Dolph Ziggler, Dixie Carter 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 Dolph Ziggler, Seth Rollins 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. TNA president Dixie Carter also joined the show to offer her 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.

The Authority Fires Dolph Ziggler, Ryback and Erick Rowan

Just one week after returning to power, the Authority made its presence felt on Raw. Triple H and Stephanie McMahon held a tongue-in-cheek appreciation night for John Cena before ultimately firing Dolph Ziggler, Ryback and Erick Rowan for being part of Cena's team at Survivor Series.

Question on Everybody's Mind: Where Is This Angle Going?

Prior to Survivor Series, Triple H vowed to fire Cena's teammates if Team Authority came out on top. However, Ziggler ultimately made a miraculous comeback, aided by the debuting Sting, to win and vanquish the Authority, so it seemed as though Ziggler, Ryback and Rowan were safe.

With Cena begrudgingly bringing the Authority back to power to prevent Seth Rollins from injuring Edge, though, Team Cena members are now out of a job.

Triple H and Stephanie made it very clear that Cena was responsible for the firings. That adds a somewhat interesting dimension to Cena's character, and it creates some uncertainty entering the Royal Rumble pay-per-view.

Ziggler and Rowan figured to compete in the Rumble match, with Ziggler being a candidate to win. Ryback was building toward a potential United States Championship match against Rusev as well. Those things may still happen, but those Superstars aren't in position to compete at the Royal Rumble currently.

Ring Rust Radio's Take

While there are a few exceptions, firing storylines are almost always subpar unless those getting fired are actually leaving the company. That clearly isn't the case with Ziggler, Ryback and Rowan, which means it is only a matter of time before they get reinstated.

The only question relates to how it will happen. Cena could play the martyr by sacrificing something to bring them back, or the Authority could barter with the terminated trio and get them to do its bidding.

Whatever the case, the return of Ziggler, Ryback and Rowan in the near future is inevitable. While it would be nice to see WWE let this angle play out longer than it normally would, it can't afford to be without Ziggler in the Rumble match. It is already lacking star power to some degree, and Ziggler is the clear No. 3 choice behind Daniel Bryan and Roman Reigns to win that contest. If he is out of the picture, then the outcome becomes even more predictable.

Perhaps WWE will do something innovative, such as a legitimate Ziggler heel turn against Cena for his perceived selfishness, but it's more likely that Cena will somehow come across as the hero by getting his friends their jobs back.

Rumor Mill

Backstage reaction to firing angle (PWInsider Elite via WrestlingInc.com)

Seth Rollins Added to John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar at Royal Rumble

It has long been expected that Brock Lesnar would defend the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against John Cena at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view, but a new variable was added on Raw. The Authority announced that Seth Rollins will be part of the bout as well, making it a Triple Threat match with the title on the line.

Question on Everybody's Mind: How Does This Change the Title Scene?

On the surface, Rollins being added to the title match may not make a ton of sense. After all, he is already the Money in the Bank contract holder, so he is essentially double dipping.

Since Rollins is in position to have a world title match on his own terms whenever he chooses, it doesn't seem particularly desirable for him to go up against a legitimate beast in Lesnar and one of the most successful Superstars of all time in Cena.

At the same time, it is understandable why Triple H would do this from a storyline perspective. Cena is his No. 1 enemy at the moment, and it just so happens that Cena is at odds with Lesnar and Rollins as well. With that in mind, Lesnar and Rollins could conceivably team up to take out Cena and prevent him from winning the championship.

Rollins and Lesnar are also seemingly on the same page after Lesnar helped Rollins beat Cena in a steel cage match recently. In that respect, this is a strategic move by the Authority.

Ring Rust Radio's Take

Perhaps the biggest case for Rollins being inserted into this match is the fact that it is something different that should add to the in-ring excitement.

After already seeing Lesnar vs. Cena at both SummerSlam and Night of Champions, the shine is pretty much gone from that one-on-one encounter. Rollins adds an interesting wrinkle, though, and he also happens to be one of the best in-ring workers in the world, which should make this a more entertaining match than it otherwise would have been.

Rollins being in this match also makes it bit less predictable. His addition makes it seem more likely that Cena might win than it was previously, since Lesnar doesn't have to take the fall to lose the title. Also, Rollins is still in possession of the Money in the Bank briefcase, so he can cash in on the winner even if he loses the match.

It is a safe bet that Rollins will take the fall, given WWE will want to keep both Lesnar and Cena looking strong. Lesnar should still be favored to win the match, but Rollins definitely complicates things to some degree.

Rumor Mill

Backstage news on Rollins being added to title match (PWInsider Elite via WrestlingInc.com)

RRR Interview with TNA's Dixie Carter

This was a huge week for TNA, as it marked the company's return to television and debut on Destination America. The first episode of Impact on its new channel aired Wednesday, but before it did, TNA president Dixie Carter was kind enough to join Ring Rust Radio and discuss the new direction her company is taking.

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

There was a great deal of uncertainty surrounding TNA near the end of its tenure on Spike. Having a television deal is obviously paramount for any wrestling company to have success, and TNA was able to broker a new one with Destination America. While that channel may not have major name recognition, Carter views it as an excellent fit for TNA:

"

Well, I think it is critical for the company. We were in a position where in negotiations I went to every network saying, 'Look, we are not interested in just licensing our two-hour show Impact for your network. I am interested in a partner, someone who will help build our brand, give us more exposure, provide new programming for us,' and that's exactly what we have gotten and more with the support of Discovery and Destination America.

We are very, very excited about all that they are giving us across all 10 Discovery networks—support, print advertising, PR, radio, digital. It is everything we had hoped it would be.

"

Impact may not be seen by as many people as it was previously, since Destination America isn't available in as many homes as Spike, but it is already clear that TNA's new home is committed to making it a success. It even allowed Impact to run five minutes over its scheduled slot Wednesday, which is something that never would have happened previously.

Ring Rust Radio's Take

In addition to TNA's move to Destination America, other changes may also be on the horizon. Lockdown, which has traditionally been a pay-per-view, will instead be presented on free television. Despite that, Carter revealed that pay-per-view will still be a part of TNA's business model moving forward.

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We will still have several live [pay-per-views] a year, but when we have them, they will mean something and be worth people's hard-earned money.

I think that the creative team really wanted to start the year off with a bang and something special on the network. So we decided to take the Lockdown theme live and free on Destination America. I was supportive of that, and we will have a couple of live pay-per-views a year. Then, we will still do some of the One Night Only specials that have been really successful for us.

"

Downsizing the pay-per-view schedule is likely a smart move on TNA's part, since it no longer has to sink money into what may not be a lucrative enterprise. If it instead builds toward a couple of big events per year, such as Bound For Glory and Slammiversary, it is far more likely to get fans to pay for those shows.

It remains to be seen how TNA will fare in its new surroundings, but Dixie seems to have a vision for what she wants, and there is undoubtedly renewed buzz surrounding the product thanks to the reboot.

Bleacher Report Article

Dixie Carter Talks TNA's Move to Destination America, Kurt Angle and More

Ring Rust Radio's Season 7 Fantasy WWE Standings

1. Brandon Galvin: 185

2. Mike Chiari: 90

3. Joe Arcidiacono: 70

4. Donald Wood: 30

For more wrestling talk, listen to Ring Rust Radio. Catch the latest episode in the player below (some language NSFW).

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