If you had to give the Rumble to someone out of nowhere, who would it be?

[Tenta]

Now, this is just an observation, but have you ever noticed that, for being such an "unpredictable" event and for it being "anyone's chance to go to Wrestlemania", does it ever really come as a shock to see the Rumble winner? Almost everytime, WWE has built someone up to the moon, to the point that there's no other logical way BUT for that man to win the Rumble. Consider the list of Wrestlers to have won the Rumble:

1988: Hacksaw Jim Duggan (Ok, THAT was a shock. Raise your hand if you had that one.)
1989: Big John Studd (Again, fairly shocking)
1990: Hulk Hogan (Here's where the trend begins...)
1991: Hogan again (Stop me if you've heard this one... Hogan goes over a deserving opponent)
1992: Ric Flair (Only shock is that it WASN'T Hogan. Besides, everyone knew it was going to be Flair-Hogan at WM VIII.... Err.... Right?)
1993: Yokozuna (If this Rumble HAD any hype, it would have been obvious Yoko would have won it.)
1994: Luger/Hart (This is where they started to build someone to the moon as the winner of the Rumble. This time, it just happened to be two guys.)
1995: HBK (No surprise. Who else could have pushed Diesel to a main event caliber Wrestlemania match)
1996: HBK (Right...........)
1997: Steve Austin (Ok, this was a LEGIT shock)
1998: Steve Austin (And this time, not so much)
1999: Mr. McMahon (Do I really have to count this? Shit, all right.)
2000: The Rock (No shock)
2001: Steve Austin (Um, yeah. No surpise)
2002: Triple H (Pushed to the moon like no one else)
2003: Brock Lesnar (Pushed even more than Triple Hach..... gasp....)
2004: Chris Benoit (Ok, a bit of a shock)
2005: Batista (Pushed to the moon)
2006: Rey Mysterio (The minute he dedicated the match to Eddy, and came out in the Lowrider... Could it have really been anyone else?)
2007: The Undertaker: (No shock. He almost needed it)
2008: John Cena: (Now that's not fair. I mean, no one even knew he was going to even BE there, let alone compete. Still, I'll chalk it up.)

So in an event that's built on twenty years of unpredictability..... Six surprise winners? Really? It's about the most predictable event on the WWE card. Add that to the usual weak challenger for the title (Save for Taker-Yoko in 94), and you have a pretty predictable card.

So, how would you throw a wrench by giving the Rumble to an absolute shock?

My best bet? Everyone wonders for weeks who has the coveted number thirty. Only two wrestlers (Batista, Orton) are left, and beating each other down. Batista takes control and signifies he's ready to toss Orton. As both are caught in a compromising position on the ropes, the clock strikes zero, and everyone looks to the aisle. Who's left.........

MISSSTERRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

KENNEDAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!

A returning Mister Kennedy comes out, runs to the ring, and easily dumps Orton and Batista out of the ring. It's over! Kennedy has won! As he celebrates, he takes the mic from Lillian Garcia, and exclaims:

"The Winner of this years Royal Rumble, and soon o be your WWE Champion.....

MISTERRRRRRRRRRRR

KENNEDAYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!

KENNEDAYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!

Of course, he can lost it from there til NWO. But it still builds him as a star, especially upon his return, and he shatters the main event ceiling. A future champion is built, much in the same vein as Steve Austin

 

[NSL]

It might not be out of of nowhere, but I haven't seen anyone call him as a winner...

THE Brian Kendrick

He got his mini-push a while back, and has managed to stay relevant, and he could definitely avoid trouble at the Rumble, by ducking in the corners, and diving outside until the end. His greatest asset in the Rumble, could be his downfall - His size.

He could either go from that guy no one expected in the final 5, to the guy that lasts 15 seconds...

I kinda want to see him be the tiny guy that grabs Khali by the leg and tries to eliminate him on his own...

 

[CDR]

Rey Mysterio

Ok, he's won it before AND been world champion but I bet nobody would predict him as the winner, which makes it out of no where. He's been kinda on a downhill road since he was champion and hasn't contended for the title in quite some time. I think that if he were to win the Rumble it would be a pretty unexpected suprise and I think he's due for a main event/title picture push.

