How did we have such a fun but such a dissapointing and least starstudded rumble?

[shattered dreams]

So you wanted a guy who hasn't returned yet. You wanted the COO who has no reason to be in the Rumble. You want Cena and Kane who make zero sense from a storyline stand point. You want the two world champions who make zero sense from a logic stand point. And finally, you want the Godfather who I personally would have loved to see but if you switch him out with another one of the surprise entrants the match really doesn't change at all, we just see some hoes.

I want some people in the rumble that I think might actually win and some big pop moments. Entertainment is fine but when it isn't tv you are looking for more than that. If they do a Taker-HHH match at wrestlemania then there was no reason they couldn't lay the groundwork here. No reason to be in the rumble but 4 announcers do? How the hell does Cena make zero sense from a storyline standpoint? The champ is here doesn't want to be champ anymore? I don't follow the product but you will have a tough time selling me on that one. Maybe Kane for some reason wouldn't want it but usually when you build someone up as a force in an event it makes sense to use them there (see Taker at mania). I think there are plenty of interesting places you could take a story with the champions in the match. They already are hurting for talent depth from injuries and poor planning so IMO they really couldn't afford to hold this many of the more established power players out.

 

[Big Sexy]

I want some people in the rumble that I think might actually win and some big pop moments. Entertainment is fine but when it isn't tv you are looking for more than that. If they do a Taker-HHH match at wrestlemania then there was no reason they couldn't lay the groundwork here. No reason to be in the rumble but 4 announcers do? How the hell does Cena make zero sense from a storyline standpoint? The champ is here doesn't want to be champ anymore? I don't follow the product but you will have a tough time selling me on that one. Maybe Kane for some reason wouldn't want it but usually when you build someone up as a force in an event it makes sense to use them there (see Taker at mania). I think there are plenty of interesting places you could take a story with the champions in the match. They already are hurting for talent depth from injuries and poor planning so IMO they really couldn't afford to hold this many of the more established power players out.

John Cena is already scheduled to main event Wrestlemania with The Rock. The prize for winning the Rumble is a world title match at Mania. Do you want Cena to win the Rumble, fight in a title match and then at much less then 100% take on The Rock? I'm thinking he wants to be focused solely on The Rock when Wrestlemania comes around. I'm sure he'd love to be champion but all winning the Rumble does is get him a title match at a ppv where he already has a match scheduled.

Kane doesn't make sense because the only thing he cares about right now is having Cena "embrace the hate." Entering the Rumble to try and get a title shot at Mania doesn't exactly help him do that. There's a reason Kane attacked Cena (who did nothing to him) instead of Mark Henry (who put him out of action for a few months) when he made his return. He has one goal in mind and it doesn't include the title or the Rumble.

 

[shattered dreams]

So he focuses on the Rock by fighting Kane but not by fighting for the title? Makes perfect sense ...

So if Cena was in the rumble it would make sense for Kane to be there? Kane in the rumble only messing with Cena and ignoring everyone else could have been interesting.

Cena winning the rumble would not make much sense from a booking perspective for wrestlemania but him trying to win the rumble to get a title shot hardly is beyond kayfabe sense. I'd even argue that Cena standing in the ring getting booed as the winner could actually do quite a bit for the story he is doing if they wanted to go that way. It isn't like he had to win though.

I don't see how anyone can argue that the amount of filler in that match doesn't make the roster look bad.

 

[Big Sexy]

So he focuses on the Rock by fighting Kane but not by fighting for the title? Makes perfect sense ...

Cena didn't start the feud with Kane, it was the other way around. And we all know that Cena doesn't back down from a challenge. Plus if Cena was going after the title he'd want to get it before Mania so it can add even more to the match with The Rock. Participating in a match where winning just allows you to fight for the title at a ppv where you are already scheduled in the biggest match of your career is pointless. You obviously don't watch WWE but if you did then you would know that Cena was trying to get the title until Kane returned and started the feud.

So if Cena was in the rumble it would make sense for Kane to be there? Kane in the rumble only messing with Cena and ignoring everyone else could have been interesting.

It made sense for neither, hence why neither was involved.

Cena winning the rumble would not make much sense from a booking perspective for wrestlemania but him trying to win the rumble to get a title shot hardly is beyond kayfabe sense. I'd even argue that Cena standing in the ring getting booed as the winner would actually do quite a bit for the story he is doing if they wanted to go that way.

