There are currently four matches and one special attraction advertised for this Sunday’s WWE Royal Rumble PPV Event:
1. John Cena vs. Kane — Will John Cena EMBRACE THE HATE?
2. World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan vs. Big Show vs. Mark Henry — Triple Threat Steel Cage Match
3. WWE Champion CM Punk vs. Dolph Ziggler — Special Guest Referee John Laurinaitis
4. 30-Man Royal Rumble Match:
–#1 Entry: The Miz
–Hardcore Legend Mick Foley officially entered as (begrudgingly) announced by John Laurinaitis
Special Attraction: Chris Jericho promises the end of the world as we know it.
CB’s Slant: While I have no interest in the John Cena-Kane storyline, I have always enjoyed the Rumble match itself regardless of the rest of the card.
My favorite recent Rumble moment is when CM Punk simply stole the show in 2010 with his in match promo during his SES push, but I also loved the Santino Marella tease last year before Alberto Del Rio threw him over the rope to win the whole thing:
As for the two title matches, I think they both have intriguing elements. For the Big Gold Belt match from the Blue Show, Daniel Bryan’s heel turn has me invested in seeing how he will escape the cage unscathed against Big Show and Henry.
My off the wall prediction: AJ Lee will be in a wheelchair at ring side, and by the end of the match we’ll find out that she wasn’t really seriously hurt and that AJ was in on Bryan’s plot against Big Show the whole time. Some sort of distraction from AJ will help Bryan retain the title, and the two behemoths he was up against will be left SEETHING.
For Punk-Ziggler, I see shenanigans, shenanigans, shenanigans, especially with Johnny Ace involved. However, now that Laurinaitis is seemingly handcuffed by his impending performance review to come on Monday, perhaps this is where Jericho will make his everlasting mark on the event like he promised.
My prediction: Jericho will actually help CM Punk fend off Dolph Ziggler and Ace, but then Y2J will lay out Punk to begin their long-rumored feud over the WWE Championship.
And that leads me to this…
The winner of the 2012 Royal Rumble will be…
Randall Keith “Randy” Orton
Why?
Because Randy Orton is back, the Rumble is in his hometown, and this logically sets up a feud between Orton and Daniel Bryan on SmackDown to cement Bryan’s heel turn and give Randy a meaningful WrestleMania match.
What do YOU think will happen at the Royal Rumble on Sunday? Sound off in the comments section below.