 

[Yrrab]

A returning DiBiase Jr.

Have him screw Orton out of it at the very last minute and duck a clothesline from Botchtista. I'd like to see more of DiBiase, and while a push like that would seem risky, it'd definitely suprise everyone.

 

[George Michael]

Matt Hardy.

He's seems to be consistently over and would probably get a big pop if he won it. It would be a huge surprise to see him win it, and a Hardy v. Hardy match for the title at Mania could be lucrative. If they put these two in the title match it would free up other big names (Taker, Triple H, Edge, Big Show) to fill out the rest of the card. Matt's consistent, injury free, and seems pretty tough.

I can't see there being too many others who need a Rumble win. History books would probably reflect this as a Benoit/ Mysterio type win, seeing Matt slip into upper-mid card limbo shortly after.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

Hulk MA'FUKIN Hogan

seriously. to set up his come back for a few months for WM. He gets the suprise 30 spot, comes in, cleans house. Uses up his shot at NWO (or maybe puts in on the line in a match, or some shit) but seeks revenge for gettin screwed over by whomever costs him said shot (just work with me here) possibly the last guy he threw out of the rumble. Maybe a double elimination scenario were its decided by replay that Hulkster won, but he then loses to saaayyy Orton at NWO (setting up my Orton-Czena match)

this would re ignite Hulkamania for three months leading into WM, have Hogan look strong, and presents a way for to REALLY build Orton. The RKO can put down anyone. Even the Hulkster.

 

[CCS]

M.V.P , He's been losing every week foe 3 months and it would shock the hell outta everybody. They could do a storyline where Vickie Guerrero fires him from Smackdown and RAW doesnt want him. Then he returns at the Royal Rumble as the #30 entrant and steals the win. Then since Smackdown fired him and RAW didnt want him he goes to ECW and feuds with Matt Hardy over the ECW title. That would give some legitamacy and attention to the ECW title and brand while keeping the other two world titles open for a better wrestler to take the spots and have a good mainevent.

 

[Castleraegh]

CM Punk. He is the next Jericho. Someone who can help carry the midcard and can slot straight into the main event if called upon. I can imagine seeing him win it more than any other outside chancer.

 

[theneil450]

I'll go with Christian.

 

[OIL]

I'd give it to MVP. It would be one of the biggest shocks, I mean, the guy has been losing for months on end atm, and all of sudden he comes in at sayy.. number 7 or something (not number 1, been done too many times), and puts in a performance of the century.. clears the rumble.. and goes on to face Hardy for the WWE Title. No-one would see it coming at all. The fans wouldn't know what to do with themselves.

 

[carpie_dium619]

I would give it to John morrison! It would everyone say "did that just happen"! Have him come in around the middle of the match and stay out of the spotlite of the match until the end when he slips under the bottom rope and just waits. Then the two big stars left like orton and batista eliminate each other at the same time and morrison just climbs back in and it declared the winner!

 

[PDecicco]

There are a lot of good ideas in this thread!

Personally I think Kennedy winning would be the biggest shock since nobody expects him to even be wrestling.

I'd have him enter somewhere towards the end. All the main event guys that people normally want to see would come first. Batista, Edge, HBK all would draw the crowds attention in the beginning. I'd leave HHH till # 30. I'd actually give him # 30 via storyline so everyone knows its coming.

Now all your top tier guys are in the ring, HHH is # 30 and you can pretty much figure all the other guys on the roster will fill up the rest of the match.

But then out of nowhere, # 24 hits and its MISSSSSSSTER KENNEDY! Crowd goes nuts because he's injured, and not doing anything other than pimping Behind Enemy Lines.

Well he comes in cleans house. It comes down to Edge, HHH and Kennedy. Kennedy eliminates both, shows that he can take out the proven guys.

Monster push and title run follows.