Cena trying to get a title shot is fine. Just not at a ppv where he already has the biggest match of his career scheduled.

I don't see how anyone can argue that the amount of filler in that match doesn't make the roster look bad.

What exactly do you expect from a roster that is in a transition period? HBK is retired, Triple H is no longer a full time performer, Taker is good for one or two matches a year and that's it. Christian is injured, Del Rio is injured, Mysterio is injured. The WWE didn't have much to work with for the Rumble but as someone who has seen every single Rumble, I can say that I had more fun watching this years over most of the others.

I mean c'mon you're a TNA fan. You should be used to matches that lack star power.

 

[shattered dreams]

Cena trying to get a title shot is fine. Just not at a ppv where he already has the biggest match of his career scheduled.

So they couldn't say he gets his shot a different time on a RAW before the rumble why again? Why can't he make that decision when it actually comes? He can't try and win the rumble for respect and the challenge?

What exactly do you expect from a roster that is in a transition period? HBK is retired, Triple H is no longer a full time performer, Taker is good for one or two matches a year and that's it. Christian is injured, Del Rio is injured, Mysterio is injured. The WWE didn't have much to work with for the Rumble but as someone who has seen every single Rumble, I can say that I had more fun watching this years over most of the others.

Plan for the transition beforehand? If you don't have much to work with then don't go out of your way to book yourself out of using what you do have. Instead you should be finding creative ways to get the guys you do have involved. It was a fun match but why was it better than a RAW show? There wasn't anything big stage about it. Not the participants, not the outcome, not the action.

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

I refuse to read all of this. However, I'm guessing Shattered didn't like the Rumble, and neither did I.

Carry on, shat.

 

[Shocky]

The reason Cena and Kane weren't in the Rumble was to sell the war they went through earlier in the night. Ziggler and Show were in tough matches, but Kane and Cena got down right nasty.

And the only reason Cena is messing with Kane is because Kane is tormenting those around Cena.

 

[Big Sexy]

So they couldn't say he gets his shot a different time on a RAW before the rumble why again? Why can't he make that decision when it actually comes? He can't try and win the rumble for respect and the challenge?

Let's see he just got his ass kicked by Kane and watched one of his good friends go from crippled to practically dead. I don't think entering a match and trying to win it for "respect and the challenge" was really on his mind at that time.

Plan for the transition beforehand? If you don't have much to work with then don't go out of your way to book yourself out of using what you do have. Instead you should be finding creative ways to get the guys you do have involved. It was a fun match but why was it better than a RAW show? There wasn't anything big stage about it. Not the participants, not the outcome, not the action.

You can't just replace guys like HBK, HHH, and Taker with the snap of your fingers. It takes time to build guys up and they have done a pretty good job of it over the past year with the likes of Cody Rhodes, Sheamus, Daniel Bryan, CM Punk is bigger then he ever has been, Barrett, Mark Henry. You also can't plan for injuries like the ones to Del Rio, Mysterio, and Christian.

 

[shattered dreams]

You can't just replace guys like HBK, HHH, and Taker with the snap of your fingers. It takes time to build guys up and they have done a pretty good job of it over the past year with the likes of Cody Rhodes, Sheamus, Daniel Bryan, CM Punk is bigger then he ever has been, Barrett, Mark Henry. You also can't plan for injuries like the ones to Del Rio, Mysterio, and Christian.

It takes time to build guys up and replace and they have done a good job of it after they already left? It isn't planning once it is a necessity. You can't replace guys as easily when there is no one for the up and comers to go over. This is the price WWE pays for the guys they stopped at the upper midcard wall before anyone had ever heard of the youth movement bs. More like cheap movement.

 

[FlexAmerican Dynamite]

God, all of this in a spam thread meant for fun and quick opinions...

 

[Big Sexy]

It takes time to build guys up and replace and they have done a good job of it after they already left? It isn't planning once it is a necessity. You can't replace guys as easily when there is no one for the up and comers to go over. This is the price WWE pays for the guys they stopped at the upper midcard wall before anyone had ever heard of the youth movement bs. More like cheap movement.

