The 2009 Royal Rumble: What Signicifance Does It Carry?

This Royal Rumble featured four title matches and of course, the Rumble.

Jack Swagger showed that on a grand stage such as the Royal Rumble that he could keep calm, and maintain his composure when he defended his newly won ECW against Matt Hardy.

The major significance in doing this was Swagger gave ECW a legitimate, young, true champion to carry ECW and the championship-(or so people thought. Lights, camera, CHRISTIAN!!)

The second undercard event saw Beth Phoenix put her Women's title on the line against Melina. Ultimately the match ended with a botched Glam Slam turned roll up and Melina winning the Women's title.

The major significance in the match, and mainly Melina winning the title, was it shows that the WWE sees Melina as a viable champion.

Too much pressure has been put on Mickie James and Beth Phoenix to carry the load of the women's division on Raw and Melina winning the title shows that they are willing to put faith in someone other than the two of them to carry a division, which, of their own accord, should be way better than it has so far.

The 3rd match of night pitted Heavyweight champion John Cena against John Bradshaw Layfield, accompanied by his indentured servant of sorts Shawn Michaels.

Michaels interfered and used his Sweet Chin Music super kick on both competitors, and the ultimate outcome was John Cena retaining his title via his FU, now currently known as the attitude adjustment.

The major significance here lies in the fact that Cena didn't cleanly pick up the win against JBL, and it sets up and ultimatum match at the next PPV where HBK fights for his name, his career and basically his legacy against Layfield.

The final match before the Rumble was WWE champion Jeff Hardy wrestling Edge. Vickie Geurrero had made it a No Disqualification Match and this would play heavily into the finish.

After Jeff nearly defeated Edge, Vickie stopped the count and this lead to Matt Hardy coming down, and well, the rest is history. Matt turned on Jeff, Edge won his title back, and two brothers became a family divided.

The major significance here again lies with an "x-factor." Just as HBK was to Cena/JBL Matt was to Jeff/Edge. Matt's actions set up the brother vs brother storyline. The Hardys are known for tables, ladders, chairs and the hardcore lifestyle most suited for ECW. The irony of this being Matt recently lost the ECW title and was unable to regain it at the Rumble.

Edge leaves as champion and one of the better story lines that could go on for a long while.

All that remained was the 30 man, over-the-top explosion that is the Royal Rumble. Perhaps the greatest gimmick match ever invented, the Royal Rumble is more like an episode of the TV series, Survivor then a wrestling match.

It's about outwitting your opponents, or in some cases your friends, outplaying your competitors, and most of all outlasting 29 other men with the goal of reaching Wrestlemania's main event and your golden ticket to wrestling for the WWE championship, or the Heavyweight championship as the case might be. Actually, even the ECW championship, but I wouldn't waste a shot at Wrestlemania on the ECW title, but that's me personally.

Randy Orton came in with a slight advantage in having Ted DiBiase, and Cody Rhodes at his side, both of whom were in within seven entrants of him with Cody at No. 15 and only JTG coming in between of Orton and DiBiase, who drew No. 10.

Eight stars lasted over 30 minutes and one-(Finlay) last 29 minutes and 59 seconds. All three Legacy members were in that bunch as well as Triple H, Mike Knox, Undertaker, Chris Jericho, and Rey Mysterio, who entered at one and was eliminated 19th.

The end saw Triple H eliminate DiBiase, then Rhodes, and Orton snuck up and eliminated Triple H for the victory.

There are is sorts of significance around this Rumble. Orton going to Wrestlemania, Rob Vam Dam making his return to the WWE, Brain Kendrick only being in for 15 seconds, yet managing an elimination.

This Rumble's major significance was that the "Age of Orton" really has begun and the torch was probably passed from Triple H to Orton with his elimination.

The WWE may very well be Orton's for the taking.

This has been an Assassins article.