WWE Royal Rumble Is Better Than WrestleMania

There is a childlike excitement that accompanies the WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view that no other show can replicate.

Not even WrestleMania.

The Royal Rumble is an action-packed event that sets the stage for the biggest show of the year and continuously leaves fans guessing. Who will emerge from the namesake bouts victoriously? Which Superstars will leave the pay-per-view as champions? What are WWE's plans for WrestleMania?

Nearly all of those answers are provided in a single night, making the show the most exciting, anticipated, intriguing and beloved show on the WWE schedule.

The Suspense

It is ironic that a countdown clock is so closely associated with the Royal Rumble event. The suspense surrounding the next Superstar out is a huge reason fans have fallen in love with the event since its inception in 1988.

There is something about the excitement of not knowing who is coming through the curtain next that creates a giddiness among fans. The visual of the audience rising to its feet and holding its collective breath in anticipation of a Superstar's theme music is awe-inspiring.

The moment that a brand-new Superstar shocks them, making their way to a WWE ring for the first time, is even more magical.

The Surprise

The Royal Rumble has become as much about the surprise entries as giving fans a taste of what to expect from the Road to WrestleMania.

In 2008, fans were treated to one of the most unforgettable moments in Rumble history when John Cena returned from a serious pectoral injury some five months ahead of schedule to win the 30-man match.

Drawing a huge ovation from the Madison Square Garden fans, the franchise star of WWE eliminated Triple H to cash his ticket to The Showcase of the Immortals and set the standard for surprise entries, which has yet to be eclipsed.

Though that is not to say WWE has not tried.

In 2016, Roman Reigns found himself awaiting the next entrant into the Rumble match. He and the rest of the WWE Universe were stunned when AJ Styles made his long-speculated debut and changed the course of the company.

Six years earlier, Beth Phoenix followed Chyna's lead to become only the second woman to enter a Rumble match. While The Ninth Wonder of the World's entry was expected, no one would have thought The Glamazon would hit the ring, lure The Great Khali into a kiss and pull him over the top rope for a memorable elimination.

Then there are the returning legends and NXT call-ups who have been sprinkled throughout the history of the match. From Andrade "Cien" Almas' run in the 2018 match to "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka's showdown in 2008, the match has made great use of Superstars past, present and future to create moments fans will remember.

The Intrigue

As the first pay-per-view of the year and the official start of the Road to WrestleMania, the Royal Rumble carries a certain level of intrigue that leaves fans more invested and excited than a seven-year-old on Christmas morning.

Everyone wants to know exactly what WWE is planning, from feuds to matches to angles, and the event typically gives them a few answers.

New champions are crowned. Others successfully defend their titles. The Rumble winner gives the audience insight as to which main event might headline WrestleMania. 

Whereas The Grandaddy of Them All is the culmination of the journey, Royal Rumble is the launching point for the roller coaster of emotions.

That intrigue is unmatched by any other show on the roster, simply because fans are so excited and genuinely want to know what to expect. In that sense, the Royal Rumble is WWE's chance to make a great first impression on its fanbase at the most significant point of its year.

Nonstop Action

There is pageantry and grandeur to WrestleMania that demands larger-than-life entrances and lengthier video packages. The pomp, circumstance and spectacle of the whole thing oftentimes distract from the wrestling to the point that there have been more and more disappointing in-ring returns than one would hope for.

That is not the case with the Royal Rumble.

From the championship-heavy undercard to the Rumble matches, the action cuts a furious pace and does not let up until the end of the show.

The best incarnations of the event feature bouts that are as good as, if not better than, the namesake match. In 2000, we witnessed Triple H and Cactus Jack tear down Madison Square Garden with an all-time great Street Fight that established The Game as a bona fide main event attraction.

We witnessed Seth Rollins flip the proverbial bird to his doubters, outshining John Cena and Brock Lesnar in a magnificent Triple Threat match for the WWE Championship. Kevin Owens amazed against both Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose in consecutive years. Bret Hart dragged the best match of a young Kevin Nash's career out of him in 1995.

Those bouts, as well as countless others, have helped elevate the show beyond its gimmicky main event and cement its place in the hearts and minds of fans. And rightfully so.

The Stakes

Not only does the winner of the Royal Rumble go to WrestleMania to face the WWE or universal champion, but the company gets its first taste of the WWE Universe's feelings on the upcoming mega event.

The excitement fans felt after the 2018 show—which featured Shinsuke Nakamura and Asuka respectively winning the men's and women's Rumble matches, the debut of Ronda Rousey and a successful title defense for AJ Styles—afforded the company some momentum heading into WrestleMania.

The same cannot be said for 2015, a show that featured the painfully predictable Roman Reigns Rumble win and a lack of outside-the-box booking.

Yes, we are conditioned to believe there is so much riding on the matches up and down the card, but in reality, the highest stakes are for the company. Poor or mediocre booking can set it up for a Road to WrestleMania strewn with questions, criticisms and thunderous choruses of boos.

The Rumble is the launching point, and like any movie with a crappy first act, the emotions it evokes will dictate the company's WrestleMania season.