 

[TheSnapshot]

Christian
or Morrison ...he NEEDS right now the main event push

 

[Benjaminfan27]

What about Shelton Benjamin? He has needed a main event push for a long time and has the skill and ability to carry a main event wrestlemania match (Remember the MITB match the past couple years) He is capable of a spot to match a Hardy or Mysterio spot. I am a HUGE Shelton Mark and, even though I'm already gonna get WM on PPV, this would give me a little more incentive because the Gold Standard needs more than US or Intercontinental Gold.

 

[Gutter Phenomenon]

I'm kinda surpirsed no one is going with Kozlov here. He's big enough to make it look like he wasn't given the win, not to mention hes been getting the title push anyway. And if Hardy can hold the title until WM, he and Vlad already have a history so a feud wouldn't be impossible.

 

[Miko]

To make it really surprising I'd have to go with a heel, it's been fucking ages since a heel has won the Royal Rumble and it's turning into the event where you expect a face to win. Now to pick a heel.

It couldnt be Randy Orton because he's being pushed and was a champion not long ago so it wouldnt be the biggest surprise, maybe Jericho who would be more of a surprise but he has also become a bona-fide main-eventer so it wouldnt be the biggest shock. JBL is possible but well he's kinda old and it would be a bit pointless.

I think I'll go with MVP, the guy is getting jobbed out cos' he made a quite funny comment to one of the piss testers while Jeff Hardy gets the WHC after failing 2 drug tests. Give the guy a break. More importantly it seems like a pretty good way to end the losing streak, then move him higher up the ranks.

Far-fetched maybe, still the idea is a surprise win right?

 

[Freakinflax]

Top 5 heels that could win:

1. Edge
2. Randy Orton
3. Chris Jericho
4. Vladimir Kozlov
5. Christian

Punk would be nice, but they wouldn't. A returning Christian would be incredible. If it has to be a face, I'd say...damn I really don't want to see HHH win.

 

[hotwater10]

I think Chris Benoit will win it in 2009. It's kind of random for the fact he is dead but he has a good shot. Jk But really I will go with Randy Orton. He really needs it to get back in the world title picture. He hasn't had a title shot since June and I tell you he needs it. Leeds up to Rey vs Cena vs Orton witch would be great. Then you ask...How in Blue Hell did Mysterio in there. If anyone has a good memory, Lilian announced the Elmination Chambers would be back at the No Way Out PPV. Winks

 

[I.R.S was ace]

I go with HHH: Haas Haas Haas

Have him win the title at NWO using a different gimmick then be stripped of it as he wrestled as a new gimmick. Resulting in a tournament for the title culminating in Jericho/Orton at Wrestlemania for the belt.

Haas dissapears for a while before returning on ECW as Charlie Haas and is pushed as a legit wrestler.

 

[J Fine]

Out of nowhere? Haha this one is easy...KANE!!! The dude has always dominated the match and he's been getting small pushes for a while. People want a heel to win the match for a change so why not give it to the big red machine? He held a world title once, for a fucking day, and I can't remember the last time he had a shot at one. The dude is pushing his mid forties and he's been a loyal employee for a very long time, almost never taking time off. Have him win the rumble and add a good storyline, that'll do it.

 

[48.7 is Approximately 49 Times Better Than You]

If I had to pick a surprise winner, it'd be none other than Stone Cold Mighty Nor.. Er.. Steve Austin! He could enter at 30. It'd be a surprise to say the least. He could go on to face Cena at Wrestlemania. Now wouldn't that be lovely? That would draw HUGE. If only..

 

[Iscariot]

Matt Hardy. Goddamn I hate him and his ******ed brother so much, but by GOD the fans would eat that up. More so if they had Christian help Edge win the World Title eariler in the show. Set up for Edge/Matt/Jeff/Christian in a TLC for the title at mania. Dear lord the spot monkeys would be creaming themselves for that match, you could sell 'mania off of that itself.

I hate the Hardys. Goddamn them both.

 

[mcflyboy]

I'll admit, I do tend to enjoy the rumble matches themselves. However, a major flaw I see in them is that unless you have a "surprise entrant" (e.g., cena) the options of the winners are very limited. Usually only two real possibilities, with maybe one or two other maybes. Overall, it still is a fun match to watch, but with 25 or so "fillers", it kind of takes some of the excitement out of it.

