The Royal Rumble, Izzy Adesanya, and Shara Bullet make for quite the weekend
And we’re looking at all of it through the lens of The Wire
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The MMA Notebook runs every Friday.
In this edition:
10 quotes from The Wire that capture this weekend’s fight slate
Fight week predictions
The Wire meets UFC and WWE
If anyone thinks we’re in for a quiet weekend because there aren’t any NFL games, they must not be a fight fan.
With a UFC Fight Night headlined by Israel Adesanya airing tomorrow afternoon, followed by the Royal Rumble tomorrow night, tomorrow is one of the best sports days of the year. In honor of the occasion, we’ll take a look at the realms of UFC and WWE through the lens of The Wire.
Yes, that means we’re going Bill Simmons-style with quotes from the landmark series.
I somehow didn’t watch The Wire until the pandemic. Childhood friend Danny Cronin had recommended it for years, and the time to binge existed in spades during the masked winter of 2021. Almost instantly, I realized I was nearly two decades late on my invitation to the party.
But better late than never.
The storyline. The characters. Bubbles referring to McNulty as McNutty. Proposition Joe. The Greek, who was really from Ukraine. A virtuoso performance from Michael K. Williams, who I naively had believed was at his best as Chalky White in Boardwalk Empire (though he was brilliant in that role, too). Walon talking about addiction. Bubbles fighting to get clean. Sunday truces. Fish tanks. Pit sandwiches. The docks.
Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeee-eeeeeeeet, I was all in.
And that brings us to this weekend, with UFC and WWE both putting on star-studded shows. What better way to celebrate the occasion than by handing out 10 quotes from The Wire?
Since we just mentioned Vince, we’ll start with him…
10.) “You come at the king, you best not miss.”
Isn’t it still strange to have a wrestling world without Vince McMahon?
I’m not condoning his actions, but rather stating a fact: he’d been the end-all, be-all of WWE for four decades. Then, one day, he wasn’t. And he’s not coming back, at least not to WWE.
What does Vince do on Monday nights? Does he ever watch Raw? Did he watch Cody Rhodes win the title at WrestleMania 40? Will he sit back and enjoy the Rumble, barking out instructions to the commentary team from the comfort of home?
WWE is Vince’s creation, but he plays no part in its current success. For a man who mastered Donald Trump’s gimmick more than 20 years ago, Vince is now more of the cast away Rudy Giuliani than he is Trump.
9.) “I ain’t no suit wearing businessman like you. I’m just a gangsta, I suppose. And I want my corners.”
This one goes to Roman Reigns.
How long until he is champ again?
It doesn’t appear the end game is Hollywood or tequila. Reigns is back to run the company, which is nearly impossible to do as a talent without the belt. That title, at least for now, belongs to Cody Rhodes (which is what made that Georgia Tech video and the “You’re in my way” line so poignant). But if Reigns is on a collision course with CM Punk for WrestleMania, which I believe he is, then it will be even longer before he is champ again.
But make no mistake: Reigns will regain the title in 2025. This is his company, and though Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson detracted from his Ula Fala moment1, Reigns’ time back atop the company will come.
8.) “This game is rigged, man. We like the little pieces on the chessboard.”
Bodie wasn’t talking about pro wrestling, but it applies.
And therein lies the beauty of it all.
I’m not breaking any ground by reminding you that pro wrestling’s winners and losers are predetermined. But the Rumble is such a phenomenal event because the crowd repeatedly reminds us who they like.
When Batista won the Rumble in 2014, he was booed out of the building. A similar scene occurred the next year with Reigns, despite standing beside The Rock, who was brought in specifically to help gain a favorable reaction (it didn’t work). Wrestling power brokers can dictate the pace all they want, but ultimately, the market decides what works.
In a roundabout way, that brings us to the clip of Bryce Mitchell calling Adolf Hitler a “good guy”. UFC CEO Dana White spoke about it at the Power Slap press conference, denouncing Mitchell’s comments and saying he was disgusted by them. White was also asked if Mitchell will face any disciplinary actions, but he explained that it was an example of free speech–and fight fans will have the chance to see Mitchell knocked out the next time he steps in the cage.
Had Mitchell wrestled for WWE, the fan reaction would have been so swift that he would have no longer had a job by the end of the day. A big part of that is the difference in the line of work–had he played in the NBA or NHL, he may have been fined but likely wouldn’t have been cut, either. It’s the same in the UFC, where his performance in the cage dictates his future. That’s what adds such a different element to the scripted nature of WWE, which is a storyline presentation where the fan base plays an enormous role.
If you’re ever confused about the future of wrestling, just listen to the crowd. They’ll always give you an honest answer.
7.) “Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeee-eeeeeeeet.”
I’m not done with Mitchell just yet, so let’s give him Clay Davis’ signature line.
Can you imagine saying that? Even worse, can you imagine believing it?
Within MMA circles, Mitchell was already known for his outlandish views. Now he will forever be remembered in the sport as an Adolf Hitler supporter.
Even without a punishment from the UFC, his days with the company are numbered.
6.) “Yeah, well, now, the thing about the old days? They the old days.”
Sticking with MMA, it is a pivotal weekend for Israel Adesanya, who headlines tomorrow’s bout in Riyadh.
