right, and
this is why I'm pushing so hard to bring a
major event like this to Cincinnati is because you get
the event, you get the gate, you fill up the
stadium the size of pay corps. Then you get wrestle
coan at the Convention Center on top of it, with
legends like staying in Tris stratuson Kurd Angle in town,
this Giant Pro Wrestling convention. It takes over the entire
(04:52):
city for a weekend. Austin would love it.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Frankly, do you think that the Rumble is the second
best pay per view behind WrestleMania?
Speaker 1 (05:01):
H For some people it's number one. It's certainly my
favorite event of the year, just for the unpredictability factor,
because you never know who's going to show up in
a Royal Rumble. There is just that that anxiety, that
anxiousness that builds up when you're like, oh man, is
this the year finally that aj Lee is gonna come
back At ten years and off from wrestling. Will Becky
(05:21):
Lynch come back. Well, we see aj Styles this weekend.
Who could show who actually is going to win? And
punsterer ticket to WrestleMania and one of the most open
fields for men and women's Royal Rumble that I can
remember in recent history. So it's certainly one of my
favorite events. I would put it top two, right up
there with Wrestmania. It's the official kickoff to WrestleMania season. Yeah, man,
(05:44):
it's it's a It's a major deal. I hope we
can get one day into Queen City.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Let's talk about the four match the four matches on
the card right now, d I Y versus the Motor
City machine Guns. Those that are listening, who are the
Motor City machine Guns?
Speaker 1 (05:59):
Yeah, so MotorCity machine Guns are Alex Shelley and Chris Saban.
They're one of the most decorated tag teams in all
of professional wrestling, and if you only watch WWE, you
would have no earthly idea who they are because they
just got to WWE after very long, distinguished careers. I'm
talking they won titles all over the world and every
(06:21):
other major promotion. Had conversations with AEW, ultimately decided to
sign with WWE this pass ball and they immediately come
in and they win the WWE Tag Team Championships, and
they're presented in a big deal right off the bat.
These are two really, really talented guys who work well
with Johnny Gargano and Tamaso Champa, who are the current
(06:42):
WWE Tag Team Champions. And I'm so happy that this
match is on this card tomorrow because so often tag
team wrestling can kind of take a back seat on
the major shows. So the fact that these guys are
going to go out there in a two out of
three falls match, probably get twenty to thirty minutes to
to show what they can do and put on a spectacle.
(07:03):
I'm really looking forward to, uh to this mat. I
genuinely flip a coin. I have no idea who's gonna win.
My gut, My gut tells me d I y retains,
and then they can move on to face the Street Profits,
which includes Austin's boy Angelo Dawkins. Yes, but well we'll see.
I could be wrong. I'm wrong often.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Uh, outside of the Rumble matches, you get Kevin Owens
versus Cody Rhodes. I think, I know, I know. The
Rumble is great this could steal the show because of
how good these guys are. I have a hard time
believing this close to WrestleMania that Cody Roads is going
to drop the title. But the lead up, in the
build up to this fight with Kevin Owens and Cody Roads,
(07:40):
in my opinion, has been awesome.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
Yeah, it's been great. But to your point, like it's
it's really hard for me to get fully invested in this,
and and and it's it's to no fault of the
competitors other on. I'm sure the show is going to
be great, but I know how this is going to end.
And and that's one of the things that's really kind
of hindered Cody Rose w W Championship run. For me
(08:02):
is over the last ten months since he won that
bell the main event of Wrestlermania forty. Never for a
second have I thought that his title run was in
danger of ending. Whether it was aj Styles at in France,
whether it was aj Styles in Germany, whether it was
Solo Socoa in Saudi Arabia, or whether now it's Kevin
(08:23):
Owens in New York and now Kevin Owens again in Indianapolis.
I have never thought once that anybody other than the
American Nightmare was walking out as a w W champion,
And I for one second do not believe that Kevin
Owens is walking away with either one of these titles
tomorrow night. I think Cody is going to win. He
is going to go on to face probably the winner
of the Royal Rumble, which we'll talk about here shortly
(08:45):
who that could be. But the interesting part to me
is actually not who wins this match or the two
competitors in it. It's who shows up and interferes in
this match. Will it be Sammy's ain? Will he take
Kevin Owens up on his offer to quote have his
bat back in the WWE title match, so Kevin can
have his back in the Royal Rumble and those two
can face each other in the main event of WrestleMania.