I've said this before, but I really think that that the WWE somewhat shoots themselves in the foot when they have the winner of the rumble getting a title shot at wrestlemania. Because of that stipulation, they are almost forced to give it to someone who is already in the main event picture who likely doesn't even need a royal rumble victory. Sure, there are exceptions to some extent: something can happen between the rumble and wrestlemania that causes the winner to lose the title shot, or a third person can be added to the main event, or whatever. But still, the rumble winners are still limited by the main event at wrestlemania stipulation.

I think a better idea, at least for a while (we can always switch back to guaranteed title shot once we take a break for a time) would be to turn the royal rumble into a "money in the bank" stipulation. Winner gets a briefcase they can cash in at anytime, etc (at the same time, remove the money in the bank ladder at wrestlemania, because it wouldn't make sense to have 2 of these types of matches in the same year). That way they aren't stuck with the winner of the rumble automatically headlining wrestlemania, which means that the winners might be more likely to be a surprise. It also would be a good opportunity to give someone a push.

Of course, there'd still be filler, such as cryme time, jimmy wang yang, etc., but the overall winner wouldn't necessarily be someone who is already involved in the main event picture.

 

[weird86]

Matt Hardy. Goddamn I hate him and his ******ed brother so much, but by GOD the fans would eat that up. More so if they had Christian help Edge win the World Title eariler in the show. Set up for Edge/Matt/Jeff/Christian in a TLC for the title at mania. Dear lord the spot monkeys would be creaming themselves for that match, you could sell 'mania off of that itself.

I hate the Hardys. Goddamn them both.

Finally someone agrees that the ME should be the 4 of them and in a TLC. Thank you for not saying oh Cena and Orton could be built up. People IT HAS BEEN BUILT UP for their THREE one on one matches enough is enough esp at WM25. IDC how great of a build Cena and Orton and even Edge and HHH can have IT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED IN THE LAST YEAR!! Even Hogan and Rock 2 they knew to do at NWO (and it boosts NWO's PPV buys)

These 4 facing off against each other in a TLC would be HUGE HUGE HUGE and seems like the route they may/could go.

But this topic is who would I give the RR too. I'm going to say MVP.

 

[TheOneBigWill]

If I wanted to truly go for a shock-value type of Rumble ending, I'd give it to a mid-carder, or someone you naturally and definately would not think to win it. These are my options.

M.V.P.: Given his current storyline, what better way to finally pick up that elusive victory, than by winning in flukish fashion and being the last guy in the ring, after the other two eliminate each other via a clothesline and carry over.

I think it'd be hilarious to see this year's winner in general, for once, not actually take part in "winning" in the end, yet being the odd man out.. possibly even knocked out cold, while the other two guys tumble over the top rope together.

C.M. Punk: Yeah, I said it. I dislike the guy beyond anything, but it'd be another Punk-like shock value ending. I think if he was the remaining guy, the only way it'd be truly shocking is if he was in their with the likes of Randy Orton, Chris Jericho, The Undertaker and Triple H.

It would have to be a massive series of rapid eliminations that resulted in Punk coming up behind the final two guys, possibly Taker and H.H.H. and dumping them both over the ropes.

John Morrison: This will clearly and obviously never happen, at least not within the next year or likely 3. Hell, possibly even ever. But this is my dream. John Morrison is the new Chris Jericho, or Shawn Michaels. His charisma needs some fine-tuning, and his promo skills need work.. but he's definately fun to watch, and he's got the look of a younger Jericho/Michaels.

It wouldn't be shocking (to me) if Morrison surprised everyone and won it, but as I've said I'm not naive enough to think it'll ever happen soon, if at all.

Insert Big Man Here: For years everyone has assumed the biggest, strongest and toughest guy in the ring would have the best chance to win. And for years, those same said individuals are usually the targets of multi-man gang rapes.

Big Show, Kane, and Khali. I think any one of them could end up randomly winning and they wouldn't be complete shocks to do so. All of them hold the ability to win, and all are proven Heavyweights. I think allowing someone that isn't an underdog, and is for once, actually picked to be a dominate force in the ring.. should win it.