WWE Royal Rumble 2011: My Picks To Win It All

This Sunday, World Wrestling Entertainment launches one of their most popular pay-per-views, the Royal Rumble.

With this year's Rumble having an exciting and astonishing 40 men, the chances of picking who will win it are even more challenging then the regular 30.

The Road to WrestleMania is almost here, so let's do it.

Here are my top picks to walk out of the Rumble with a sense of accomplishment and most of all, a smile on their faces.

John Cena

The Five Fingers Represents How Many Moves He Has in His Arsenal

I thought I'd go with the predictable route first with my first pick, our resident superhero, John Cena. Why you ask, well its quite obvious. With him being WWE's face and poster child, it's only normal that they would want their top seller to be in the main event.

Why It's Good

Anything with John Cena's face on it sells, whether it be tickets, shirts, crappy DVD, you name it, it sells. And with The Miz being the WWE Champion, I'm sure the WWE isn't confident to the point that they could put anybody with him as the Main-Event and be sure it will sell.

The Miz vs. John Morrison would not sell as much money as John Cena vs. The Miz would. He is the equal to superman and another Royal Rumble win would just add to his already Hall of Fame career.

He has a tremendous fan base (as you can probably tell, I'm not because I haven't been 10 in a long time) that would go bananas (as he would say, me, I would have went with ape shit) if he won the biggest Royal Rumble in history.

If he won, I'm either looking at two matches walking into WrestleMania, John Cena vs. The Miz (c) w/ Alex Riley for the WWE Championship, or John Cena vs. CM Punk (c) w/ The Nexus for the WWE Championship (Punk wins title at Elimination Chamber). Those two would be ticket selling matches that I would love to see.

Why It's Bad

He's John Cena, that's why it's bad. He can get a title shot whenever he pleases with just the snap of his fingers. The Rumble is used for two things.

1. Skip the three months of promos and main-event competition it would take for someone to face a champion that would make sense.

2. Help establish someone as a Main-Eventer

John Cena is already a main-eventer and it wouldn't make much sense for him to face The Miz or anybody else who might be champion come WrestleMania other then CM Punk. He has been feuding with the Nexus since August and has been feuding with Punk for almost a month as well.

CM Punk vs. John Cena is a match people want to see at WrestleMania, and it doesn't need a world title in the middle of it, either. 

CM Punk

The Leader of The "New" Nexus - CM Punk

Another predictable one for almost all the same reasons as John Cena except it's the opposite. As the top heel in the company, he gets immediate respect when it comes to who will win the Royal Rumble especially when he has four other men (David Otunga, Husky Harris, Michael McGillicutty, & Mason Ryan) as devoted as he is to help him win the match, much like Randy Orton's Legacy in 2009.

Why It's Good

As the top heel in the company he deserves a title match under one condition, it is against a face, and in this case that face would absolutely have to be John Cena.

He has tremendous mic skills and his in-ring ability is exciting as well which is why he would be a good pick to win and go onto WrestleMania's main-event, as he would make the match and the lead up to the match that much better.

He's also hated by many due to his heel status and his feud with John Cena which would make his win make people want to hate him more and would stir up the wrestling community.

Why It's Bad

It's too predictable that the top heel in the company who also has the help of four other guys would win the Royal Rumble and go onto main-event WrestleMania.

It's also bad because given his situation right now, the only person it would make sense for him to face at WrestleMania would be John Cena as he is the top face and the man Punk has been feuding with for over a month.

Finally as I've said before Punk vs. Cena is a mark-out match already, it does not need a world title in the middle of it.

Alberto Del Rio

He's Rich, He's Powerful, He's Handsome, He is Alberto Del Rio - But You Already Knew That

One that is not too predictable is the newest star of professional wrestling, the Mexican aristocrat Alberto Del Rio. He is about the closest you can get to a champion without actually getting one.

He shows up on both brands every week telling us that it is his destiny to win the Royal Rumble and go onto main-event WrestleMania, remember what happened the last time someone said it was his destiny to win something? (Cough Randy Cough Orton Cough).

