Pinfalls: WWE Royal Rumble 2025

Let's get ready to rumble! My The Johngy "OR ELSE" Podcast partner Tommy Else and I are definitely ready to rumble and so is the WWE.

The WWE Royal Rumble is Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana starting at 5 p.m. CST on Netflix. This will be the 38th annual Royal Rumble. In 1988, "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan won the first Royal Rumble. Last year Cody Rhodes won the Men's Rumble by eliminating CM Punk. Asuka won the first Women's Royal Rumble in 2018, while Bayley won last year by eliminating Liv Morgan. No woman has ever won twice, but several could accomplish that feat this year.

There are four matches on the card:

Men's Royal Rumble

Women's Royal Rumble

Undisputed WWE Championship (Ladder Match)

Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Kevin Owens

WWE Tag Team Championship (2 of 3 falls)

DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampo (c) vs. Motor City Machine Gun (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin)

Being the first event of the year, Tommy and I start fresh in our battle. I won in 2021 and last year, while Tommy took 2022-23, but I hold a slim one win lead lifetime.

Make your predictions, watch the video here and see how you do against us. Check theeverydayfan.com wrestling coverage.

On the Beat With John Cosper

It had been too long since I interviewed author John Cosper. Fortunately, I got an update for him just as he is about to have a big year.

A wrestling historian, John has written (or co0authored) several wrestling books, including books about Wahoo McDaniel, Mad Man Pondo, Chris Candido and many more. Not limited to wrestling, John has impressed me with his fiction books, especially his Dead Park series, which features short horror stories involving the Dead Park area. I can't get enough of his Dead Park books and fortunately, I will be getting more this year.

John gives a quick background on himself, before giving a look at his books scheduled to be published this year. This year, he has both wrestler bios and Dead Park books are planned for release. I already have many of his books on my shelf and I will be adding more. 

Go to On the Beat with John Cosper for the interview. Also, check DeadParkBooks.com and EatSleepWrestle.com for more info on John.

Pinfalls: WWE Survivor Series 2024

WWE Survivor Series airs at 5 p.m. Central Standard Time on the Peacock Network. As always, my The Johngy "OR ELSE" Podcast partner Tommy Else and I analyze the card and make our predictions.

There are five matches scheduled:

WarGames Match

Roman Reigns, Sami Zayn, The Usos & CM Punk vs. Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa & "Big" Bronson Reed (WarGames Match)

World Heavyweight Champion

Gunther (c) vs. Damian Priest

WarGames Match

Rhea Ripley, Bianca Belair, Bayley, Naomi & IYO SKY vs. Liv Morgan, Nia Jax, Raquel Rodriguez, Tiffany Stratton & Candice LeRae

United States Champion

LA Knight (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Intercontinental Champion - Triple Threat

Bron Breakker (c) vs. Sheamus vs. Ludwig Kaiser

For the yar, Tommy is a stellar 43-21. I, however, lead him by five wins at 48-16. This also gibes me a two win lifetime lead.

Make your picks, watch our video and see how we all do.

Pinfalls: WWE Bad Blood 2024

My The Johngy “OR ELSE” Podcast partner Tommy Else and I are back with Pinfalls: WWE Bad Blood 2024. As usual, we delve into the matches and storylines, ultimately predicting the winners and potential aftermath situations.

Bad Blood will air live on the Peacock Network today at 5 p.m. CST. It is being held at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. Bad Street U.S.A. Will celebrate the return of WWE producer Michael P.S. Hayes.

Debuting as Badd Blood in October 1997, as part of the In Your House pay-per-view series. It returned six years later, renamed Bad Blood, as its own PPV for a two-year run before disappearing again. This year, it returns after a two decade absence.

