-- 1/31 WWE Royal Rumble PPV Reax

Brandon Henderson (5.0): I don't know what to think of this. Yeah, it's cool Edge won. I'm sure WWE brass went with him because they assume he'll tear some sort of ligament before WrestleMania and be out of the picture for another six months. I wanted Shawn Michaels to win simply because ol' cross-eyes has remained remarkably interesting during his entire career. MVP-Miz was a waste (MVP deserves a cowardly heel World Title run this year). The Undertaker looks like he's going to crumble into a pile at any time. C.M. Punk is the best thing WWE right now. He is truly awesome. They have something with him and I hope they continue to give him freedom on the microphone.

David Miller of Terre Haute, Ind., (9.5): Best Match: Royal Rumble. Worst Match: Miz vs. MVP. WWE made sure their first $45 PPV of the year was worth every penny. ECW predictably jerked the curtain with Christian vs. Jackson, which was a good opener, but I'm wondering how much longer it will be before ECW Title matches are relegated to the dark match before the PPVs begin. Miz vs. MVP is a good feud, but the match just felt flat somehow. Mickie James vs. Michelle McCool was frustrating in that the blow-off match to their feud lasted about ten seconds, but on the other hand it was satisfying seeing McCool get squashed by James after that horrendous angle about Mickie supposedly being fat. Undertaker vs. Mysterio was surprisingly good. The blood, although unintentional, did add to the match and the announce team did an excellent job playing off Taker's bloody nose as a sign of his vulnerability. The Rumble match was just off the charts. C.M. Punk was entertaining as hell in the beginning. Beth Phoenix's surprise entrance and subsequent elimination of Great Khali was not only a great surprise, but a highlight. I'd have bet a week's paycheck that Michaels was going to win the Rumble. When he didn't, I'd have put that same paycheck on Cena. The surprise win by the returning Edge was a perfect ending to an exciting show. Edge looked a little rough, but his appearance breathed some fresh air into the roster. Two thumbs up to WWE for really delivering on this one.

Ben Rash of Portland, Ore. (8.5): Best Match: Rumble. Worst Match: Sheamus-Orton. Edge! Wow, WWE finally gave me something to cheer about. Edge saved the show, and turned what was a very average PPV into a huge thumbs up. I was glad to see that WWE did not waste his return and have him job to Cena at the end. HBK really sold his obsession with winning the Rumble and he looked - for the first time since his return - like he actually cared. The Rumble match from 1-15 or so was very forgettable until the superkick on Triple H. C.M. Punk is too good to keep this "straight edge" angle going. It has become tiresome and boring. Outside of the Rumble, it was a B-level PPV. Sheamus-Orton was such a long, boring match. We all know Orton is capable of having a wonderful match, but unfortunately, even the best can't get a solid match out of Sheamus. He possesses great grappling and striking moves, but has no ring presence. MVP-Miz was a great treat and I'm glad to see Miz get a clean win with the rivalry looking to take another level. The most appealing aspect of the entire PPV was the development of storylines: Punk-Hunter, Legacy diffusing, DX on the rocks, Miz-MVP. This is typical when WWE pulls out their big guns for the Rumble and this year was no exception. For the first time in about nine months, I have no clue where all the storylines are heading.

We welcome your 0-10 score and comments on this show for a "WWE PPV Reax" feature in the Torch Feedback section of PWTorch.com. Just to add a twist to this feature, include not just your hometown, but also your occupation (mechanic, lawyer, stay-at-home-dad, college student, etc.) so readers get a flavor for what everyone does as "day jobs." To contribute your thoughts on the PPV, click here.

We suggest these recent related articles...

WWE PPV REAX #1: "I wanted the biggest event of the summer to end with an exclamation point; it ended with a semicolon and a question"

WWE PPV REAX #1: Battleground finish generates mixed reactions...

WWE PPV REAX #2: In-Person Battleground Report on overall show, reactions, more