(09:06):
Or do we get Randy Orton coming back after he
was taken out with a package pile driver by Kevin Owens.
I think ahead of Saturday Night's made event. It's been
a while since the Viper's been around, so this would
not shock me at all to see him show up
Tomorrow night and set up the incoming program for WrestleMania
between Randy Orton and Kevin Owens, but somehow Someway No
matter how it happens, Cody's walking out with belt tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
The two rumble matches first, the Women's Royal Rumble. I
don't know if it's as much star power obviously as
the men, but Charlotte Flair is back. She's been out
due to injury, the most decorated women in w woman
in WWE history, with fourteen title reigns. Do you see
or hear some of those names that could be the
surprise entrance, whether it is a Becky Lynch, whether it
(09:53):
is an aj Lee that can obviously try to steal
the show as well tomorrow night.
Speaker 1 (09:59):
Yeah, I think you're going to see a lot of
the surprise because they've really kind of sold the Men's
Royal Rumble with Look at all the dudes who are
in this right, former World Champions Royal Rumble winners like
John Cena's last Royal Rumble ever, Roman reigns his first
Royal Rumble since twenty twenty. Seth Rollins isn't, and Drew
McIntyre is, and it can Sammy's Ain win it? Like
(10:20):
there's a list of legitimate dudes that are in that
match for the Women's Rumble. Until the last week it
was really just Bailey and Nia Jackson was in there,
which made me think, Okay, well they're selling that match
with injury, right, So I do think, you know, and
there's rumblings that that Nicki Bella is in Indianapolis this weekend.
There are rumblings that Tristratus is in Indianapolis this weekend. Now,
(10:41):
some of them are going to be a comic con
or not comic con but reflicon sore that kind of
plays into it, right, So they could be in town
for a completely different reason, but the fact that they
are in town lead you to believe that they may
show up. I do think Niki Bella is going to
be in it. That's just that's not a report. That's
my gut feeling. She says she want to come back.
(11:01):
There are reports that WWE wants her back sooner rather
than later, so I think she will be back. Trish
Stratus coming back a month before her twenty five year
anniversary in WWE, potentially leading to a match at Elimination
Chamber in her hometown of Toronto on March the first,
makes a ton of sense to me. I think she
shows up. I do think Becky Lynch will be there.
(11:26):
I just don't know if they have her creative figured
out for for WrestleMania yet, and if they don't, she
might not. Obviously they already announce Charlotte Flare will be
back aj Lee. I'm sorry at this point, Tony, We're
eight years into the Royal Rumble, and every year we're like, oh,
maybe they'll bring back aj Lee, Maybe they'll bring back
a j Lee. I'll believe it when I see it,
when she goes skipping down to the rings or Chuck
(11:48):
Taylor's I believe it's actually happening. If you want to
watch aj Lee Wressell go put on season two of
Heels on Netflix. That's the best I got for you.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
Who's your winner of the the Women's Rumble? Who's your prediction?
Speaker 1 (12:01):
I am fifty one percent? And then this is weird
because I actually chose differently for my results of my
predictions article on the Takedown on s side, But that
was just to be bold and different what I really believe. Honestly,
I do think Charlotte Clair is winning. I think she
is getting the Cody Rhodes treatment where they announced his
return ahead of the Royal Rumble off of an injury.
(12:23):
This is Charlotte's first match since December of twenty twenty three.
She tore everything in her knee in a match with
Oscar Attributes to the Troops Special and has not been
back since. So the fact that they announced her match
ahead of time, that she was going to be coming in,
she wasn't a surprise. They've advertised her, They've given her
a character, some new polish. I think they're giving her
(12:46):
the full Cody Roads treatment. She'll come in, she'll win
the Rumble. She'll face Tiffany Stratton at WrestleMania, which I
just talked to Tiffany Stratton literally minutes ago about that possibility,
and you can read about that on the Takedown on
s this weekend. I think that's the match that's gonna happen,
but I would not be surprised if it isn't Charlotte,
(13:07):
it is Bianca bel Air who wins and sets up
a match with Rhea Ripley. I know a lot of
fans have been waiting for that one as well. I
do believe this is the year we will get our
first time two time Women's Royal Rumble winner.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
Lastly, the men's Royal Rumble match. Normally the Royal Rumble
for the men, it does come with surprises, and the
surprises are cool, but you don't really see those competitors
having a chance to win much in the Royal Rumble.