As has been the case with many of the Premium Live Events under the Paul Levesque reign, there are five matches on the card (at least of our Tuesday recording). Those matches are:

Damian Priest vs. Finn Bálor

Women’s World Championship

Liv Morgan vs. Rhea Ripley

(with "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio suspended above the ring in a shark cage)

Cody Rhodes & Roman Reigns vs. Solo Sikoa & Jacob Fatu

WWE Women’s Championship

Nia Jax vs. Bayley

Hell in a Cell

CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre

While Tommy and I agree these are solid matches, we also feel this is more of a filler event to carry the WWE to the next big event, Survivor Series. (While Crown Jewel is next, Survivor Series is one of the four big WWE PLEs.)

Going into Bad Blood, I lead Tommy by four wins this year and have retaken the lifetime lead by one year. Bad Blood gives us five chances to change the stats, but I never spoil our picks here. You have to watch the video to learn what we predict.

Make your picks and then watch our video to see how yours compares with ours. Then enjoy Bad Blood on Saturday and return to theeverydayfan.com for recaps and more wrestling coverage.

On the Beat with Barry Horowitz

Wrestling fans of the 1980s-2000s certainly know Barry Horowitz. Now, thanks to Wrestling is My Gimmick: My Life on the Wrong Side of the Three-Count, Barry's upcoming autobiography, we can all learn a lot more about him.

The title is a wink at his role in the WWF. Barry often made others look great, while he absorbed a loss. Barry not only accepted his role in the WWF, he embraced it. Not everyone can be the champ. Th Harlem Globetrotters need the Washington Generals. Many WWF wrestlers needed men like Barry.

While he mostly played that role in the WWF, he did have several big wins, including beating Lanny Poffo and Bodydonna Skip (Chris Candido), among others. He also won titles in other companies.

In our interview, Barry discusses all of this. He is completely at peace with his career. He is too humble to outwardly say he is very proud of what he did, but I am sure he is and rightly so. en like Barry were the backbone of the companies back then. Maybe Barry was ahead of his time. Either way, there is no bitterness from Barry

I really enjoyed this interview. Barry looks so relaxed and was very positive. It was a real pleasure talking to him.

You can watch the interview at On the Beat with Barry Horowitz. Also, look for his book on Amazon or any major book seller.

On the Beat with DePaul Softball Head Coach Liz Bouck-Jagielski

DePaul University has a new softball Head Coach. DePaul isn't nee to Liz Bouck-Jagielski though.

A former star player and assistant coach at DePaul, Jagielski returns to familiar territory as she takes the helm of the Blue Demons softball team.

As a player, Jagielski helped the Blue Demons to a Women's College World Series appearance. As an assistant, she helped coach the team to two more WCWS appearances. She has a bit of work to do to get the Demons back there, but she has her eyes on getting there.

I recently interviewed Coach Jagielski about all of this. That interview is at On the Beat with DePaul Softball Head Coach Liz Bouck-Jagielski. 

A couple weeks ago, I had the opportunity to meet Coach Jagielski at an Athletes Unlimited Softball game. I was very impressed when later I introduced myself, she actually lingered a bit talking to me, despite her busy day. She seemed genuinely interested in what I do and in promoting the team.

I would describe her as an optimistic realist. She knows she has hard work ahead, but she is hopeful of good things to come relatively quickly.

I will be back "On the BEat" as always next season with the Blue Demons. I look forward to a fresh restart of the team. For more info, go to depaulbluedemons.com.

Pinfalls: WWE Bash in Berlin

WWE presents Bash in Berlin streaming live on today, at noon CST on Peacock. Airing from Uber Arena, it will feature wrestlers from the Raw and SmackDown brands.

On Pinfalls: WWE Bash in Berlin, my The Johngy “OR ELSE” Podcast partner Tommy Else and I delve into the match card. We analyze the matches, predict the outcomes and discuss possible aftermaths. For the year, I'm up three wins on Tommy, but lifetime, we are tied.

There are five matches on the card:

Undisputed WWE Championship

Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Kevin Owens

World Heavyweight Championship

Gunther (c) vs. Randy Orton

Mixed Tag Team Match

Damian Priest & Rhea Ripley vs. "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio & Liv Morgan

Strap Match

CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre

WWE Women's Tag Team Championship

The Unholy Union (c) vs. Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill

Make your picks and watch Pinfalls: WWE Bash in Berlin to see how they compare with ours. Enjoy WWE Bash in Berlin and check back theeverydayfan.com for recaps and more wrestling content.

