Seth Rollins, WrestleMania 31 & Latest WWE News & 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 Seth Rollins, WrestleMania 31 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. Also, TNA star Jeff Hardy 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.

Upcoming Guests/Events

April 7: Wrestling artist Rob Schamberger

Seth Rollins Becomes WWE World Heavyweight Champion at WrestleMania

There was a great deal of uncertainty surrounding the main event between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns entering WrestleMania 31 in terms of who would leave as WWE World Heavyweight champion. Both Superstars seemed equally likely to come away with a win, but WWE went in a different direction, and Seth Rollins successfully cashed in his Money in the Bank contract to become champion for the very first time.

Question on Everybody's Mind: Was It the Right Time for Rollins to Cash in?

Despite the long-running nature of Money in the Bank, a cash in had never been attempted on the grandest stage of them all. Rollins being the first to try certainly seemed like a distinct possibility ahead of WrestleMania 31, but it still made for a shocking and awesome moment when he did.

Rollins picked his spot with both Lesnar and Reigns laid out, and it ultimately paid off. When Rollins pinned Reigns to become the new WWE World Heavyweight champion, it immediately became one of the most shocking and memorable moments in WrestleMania history.

Even before Rollins' cash in, though, the Beast Incarnate and the challenger were putting on a fantastic show. Their match was reminiscent of the bout between Lesnar and John Cena at SummerSlam, featuring suplex after suplex, but there was an added wrinkle with Reigns busting Lesnar open and mounting a comeback. Reigns looked valiant by refusing to give in, and at one point, it looked as though he might win the match.

While neither Lesnar nor Reigns came away with the belt, they most definitely acquitted themselves well on the big stage.

Ring Rust Radio's Take

WWE faced an interesting situation ahead of WrestleMania, since there would have been challenges had either Reigns or Lesnar left with the title. Reigns clearly has detractors, as evidenced by the crowd reaction at WrestleMania and the next night on Raw. There likely would have been backlash had he defeated Lesnar.

As much as the fans were pulling for Lesnar, he is a part-time Superstar who would have been off television for a significant amount of time without the title. Much like it did during the fall, the WWE Universe inevitably would have started to complain about there being an absent champion.

Rollins is the best of all worlds in that he is almost universally liked and is a full-time guy who will constantly be on TV with the belt in tow. WWE will have other opportunities to put the title on Reigns or back on Lesnar moving forward, but based on the crowd and the circumstances surrounding the title scene, Rollins was a smart choice to leave WrestleMania as champion.

Rumor Mill

Backstage talk regarding Roman Reigns at WrestleMania (PWInsider Elite via WrestlingInc.com)

Triple H Shockingly Defeats Sting at WrestleMania

Many wrestling fans waited years to see Sting have his first match in WWE, and they finally got that chance at WrestleMania 31. The overarching expectation was that the Vigilante would defeat Triple H, but much to the surprise of most, the Game came out on top in a convoluted contest that featured interference from both D-Generation X and the New World Order.

Question on Everybody's Mind: Was This Match Booked Correctly?

Perhaps fans should have had an inkling that something was amiss between Triple H and Sting because the Icon got the upper hand in every encounter they had leading up to WrestleMania. Still, it didn't make the King of Kings' victory any less surprising. Sting held out for 14 years before signing with WWE, so it was hard for most to believe that he would come to WWE with the understanding that he would lose his first and potentially only match.

Even more surprising than Sting losing, though, may have been the fact that Billy Gunn, Road Dogg, X-Pac, Shawn Michaels, Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall played huge roles in the match. Sting versus Triple H was always going to be about nostalgia, but that nostalgia reached an entirely different level after the run-ins.

It may not have made a ton of sense for nWo to help Sting, considering their past, or for Nash and Hall to go up against one of their best friends in Triple H, but it did make for a memorable match that had people talking.