This year, you're arguably the most stacked Royal Rumble in
ww history because you got the top of the game
all competing John Cena, CM Punk, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins,
(13:40):
Drew McIntyre. You can also make a case because of
how much they've pushed him. Penta is going to be
in the Rumble, bron Breaker is in the Rumble, Sammy's
aying jay U. So you can go up and down
the list. The top guys in ww LA Knight are
in the Royal Rumble, which makes this for me one
of the most exciting but also one of the most
difficult to figure out, because I could genuinely see a
(14:03):
path for like ten different guys to go win this
thing tomorrow night.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
Yeah, let me simplify it for you. Ton's coming down
to three guys. It's either going to be cm Punk,
it is either going to be Roman Rangs, or it
is either going to be John Cena. That is That
is what my my gut tells me. That's what my
my brain is telling me here, because I think those
are the most three compelling guys that you could set
this up for. You have Roman Reigns, who has gotten
(14:28):
his ula fallowback, who is now focused on getting back
his WWE Championship, which he lost to Cody Roads at
WrestleMania forty last year. So they could go the route
of doing a three p of having Cody and Roman
main event WrestleMania for three years in a row and
having this be the rubber match. They could go that direction,
or they could wind up with CM Punk winning the
(14:48):
World Championship sometime between now and WrestleMania and going Roman
Reigns and CM Punk because after all, Paul Hayman ohs
CM Punk of favor for teaming with Roman Rains at
Survivor Series. My gut tells me, I've gone back and
forth on this. If it's not Punk winning to challenge
the World Champion, if it's not Roman Reigns winning to
(15:10):
challenge the World Champion, they are going to give it
to John Cena and I for my for the takedown
on SI, I picked Roman Reigns and Since that article
has come out on Wednesday, I am now back to
picking John Cena. I think it's just the cleanest direction
to get him a world title shot at his last WrestleMania.
That's that's that's the story. That's the biggest one is
(15:33):
he hasn't won a match in seven years, singles match
in seven years, whatever it's been. This is his big
retirement tour. The story to tell with him is can
he do it? Can he can he break Rick Flair's
record and wins a seventeenth world title. Easiest way to
get him there in the main event of WrestleMania against
Cody Rhodes in his last WrestleManias for him to win
the Royal Rumble and tie Stone Cold Steve Boston's record
(15:55):
for the most Royal Rumble victories for the men's side
at three. That's the direction I'm leaning now. If you
ask me tomorrow at this time, I may have a
different answer for you, But I do think it's one
of those three guys, Roman Reigns, Cmpunk or John Cena.
Right now I'm leading John Cena.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
I will finish the interview with a question that if
my son were doing this interview, he would ask you,
will there be any dogs barking in Indianapolis tomorrow?
Speaker 1 (16:21):
There will be quite a few dogs barkins, I think
when bron Breaker enters in Royal Rod.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
I get the question daily from my kids. Now, are
there any dogs barking in Cincinnati? Or are any dogs
barking in our house? So I had to ask will
there be any dogs barking in Indy?
Speaker 1 (16:35):
There there will definitely be some dogs barking in India.
I guarantee you that, Rick, I.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
Know it's a busy time. Thank you so much. Enjoy
the weekend, enjoy the Royal Rumble experience. What's the easiest
way to follow along with all your coverage of what's
going to be going on?
Speaker 1 (16:49):
Yeah, you can follow me on x at Rick Uchino
spelled ri I C K U C C h I
n O in mere minutes. I'm gonna have a piece
with Chelsea Green dropping. I talked to her this afternoon
and was cranking it out before we came on the air,
which is why I didn't answer Austin's phone call the
first time. That'll be dropping here shortly and I'll be
tweeting that out right there. But again, the takedown on
(17:11):
SI Sports Illustrated, go to the wrestling section. That's the
best way to find all my stuff.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
I know it's a it's extremely busy weekend, so thank
you for carving out some time. Rick enjoy everything about
this weekend.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
Absolutely tough. I appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
Yes, sir, that's Rick Uchino all over the report of
the royal rumble in Indy. Unfortunately that means we now
have to take a break and we'll find a way
to get through the remainder of this show. The Friday
edition of Cincy three to sixty, including Moegar, Who's going
to stop by and let us know what's coming up
on the Mowagger Show. This is ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati
(17:42):
Sports Station thanks to Penn Station. Lowegar reality is they're
probably not good enough.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
He dissects the local sports scene.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
They're not consistent enough. The way up.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
Fourth Grader dissects a frod not reliable Loeger Today at
three on ESPN fifteen thirty
Back on ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati's sports station.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
All right, welcome back, since he three to sixty ESPN
fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station thanks to Penn Station. I
just want to share how far my guy, Austin Elmore
has come. There was a time when this show would
happen and I would bring up something about wrestling, and
Austin would pretty much lose his mind. We're not doing that.