On the Beat With David Michael Frank

I had an interesting interview with musician David Michael Frank. It was as much about his musical career as about a touring business model is formaulated.

A musician from his teens, DMF experienced highs and lows. He put his videos on YouTube, joined a boy rock band and experienced success. He also had his share of frustrations. From all of that came his unique tour idea.

Straying from the usual tour model of a manager handling all, DMF took control. From top to bottom, he is in charge. It is risky, but if successful, and early indications are it is, it can also be highly rewarding. DMF's whole crew stands to benefit, too. It's an interesting concept, capable of scaling to any size.

The interview did also cover his music, too. You don't survive in the industry for that many years and have 3+ million social media followers without talent.

I am fascinated by the self-run tour. I look forward to updates with DMF on both his music and the tour.

Check the interview at On the Beat with David Michael Frank, Also, follow DMF on all of his links.

Pinfalls: WWE SummerSlam 2024

Pinfalls returns with a deep dive into WWE SummerSlam 2024. My The Johngy “OR ELSE” podcast partner Tommy Else and I are joined by Joseph White.

Owner and operator of Whitney Collectibles in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, Joseph brings a wealth of wrestling knowledge to Pinfalls. One look around his Whitney Collectibles stores reveals his love of wrestling. We'll see how that translates to picking winners.

Emanating from Cleveland Browns Stadium, this is the 37th SummerSlam. Cleveland previously hosted SummerSlam 1996, but from the Gund Arena (now Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse). Hosting the Premium Live Event (I hate that term) will be The Miz.

SummerSlam 2024 features seven matches, including six title matches and one other match with huge title implications.

Undisputed WWE Championship

Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Solo Sikoa

World Heavyweight Championship

Damian Priest (c) vs. Gunther

Women’s World Championship 

Liv Morgan (c) vs. Rhea Ripley

WWE Women’s Championship 

Bayley (c) vs. Nia Jax

United States Championship

Logan Paul (c) vs. LA Knight

Intercontinental Championship 

Sami Zayn (c) vs. Bron Breakker

CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre (With Special Guest Referee Seth "Freakin" Rollins)

I never give out spoilers, but I will admit there was a lot more agreement on these matches than I expected, especially with three people analyzing the matches. We did have some different ideas on the path to our predictions and the aftermath of matches. We never discuss any of this prior to recording.

Make your picks and then watch the video here for our opinions. Enjoy SummerSlam Saturday. Check theeverydayfan.com for more wrestling coverage.

Pinfalls: WWE Money in the Bank 2024

WWE Money in the Bank airs later today from Scotia Bank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. As with every WWE Premium Live Event (PLE, formerly known as Pay-Per-Views or PPVs), my The Johngy "OR ELSE" podcast partner Tommy Else and I are back with Pinfalls. this time, Tommy surprised me with a special guest analyst. Joining us was Scotty "Wonder Boy" Steiner.

Scott, who happens to share his name with Big Poppa Pump, is an old mutual friend from our days together at Resistance Pro Wrestling. A longtime, knowledgeable wrestling fan, as well as a great guy, Scotty was a welcome special guest.

As with most PLEs in the Paul Levesque era, MitB features only five matches:

Intercontinental Championship

Sami Zayn (c) vs. Bron Breakker

Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match

Jey Uso, Carmelo Hayes, Drew McIntyre, Andrade, Chad Gable, LA Knight

Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match

Iyo Sky, Chelsea Green, Taya Valkyrie, Tiffany Stratton, Zoey Stark, Naomi

World Heavyweight Championship

Damian Priest (c) vs. Seth "Freakin" Rollins

Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton and Kevin Owens vs. The Bloodline

With a good showing at the last PLE, Tommy has tied me (28-12) for the year. He now holds a three win advantage lifetime though.