Adesanya faces Nassourdine Imavov, who won all three times he fought in 2024. This would be a fairly easy fight for Adesanya if it happened three years, but that’s the thing about the old days, right? They’re the old days. Now 35 and entering the twilight of his career2, he’s on the back end of his career–and the 28-year-old Imavov is entering his prime.
This is a frightening matchup for Adesanya. He was a step behind Sean Strickland in the fall of 2023, and then he started strong but faded last summer against Dricus du Plessis. This is Imavov’s chance to jump the line to a title shot, and I believe we’ll see the upset tomorrow.
Shara Magomedov is also on the card, ready to destroy Michael Page in the co-main. I haven’t been this confident about a decision in some time: there is no way Magomedov is losing.
5.) “Better to be lucky than to be good.”
Is anyone else tired of Logan Paul?
If you’re interested in watching Logan and Jake in a reality series, please reach out and let me know why.
One Rumble moment that could be entertaining is Logan Paul attempting to eliminate John Cena, as that ensuing reaction from the crowd should be outstanding. Beyond that, the honeymoon is over. It’s hard not to be tired of the Logan Paul show.
4.) “My name was on the street? When we bounce from this sh-- here, y’all going to go down on them corners and let the people know: Word did not get back to me. Let them know Marlo step to any motherf-----. Omar, Barksdale, whoever. My name is my name!”
Marlo’s epic line goes to Cody Rhodes.
Kevin Owens has playfully besmirched the Rhodes legacy, which is all part of the storyline. But the Rhodes name is very real to Cody, which is why I expect him to pull out all stops in tomorrow’s ladder match.
Rhodes wears many hats and holds multiple responsibilities as world champion, but make no mistake, he prides himself on what he does in the ring. The focus here will be the winner of the men’s Rumble, especially with a loaded field that includes Reigns, Punk, and Seth Rollins. So Rhodes will be extra motivated to leave a lasting impression, as this match can serve as a reminder why he belongs in his spot as world champ.
With two Rumbles and a title match, it’s a unique card. It’s only four matches, but the 6pm ET start time makes sense: there is also the two-out-of-three tag title bout with DIY and the Motor City Machine Guns. It feels like WWE has to open with a Rumble… if I had to make an educated guess, I think we’ll see the women’s Rumble, the ladder match, the tag match, and then the men’s Rumble to close the show.
3.) “What about Frank Sobotka, I’m not hearing his name anywhere in here?”
What about CM Punk? I’m not hearing his name anywhere in here.
Punk will be a major factor at the Rumble.
Is the favor he is owed from Paul Heyman a WrestleMania main event against Reigns? If we’re going to see Punk-Roman at WrestleMania, this is the time to lay the foundation.
What a run it has been from Punk in WWE. He has exceeded every expectation since he was dismissed from AEW, proving that their loss was WWE’s gain. It remains a shame that we never saw Punk wrestle Bryan Danielson in AEW, but perhaps lessons have been learned–time is of the essence–if Punk and Reigns lock up at WrestleMania 41.
2.) “I see you favor a .45.”
“Tonight I do. And I keeps one in the chamber in case you ponderin’.”
This one goes to Jordynne Grace, who is WWE bound and all signs point to her making a grand entrance at tomorrow’s Rumble.
I love the idea that she’s hosting her mother’s party.
Maybe she is, maybe she isn’t. The beauty of it is that it keeps the magic alive.
Big picture, Grace is a versatile talent who can brawl, work a technical style, and even go aerial. She is incredibly creative in the ring, and her presence will greatly enhance WWE.
And yes, I think she’ll be at the Rumble.
1.) “Game’s the same, just got more fierce.”
John Cena hasn’t won a Rumble since 2013.
He hasn’t even won a televised singles match since 2018.
But Cena remains one of the best ever. That was on display in his most recent appearance on Raw, when Cena mesmerized those watching the Netflix premiere and detailed why he will be the one to win the Rumble.
Cena’s farewell tour officially begins tomorrow night.
This is WWE’s opportunity for its feel-good moment of 2025, with winning the title at WrestleMania serving as the WWE equivalent of Disney’s Happily Ever After light show at the Magic Kingdom. We saw it last year with Rhodes, and this year, it looks to be Cena’s turn.
Cena is a master of the craft, even if he isn’t around nearly as much as he once was. And make no mistake: he still knows how to play the game.
The Pick ‘Em Section
UFC Fight Night middleweight bout: Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov
Pick: Nassourdine Imavov
UFC Fight Night middleweight bout: Shara Magomedov vs. Michael Page
Pick: Shara Magomedov
UFC Fight Night heavyweight bout: Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs. Sergei Pavlovich
Pick: Sergei Pavlovich
UFC Fight Night bantamweight bout: Said Nurmagomedov vs. Vinicius Oliveira
Pick: Said Nurmagomedov
WWE men’s Royal Rumble winner
Pick: John Cena
2024 record: 120-98
Last week: 5-0
2025 record: 9-1
Instead of Paul Heyman placing the Ula Fala around the neck of Roman Reigns, it was The Rock who did it. In his quest to be cheered, The Rock interjected himself in a major storyline even though he was not part of the narrative. Plus, what grinds my gears even more about that moment is that it doesn’t lead anywhere. If Heyman does it, that strengthens the bond with Reigns, who he has been teamed with since 2020. Yet it goes nowhere with The Rock doing it, other than satisfying a member of the board.
Trademarked by Dan Duquette