(00:30):
I still scoff at that can't be anything that happens.
And then, to show a full circle moment, when we
were talking about what to do for the show today,
Austin said, what about Rick Uchino for the Royal Rumble.
That's a big step for you. Well, a couple Normally
it's me like, hey, we're going to have to do this.
I'm putting my stamp on it, and you're like, uh now.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
A couple of things. We had a listener earlier this
week ask if we would be having Rick on to
talk about it HM, and you said yes, and then
you never said anything to me, so I figure, Okay,
I guess I'll just book it. And then secondly, you
know you, I think you've had a bit of a
rough week and so I figured this would be helpful
to Tony Man, and it's something our listeners want and
(01:12):
I love hearing the voice of Ricky Chino. So let's
just bring it all together.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
So we got Rick with us right now, boots on
the ground, and what's up, Rick.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
What is going on? I can, honestly, you know, share
that sentiment TONI. I'm very proud of Austin and how
far he's come since the early days when I would
have to barge into his office and beg, beg for
a little pro wrestling coverage on Cincy three sixty.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
We've had comments this week Rick about shoes versus sandals,
flip flops, and et cetera. I know you're a flip
flop guy. The weather's almost sixty. Do you got the
flip flops out today?
Speaker 1 (01:46):
Uh? Oh no, no, but it was. It was hilarious though.
So I did leave my coat. I left my coat
at the Airbnb. I walked out this morning just to
test everything, and I'm like, forty seven, this feels like seven,
let's go. So I left the coat here and then
I get to the media junket today for the Royal Rumble,
(02:07):
and you could tell who was from the Midwest, and
who wasn't just based off of who was dressed to
the nines with gloves and coats and hats and all
this stuff. And here I am in a relatively nice
polo and jeans, just going y'all don't even know what
it was like two weeks ago.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
We obviously know your work here with WLWN, right here
with ESPN fifteen thirty. For those listening in the wrestling world,
What are you now doing for both AEW and WWE.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
Yeah, so back in September, I believe the last time
I was on your show, I was still with SB Nation.
Back in September, I was hired on the wrestling team
for Sports Illustrated. So I am now one of the
main wrestling writers for the Takedown on SI. And Yeah,
I've been doing a lot of a lot, trust me,
a lot of work covering both AEW and WDWE. I
(03:02):
was at the AW event just as past go what
just as past month ringside talking with Yeah talk ringside
for the first time in my life, you can now
call me Ricky ringside watching the show. Got to talk
to Tony Storm minutes after she won the inaugural Women's
Casino Battle Royal so yeah, I'm constantly working, constantly doing
stuff for Sports Illustrated. Now I am the James Rapine
(03:24):
of pro wrestling. To just kind of put that that
makes sense for your listeners.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Put this into perspective. I know what WrestleMania brings to
a city. It's it's almost like a week long takeover
from a Royal Rumble standpoint, what's the scene like, did
did it get under way yesterday? Is it just a
full day today? What is the takeover like in a
city like Indy when the Royal Rumble comes to town.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
So it is it's completely taken over the city. They
have signage everywhere. They have like completely taken over and
decorated the airport. Now I drove here obviously, but I
have seen people They have like like little event stations
where you can like make your own signs, and they've
like completely decked out the entire Indianapolis airport for people
(04:07):
coming into town for this Tony, there's going to be
over sixty thousand people at Lucas Oil Stadium for this event. Wow,
think about that. Sixty thousand people at Lucas Oil Stadium
for not to watch the Colts play. They might outdraw
some of the Colts Games this year. The way that
the tickets are selling for this, they have had to
open up, continuously open up more tickets for an event
(04:29):
like this. And then on top of that, right, and
this is why I'm pushing so hard to bring a
major event like this to Cincinnati is because you get
the event, you get the gate, you fill up the
stadium the size of pay corps. Then you get wrestle
coan at the Convention Center on top of it, with
legends like staying in Tris stratuson Kurd Angle in town,
this Giant Pro Wrestling convention. It takes over the entire
(04:52):
city for a weekend. Austin would love it.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Frankly, do you think that the Rumble is the second
best pay per view behind WrestleMania?
