WWE Royal Rumble 2012: 7 Story Lines Creative Must Contrive

WWE's Royal Rumble begins the Road to WrestleMania.  In order to give the fans an event they will never forget, the creative team at WWE must cultivate story lines that are interesting.

If the WWE can start off the year on the right foot, 2012 might be a year to remember for professional wrestling. 

Here are the top story lines that creative must put in motion at Royal Rumble 2012.

Chris Jericho Has to Win the Royal Rumble

What better match to co-headline WrestleMania than a CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho WWE Title match?

With Jericho's recent return to the WWE, there's no better rivalry for him at this point.  Creative has the opportunity to give him the heel push that he needs and create an unforgettable match. 

The Royal Rumble is the first step toward making this happen.

Daniel Bryan's Heel Turn

The WWE has been burying Daniel Bryan ever since he won the World Heavyweight Championship.  They have constantly pushed him as being the average guy. 

The fans are struggling to get behind him at this point.  Making him a heel would give his character a strong push by making him the bad guy champion. 

An underhanded victory at the Royal Rumble could do just that.

The John Cena vs. Kane Feud Needs to End

John Cena made the WWE $100 million last year.  He isn't going to turn heel; his feud with Kane is going nowhere fast. 

The creative team at WWE needs to build up the hype for The Rock vs. John Cena at WrestleMania. 

This will happen by ending Cena's feud with Kane, and letting him focus on his match in April, which is a year in the making.

By continuing to force Cena into hellish situations with Kane, the writers at WWE are causing the WrestleMania headliner to lose some of its shine.  

Dolph Ziggler Must Be Established as a Top-Tier Talent

Dolph Ziggler is one of the best talents in the WWE today.  Giving up the United States Championship opens him up for the main event card in the future. 

WWE creative needs to use his WWE Championship match at Royal Rumble to give him the push he needs to succeed.  He doesn't necessarily need to win, but he needs to be put over. 

Ziggler is a great wrestler who's great on the mic, and has the look needed to succeed in the WWE.

#heel

The Birth of a Cody Rhodes vs. Goldust Rivalry

Cody Rhodes broke out in 2011 and has the potential to be a top flight talent in the WWE.  Royal Rumble would be the perfect place for him to begin a rivalry with his brother, Goldust. 

Legacy matches are always fun, and if Rhodes' rivalry with Booker T is any indication, this could be quite the matchup.

Zack Ryder's US Championship Defense

Since Zack Ryder won the United States Championship, there hasn't been much going on with his character.  Lately, he hasn't even been on TV carrying the title.

Creative needs to move him past this Kane angle and give him a real competitor to defend his title against.

Royal Rumble would be the ideal place for Ryder to begin a long rivalry on the road to WrestleMania.

Bad Blood Between Wade Barrett and Sheamus

With Wade Barrett putting Randy Orton out of action, what better angle for him than to challenge Sheamus at the Royal Rumble?

Both men are top-tier performers, and the story lines practically write themselves: good vs. bad, heel vs. face, UK vs. Ireland. 

Creative would be wise to match these two heavyweights against one another with one or both entering the World Heavyweight Championship picture.