"WWE Royal Rumble" Talkback (Spoilers)

[The Penguin]

The Road to WrestleMania officially starts tonight with the Royal Rumble! The 20th version of this event comes to you live from the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. In addition to the Rumble match itself all three brands' Heavyweight Championships will be on-line.

Tonight will indeed be the most star-studded Royal Rumble match ever as grapplers from RAW, SmackDown! and ECW will all compete in the 30-man battle royal. The field includes three past Rumble winners, five current title holders and 12 former Heavyweight Champions. In all, 24 of the 30 combatants have held a championship in WWE or ECW.


http://www.wwe.com/content/media/touts/feature/29062/3903054

Royal Rumble Match
RAW Superstars
Shelton Benjamin, Carlito, Kenny Dykstra, World Tag Team Champion Edge, Ric Flair, Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy, Shawn Michaels, Johnny Nitro, Chris Masters, World Tag Team Champion Randy Orton, The Great Khali, Viscera, Super Crazy
SmackDown! Superstars
United States Champion Chris Benoit, Finlay, Chavo Guerrero, Matt Hardy, Cruiserweight Champion Gregory Helms, Kane, King Booker, The Miz, Montel Vontavious Porter, The Undertaker,
ECW Extremists
Tommy Dreamer, Hardcore Holly, CM Punk, Sabu, Sandman, Kevin Thorn, Rob Van Dam

WWE Championship
Last Man Standing Match
Champion
John Cena
vs.
Umaga
with Armando Estrada

World Heavyweight Championship
Champion
Batista
vs.
Mr. Kennedy

ECW World Title
Champion
Bobby Lashley
vs.
Test

The Hardys
vs.
MNM
with Melina


Please remember this thread is to talk about the EVENT. To talk about your picks, go to the Prediction Thread (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=182746). This includes how you did should you deem it necessary (it's not). This is not the place for "I've gotten two right" type posts.

[EinBebop]

I'm borrowing the show tomorrow. Tonight I ordered WWE 24/7, and I'm watching Royal Rumble '96... Bodydonnas vs Smoking Gunns for the tag titles!

I loved Sunny.

[VCXZX]

^ me too. Sadly times have changed.

So apprently based on that Wrestlemania commercial, Klasky-Csupo is producing this year's Mania. What a lame title for a Mania.

Lol at JBL: "5 minutes in this world title match and Batista's already injured." JBL is GREAT.

Loud "Kennedy" chants. it shows how much Batista has fallen in the eyes of his fans because of his sloppy wrestling. Kennedy did very well despite the loss. One of his best matches to date despite Batista.

[Jin Kazama]

So I guess it's a lock now that a heel will win the Rumble. I really doubt Cena will loose, and I can't see them having a face win every match on the card, even if it's only, like, five matches.

[EinBebop]

As I watch Royal Rumble 96, I think it's worth noting that this is the 10-yr anniversary of the first PPV appearance of two of WWE's biggest stars:

http://www.obsessedwithwrestling.com/pictures/k/kane/40.jpghttp://www.obsessedwithwrestling.com/pictures/04/austindibiase.jpg

EDIT: Oh, crap, this is eleven years, isn't it? I don't care... it's still funny to me.

[VCXZX]

Rumble was very good sans for Kahli and Michaels disposing of a lot of great talent. Michaels and Taker as the last 2 was great and the right wrestler won. Congrats to Taker.

Sadly this may mean the end of Taker's coveted Mania wining streak though.

[FireStarterLE]

well if he retires this year, at least he's going to be in one of the final matches on the greatest stage (ie WrestleMania) and hey if WWE takes into consideration how many fans were against Batista and has the Undertaker challenge him, he may yet win.

[EinBebop]

EXTREME count out!

Did they make any mention of the fact that it was at the Rumble exactly a decade ago that Undertaker put Shawn out of wrestling for six years?

[Spike Mcdougal]

I dont think I've ever seen the final two go at it for that long, probably the best ending to a Rumble ever.

That could have been a cool thing with guys getting thrown out and landing on the table (Not going through it) and getting back in

[Ahiru-kun]

That was a suprising way Cena took out Umaga.

So Taker won. The WWE has to know that if Batista ends Undertaker's winning streak, the WrestleMania fans will riot.

[email2003]

Taker won huh!? Oh well. Not bad. I'm going to SmackDown! this Tuesday here in Houston so I guess the hometown "Deadman" will get a great response from his hometown crowd.

So.......who's gonna face "The Chump" at WrestleMania then!? HBK!?:sweat:

[PTurkey]

Cena-Umaga was actually pretty good. The "Overcoming the Odds" gimmick Cena has is still very lame though.

I'm disappointed in the lack of surprise entrants in the Rumble. That's really my only problem with it. I really like how a #30 finally won the Rumble.

Li'l Prince Booker in the WM ad was by far the highlight of the night. Umaga running across tables be damned; kids dressed up as King Booker and Queen Sharmell is friggin' PLATINUM.

[TnAdct1]

So.......who's gonna face "The Chump" at WrestleMania then!? HBK!?:sweat: According to some early word, Cena will likely be facing Edge and Randy Orton in a triple threat match for the title.

[hobbyfan]

EXTREME count out!

Did they make any mention of the fact that it was at the Rumble exactly a decade ago that Undertaker put Shawn out of wrestling for six years?

Actually, that was the '98 Rumble.

[The Penguin]

I figured Taker would win with the build he has had with Batista the past couple of weeks, but I was disappointed to see he was 30 again. Taker is not going to fight his way through the entire field, but no one is that lucky to end up as the final pick that many times. This is his third time. It's almost predictable. I feel the "curse of #30" was wasted on Taker's win.


