Roman Reigns, Jack Swagger and Latest WWE News and Rumors from Ring Rust Radio

Ring Rust Radio is the best wrestling show on the airwaves, and this week was no different. With strong opinions on the Royal Rumble, Brock Lesnar and more, this is where you need to go to get all of your weekly WWE nuggets.

Bleacher Report Featured Columnists Mike Chiari, Donald Wood and Brandon Galvin give the lowdown on everything going on in the wrestling world. WWE Superstar Jack Swagger also joined the show to offer his inside perspective on the business.

With another unpredictable episode of Ring Rust Radio in the books, you can't afford to miss another second of the action. Catch us live every Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET (some language NSFW) or follow us on Twitter @RingRustRadio.

We may just read your questions and comments live on the air. Visit our new website at RingRustRadio.com. You can also email us here: [e-mail].

*Some language NSFW.

Roman Reigns Wins Royal Rumble

There is no question that Daniel Bryan was the sentimental crowd favorite entering the 2015 Royal Rumble, but WWE went in a different direction by having Roman Reigns come out on top. The powerhouse entered at No. 19 and ultimately outlasted 29 other Superstars, which means he will headline WrestleMania and vie for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the main event.

Question on Everybody's Mind: Was This the Right Decision?

Entering the Rumble match, Reigns and Bryan were viewed by most as the top two candidates to win. Bryan entered the match at No. 10, but he was eliminated by Bray Wyatt just over 10 minutes after he joined the fray. From that point forward, the Philadelphia crowd was beyond angry. The live audience booed for the rest of the match, with the exception of a few quick breaks to urge on Internet Wrestling Community favorites such as Dean Ambrose, Cesaro and Dolph Ziggler upon their entry into the contest.

In the end, Reigns eliminated both Big Show and Kane simultaneously before The Authority's muscle attacked him. The Rock made the save, which was met with approval, but that was short-lived, and the crowd went back to booing when The Rock raised Reigns' hand. The match wasn't actually over yet, though, as Rusev emerged from the outside after going under the ropes. The juggernaut eventually threw him out too and closed the show by pointing at the WrestleMania sign.

Ring Rust Radio's Take

Based on the crowd reaction at the Royal Rumble, it is easy to say that Reigns winning was the wrong choice. Based on the support that both diehard and casual fans have for him, there is little doubt that Bryan was the ideal choice. WWE opted against that, though, and Reigns caught the brunt of that decision. In reality, though, Reigns was probably the second-best choice to win. The fans would have booed Reigns regardless since they wanted Bryan, but the booking of the Rumble didn't do the former Shield member any favors.

Bryan going out so early set a negative tone for the second half of the Rumble. Also, having Big Show and Kane unceremoniously dump crowd favorites like Ziggler, Bray Wyatt and Ambrose only infuriated the crowd even more. Had WWE just allowed Bryan to make it closer to the end of the match, though, the backlash wouldn't have been quite as significant.

Ultimately, fans can't be blamed for desperately wanting to see Bryan vs. Brock Lesnar in the WrestleMania main event. At the same time, there is a constant push for the company to build new stars, and it is trying to do that with Reigns. While Reigns is nowhere near Bryan's level as an all-around performer, the initial build toward Reigns vs. Lesnar on Raw was promising, so the WWE Universe should at least give it a chance to develop.

Rumor Mill

Backstage news on The Rock's reaction to Royal Rumble (F4WOnline via WrestlingInc.com)

Brock Lesnar Retains WWE World Heavyweight Championship

As disappointing as the Rumble itself was, the Triple Threat match between Lesnar, John Cena and Seth Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship was just the opposite. All three men left it all out in the ring and put on one of the finest Triple Threats in recent memory. Although 2015 is young, that bout is the favorite for match of the year and could easily earn that honor when it's all said and done.

Question on Everybody's Mind: Was This the Right Decision?

Despite Lesnar's dominance over the past year, many wondered if The Beast Incarnate would drop the strap at the Royal Rumble. Rollins' insertion into the match added another element since Lesnar didn't have to get pinned or submitted in order to lose the title. Also, since Rollins was in possession of the Money in the Bank contract, there was no guarantee that the winner of the match would leave as champion. Even so, Paul Heyman's monstrous client persevered.

