WWE Royal Rumble 2012 Results: How the Stars of Yesterday Made a Huge Impact

When The Miz was the first entrant in the Royal Rumble and made quick work of Alex Riley and then waited on his competition to enter the ring, it looked like he would fulfill his prophecy of maybe winning the event from being the first to enter and the last to leave.

Unlike Shawn Michaels, though, The Miz, after more than 40 minutes, met his destiny.

And while wrestlers like Cody Rhodes, Dolph Ziggler, Kofi Kingston (the best move I have ever seen in a wrestling match) and Chris Jericho proved to be part of an incredible match, the fact the WWE made teh right choices during the match made myself and the WWE Universe very happy.

However, when you look at last night, it was not the wrestlers who are part of today's wrestling "business" but the wrestlers of the past who helped to make the event that much more special.

We all knew we would see Mick Foley and his "Socko" but also seeing the likes of Road Dogg Jesse James and Hacksaw Jim Duggan and then the likes of Jerry Lawler and Booker T, it linked the past to the present. Now, like others, I would have liked to have seen more. But also in reality, there was just enough to wet my appetite.

The wrestlers of the past and past Royal Rumble events were we saw Big John Studd, Triple H, Ric Flair, Psycho Syd, and others were what made the "WWF" great. The cartoonish characters came to life, they added more drama and part of the suspended animation we all loved seeing.

Lawler, Duggan and Booker T may not have had that same kind of impact, but for us older guys and gals, it allowed us to relive the history that continues to cause us to watch over and over again.

I applaud the WWE for taking a chance last night in bringing us back some history. It allowed all of us to feel young again and enjoy what was the best part of the night.