Speaker 1 (05:01):
H For some people it's number one. It's certainly my
favorite event of the year, just for the unpredictability factor,
because you never know who's going to show up in
a Royal Rumble. There is just that that anxiety, that
anxiousness that builds up when you're like, oh man, is
this the year finally that aj Lee is gonna come
back At ten years and off from wrestling. Will Becky
(05:21):
Lynch come back. Well, we see aj Styles this weekend.
Who could show who actually is going to win? And
punsterer ticket to WrestleMania and one of the most open
fields for men and women's Royal Rumble that I can
remember in recent history. So it's certainly one of my
favorite events. I would put it top two, right up
there with Wrestmania. It's the official kickoff to WrestleMania season. Yeah, man,
(05:44):
it's it's a It's a major deal. I hope we
can get one day into Queen City.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Let's talk about the four match the four matches on
the card right now, d I Y versus the Motor
City machine Guns. Those that are listening, who are the
Motor City machine Guns?
Speaker 1 (05:59):
Yeah, so MotorCity machine Guns are Alex Shelley and Chris Saban.
They're one of the most decorated tag teams in all
of professional wrestling, and if you only watch WWE, you
would have no earthly idea who they are because they
just got to WWE after very long, distinguished careers. I'm
talking they won titles all over the world and every
(06:21):
other major promotion. Had conversations with AEW, ultimately decided to
sign with WWE this pass ball and they immediately come
in and they win the WWE Tag Team Championships, and
they're presented in a big deal right off the bat.
These are two really, really talented guys who work well
with Johnny Gargano and Tamaso Champa, who are the current
(06:42):
WWE Tag Team Champions. And I'm so happy that this
match is on this card tomorrow because so often tag
team wrestling can kind of take a back seat on
the major shows. So the fact that these guys are
going to go out there in a two out of
three falls match, probably get twenty to thirty minutes to
to show what they can do and put on a spectacle.
(07:03):
I'm really looking forward to, uh to this mat. I
genuinely flip a coin. I have no idea who's gonna win.
My gut, My gut tells me d I y retains,
and then they can move on to face the Street Profits,
which includes Austin's boy Angelo Dawkins. Yes, but well we'll see.
I could be wrong. I'm wrong often.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Uh, outside of the Rumble matches, you get Kevin Owens
versus Cody Rhodes. I think, I know, I know. The
Rumble is great this could steal the show because of
how good these guys are. I have a hard time
believing this close to WrestleMania that Cody Roads is going
to drop the title. But the lead up, in the
build up to this fight with Kevin Owens and Cody Roads,
(07:40):
in my opinion, has been awesome.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
Yeah, it's been great. But to your point, like it's
it's really hard for me to get fully invested in this,
and and and it's it's to no fault of the
competitors other on. I'm sure the show is going to
be great, but I know how this is going to end.
And and that's one of the things that's really kind
of hindered Cody Rose w W Championship run. For me
(08:02):
is over the last ten months since he won that
bell the main event of Wrestlermania forty. Never for a
second have I thought that his title run was in
danger of ending. Whether it was aj Styles at in France,
whether it was aj Styles in Germany, whether it was
Solo Socoa in Saudi Arabia, or whether now it's Kevin
(08:23):
Owens in New York and now Kevin Owens again in Indianapolis.
I have never thought once that anybody other than the
American Nightmare was walking out as a w W champion,
And I for one second do not believe that Kevin
Owens is walking away with either one of these titles
tomorrow night. I think Cody is going to win. He
is going to go on to face probably the winner
of the Royal Rumble, which we'll talk about here shortly
(08:45):
who that could be. But the interesting part to me
is actually not who wins this match or the two
competitors in it. It's who shows up and interferes in
this match. Will it be Sammy's ain? Will he take
Kevin Owens up on his offer to quote have his
bat back in the WWE title match, so Kevin can
have his back in the Royal Rumble and those two
can face each other in the main event of WrestleMania.
(09:06):
Or do we get Randy Orton coming back after he
was taken out with a package pile driver by Kevin Owens.
