Why do you think HHH did not return for the ROYAL RUMBLE???

[CM Pulsar]

Two reasons why:

1. Like a previous poster said, HHH coming back would have stolen Del Rio's thunder. Booker and Diesel were great additions, but no one realistically thought they were gonna win the Rumble. HHH however is a credible threat.

2. HHH logically needs to conclude his feud with Sheamus, so it makes more sense for him to come back at Elimination Chamber to screw Sheamus over, or debut the night after and challenge him at WM.

 

[CM Pulsar]

Agreed, and this in my opinion is the REAL difference between WWE and TNA in terms of booking: WWE thinks long term about their storylines and takes more time to flesh things out. They think big picture, whether its going to make the fans immediately happy or not.

TNA on the other hand seems to take everything week by week, and is more concerned about keeping the fans immediately happy with the outcomes, whether whats going on in the angles makes any sense or not. They've written themselves into a corner so many times with various angles ("They" and "EV 2.0" being prime examples) it makes my head spin.

/off topic rant.

 

[BJM0703]

Because Nash and Booker T returned to WWE full time and Nash and Booker T's returns would of over looked HHH's return and the WWE writers already said they want HHH's return to have the biggest impact in WWE history.

 

[Tech N9ne]

He didn't return because he either didn't want to, or he didn't feel the need to yet.

Booker and Nash both were surprise entrants and it set the place on fire. What good would it have done for him to return and not win the thing? None!

I think he will be facing Sheamus at Wrestlemania. There is plenty of time to make this happen. There is no build needed at all. The angle and storyline is already there, and has been left open.

So, he returns whenever, and costs Sheamus something, or returns while Sheamus is doing something, then BOOM! The angle is back in effect and Wrestlemania is the obvious battle ground for a finale to their feud.

Nothing was ever set in stone that he would return at The Rumble. It isn't like WWE announced it or Trips himself announced it.

It was just rumors, as usual. I think everyone thought he would return at The Rumble because he and other people, have done it before. But to be honest, it wouldn't have changed the Rumble at all and it wouldn't have serviced anything for his near future to return then either.

 

[captainalaric]

Everyone expected Triple H back, myself included. The Rumble was full of shocks; Booker T and Diesel making appearances, John Morrison's latching onto the wall to avoid being eliminated, Miz leaping up from the announcers table and throwing Cena over the top rope, and Alberto actually winning the thing.

And of course, there's not a single one of you who didn't think "oh shit...Cobra.....Santino's gonna win!!!...oh, there he goes; thank god for that"

This was a great Royal Rumble match and was packed full of little shocks; The return of Triple H would've been overkill, especially since he wasn't booked to win the match.

Unless they want to give us one last Sheamus vs John Morrison match at Wrestlemania, I fully expect Triple H back in time to get his revenge on the Irish Ginger Curse.

 

[harrythem]

I think Triple H didn't return because he's finally grown up. Back in the early part of the decades he raced back from serious injuries and had shit matches and looked dreadful in the ring. He seems to have spent the last few months recovering from his latest injury and spending some quality time with his family, while getting a top draw job in WWE and learning as much as he can about what Vince does so he can take over from him in the next year or two.

He'll be back soon enough, there's no rush for him to return really and, when he does, people will go crazy. I'll enjoy it for what I see it as too, his last big hurrah before moving onwards and upwards, and not being obsessed with holding more title then Flair did.

 

[Jackal960]

I think he didn't return because everyone expected him to return. They are marketing the "expectation" very well. When you expect something to happen the show draws your attention, you might even buy the PPV just to see it happening, so before it even happens WWE already starts milking it.

I think this is one of many examples what WWE has been doing for a while. Kong likewise hasn't debuted yet. You might remember every PPV we were expecting Miz to cash in, and as soon as Miz cashing in talks stopped he cashed in. They are waiting for the expectations to go up and up, and just as they realize the interest is starting to go down they pull the trigger. Good strategy on their behalf.