Rollins seemingly put Lesnar out of commission after diving onto him from the top rope and through the announce table. Lesnar was down for several minutes, and the announcers claimed that he suffered a broken rib. Just when it seemed like Rollins was about to win, Lesnar returned to action and suplexed both of his opponents. He absorbed some briefcase shots to the head and avoided a Curb Stomp before hitting Rollins with a decisive F-5 to win the match and retain the title.

Ring Rust Radio's Take

While WWE had some options at its disposal and could have made either Cena or Rollins winning the title work, there is little doubt that keeping the belt on Lesnar was the right move. After ending The Undertaker's undefeated streak at WrestleMania XXX and destroying Cena to win the title at SummerSlam, Lesnar had built an incredible amount of momentum and credibility. Also, since WWE decided that keeping the title on Lesnar for several months despite minimal appearances was the right move, it would have been insane to end the run just two months short of WrestleMania.

Regardless of the Rumble winner, Lesnar should be the champ entering WrestleMania. He looks unbeatable, and the guy who does take him down will get a huge boost. Reigns is apparently that guy, and even though the fanbase is behind Bryan far more than him, he could gain some popularity by working with Lesnar and Paul Heyman.

There is some mystery surrounding Lesnar's status after WrestleMania since his contract is set to expire. It can be argued that having him lose the title ahead of time would have been a safer move, but the impact of Lesnar dropping the belt at WrestleMania will trump that.

Rumor Mill

No changes expected for WrestleMania main event (F4WOnline via WrestleZone.com)

RRR Interview with WWE's Jack Swagger

There are few more physically gifted performers in WWE than Jack Swagger. The 6'7", 275-pound former All-American wrestler at the University of Oklahoma can do it all in the ring, and he has long been a reliable Superstar for the company. As he attempts to get back into world championship contention and prepares for WrestleMania, The Real American sat down with Ring Rust Radio for a candid interview.

Question on Everybody's Mind: What's Next for Swagger?

Swagger has been brimming with potential since debuting on the main roster in 2008, and he has already accomplished a great deal at just 32 years of age. He has World Heavyweight Championship, ECW Championship and United States Championship reigns on his resume, and he has experienced successful heel and face runs as well. 

As things currently stand, though, Swagger isn't sure which role he prefers.

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The more you boo me, the better I'm going to wrestle. You don't like me? So what. It's a lot of fun to work like that and wrestle with that mindset. I have been on the other side of the ball of the '"We the People" character.' It doesn't have the same type of fulfillment, but it's different as you can imagine. Hearing the people actually pop for something good or cheer a victory is nice too. I'm not sure which one I like more right now, so maybe I'm going to need a six-year face run to make sure.

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Swagger is a face right now, and he was one of the few Superstars to receive a pop in the Royal Rumble after Bryan was eliminated due to his catchphrase. WWE has a marketable commodity in Swagger, and it will be interesting to see how the company utilizes him moving forward.

Ring Rust Radio's Take

As is the case with every WWE Superstar at this point in the year, there is a great deal of focus on WrestleMania. Everyone wants to be part of the card in some way, shape or form, and Swagger is no exception to that rule.

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It's a fun time of year, but it's also a stressful time of year. WWE really likes to keep its fans on the edge of their seats and on their toes. They are always trying to keep that big swerve in their pocket for as long as possible. Right now I am unattached, so going forward, I'm going to do whatever I can behind the scenes and in the ring to secure a match in WrestleMania and make it a good spot.

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Swagger has a blank canvas after feuding with Rusev, and it remains to be seen what is next for him. With the fans behind him and WWE being able to count on him to have great matches with almost anyone, though, he certainly has a chance to put himself in a decent position on the road to WrestleMania.

Ring Rust Radio's Season 7 Fantasy WWE Standings

1. Brandon Galvin: 300

2. Joe Arcidiacono: 145

3. Mike Chiari: 110

4. Donald Wood: 40

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