I think ahead of Saturday Night's made event. It's been
a while since the Viper's been around, so this would
not shock me at all to see him show up
Tomorrow night and set up the incoming program for WrestleMania
between Randy Orton and Kevin Owens, but somehow Someway No
matter how it happens, Cody's walking out with belt tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
The two rumble matches first, the Women's Royal Rumble. I
don't know if it's as much star power obviously as
the men, but Charlotte Flair is back. She's been out
due to injury, the most decorated women in w woman
in WWE history, with fourteen title reigns. Do you see
or hear some of those names that could be the
surprise entrance, whether it is a Becky Lynch, whether it
(09:53):
is an aj Lee that can obviously try to steal
the show as well tomorrow night.
Speaker 1 (09:59):
Yeah, I think you're going to see a lot of
the surprise because they've really kind of sold the Men's
Royal Rumble with Look at all the dudes who are
in this right, former World Champions Royal Rumble winners like
John Cena's last Royal Rumble ever, Roman reigns his first
Royal Rumble since twenty twenty. Seth Rollins isn't, and Drew
McIntyre is, and it can Sammy's Ain win it? Like
(10:20):
there's a list of legitimate dudes that are in that
match for the Women's Rumble. Until the last week it
was really just Bailey and Nia Jackson was in there,
which made me think, Okay, well they're selling that match
with injury, right, So I do think, you know, and
there's rumblings that that Nicki Bella is in Indianapolis this weekend.
There are rumblings that Tristratus is in Indianapolis this weekend. Now,
(10:41):
some of them are going to be a comic con
or not comic con but reflicon sore that kind of
plays into it, right, So they could be in town
for a completely different reason, but the fact that they
are in town lead you to believe that they may
show up. I do think Niki Bella is going to
be in it. That's just that's not a report. That's
my gut feeling. She says she want to come back.
(11:01):
There are reports that WWE wants her back sooner rather
than later, so I think she will be back. Trish
Stratus coming back a month before her twenty five year
anniversary in WWE, potentially leading to a match at Elimination
Chamber in her hometown of Toronto on March the first,
makes a ton of sense to me. I think she
shows up. I do think Becky Lynch will be there.
(11:26):
I just don't know if they have her creative figured
out for for WrestleMania yet, and if they don't, she
might not. Obviously they already announce Charlotte Flare will be
back aj Lee. I'm sorry at this point, Tony, We're
eight years into the Royal Rumble, and every year we're like, oh,
maybe they'll bring back aj Lee, Maybe they'll bring back
a j Lee. I'll believe it when I see it,
when she goes skipping down to the rings or Chuck
(11:48):
Taylor's I believe it's actually happening. If you want to
watch aj Lee Wressell go put on season two of
Heels on Netflix. That's the best I got for you.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
Who's your winner of the the Women's Rumble? Who's your prediction?
Speaker 1 (12:01):
I am fifty one percent? And then this is weird
because I actually chose differently for my results of my
predictions article on the Takedown on s side, But that
was just to be bold and different what I really believe. Honestly,
I do think Charlotte Clair is winning. I think she
is getting the Cody Rhodes treatment where they announced his
return ahead of the Royal Rumble off of an injury.
(12:23):
This is Charlotte's first match since December of twenty twenty three.
She tore everything in her knee in a match with
Oscar Attributes to the Troops Special and has not been
back since. So the fact that they announced her match
ahead of time, that she was going to be coming in,
she wasn't a surprise. They've advertised her, They've given her
a character, some new polish. I think they're giving her
(12:46):
the full Cody Roads treatment. She'll come in, she'll win
the Rumble. She'll face Tiffany Stratton at WrestleMania, which I
just talked to Tiffany Stratton literally minutes ago about that possibility,
and you can read about that on the Takedown on
s this weekend. I think that's the match that's gonna happen,
but I would not be surprised if it isn't Charlotte,
(13:07):
it is Bianca bel Air who wins and sets up
a match with Rhea Ripley. I know a lot of
fans have been waiting for that one as well. I
do believe this is the year we will get our
first time two time Women's Royal Rumble winner.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
Lastly, the men's Royal Rumble match. Normally the Royal Rumble
for the men, it does come with surprises, and the
surprises are cool, but you don't really see those competitors
having a chance to win much in the Royal Rumble.