Actually, that was the '98 Rumble.And if you count 1998, that was 10 years ago. Like how WrestleMania X was in 1994 and not the debut year (1985) plus 10.

[EinBebop]

Crap, I can keep years straight.

[Tapout]

Well, at least the Royal Rumble is one thing even WWE can't screw up. I couldn't even be bothered to watch the rest of the card, but the Rumble match itself was great.

I know all signs are pointing to Batista/Taker at WrestleMania, but I would love to see Undertaker pull a Benoit and challenge Cena for the title. Then the streak can remain intact and he'll hopefully go out on top, leading to a tournament for the vacant WWE Championship which Cena should not win.

[bigddan11]

I know all signs are pointing to Batista/Taker at WrestleMania, but I would love to see Undertaker pull a Benoit and challenge Cena for the title. Then the streak can remain intact and he'll hopefully go out on top, leading to a tournament for the vacant WWE Championship which Cena should not win.

The ECW title should fall under the same category of discretion now as well since they had ECW Extremists in the Royal Rumble.

[The Penguin]

I know all signs are pointing to Batista/Taker at WrestleMania, but I would love to see Undertaker pull a Benoit and challenge Cena for the title. Then the streak can remain intact and he'll hopefully go out on top, leading to a tournament for the vacant WWE Championship which Cena should not win.Regardless of of the title he challenges for, I would be very surprised if Undertaker retired as a Heavyweight Champion. You just don't do that, it's the title that defines and drives the brand. You can't have somebody go home with it. It's part of the reason why Vince McMahon screwed Bret Hart.


The ECW title should fall under the same category of discretion now as well since they had ECW Extremists in the Royal Rumble.Well officially it does, but I doubt anyone expects Undertaker (or anyone else in the future really) to jump to ECW. This is the WrestleMania main event we are talking about here.

[Tapout]

Regardless of of the title he challenges for, I would be very surprised if Undertaker retired as a Heavyweight Champion. You just don't do that, it's the title that defines and drives the brand. You can't have somebody go home with it. It's part of the reason why Vince McMahon screwed Bret Hart.Bret Hart wasn't retiring, he was going to WCW and everyone knew it. Its not like he was planning to retire, then after the "screwjob" decided to go to Atlanta. And I think that the reason its not done often, because in wrestling, like every other sport, how many guys actually retire before they physically cannot do it anymore? If UT wins either belt at 'Mania then comes out on Raw and gives his big goodbye speech, his age combined with his gimmick will prevent him from making either sporadic appearances like Mick Foley or a miracle comeback like Shawn Michaels. Once the Undertaker is gone, he's gonna stay gone and he, more than anyone in probably the last 30 years, deserves to go out on top.

[The Penguin]

Bret Hart wasn't retiring, he was going to WCW and everyone knew it. Its not like he was planning to retire, then after the "screwjob" decided to go to Atlanta. And I think that the reason its not done often, because in wrestling, like every other sport, how many guys actually retire before they physically cannot do it anymore? If UT wins either belt at 'Mania then comes out on Raw and gives his big goodbye speech, his age combined with his gimmick will prevent him from making either sporadic appearances like Mick Foley or a miracle comeback like Shawn Michaels. Once the Undertaker is gone, he's gonna stay gone and he, more than anyone in probably the last 30 years, deserves to go out on top.
Bottom line is the belt wasn't left on a guy who was going out. Vince told Bret he was going out as Champion and the veteran was naive enought to believe him. Undertaker will not retire with the Heavyweight Championship. It's not done, you just don't do that. The last time it was done, wrestling was still kind of a sport.

Undertaker will go out in a meaningful way, but he will not be World Champion when he does. The man has been "on top" for 15 years-plus and has been Champion for a mere fraction of that.

[EinBebop]

Because Undertaker's rarely been the guy with the belt, I think it gets overlooked how important he's been to the company... easily standing up there with Austin and Rock. But you could make the argument that his fifteen-plus years of consistently bringing in the crowds sets him apart from those two, and we can only speculate what he means to the company internally.

Yeah, I'm not his hugest fan. And I think the idea of letting a guy retire as champion is a bad idea... even a Hogan, Austin, or Rock. Yet the idea of Undertaker going out as champ doesn't seem to bother me. Maybe it wouldn't destroy the business to make a once-in-a-lifetime exception to the "passing the torch" rule.

[Spike Mcdougal]

Noone's going to mention that Trish retired as the Women's Champion.

I know different title, different division, (obviously)different gender and yes she did relenquish it the next night but it did happen

[Jin Kazama]

I find it more funny that people are still talking about Undertaker retiring. It comes up every year around this time. Hell, I remember them talking about his match with Flair at X-8 being a double retirement match for both of them.

If Undertaker is in the Hall of Fame list this year, then I'll see it. Maybe. I've always figured Taker would be the first active wrestler inducted.

Undertaker's never shyed from working with new talent (putting them over is another thing, but that's another story). I've always figured that if he did go, he'd bow out quietly. Not on the biggest stage of them all.

[The Penguin]

Noone's going to mention that Trish retired as the Women's Champion.

I know different title, different division, (obviously)different gender and yes she did relenquish it the next night but it did happenI didn't mention it because it is so different. The Women's Title doesn't even compare to the Heavyweight Title.

[Hyper Shadow X]

Even though i didn't see this show I would just like to see the rumble itself because I'd like to see Micheals and Undertaker beating the hell out of each other. because i was always a fan of their matches 9 years ago.