Make your predictions and then watch Pinfalls: WWE Money in the Bank 2024 to see how yours compare to ours. Be sure to check theeverydayfan.com for MitB recap and other great wrestling coverage..

Pinfalls: WWE Clash at the Castle 2024

WWE Clash at the Castle airs later today at 11 a.m. CST from OVO Hydro Glasgow, Scotland. The recurring United Kingdom premium live event debuted in September 2022 in Cardiff, Wales.

That means Pinfalls returns, with my The Johngy “OR ELSE” podcast partner Tommy Else and I analyzing the card and predicting the outcomes. I am ahead of Tommy by one win on the year, although he holds a two win advantage lifetime.

There are five matches scheduled, all championship bouts:

World Heavyweight Championship

Damian Priest vs. Drew McIntyre

WWE Women's Championship

Bayley vs. Piper Niven

Intercontinental Championship

Sami Zayn vs. Chad Gable

WWE Women's Tag Team Championship

Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill vs. Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn vs. Shayna Baszler & Zoey Stark

Undisputed WWE Championship-"I Quit" Match

Cody Rhodes vs. AJ Styles

Make your picks, watch Pinfalls and then enjoy Clash at the Castle. Then, check theeverydayfan.com for more wrestling coverage.

Pinfalls: WWE King and Queen of the Ring 2024

Pinfalls is back. This time, my The Johngy "OR ELSE" Podcast partner Timmy Else and I delve into WWE King and Queen of the Ring.

The PPV airs Saturday, May 25 at noon CST from Saudi Arabia. There are five scheduled matches, although at he time of recording, the final participants in the King and Queen matches had yet to be determined. (That happened last night on SmackDown.) Still, Tommy and I forged ahead and made all of our picks.

The matches are:

Undisputed WWE Champion

Cody Rhodes vs. United States Champion Logan Paul

Women’s World Champion

Becky Lynch (c) vs. Liv Morgan

The 2024 King and Queen of the Ring Tournament

Lyra Valkyria vs. Bianca Belair or Nia Jax (TBD)

Gunther vs. Tama Tonga or Randy Orton (TBD)

Intercontinental Champion (Triple Threat Match)

Sami Zayn (c) vs. Chad Gable vs. Bronson Reed

Make your picks and watch Pinfalls to see what we picked. Then, enjoy the PPV to see how we all do.

The video can be found at Pinfalls: WWE King and Queen of the Ring. Also, see more coverage on theeverydayfan.com.

Pinfalls: WWE Backlash 2024

My "The Johngy 'OR ELSE' Podcast" partner Tommy Else and I are back with Pinfalls: WWE Backlash 2024. The premium lie event airs at 11:30 am CST from France.

As usual, Tommy and I analyze the matches and make our predictions. Although I lead this year and Tommy has won the last two years, we somehow are tied at 93-62 lifetime.

There are five matches announced for Backlash:

Undisputed WWE Championship

Cody Rhodes (c) vs. AJ Styles

World Heavyweight Championship

Damian Priest (c) vs. Jey Uso

Triple threat match for the WWE Women's Championship

Bayley (c) vs. Naomi vs. Tiffany Stratton

WWE Women's Tag Team Championship

The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane) (c) vs. Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill

Randy Orton and Kevin Owens vs. The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga)

Check TheEveryDayFan.com for the full story and for more wrestling coverage. Enjoy the show and see how we all do.

On the Beat With Kevin Anton of The Iron Claw

I recently interviewed Cazzey Cereghino, who played Bruiser Brody in The Iron Claw, the movie about the famous Von Erich family. Last week, I continued my dive into the movie by interviewing Kevin Anton, who played Harley Race.

Although the movie obviously focuses on the Von Erich family, Kevin appeared in one of the most pivotal scenes. Kevin as Race defended his National Wrestling Alliance Heavyweight title against Kevin Von Erich, the eldest of the Von Erich brothers. Kevin perfectly captured the essence of Race. He also performed the wrestling maneuvers like a seasoned pro.

It was a real pleasure interviewing Kevin. I appreciate him for his time and consideration. Now I have an even greater appreciation for his performance in The Iron Claw.

