WWE Royal Rumble 2014
The Road to Wrestlemania continues this Sunday with one of the last stops along with way in Pittsburgh, PA. As a few matches are already within the works and ready to go, the results of the PPV creates the mold for what's happening in the next few months and what becomes Wrestlemania, as everyone who follows WWE knows very well. Being Saturday evening, the PPV card is typically set, along with one or two changes between now and Sunday. I foresee a mid-title and a Diva's Championship match being added to the card, but at this point in time, would it really matter or change any draw for the event?
I didn't think so.
In any event, I prefer the Royal Rumble over any other pay per view as my top pick. Why? Because of the Rumble itself. For the past 26 years, the unpredictability of which wrestler appears next is what appeals to me, the unique structure of the match itself, and also the recent idea of inactive superstar returns. Who will be the next guy? Who will win? Granted, the winner is more often than not pencilled in within "striking distance" or written into the plot of the night, but the idea behind the Royal Rumble cannot be compared over anything. There are similar, smaller 15-man Battle Royals, yet the Royal Rumble event creates anticipation for me and employs the best showcasing out of all the superstars.
I am tuning in to see the surprise entrants. From Mick Foley, Mr. Perfect, Kharma, Diesel, and even last year's Chris Jericho returns, my mind is abuzz of who would return;
- The crows nest looks a little empty.
- Nothin' like an Irish Brogue, fella.
- The peeps! The peeps!
- Thirty years, brother! Eat your vitamins.
- The Rumble is in Pittsburgh. Oh, it's true. It's damn true.
And the final question: Who wins?
Now, I am lead to the card itself, outside of the Rumble. In my opinion, the rest of the card doesn't bring too much to the show. Individually, several superstars have grown in character, and have made something of themselves, but I don't see 5-star matches rising from the PPV where they should arise from.
Kickoff Show Match for the WWE Tag Team Championships:
Cody Rhodes & Goldust (c) vs. The New Age Outlaws
For the past few months, The Brotherhood have made each and every tag match I've seen them in more and more easier to watch. Cody Rhodes and Goldust have singlehandedly rebuilt the tag team division, and their stay power as champions have drawn more credibility to the gold. The Tag Team Championships have more credibility at this point than the US Championship. Why? Because they're always defended, and are defended within the quality of the match-ups in which they are defended in.
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages, the Kickoff show proudly brings to you an old-school taste of WWE Attitude with the New Age Outlaws. Throw in a Goldust in his prime and his younger brother, and this gets the crowd riled up, for sure. I like this match on paper, and I'm pretty sure that the match will be a great one. For nostalgia purposes, I'd love to see the New Age Outlaws take the win here, and for storyline purposes, it would be a fantastic way to build a storyline up with repetitive losses between the Brotherhood for a brother on brother match at Wrestlemania (as Goldust originally intended). I'm split 50/50 on this, because if and only if WWE decides to begin the brother to brother feud, the loss needs to happen now for a solid build up. Recently, Goldust had made a mention of pulling back his original request to feud with Cody Rhodes at Wrestlemania, but this may be just to deter the average smark away from the real match at Wrestlemania. Who knows.
All in all, I'm going with the New Age Outlaws as a D-Generation X rehash win to spark the feud between Rhodes and Goldust. It'll be very entertaining to see NAO back in action and working as tag champs.
Winner: The New Age Outlaws.
Daniel Bryan vs. Bray Wyatt
From what I've noticed, anything that develops with the Wyatt Family starts and finishes as a huge cluster of nonsense that drives me up the wall, as if WWE doesn't know what to do with the Wyatts but want to make them relevant. First it was Kane, then CM Punk and Daniel Bryan, now just Bryan alone. Whatever happened to CM Punk??
Oh, that's right. He's in his own feud that makes no sense with the Shield.
On top of that, Bryan joins the Family, and leaves not even a month later. What kind of madness is that?? It seems as though Vince McMahon and Triple H really are into the "bigger than life" wrestling superstars and want to leave the Indies where they should be on the mid-card, because Daniel Bryan has been pushed and buried, pushed and buried since Summerslam 2013. Take a step forward, then two steps back into the mid-card.
Drives me nuts.
Bryan needs this win to go over into the Road to Wrestlemania strong. Rumors are flying around that Sheamus is expected to return from his injury, and there will indeed be a rematch between both Bryan and Sheamus at Wrestlemania XXVIII. Hopefully it lasts longer than eighteen seconds.On the other end, Bray Wyatt is rumored to face John Cena at Wrestlemania. Another oddball feud that comes out of nowhere! Again with the random attacks upon unsuspecting individuals. Granted, it's outstanding to see Cena take a step back out of the spotlight and become a team player, but the random feuds with the Wyatts are just to keep them relevant and in the eye of the general public.
Wyatt takes the loss to move on and build himself back up (and be buried by SuperCena at Wrestlemania), and Bryan needs the win to elevate himself into Wrestlemania.
Winner: Daniel Bryan
Big Show vs. Brock Lesnar
I'm honestly surprised Paul Heyman isn't more of a mouthpiece for Lesnar, reminding us with every piece of WWE programming that Lesnar is the man to beat, building up his client like a heel manager should. No wrestling. No competing until the Rumble. Just enough to gather such irritability and heat to make Show look like a hero lumbering from the Gorilla Position to the ring on Sunday.