Why It's Good

He is what every wrestling fan has been waiting for, a new face in the main-event title picture. He has the look and build of a champion.

Besides the fact that he was destined for greatness when WWE gave him the Mexican version of John "Bradshaw" Layfield gimmick, he can also talk on the mic (albeit the accent gets annoying every once and a while, but at least he doesn't speak whole paragraphs like Mysterio) and his in-ring ability is excellent as well.

He has the single greatest entrance I can remember in a long time and he has two of the sickest finishers in WWE right now (Enziguri & the Cross Arm Bar).

He can feud with either champion as he is not officially in a feud right now, and finally he is the man WWE seems to be fine with giving the ball to, time will only tell if he runs with it or drops it.

Why It's Bad

It may be too early, he just got here and we all know that rushing someones push can end up being the death of their career (Jack Swagger).

He hasn't gotten that one big victory yet as he has completely dominated all the jobbers and has a few clean victories over Rey Mysterio (his last needed the help of his ring announcer) but he hasn't beaten that one big cat yet, and until then no one will take him seriously as he advances towards a world title.

Finally, WWE's predictability is against him, tell everyone for weeks that he will win and he loses, it's happened before and it will happen again, and with Christian maybe coming back, predictability says he eliminates the man who "injured" him.

Triple H

The "King of Kings" Triple H

Yes! Someone surprising! No? Yeah, you're right. Triple H has been out of wrestling since Extreme Rules 2010 which was nine months ago.

Since then I think even the biggest Triple H haters can agree that he has been missed especially in a time where WWE has lost a lot of their guys due to injury, expired contracts and retirements.

So it would make sense for the only guy left in WWE who doesn't look like a frat boy to comeback and win the Rumble.

Why It's Good

He hasn't been in the title picture for an extremely long time and he is one of the only guys in the business that has the power to put people over, which is something The Miz needs right now.

A match at WrestleMania against Triple H though unlikely would be exactly what the Miz needs. It would get people talking about the returning Triple H coming in and winning the Royal Rumble an it would be exciting especially within the hearts of his fans who have missed him so much.

And the fact that he banging daddy's little girl helps him to (I know that's a cheap shot, He'd be okay with it,  I'm actually a big fan of his).

Why It's Bad

It wouldn't make much sense for him to win the Rumble and then go onto face some champion at WrestleMania especially when the man who put him on the shelf is just sitting there waiting for something to happen, you guesses it,

I'm talking about "King" Sheamus. He won the King of the Ring tournament for one thing and one thing only and that was for the whole Triple H being the King of Kings thing.

There is no doubt in my mind that not only will Hunter return at the Royal Rumble, not only eliminate Sheamus to continue their feud, but I would not be surprised at all if he returned to the King of Kings song by Motorhead.

You have to finish what you started, and him skipping Sheamus to get to the champion doesn't make sense. Finally we would never hear the end of it from all the haters that he's gonna main-event again for the title.

Chris Jericho

The Best in the World At What He Does - Chris Jericho

Even if you hate him or love him (I love him), you can't deny the sheer star-power Chris Jericho brings with him no matter where he goes, and even though he is not technically under contract with WWE, he is still a top pick of mine to return at the Rumble and win it for the first time in his amazing career.

I know the interview he had recently where he said he has no plans on returning may make you think this is a wasted pick, but you can't listen to what Jericho says in interviews as he contradicts himself constantly.

A few months before that interview when being asked about his impending expired contract he said that he would love to re-sign, because he feels he is better then he ever has been, so I think its just a load of bull so that he will make us not expect it.

Why It's Good

Why isn't it good should be the question? He's been gone nearly four months and WWE's missed him. He has the ability to make you love him and make you hate him which is terribly hard to find in a man.

His return to win the Rumble would be one of the most talked about things in a long time as well as the fact that him being in the main-event in WrestleMania facing The Miz will free WWE from this ludicrous thought that they need to shove Cena or Randy Orton in there.

He is another one of those men who can put people over, but he can also do what only one other man at heel can do. Put heels over when you are in part heel yourself (The Undertaker is the only one I can think of).