CM Punk and Sheamus had already been world champions before this movement started. They've just taken it to a new level with all of the big names gone. Wade Barrett and Mark Henry had already been in main event situations, they've just taken it to a new level with this new opportunity. Ziggler had already had a feud with a guy like Edge in the past so his push this year was something that started in the past. Cody Rhodes as part of Legacy had gone over Triple H and HBK in a match so his push this year was something that had started in the past. Outside of maybe Daniel Bryan, none of these guys who are now at or near the top were just thrown there. They all had moments in the past which set them up for their big pushes this year.

 

[Alastor]

Kane not being in the rumble because it wouldn't make sense 'storyline' then why would Big Show being in the rumble make sense for 'storyline' purposes. How would Michael Cole being involved be 'storyline'? Punk and DBD could be involved if they lost the title on the same night so they was a way to get them involved.

I fail to see a logic whereby one losing participant in a triple threat has a shot at the rumble while the other do not. If it is done by a heel maybe the fans can accept ala Dolph but Show is the babyface, why should he get the extra shot while the heel Mark Henry do not? Explain with storyline please.

 

[therockiswwf]

Henry is injured, that is why.

 

[Big Sexy]

Kane not being in the rumble because it wouldn't make sense 'storyline' then why would Big Show being in the rumble make sense for 'storyline' purposes. How would Michael Cole being involved be 'storyline'? Punk and DBD could be involved if they lost the title on the same night so they was a way to get them involved.

Well Michael Cole is an arrogant asshole and him entering the Rumble feeds his enormous ego. Big Show just lost a world title match so obviously he wants to grab one of the last rumble spots so he can earn another shot at the title at Wrestlemania. Maybe the WWE kept a couple spots open for guys in the title matches in case they lost, so Show and Ziggler snatched them up when they came up short in their title matches. That reasoning actually has logic and makes sense. The current champions, Cena, and Kane being in the Rumble would have no logic behind it.

 

[Alastor]

Well Michael Cole is an arrogant asshole and him entering the Rumble feeds his enormous ego. Big Show just lost a world title match so obviously he wants to grab one of the last rumble spots so he can earn another shot at the title at Wrestlemania. Maybe the WWE kept a couple spots open for guys in the title matches in case they lost, so Show and Ziggler snatched them up when they came up short in their title matches. That reasoning actually has logic and makes sense. The current champions, Cena, and Kane being in the Rumble would have no logic behind it.

The spots could be reserved for losing participants of the title matches, so the current champions could *storyline wise* be involved in the rumble and the 'anyone can participate' thing can be further pushed.

Kane entering the rumble to taunt Cena would be logical. He can beat up all the faces with illegal weapons etc, and then be disqualified before legally allowed into the rumble. Cena wanting to champion is as logical as the champ is here.

If you want to use logic to defend the rumble, please explain the logic of the 1 minute squash match storyline wise.

 

[Big Sexy]

Kane entering the rumble to taunt Cena would be logical. He can beat up all the faces with illegal weapons etc, and then be disqualified before legally allowed into the rumble. Cena wanting to champion is as logical as the champ is here.

How would beating up random faces taunt Cena? And there is no DQ in the Rumble. Cena wanting the championship is logical but wanting a championship match at a ppv he is already main eventing in the biggest match of his career is not.

If you want to use logic to defend the rumble, please explain the logic of the 1 minute squash match storyline wise.

I'm defending the Rumble match itself not every single aspect of the ppv.

 

[Alastor]

How would beating up random faces taunt Cena? And there is no DQ in the Rumble. Cena wanting the championship is logical but wanting a championship match at a ppv he is already main eventing in the biggest match of his career is not.



I'm defending the Rumble match itself not every single aspect of the ppv.

Beating up random faces, not caring about the championship opportunity, spitting in the face of Cena who hold the championship to such a high regard that he choose to forfeit an opportunity at it he didn't feel he deserve. (giving up title shot for Ryder US title shot) There has been DQ in Rumble before.

Cena could enter to *attempt* to make the main event of wrestlemania even bigger by being the champion and goading Rock to bring it.

Personally I was disappointed with the rumble due to the higher than usual gimmicky participants. So why waste 2 low card fillers who had been getting air time in a meaningless 1 min squash that could have happened during the rumble itself? They could have added more personality to the rumble as elimination folders than Uso, Ortunga etc. Who wanted to see Hacksaw back AGAIN?