Go to Kevin-Anton.com for more info on this fine actor. Also check TheEveryDayFan.com for more sports coverage. Lastly, check the full interview at On the Beat With Kevin Anton.

On the Beat with Ray "Glacier" Lloyd

Ray Lloyd has an interesting spot in pro wrestling history. As Glacier in World Championship Wrestling, he had one of the most elaborate expensive entrances and costumes. He also had a series of incredible vignettes to introduce the character.

It was an incredible time in the WCW. The New World Order burst on the scene, overshadowing many of the other storylines. Because of the uniqueness of the Glacier character and Lloyd's excellent work, he was never swallowed into the NWO vortex.

Lloyd also embarked on an acting career, landing roles in movies and on television. His latest role is a big one. The Unbreakable Bunch is a movie about a group of wrestlers on a final tour who encounter aliens in Florida. It's got a They Live vibe in all the best ways. From watching the trailers, I am very intrigued.

I talked to Lloyd about his career in the ring and on film in our interview. Lloyd's passion and positivity are clearly evident. Watch the interview to learn all about Lloyd and The Unbreakable Bunch.

The interview is on the Johngy's Beat YouTube channel at On the Beat With Ray "Glacier" Lloyd. Also, check out TheUnbreakableBunchMovie.com for more info on this project.

Squared Circle Expo IV

Another Squared Circle Expo is in the books. SCX IV was the biggest and best SCX event yet.

SCX is a major wrestling convention, including a large lineup of wrestlers for meet-and-greets and two full cards of live wrestling. I can't even begin to list the wrestling legends and young superstars I have met over the years.

It is run by the fabulous foursome of Adolfo and Carrie Dorta and Ed and Heather (Owens) Gonzales. I love all of them, but this all started with Adolfo, who previously was a co-organizer of a different convention. It's hard to believe I first met Adolfo in 2011.

Adolfo has always been generous with his time and considerations. He has always shown me great hospitality at the other con and now with SCX.

I wrote more about the convention for Patch.com, GlobalTravelerUSA.com and TheEveryDayFan.com. Also, check SquaredCircleX.com for info and updates about next year's event.

Adolfo Dorta and me in Indianapolis, IN-March 2024.

On the Beat With Loyola WBB Coach Allison Guth

Last week, I had the opportunity to interview Loyola Women's Basketball Head Coach Allison Guth. The main focus of the interview was the positive vibe around the team.

A Chicago area native, Guth was a standout player at the University of Illinois before becoming a coach. After a few stops as an assistant, Guth took over the Yale squad. Two seasons ago, she came back home to coach Loyola.

I have stated numerous times, her introductory press conference was unlike any I have attended. She probably had more family and friends there than media members. The show of support was heartwarming. I quickly learned that is a big part of Coach Guth's life.

Of course she spoke of winning and building a foundation, but she spoke of family and support. I know nothing I have written sounds different from a typical intro press session, but there was just something in the air.

That feeling continued in her first season. Although the team struggled to only six wins, I felt something building. The team had a new coach in a new conference, while dealing with a lot of injuries. Despite that and their record, I always felt the team was so close. They just always fell short.

This season, I predicted a .500 finish. They fell a tad short at 15-16, but it was still a major success. After beating Fordham n the first round of the Atlantic 10 Tournament, they fell to Richmond to end their season.

In our interview, Coach Guth discussed that first press session and the two seasons. She talked of improvement. Coach Guth spoke of the success, while still having a way to go.

I have been impressed with Coach Guth from the moment I met her and my respect has only grown. I can't wait for next season!

Check out the interview at On the Beat With Loyola WBB Coach Allison Guth on YouTube. Also, go to LoyolaRamblers.com for more info on Coach Guth and the team.

Talking Travel with Melissa Archer

Melissa Archer burst onto the daytime drama scene in 2001. Just a few years removed from her first role at the age of 17, Melissa joined a cast of veterans on One Life to Live, but quickly made her mark. Not only did she stay with OLTL through its final episode in 2013, she remained a major character for her time there.

