A British Point of View: What Happened To The Royal Rumble?

What ever happened to the up and comers winning the Royal Rumble? This Sunday we all watched Edge win the Rumble, Why? Now I know Edge has done well to return from a serious injury but it seems to be coming a trend where a wrestler gets injured and makes a massive comeback in the Rumble to go to the main event of Wrestlemania.

We got treated to 3-4 weeks build up for this Rumble where they tried to make all the major stars look like contenders and to be honest, I thought they did a fairly good job. They kept stating that it’s the most star-studded rumble in history and I just found it to be a little disappointing that someone who hasn’t been around for 6 months ends up winning it.
 
Now I haven’t got a problem with the match itself as I found the Rumble as gripping as ever, but why make Edge win? It just seemed to be a sympathy vote, an easy option and the usual choice of “Oh, Edge has been here for over 10 years, he deserves to win at least one Rumble match in his career”
 
 This is the same thing process they seemed to go through with John Cena, Undertaker and Randy Orton winning the rumble. They didn’t need to win the Rumble because they were going to be involved in the main events at Wrestlemania anyway. They wanted these people to win just because it will look good on their records when they have retired.
 
Gone are the days where we see an up and coming wrestler win the rumble and go for his dream shot. How many of us would have liked to have seen Kofi, Dibiase, Miz or Morrison win the rumble? It would have given a younger talent the main event spot and left the “regulars” to have a decent mid card “main event type” match.
 
Wrestlers who held the Intercontinental Title were always a prime candidate to win the Rumble because they might have been ready to make that next step. Those days seem to be gone. WWE just seem to be going through the process of making all there older wrestlers win the Rumble before it’s too late and are forced to start giving it to the younger stars.
 
As soon as this Sunday’s rumble got the final four people I groaned because the first words out of Michael Cole’s mouth was… “Every Superstar left in the ring has been in the main event of Wrestlemania!”
 
So I ask you, what is the point?
 
Are we going to be subjected to another Wrestlemania where half of the young roster are either made lumberjacks in a silly match (like at last years mania) or will they be missed off the card entirely?
 
At Wrestlemania 25 the ECW Champion didn’t even get a match. Jack Swagger was forced to be a lumberjack. Why couldn’t the younger guys at least be included in the money in the bank? Instead we had to put up with Kane and Mark Henry in last year’s effort while Evan Bourne and Jack Swagger sat on the side lines. But when you think about the Money in the Bank, who stood out last year? Exactly – Kofi Kingston!
 
These talents are capable of having good matches and good storylines if they allowed it, but they seem to be holding them back again. If WWE wants to make sure that TNA don’t become a force to reckon with then they need to mix things up a bit.
 
I am putting my money on the table right now in saying that Chris Jericho wins the Rumble next year. He is most probably the only guy left (out of what I call the “Regulars” that hasn’t won it yet.)
 
On a side note I have to admit that I cannot wait to see what road they go down with HBK. His mental breakdown after being eliminated was brilliantly executed and he is proving yet again that he is still the best in the business today whether it is in the ring or enhancing his character.
 
Your thoughts are welcome as always to beansontoastuk@msn.com
 
Martyn

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