 

[Big Sexy]

Beating up random faces, not caring about the championship opportunity, spitting in the face of Cena who hold the championship to such a high regard that he choose to forfeit an opportunity at it he didn't feel he deserve. (giving up title shot for Ryder US title shot) There has been DQ in Rumble before.

I think not entering the Rumble period shows he doesn't care about the championship opportunity.

Cena could enter to *attempt* to make the main event of wrestlemania even bigger by being the champion and goading Rock to bring it.

You don't get the title for winning the rumble and you don't get a pre Mania title match for winning the rumble, you get a championship match at Wrestlemania. The same Mania Cena already has a match at.

Personally I was disappointed with the rumble due to the higher than usual gimmicky participants. So why waste 2 low card fillers who had been getting air time in a meaningless 1 min squash that could have happened during the rumble itself? They could have added more personality to the rumble as elimination folders than Uso, Ortunga etc. Who wanted to see Hacksaw back AGAIN?

So you thought the Rumble was too gimmicky yet you wanted the Funkasouraus in it? And I personally loved seeing Hacksaw. It makes perfect sense to have the first ever Rumble winner participate in the 25th anniversary of the event.

 

[shattered dreams]

CM Punk and Sheamus had already been world champions before this movement started. They've just taken it to a new level with all of the big names gone. Wade Barrett and Mark Henry had already been in main event situations, they've just taken it to a new level with this new opportunity. Ziggler had already had a feud with a guy like Edge in the past so his push this year was something that started in the past. Cody Rhodes as part of Legacy had gone over Triple H and HBK in a match so his push this year was something that had started in the past. Outside of maybe Daniel Bryan, none of these guys who are now at or near the top were just thrown there. They all had moments in the past which set them up for their big pushes this year.

Some of this is almost laughable as you grasp at those straws but you still really don't get it. You need to establish the guys before all the stars leave, not just "set" them up with one random feud in the past at some point.

My impressions after reading Raw Results based on CM Punk - Bryan hype:

I was right.

Pay for Road Dog, get Taker for free?

If they do a three way unification match at Wrestlemania it makes me even more sick all the things they passed up doing at the Rumble that actually would have been interesting.

 

[Big Sexy]

Some of this is almost laughable as you grasp at those straws but you still really don't get it. You need to establish the guys before all the stars leave, not just "set" them up with one random feud in the past at some point.

No one is grasping at straws but you my friend. Like I pointed out Sheamus and Punk were already established as they were former multiple time champions. They've taken it to another level as of late but they had already been established and were waiting for the opportunity to step in and take the reigns full time. The Miz was the WWE champion at the time so obviously he was established. Edge was also in the process of helping Del Rio until his injury happened but there was no way to predict Edge's injury.

After Mania last year when everyone left, Cm Punk was in a feud with arguably the second top face in Randy Orton and again was ready to step into a major role. The Miz at the time was probably the companies top heel and he was groomed into that spot before all of the veterans left. The WWE had guys ready to take over top spots but obviously there is going to be a drop off.

I also fail to see how someone who doesn't watch the product full time can even have a valid opinion on any of this.

 

[scottyshowman82]

It was booked bad. Too much comedy and not enough substance. Not enough story telling. It really doesn't make sense to have had the final two be Jericho and Sheamus. Sheamus is a face and Jericho is a... well we don't even know what Jericho is doing.

If you're going to have Sheamus why not have a 3 on 1 against Barrett, Rhodes and Ziggler. And then somehow have Sheamus triumph over them someone how. That would have made sense and have been good booking as Barrett and Rhodes were favourites to win the thing. Jericho and Sheamus being the last 2 for so long was odd.

 

[Alastor]

I think not entering the Rumble period shows he doesn't care about the championship opportunity.

Your original point was it would be illogical to involve Kane in the rumble. I gave a plausible reason to add Kane and add star power to the rumble. We were not debating which was a better way to proceed with the Kane/Cena feud.

You don't get the title for winning the rumble and you don't get a pre Mania title match for winning the rumble, you get a championship match at Wrestlemania. The same Mania Cena already has a match at.

Nobody said it was offlimits to ask for a pre-mania title shot. You assumed that the rules are set in stone which isn't the case in pro-wrestling.

So you thought the Rumble was too gimmicky yet you wanted the Funkasouraus in it? And I personally loved seeing Hacksaw. It makes perfect sense to have the first ever Rumble winner participate in the 25th anniversary of the event.

