Heel Over Face: Rumblings

So just a few weeks ago a manifesto was set by this very blog.

MORE POSTS! MORE GAMING! SOME VIDEOGAMES! SOME FILMS!..... Well, just more of everything that fills my nerdy heart with goodness. Todays post is the first Heel over Face wrestling post. I asked a few friends about the Royal Rumble PPV 2016, and copy and pasted those thoughts onto this very blog along with my own. If you're not a wrestling fan then please skirt over this post an await the gaming goodness... but onwards!

QUESTION!

What is the best possible, yet realistic ending to the Royal Rumble this year taking into account the amount of injuries WWE are dealing with?

RHYS - The Royal Rumble match in its self is one of the biggest matches of the wrestling year, everybody can't wait for it to come back around and see which superstar will overcome the odds and go on to headline the big on. Over the past few years the match has been underwhelming to say the least, riddled with predictability, 'surprise' returns that amounted to nothing and general structuring issues.

This year's match needs to come out swinging and get it right before people start to see the pay per view as an afterthought much like how Survivor Series is now viewed as by having their main theme matches be un-inspiring. How could they rejuvenate the Royal Rumble match this year? I'll tell you:-

A) Roman Reigns needs to walk out of the match without the strap. If Reigns managed to somehow overcome the odds on his 'Road to WrestleMania' sticking it once again to The Authority then we have another John Cena type character that the fans will resent. Roman has to be screwed out of the title by having Triple H return and get Reigns thrown over the top rope. (HHH won't be in the match.) This will then allow Roman and Triple H to enter a WrestleMania feud once Triple H has cost Roman his rematch for the title at Fast Lane. Roman is now a two-time World Champion and the time will come for him to regain the gold after WrestleMania.

B) Surprise returns need to be kept to a minimum and should only be reserved for returning superstars that are going to compete regularly on the active roster. Whilst some of the annual Royal Rumble surprises have been welcomed in the past, it gets to the point where they now amount to nothing and get forgotten very fast, with the superstar appearing for the match and then disapearing straight after. The only way I see these types of superstars helping anything at all is by allowing younger, up and coming talent to be the ones to throw them over effectively helping build up another star. On the flip side, superstars returning after an injury, you do not want to fill the match with these either because then it lessens the impact of such returns, by only having one or two come back to TV from an injury a bigger deal is made of such feats.

C) Brock Lesnar also needs to walk out of the match without the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Another part-time reign is NOT what we need right now, the way to stop this from happening yet still making Lesnar look like gold is simple, Brock goes on a bit of a rampage after entering, throwing bodies around left, right and center. Give him four or five superstars (maybe six) to eliminate making him look like he's going to win it all. Have one of those superstars be what should be his WrestleMania opponent, Kevin Owens the only current superstar left in the business who we see as a good match for Lesnar to have against. Either before Owens walks to the back or much later near the end, have him rush back into the ring and attack Lesnar and send him over the top rope, this will allow Lesnar to have remained a big part of the Royal Rumble and look very credible on his path to 'Mania as well as give Kevin Owens a big push and a headlining marquee match for WrestleMania. With the amount of injuries we need a diverse packed WrestleMania card full of hard-hitting main-event caliber matches.

D) Who to walk out as champion then if not those mentioned above? Bray Wyatt. Finally giving the leader of the Wyatt Family a big win and his biggest yet to date. With his allied following him every step of the way, Harper, Rowan and Strowman will be the instruments used to get Wyatt to walk out as champion. The four have the chance to OWN the Royal Rumble Match by getting four of them in the ring at the same time they can do some real damage and be a big threat to anybody else that enters the fray. If the fans aren't with the Family yet, they will be as this could be the perfect opportunity to have the Wyatt Family clash with the League Of Nations inside the match not turning Bray face but having them prove they have no allies but each other within the group. The win for Wyatt will also give him his big WrestleMania match, not to say that without the gold his match at 'Mania wouldn't mean anything, but a World Championship match at the top show gives him one of the Main Event matches not only that he deserves but one the WWE needs. Not only that but imagine the possible storylines that could arrive at WWE creatives feet by having the creepy, destructive and eccentric Wyatt as their champion, we haven't had a character like Bray Wyatt's as champion in some time.

The Royal Rumble is the chance to cement some really strong feuds and headlining matches for the biggest show of year by having Roman Vs. Triple H, Lesnar Vs. Owens and Bray Wyatt defend in a World Title Match. I could go on about what the rest of the card would look like but I believe that's best left for another article.

KEVIN - I agree wholeheartedly about Reigns. I like the guy and think his upside is outstanding, but if they push him like Cena then he'll never get truly over. Cena has become the main heel of WWE because he's the obstacle everyone else has to overcome... which used to be the heels job.

If you're going to have a surprise return I think it'll be Daniel Bryan. There must be some reason they kept him out and the need to inject some heat into an upcoming heel can be done by having someone suitable throw out Daniel Bryan setting up a fued for Mania. I don't think AJ Styles will be there, and I don't know what they'd do with him after the Rumble so think him debuting there would probably not be needed.

Brock Owens. Yeah I'll take that too.

Wyatt getting the belt would be superb. It finallty elevates him to being THE heel of the company, even though I'd cheer my arse off for him, and after his loss to Undertaker and Cena in the previous two years he needs to win at Wrestlemania, it just makes sense. Although... might I present an alternative?

Brock, Reigns, Bryan in the ring, one entrant left. 'Bell Tolls*.