Since returning, Lesnar has inserted himself in top-card feuds, slowly taking a step down in each feud. First Cena, then Triple H, CM Punk (with a win to his credibility), and now Big Show. Big Show needs to be dominated and destroyed. Why? Because Lesnar is having less and less of a meaningful match, and with the rumored match at Wrestlemania, he absolutely cannot lose.
Lesnar must look strong going into Wrestlemania, especially if he's challenging the streak.
Big Show has nothing lined up from here until the Big One. Maybe taking some time off? Time will tell.
Winner: Brock Lesnar
30-Superstar WWE Royal Rumble Match
As with every year, the Royal Rumble match is tradition for twenty six years, and the winner goes on to headline Wrestlemania. And what makes this Royal Rumble match so unique, is for the simple fact that there is no secondary title for the second place. That irked me about the brand split; why reward mediocrity? If you can't win the Rumble, you get squat. Get a number one contender for the World Heavyweight title at Elimination Chamber and move on.
This year, that won't be the case. Thirty men enter. One man leaves on top of the mountain. With the title unification, I am also curious to know if the Money in the Bank PPV will no longer be a PPV, and instead return at Wrestlemania?
Moving on to the match itself, the winner has all signs point to the returning superstar, Batista. His two year contract brings to the table a WWE World Heavyweight Championship run; why else would he return? A high payout and a chance to go out in style when and if he does leave. And Triple H made that happen as the Chief Operating Officer. I can only imagine being the fly on the wall listening to the phone call:
HHH: "Batista. Hey, listen. I want you to come back and wrestle for the WWE again. Leave that MMA bullshit. I'll make it worth your while."
Batista: "Hunter, I told you before--I don't want to wrestle for your father in law again. It's not worth it to me."
HHH: "Remember your last run here? You went out like a little bitch. Redeem yourself! Come back and show everyone you're the ANIMAL!"
Batista: "Hunter, no. I can't"
HHH: "How's a matching salaried two-year contract to Cena's, entry at #30 in the Rumble, and a WWE title run?"
Batista: "Fuck it. Deal!"
It's already inked in stone, and I can pretty much guarantee that's the scenario. Batista will enter as number 30, and clean house. I'd be more impressed if CM Punk pulled off what only Shawn Michaels and Chris Benoit have done in the history of the Rumble and goes on to win the match at #1. Eat that, Kane!
With the Rumble, my intrigue is not about the winning participant. It's about the unpredictability and bending the rules. I'm talking about the similarities of what Kofi Kingston does nearly every year and his creative ways to not be one of the eliminated participants.
WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match:
Randy Orton (c) vs. John Cena
I can't even count the number of times these two men have faced off against each other in their careers. It's old. It's boring. It's stale. Cena is always making his way into the main event. Orton does the same. Granted, they are outstanding performers, but Orton VS. Cena Rematch XXXIX needs to stop. It needs to be Orton VS Someone Else. And no more Cena, for at least six months. The match is already pencilled in for a win by Orton, but I'm interested to see how that happens. Does Orton win clean again like in TLC? Does Cena get the disqualification win? Or (I can dream), Orton gets the win by a Cena disqualification?
Either way, I'm not too thrilled about this. Lackluster at best for the build, and with Batista inserting himself into the mix, I hope that it's a solid build toward Wrestlemania.
That's all I got for you tonight, Spectators! Tune in to WWE's Royal Rumble tomorrow, January 26 2014! And to keep you entertained a little while longer, here is a little bit of Rumble Trivia for you!
Most Rumble Victories
Wrestler Royal Rumble Wins Year
Stone Cold Steve Austin 3 1997, 1998, 2001
Hulk Hogan 2 1990, 1991
Shawn Michaels 2 1995, 1996
John Cena 2 2008, 2013
Longest Time Spent in a Single Royal Rumble
Top twenty individual superstar longest times in a single Royal Rumble match. As of the 2013 Royal Rumble.
Wrestler Time Year
Rey Mysterio 1:02:12 2006 (Went on to win it)
Chris Benoit 1:01:30 2004 (Went on to win it)
Bob Backlund 1:01:10 1993
Shortest Time Spent in a Single Royal Rumble
Wrestler Time Year
Santino Marella 0:00:01 2009
Most Eliminations in a Single Royal Rumble
Top wrestlers with most eliminations in a single match. As of the 2013 Royal Rumble.
Wrestler # of Eliminations Year
Kane 11 2001
Hulk Hogan 10 1989
Steve Austin 10 1997
Total Eliminations in Cumulative Royal Rumbles
Top wrestlers with the most eliminations. As of the 2013 Royal Rumble.[95][verification needed]
Wrestler # of Eliminations Rumbles Entered
Shawn Michaels 39 12
Kane 38 16
Steve Austin 36 6
Most Rumble Appearances
Only wrestlers with at least 6 appearances are shown. As of the 2013 Royal Rumble.
Wrestler Rumbles Entered First Rumble Most Recent Rumble
Kane 16 1996 2013
Shawn Michaels 12 1989 2010
The Undertaker 10 1991 2009
Rikishi 10 1993 2004
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