FROM THE VAULT: Plain Speaking With Matt Brock

Originally published in Volume 47 (2012) of The Wrestler/Inside Wrestling

SPECIAL CONTENT FROM THE PWI VAULT

Harder than nails, veteran wrestling reporter Matt Brock has logged more miles covering wrestling than any other journalist. Every month Matt will travel to the sport's hotbeds, reporting everything he sees without fear or favor

ST. LOUIS, MO: Maybe it’s because my time in this sport goes back to when battle royals were so special and hard-fought and meaningful on so many levels—I remember some doozies in the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles 40 years back. Black Gordman, by the way, was one of my favorites to watch in a battle royal—but I digress.

Anyhow, I look forward to The Royal Rumble every year. That being said, the 2012 version had to rank somewhere in the bottom third, all-time. And that might be a generous assessment. Hard to get more specific in ranking Rumbles without doing a week’s worth of research for which I don’t have time.

It was good to see Sheamus win. Still look at him as a throwback to the days of Bruiser and Crusher. He could be something special, so I’m all for seeing him back among WWE’s elite. Still, it seemed like there should have been two or three more big stars left to enter by the time we got to number 30.

Guess I agree with a lot of my colleagues who felt this was an indictment of WWE’s lack of star-power depth. Cody Rhodes being one of the workhorses and most prolific eliminators didn’t work for me. Sorry, big Dust, but I don’t think your kid is a future all-time great. Solid mid-carder on the high end of his upside maybe.

Having one broadcaster enter was worth a chuckle, but after Jerry Lawler and Booker T got in, I didn’t need to see Michael Cole in there. Could have done without Kharma and Hacksaw Duggan, too, but you probably guessed that. Too much comedy all around.

Heard a few folks around me wishfully utter the name Brock Lesnar near the end. Now he would have made this Rumble memorable.

FANS CHEERED THE RUMBLE, BUT WANTED TO SEE LESNAR (PHOTO BY GEORGE NAPOLITANO)

LONDON, ENGLAND: Didn’t think I should skip out on a chance to see TNA tour the U.K., especially with a big Impact Wrestling taping thrown in, even if my balky back and hips begged to differ when it meant a transatlantic flight that felt like it lasted 53 hours. Disappointed but not surprised to see Hulk Hogan hogging the spotlight on his first trip here in 18 years. I think Eric Bischoff was about the only person on the continent surprised that Hogan was the man revealed to be training his estranged son, Garett.