Taker entrance. Brock is shocked, Reigns wets his pants and Bryan shakes his head to pump himself up. Taker leaps on Brock and pummels him with strikes, as Brock fights back Bryan hits him with a knee, Reigns with a superman punch then taker clothelines him over the top rope. Kevin Owens comes out and beats Lesnar, chair shots, stairs etc, sets up their fued. The other three battle it out, Reigns takes out Bryan setting up a turn and making it look like he'll hold onto the belt before Undertaker unleashes hell, they have a back and fore before Taker eliminates Reigns, becoming a champion.

Now, if WWE were retiring undertaker this year thats how I'd like to see him go, on top. Everyone things he'll lose at Mania for just the second time but he goes out with the belt. HOF induction next year set in stone. Raw the next night the belt is vacated and we have a tribute show to the deadman, superstars praise him and blah blah blah. Undertaker goes to the ring, entrance one last time. As hes about to speak, Reigns comes out and just blitzes him, finalising the heel turn hints since the Rumble to Mania.

ERIC - This is a difficult question to have a true definitive answer for, especially when you consider all the factors involved. Now there a lot of people that are saying that it's pretty much a given that Roman Reigns will retain his title, but when you consider the negative reception from his rumble win last year and strong rumours of him facing Triple H at Wrestlemania. It would seem that this outcome isn't that strong a possibility and certainly isn't the best (though still not out of the question). So with Reigns out the way and a bunch of top stars injured, who is there left to pick up the win? The safest option here is to have Brock Lesnar win the title, the crowd still likes him a lot and hos matches always have a big match feel which is exactly what you want going in the Wrestlemania main event. Of course this is also a great opportunity for a superstar to prove themselves and a get their first World Heavyweight Championship, and there are a couple of people that I think really could: Bray Wyatt – After being thrown on the back burner a bit, Wyatt's new and improved family are stronger than ever and I feel like this is a great time for him finally get that title. His crowd reaction can vary and his character can be a little unfocused and rambly, but he still stands out from the rest with his larger than life persona and a big title win is something that he really needs to stay relevant and strong and it's something I think the crowd could get behind. Dean Ambrose – Here's someone who I think may be slightly overlooked here, but I feel if booked right, him winning the title would get a big reaction. He was in number of WWE title matches last year and came very close to winning the title but always missed out, he's had a year of struggles and what better way to end these struggles than finally getting that title at the Rumble. There are a few others that could be considered like Kevin Owens but I feel he's not quite the right choice to win and that Ambrose and Wyatt could use it most.

There is one more possibility that I would like to suggest that I think would have a great reaction and is still quite a viable option though a lot less likely. While still not confirmed by WWE, news has a erupted about a bunch of big WWE signings. One of those signings is AJ styles, a wrestler who has had a great last few years and has established himself as one of the top wrestlers in the world today. Now there are rumours that WWE had wanted to debut in the Royal Rumble match. This in itself I think would get a big crowd reaction, so imagine if he actually won the title in his debut, I think the crowd would go nuts. I think it's totally plausible if WWE take the chance with it. He's proven himself to be a star and main eventer around the world in every promotion and I think he's established enough to actually do it. I just think it's an interesting Idea that is a small possibility.

So these are the choices I pick, I think Lesnar winning is most realistic choice at the moment, but anything could happen.

KEVIN - See, Dean Ambrose is boring the shit out of me at the moment, someone recently said hes like the Jim Carrey of wrestling, all face not much substance and thats pretty spot on. Him and Owens are having a falls count anywhere match I think I read? Could help me get back behind him. Its crazy how out of the Shield, he was the one people said had the most upside. However hes the one who hasn't held the main belt.

AJ Styles winning is a very long shot in my opinion too, I don't think Vince would give an old TNA guy the belt in his first match on WWE. Well... not quite first but you know.

Does anyone see Somoa Joe featuring in the Rumble? Finn Balor or Sami Zayn even?

ERIC - Yeah I get what you mean and I do agree he needs to do something more interesting with his character, I'm just struggling to imagine many of the other people winning. I think Zayn will likely be in the rumble, Joe's a possibility, not so sure about Balor though it would be cool

RHYS - A few good points, however Ambrose as champion I'm not sure is a right fit ATM, I loved his feud with Rollins and love his matched but WWE need to get on the ball with his character and storylines to push him towards main event naturally.

Sami Zayn could certainly make a good jump to main roster in the rumble by surprising Owens and going for him.

Owens Vs Ambrose I'm thought was Last Man Standing? Haha.

JOSH - Unlike the rest of you I can't go into to much detail as I don't tend to watch the product on a regular basis but I do try to keep myself informed.

The royal rumble is one of my all time favourites, however as mentioned by some if you the last fair years have seemed.. ok.. This year I hope they really get behind it. The potential returns and debut are crazily close to being a reality, from the number of "superstars" that have been injured, the long list of hall of famers that might still have some gas in the tank, to the number of hard working up and comers in NXT and to top it off the Number of Independent contracts that have recently expired outside of the WWE.

Me personally would love for all the rumours of all the recent NJPW talent to come true. AJ Styles is one of my all time favourite wrestlers, so be it the fan in me would likes the idea of seeing him under the WWE Banner. Another Guy that could make his Big PPV debut is none other than Finn Balor, the idea of him and AJ being in the rumble would just be great.

Other name that I think we may see is Same Zayn, Samoa Joe and Daniel Bryan.

As for winning, personally I think Roman is most likely to win, it wouldn't suprising me if they attempt something real convoluted such as two guys getting eliminated at the same time or something silly.

So some interesting thoughts looking ahead to tonights PPV, the Rumble always throws up some interesting discussion whether for better or worse, and what better way than to do another post like this Tuesday. Well, there could be a better way. We might record it instead of type it. Eyes peeled! 

Whats your thoughts on tonights Rumble? What did you think of the Rumble if you're reading this after the PPV? Let us know along with any questions and we may answer them Tuesday!