Five Ways the WWE Royal Rumble Match Could Be One To Remember

Good day to the B/R community. Today's slide show is a topic that seems to be in question: Can anything truly save this year's Royal Rumble match?

At this year's Royal Rumble, there is an unprecedented 40 participants to enter what used to be the 30-Man Over-The-Top-Rope Battle Royal Match.

Now, many members of the all-knowing IWC claim that this is only a bad move, as they expect things to go downhill once the match itself gets underway. I have to disagree with this, because let's not forget: It's the WWE we're talking about.

Sure, they have presented some foolish ideas to us in the past, but they have also risen to the occasion when need be.

I believe that they know they're in a dilemma, and due to the viewers' low expectations, I believe their product come this Sunday will deliver.

There are some things that can indeed make this Royal Rumble something to remember. The following ideas are only my opinions only, so feel free to disagree as you please.

Shall we continue?


1. Stare-Downs Amongst Those Megastars

There comes a time in every Royal Rumble match when two superstars get the spotlight.

I can clearly remember the moment when Triple H and Stone Cold teasingly stared each other down at the 2002 Royal Rumble event.

At the 2007 Royal Rumble, Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker had this stand-out moment. Hell, at the 2008 Royal Rumble, these were the first two entrants and they, again, had the crowd going.

Also at the 2008 Royal Rumble, Triple H, John Cena and Batista were the last three participants and their stare-downs alone sent the crowd into hysteria as they taunted one another.

These veterans very well know what they're doing when they have those stare-downs and tease the crowds into having a potential Wrestlemania matchup.

This may sound like it's only a small deal, but I realised that these little things help to make any Royal Rumble match quite the memorable one. It's the littlest things that count, you know.

2. Kane Decimates The Competition

We all know of Kane's reputation when it comes to the Royal Rumble. The Big Red Monster has done a masterful job in making his name known when it comes to the annual event and rightfully so.

As of now, Kane has the record for the most eliminations in a single Royal Rumble event, having thrown 11 participants over the top rope at the 2001 event.

Kane also has the record of most consecutive appearances in Royal Rumble history. The Big Red Monster even has the record for having eliminating a participant (Santino Marella, 2009) in the quickest time, a single second.

As of now, Kane is in line for breaking yet another record: Total Eliminations In Cumulative Royal Rumble History. Shawn Michaels is in the lead, having eliminated 39 participants altogether.

Stone Cold Steve Austin has a total of 36 participants, while Kane has 35 in total. With Shawn Michaels and Stone Cold out of the picture, Kane has the opportunity to make the Royal Rumble truly synonymous with his name. Will he do it?

I'd love to see him draw the No. 1 spot. Hey, if The Undertaker got dibs on Wrestlemania, it's only fair that Kane get dibs on Wrestlemania's younger brother... That didn't sound right.

3. There Goes That Inter-Promotional Spark

We all know a rivalry begins at the Royal Rumble event most of the time. What's even better than this? Why, an inter-promotional matchup of course.

Lately, the WWE have had their superstars from one show frequently appear on the other, which is a superb idea in my opinion.

The idea of having an inter-promotional match spark in the midst of a Royal Rumble really works, as the feud usually goes to Wrestlemania. Can you remember the epic rivalry of Kurt Angle and Shawn Michaels? Yes, they would go on to sporadically face off at many events in 2005.

If the WWE can manage to execute a well-planned storyline, we may just have another big feud ahead in the year. It would entail the usual heel tactic: If a face throws a heel out of the ring, have the heel go back and illegally eliminate the face.

Obviously, it should be two of the WWE's best performers because, quite frankly, I can do with a great surprise inter-promotional rivalry about now. Seriously.

4. The New Nexus and The Corre Cannot Be Contained

This is one of the aspects of the Royal Rumble match that I truly believe can give the Royal Rumble something special; something with an air of "different."

Why not have the New Nexus and The Corre clash in what can be only described as "chaotic" and "disastrous"? It should be something that could define the two stables' relationship and dislike towards one another.

Both groups should spitefully cause the other to be eliminated, down to the last member, depending on who gets eliminated first.

The groups should blatantly disobey the referees' orders to not step foot in the ring after being eliminated, destroy the other group's members, throw them out and begin a massive brawl that leads into the backstage area.

Perhaps this could pave the way for New Nexus versus The Corre, or CM Punk versus Wade Barrett, at Wrestlemania 27? I don't know which direction the WWE will decide on with respect to the stables' relationship, be it partners or enemies.

What we saw in the past could have all been a ploy as part of the "bigger picture" to take over both Raw and Smackdown... Just saying.

5. And the Winner Is...

Someone who has never held a world title. Someone who needs the spotlight.

The past Royal Rumble winners were, in order from 2001 to 2010, Stone Cold, Triple H, Brock Lesnar, Chris Benoit, Batista, Rey Mysterio, The Undertaker, John Cena, Randy Orton and Edge. The past four victors did not need the victories, yet it only made their careers even greater.

Remember how it felt when Chris Benoit won the Royal Rumble? We knew that he more than deserved the honor because he truly was that great. Remember how we felt when Brock Lesnar and Batista won the Royal Rumble?

We knew that they were amateurs of the business; they were not in the industry for long, but we knew they could deliver. They were underdogs, and I liked that. That's the kind of feeling that I want to feel once more.

For some odd reason, I can't help but think that this year's Wrestlemania will be youth-oriented. Perhaps the year of 2011 is the year of young superstars on the rise. It's my point of view that the winner of the Royal Rumble match ultimately affects how well the match itself really was.

Hopefully, this year has the stage set for a "Cinderalla" story, or just a shocking win from an underdog. Alberto Del Rio, John Morrison, Drew McIntyre, David Otunga and Sheamus come to mind... Imagine how intense the match would be if the last "X" number of superstars are underdogs. Epic.

However, I dare to wonder if my perspective would get Wrestlemania tickets sold... Perhaps a John Cena victory is in the works? If so, then I'd willingly forget that the 2011 Royal Rumble match even took place.

Closing Words

I thank you for your time yet again, Bleachers. Feedback would be fantastic, because I'd like to know what you all think about my views. Tell me what you think can help save the Royal Rumble this year.

Remember, these were only MY opinions, and everyone has their own. If you disagree, I'm open to listen. Thanks, again.

I'll be hearing from you all soon, because I'm working on another article. See you then.