This year, you're arguably the most stacked Royal Rumble in
ww history because you got the top of the game
all competing John Cena, CM Punk, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins,
(13:40):
Drew McIntyre. You can also make a case because of
how much they've pushed him. Penta is going to be
in the Rumble, bron Breaker is in the Rumble, Sammy's
aying jay U. So you can go up and down
the list. The top guys in ww LA Knight are
in the Royal Rumble, which makes this for me one
of the most exciting but also one of the most
difficult to figure out, because I could genuinely see a
(14:03):
path for like ten different guys to go win this
thing tomorrow night.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
Yeah, let me simplify it for you. Ton's coming down
to three guys. It's either going to be cm Punk,
it is either going to be Roman Rangs, or it
is either going to be John Cena. That is That
is what my my gut tells me. That's what my
my brain is telling me here, because I think those
are the most three compelling guys that you could set
this up for. You have Roman Reigns, who has gotten
(14:28):
his ula fallowback, who is now focused on getting back
his WWE Championship, which he lost to Cody Roads at
WrestleMania forty last year. So they could go the route
of doing a three p of having Cody and Roman
main event WrestleMania for three years in a row and
having this be the rubber match. They could go that direction,
or they could wind up with CM Punk winning the
(14:48):
World Championship sometime between now and WrestleMania and going Roman
Reigns and CM Punk because after all, Paul Hayman ohs
CM Punk of favor for teaming with Roman Rains at
Survivor Series. My gut tells me, I've gone back and
forth on this. If it's not Punk winning to challenge
the World Champion, if it's not Roman Reigns winning to
(15:10):
challenge the World Champion, they are going to give it
to John Cena and I for my for the takedown
on SI, I picked Roman Reigns and Since that article
has come out on Wednesday, I am now back to
picking John Cena. I think it's just the cleanest direction
to get him a world title shot at his last WrestleMania.
That's that's that's the story. That's the biggest one is
(15:33):
he hasn't won a match in seven years, singles match
in seven years, whatever it's been. This is his big
retirement tour. The story to tell with him is can
he do it? Can he can he break Rick Flair's
record and wins a seventeenth world title. Easiest way to
get him there in the main event of WrestleMania against
Cody Rhodes in his last WrestleManias for him to win
the Royal Rumble and tie Stone Cold Steve Boston's record
(15:55):
for the most Royal Rumble victories for the men's side
at three. That's the direction I'm leaning now. If you
ask me tomorrow at this time, I may have a
different answer for you, But I do think it's one
of those three guys, Roman Reigns, Cmpunk or John Cena.
Right now I'm leading John Cena.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
I will finish the interview with a question that if
my son were doing this interview, he would ask you,
will there be any dogs barking in Indianapolis tomorrow?
Speaker 1 (16:21):
There will be quite a few dogs barkins, I think
when bron Breaker enters in Royal Rod.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
I get the question daily from my kids. Now, are
there any dogs barking in Cincinnati? Or are any dogs
barking in our house? So I had to ask will
there be any dogs barking in Indy?
Speaker 1 (16:35):
There there will definitely be some dogs barking in India.
I guarantee you that, Rick, I.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
Know it's a busy time. Thank you so much. Enjoy
the weekend, enjoy the Royal Rumble experience. What's the easiest
way to follow along with all your coverage of what's
going to be going on?
Speaker 1 (16:49):
Yeah, you can follow me on x at Rick Uchino
spelled ri I C K U C C h I
n O in mere minutes. I'm gonna have a piece
with Chelsea Green dropping. I talked to her this afternoon
and was cranking it out before we came on the air,
which is why I didn't answer Austin's phone call the
first time. That'll be dropping here shortly and I'll be
tweeting that out right there. But again, the takedown on
(17:11):
SI Sports Illustrated, go to the wrestling section. That's the
best way to find all my stuff.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
I know it's a it's extremely busy weekend, so thank
you for carving out some time. Rick enjoy everything about
this weekend.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
Absolutely tough. I appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
Yes, sir, that's Rick Uchino all over the report of
the royal rumble in Indy. Unfortunately that means we now
have to take a break and we'll find a way
to get through the remainder of this show. The Friday
edition of Cincy three to sixty, including Moegar, Who's going
to stop by and let us know what's coming up
on the Mowagger Show. This is ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati
(17:42):
Sports Station thanks to Penn Station. Lowegar reality is they're
probably not good enough.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
He dissects the local sports scene.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
They're not consistent enough. The way up.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
Fourth Grader dissects a frod not reliable Loeger Today at
three on ESPN fifteen thirty
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