25 Things You Learn Binge Watching Every WWE Ruthless Aggression PPV
21. New Year’s Revolution Was Risky
WWE knew they needed to be careful with New Year's Revolution in 2005. The show beamed live from Puerto Rico on 9 January, which was mere weeks before traditional powerhouse Royal Rumble was set to air on 30 January. Going international guaranteed a good house with strong ticket sales, but what about the pay-per-view itself?
It was risky to fly so close to the sun with an unproven, new concept.
Vince McMahon clearly liked the idea though, because NYR happened 3 times between 2005-2007. By 2008, he'd put it in the trash, and the name wasn't seen again until a house show tour in 2020 (pre-COVID shutdown, of course). Triple H brought the New Year Revolution name back as a sub-heading for a special edition of SmackDown in early 2024 too, and there was also that Day 1 event in 2022.
Holding these shows a few weeks out from such a major part of the WWE calendar was never going to produce strong buyrates, especially in this era when shows were still on traditional PPV. The New Year’s Revolution shows weren’t horrible in execution by any means, but the timing made it difficult to view them as anything more than an unnecessary nuisance. They bordered on Saturday Night's Main Event levels of interest.
Specials for the hardcores then, but WWE hoped to round up a few stragglers who might've had 'get into pro wrestling again' on their resolutions lists.
If you need highlights, then watch the Elimination Chamber bout from '05 and Edge's Money In The Bank cash in from '06.