My complaints were that there were too many gimmicky 1-time participants. A gimmicky wrestler and a gimmicky participant in the rumble is two different thing altogether. Santino is a gimmicky wrestler but not a 1 time gimmicky participant. You loved seeing Hacksaw, I didn't. Again, what can Hacksaw do that Funkasaurus couldn't do except leading random 'USA! USA!' chant? To be honest I wouldn't be surprised if Hacksaw was only sent out after Vince heard the USA chants to keep the crowd hot in a lacklustre rumble.

My main concern was a lack of a story being told during the rumble. There were limited interaction among the participants with storylines because of too many gimmicky participants. The Rumble should allow the wrestlers to continue existing feuds, explore new feuds, revive old rivalries, form new alliances. The only such development I see was from Santino and Foley with the sock puppets which shows a lack of planning for this rumble. Barrett and Orton was barely given enough time. Miz finished his rivals in a flash. Jericho trolling resulted nothing.

 

[shattered dreams]

I think Alastor nailed it right there. I just thought it was because I wasn't paying much attention but I wasn't because there was no story building.

 

[BK Styles]

So, to summarize, some people were entertained by the rumbe but are still not happy, some liked it, some hated it, and some think that other guys should have been in there.

Who said you can't please the IWC, eh?

Kane and Cena weren't in it for a reason, and that reaosn is because their feud isn't over. Show is a better choice to be in the rumble than Kane, purely because he's in the title scene and Kane isn't. Also, Kane is focused COMPLETELY on Cena, so he doesn't need to be in the Rumble. Cena isn't going to enter it because he has his Mania match, and he stated when he gave up his world title opportunity for Ryders US Title opportunity that he's held the belt enough for now. And Kane isn't a bigger star than Show. Even if he is, Show has done a lot more recently than Kane, and has been in the title picture. It makes more sense that he's in there than Kane, because he has an interest in the World Title. Kane does not.

Alastor made a good point though. There wasn't really mcuh of a story in the Rumble, and that hurt it a bit. But the real story starts now that we have a winner, and it's now that the feuds for Mania will be laid out, so the lack of story in teh Rumble isn't as important as it can be in other matches. It isn't irrelevant, but it's not the be-all and end-all. It was still a fun Rumble to watch.

 

[Muffin Top Merkley]

Who the fuck else did you want in it? Cena and Punk were the only major stars not in it. And no, Kane and a one legged Mark Henry don't count as major stars. A 40 man Rumble just would have added 10 filler guys that weren't needed.

I really enjoyed the Rumble match this year, but I don't think it would have been crazy for it to have been a 40 man event.

* Christian/del Rio/Mysterio (I understand that they're injured, and I don't know the full extent of the injuries, but I wonder if it would have been possible for at least one of them to enter the rumble, hit a few moves, take a few moves, rest in the ring, then be eliminated.)
* Goldust
* Brodus Clay, Drew McIntyre (they didn't need to have a singles match, and could have been in the Rumble instead. Or, both could have had the singles match, as well as have been in the Rumble)
* William Regal
* Kane (Sure, he's dealing with Cena at the moment, but it would have provided an opportunity for Cena to run out and cause Kane to be eliminated. I also would have loved to see continue his run for consecutive rumble appearances, and move closer to beating HBK's elimination record, if not actually beating it.)
* Mason Ryan, Heath Slater, Jimmy Uso, Tyson Kidd. (They aren't starpower, and none would be considered in the running of possible winners, but they could be used to up the number from 30 to 40)

Again, I really enjoyed this years Rumble, but most definitely is possible for it to have been a 40 man Rumble.

I would have rather seen Doink the Clown or even X Pac over Hunico, Epico, Primo, and Jay Uso. Hell even Michael Hayes would have been someone the fans would actually know and cheer for. Mahal, Khali, and Zeke Jackson were pretty much wasted spots too. Isn't Christian ready to come back? Give the fans someone exciting besides just Hacksaw, Foley, and Road Dogg.

How can you say Mahal, Khali & Jackson were wasted spots, but Doink or X-Pac would not be?

If we were to eliminate the "wasted spots" filled by people that never would really have a logical chance at winning, we'd have an eight man Royal Rumble at best.