Several years ago, I met Melissa at a television celebrity convention. She was kind enough to give me a short interview and do a promo for my site (see left column).

I have followed her online for a long time. She always is interesting on social media, but the last year or so really caught my attention. Along with her positive messages, Melissa started posting about her move to van life. More recently, she unveiled her new product line, "It is better to wander than to wonder." 

I thought this was the perfect time to ask for an interview. She has a new perspective on life and travel. I figured she would bring an interesting take on travel to my Talking Travel interview series on Global Traveler...and she did! 

After a brief discussion of her time on OLTL, Melissa eagerly gave me all the info on her new van life. From a germ of an idea to buying and converting a van, Melissa gives all the details.

Her other new venture came from a random phrase she said, but found interesting enough to remember and eventually turn into a product line. Melissa discusses what exactly "It i better to wander" means to her. While on the surface it completely fits a travel mind-set, it really applies to everything in life. It also fits perfectly with Melissa's positive spirit.

I thoroughly enjoyed this interview. Melissa is a special person. I don't just preach about her,; I also support her by purchasing a tshirt and I look forward to more shirts (although she already has other products, like mugs, etc.).

Look for the interview video and recap on Global Traveler at Talking Travel with Melissa Archer. Also, get more info on Melissa at MelissaArcher.com. Lastly, please subscribe to the Global Traveler YouTube channel for all sorts of interesting travel content (and to help my job security LOL).

On the Beat With Savannah Czornomor

I have wanted to follow an athlete from high school to college to wherever the road leads. Recently, I hope to have taken the first step in accomplishing that.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Savannah Czornomor, a senior high school softball player in New Jersey. Savannah committed to Wagner College late last year.

A versatile player, Savannah plays third base, shortstop, outfield and is a right-handed pitcher. She racked up lofty stats and a lot of awards and accolades in her first three years of high school softball and also while playing club ball.

Savannah impressed me with her maturity and poise. Many professional athletes were far less comfortable in interviews. Savannah made my job easy.

Her plans are to continue playing at Wagner College in New York. After that, she isn't quite as certain, but she has plenty of time to figure it out. While professional softball opportunities are limited now, they are much better than several years ago. By the time Savannah leaves Wagner, who knows what pro opportunities there will be.

This is the beauty of this journey. I intend to follow her path wherever it leads. I hope it will be entertaining and informative for all, but especially for young athletes in similar situations.

Check out the interview at On the Beat With Savannah Czornomor. Also, check back here for updates as I follow her journey. Finally, look for Savannah on social media.

Pinfalls: WWE Elimination Chamber 2024

WWE's Elimination Chamber streams live from Perth, Western Australia, at 5:00 a.m. ET/2:00 a.m PT on Peacock in the United States and WWE Network everywhere else. My podcast partner Tommy Else and I are back with our analysis and predictions.

Created by Triple H (aka Paul Levesque), the Elimination Chamber debuted in 2002. Two wrestlers start each EC match, while the others wait in pods to be released every five minutes. Previously held as matches during other PPVs, EC became its own PPV in 2010.

The announced matches are:

WWE Women's World Championship

Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Nia Jax

Elimination Chamber to determine the No. 1 Contender to the Women's World Title at WrestleMania

Becky Lynch vs. Bianca Belair vs. Liv Morgan vs. Tiffany Stratton vs. Naomi vs. Raquel Rodriguez

Elimination Chamber to determine the No. 1 Contender to World Heavyweight Champion Seth "Freakin" Rollins at WrestleMania

Drew McIntyre vs. Randy Orton vs. Bobby Lashley vs. LA Knight vs. Kevin Owens vs. Logan Paul

Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship

Finn Bálor & Damian Priest (c) vs. Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate

Additionally, Seth "Freakin" Rollins and Cody Rhodes will appear on "The Grayson Waller Effect.”

Check the full coverage on TheEveryDayFan.com and watch the video at Pinfalls: Elimination Chamber on YouTube.