He could have a great match against The Miz and lose and put him over without it hurting Jericho as well.  Finally it would add another accomplishment to his Hall of Fame Career.

Why It's Bad

This too would not make sense as he was put on the shelf by Randy Orton, so him not even seeking retaliation or even a wrestling match would be ludicrous.

He can't even eliminate Orton in the Rumble because he's not even in it. The only way it would make sense is if Orton were to win the title and have them square it off at WrestleMania, but then that would have made The Miz's title reign pointless. 

Christian

Captain Charisma's Peeps Want to See the Title Around His Waste Come After WrestleMania

I saved the best for last, as this would just be freaking awesome. Have Captain Charisma (C.C. as Jonathan Coachman used to call him) return from his pectoral injury at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view (the same pay-per-view keep in mind that everybody in the world expects his best-friend Edge to beat Dolph Ziggler and retain the World Heavyweight title) in the Royal Rumble match and win.

This would be a dream/miracle if it were to happen. Christian is one of the hardest working men in wrestling and he has no WWE titles to show for it (unless you count the ECW Title, no go ahead and laugh, it's okay). It is his time, the timing could not be any better, it is his Rumble to win, and if Vinny Mac can't see that, then he really is a jackass.

Why It's Good

WWE has taunted us with the potential Edge vs. Christian match for almost two years now and they have yet to deliver, every time they had a chance they would just throw it to the side, well, we are tired of waiting.

Edge is the current Word Heavyweight Champion, he is facing an up-start with potential in Dolph Ziggler. Ziggler is clearly not going to win, Christian is returning from a pectoral injury, he has every reason to win.

Win the Rumble shock the hell out of the Internet wrestling community, the WWE Universe, CANADA! And then the next night on Raw tell the world that you will face your old pal Edge, a nice little promo maybe a little wrastlin' and BAM! You have your dream main-event at the biggest show in sports entertainment, WrestleMania

Why It's Bad

You're truly an idiot if you think there is something wrong with Christian winning the Rumble, "And may God have mercy on your soul" (Billy Madison FTW!)

Honorable Mentions

World Wrestling Entertainment

1. John Morrison - Has received a big push lately and had that match of the year candidate against the Miz, why not a rematch?

2. The Big Show - He's the World's Largest Athlete, so he has that going for him.

3. Drew McIntyre - More shocking things have happened.

4. Jack Swagger -Even more shocking things have happened.

5. Kane - I doubt it considering he just dropped the World Heavyweight Championship after a long reign, and he has the most eliminations in a single Rumble in history (11).

6. Rey Mysterio - Wouldn't make much sense, but you never know.

7. The Undertaker - I wish, but unfortunately it's not even a given he'll make it back in time from his torn rotator-cuff for WrestleMania (He will because he's just the man).

8. Wade Barrett - He's got all the tools, but I think it's too early for him right now.

Predictions For The Kids

WWE Royal Rumble 2011

Here are my predictions for the remainder of the match card.

1. The Miz (c) w/ Alex Riley vs. Randy Orton in a Singles Match for the WWE Championship

WINNER: (And still WWE Champion) The Miz

Why? It would make no sense to have him drop the belt now, it would make his reign pointless, look for another dirty victory with help from Alex Riley or even a disqualification.

2. Edge (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler w/ Vickie Guerrero in a Singles Match with the Stipulation That Edge Cannot Use the Spear, Otherwise He Loses for the World Heavyweight Championship

WINNER: (And still World Heavyweight Champion) Edge

Why? For the dream, son! Edge vs. Christian, haven't you been paying attention?

3. Natalya (c) vs. Lay-Cool (Layla & Michelle McCool) in a 2-on1 Handicap Match for the WWE Divas Championship

WINNER: (And still WWE Divas Champion) Natalya

Why? Natalya is actually a good wrestler, no knock on Lay-Cool, but she actually has the power to intrigue people with her in-ring ability. And it would make no sense for Lay-Cool to just win the title out of no where almost three months after they lost it.

Expect Natalya to carry the title into WrestleMania and defend it against Beth Phoenix & Amazing Kong (that would be a sick Divas Match).