Ring Rust Radio's Take

As bizarre as Triple H's win may seem on the surface, it isn't a stretch to argue that it was actually a sound booking decision. The Game hadn't won a match since WrestleMania 29 prior to his win against Sting. While Triple H is already established as an all-time great, he is a regular character on television who needs to look as credible as possible. Beating Sting on the big stage definitely helps in that regard, and it ultimately didn't hurt Sting much in the process.

It took a sledgehammer shot and a ton of interference to beat Sting, so it isn't as if he took a clean loss by any means. Also, if WWE decides to move forward with a match between Sting and the Undertaker at WrestleMania 32, Sting losing makes that contest even more unpredictable. It is tough to imagine Sting losing both of his WWE matches, but it seems equally unlikely that the Undertaker would go out with a loss.

Sting isn't going to be seen for quite some time in all likelihood, so giving the victory to a full-time character is something that shouldn't necessarily be blasted.

Rumor Mill

Backstage update on Sting's WWE future (PWInsider via WrestlingInc.com)

RRR Interview with TNA's Jeff Hardy

Jeff Hardy has done it all in the professional wrestling business, but even at 37 years of age, the TNA star certainly isn't slowing down. He remains one of Impact Wrestling's most popular and exciting competitors, and he stopped by Ring Rust Radio to discuss what the future holds for him, as well as his brother Matt Hardy.

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

Hardy has excelled in multiple promotions over the years as both a singles and tag team competitor. He is a three-time WWE world champion and has won TNA's top prize on three occasions as well. Hardy is still a top draw as an individual, but he has been enjoying a reunion with Matt as of late.

Jeff seemingly hopes that continues, and he very much has his eye on the TNA Tag Team Championships.

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It's all about the collection you know? It's something to add to the collection and naturally as a pro wrestler you want to every title you possibly can. From the lightweight championship, tag team championship, U.S. title, Intercontinental title, world heavyweight championship, which is the metaphorical brass ring to grab they say. Naturally, you want to win them all to add to your collection.

To look back on your career and say that you did that, that is something Matt and I haven't done yet. We have had some killer matches in TNA with the Wolves, Team 3D, and we are going to continue to have those matches until we win those world titles. It's inevitable that we are, and I am looking forward to it.

"

The Hardys have been a revelation in TNA's tag team division, and there is no question that they have added a wealth of skill and knowledge. They don't need to win the tag titles in order to solidify their legacy, but it would certainly make TNA's tag scene even more interesting.

Ring Rust Radio's Take

Despite the physical nature of professional wrestling, it is a sport that often allows its stars to compete at a high level for a significant amount of time. Hardy clearly has plenty left in the tank, but one has to wonder if he might start toning down his style in order to preserve his body.

High-risk spots are a huge part of Hardy's arsenal, though, and he doesn't intend to change that aspect of his character.

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It's always how I'm gonna be 'til I can't do it anymore. It's kind of a day-by-day, match-by-match process with me. I'm pretty sure I know what my body is capable of doing and getting away with without getting seriously injured. That's the main thing is to avoid that big, serious injury. 

I feel confident in whatever I come up with in my mind that I can pull it off. I always go for it unless someone shuts me down. As long as I am able to wrestle, I will always be that Jeff Hardy style people know and love until I can't.

"

Hardy's high-flying repertoire is a big reason why he became so popular to begin with, so it is likely a huge relief to his fans that he is committed to keeping it going.

Hardy has always been an extremely unique and captivating performer, and that continues to be the case in TNA. As the company continues to gain its footing on Destination America, there is no question that Hardy will be a massive part of its success.

BR Article

Jeff Hardy Talks TNA Impact Wrestling, Sting, WWE WrestleMania 31 and More (via Donald Wood)

Ring Rust Radio's Season 7 Final Fantasy WWE Standings

1. Joe Arcidiacono: 290

2. Brandon Galvin: 287.5

3. Mike Chiari: 277.5

4. Donald Wood: 35

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

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