Rumble 2013

[PSF]

So usually after survivor series you can get a feeling of whose going to be winning the rumble. Everyone's thinking Cena for this year I assume?

 

Personally I'm thinking that's its going to be Taker. I think that Rock will beat Punk for the title at Rumble then go on to defend against Cena at EC, there's no way he's defending it in the chamber. Then we go onto Taker vs Rock at Mania. The rock is one of two, maybe three men that are big enough to face Taker at mania, the others being Lesnar and Cena. Cena vs Taker will be saved for Wm30 and I think we will be getting Lesnar Hhh 2 at mania.

 

So what's everyone else's thoughts?

[PunkStep]

Yeah I called Cena a while back too, along with Rock winning the title from Punk. I'm sticking with that unless something drastic makes me change my mind.

[sivy]

I was thinking Ryback to win the Rumble to meet Big Show at Mania. Cena wins EC to meet Rock at WM.

[zep81]

Can't see Taker/Rock at Mania tbh, im still doubting Taker's appearance next year. I definetly think Lesnar/HHH is a cert it seems, which is a shame, maybe Lesnar/Rock I wouldn't mind.

[Swift89]

Rock beats Punk, Cena wins the Rumble. Rock/Cena face-off to end the show. Title is not defended at Elimination Chamber, maybe they advertise a contract signing between them at the PPV or something?

 

Mania is then Rock/Cena, Taker/Punk and Lesnar/HHH as the top 3 matches.

[KingOfMetal]

Rock beats Punk, Cena wins the Rumble. Rock/Cena face-off to end the show. Title is not defended at Elimination Chamber, maybe they advertise a contract signing between them at the PPV or something?

 

Mania is then Rock/Cena, Taker/Punk and Lesnar/HHH as the top 3 matches.

 

its great how they only remember the 30 day rule on certain occasions

[ClassicsGuy]

My predictions:

 

Ziggler cashes in MITB at TLC next month and becomes World Champion.

 

Rumble:

Rock beats Punk to win WWE title.

Ryback wins the Rumble.

Ziggler beats Sheamus to retain World title, when Big Show interferes.

 

Elim Chamber:

Cena wins RAW Chamber match to earn WM29 shot at Rock (no title on line during this, Rock not at ppv).

Ziggler retains against the odds in a Smackdown Chamber title match.

 

WM29:

Cena beats Rock for WWE title

Undertaker beats Punk

HHH beats Lesnar

Ryback beats Ziggler for World title

Sheamus beats Big Show in feud blow off match.

[Jambo]

Ziggler cashes in during th opener of the show.

 

Punk over Rock dirty.

 

Rock is surprise entrant in the Rumble and goes over Cena.

 

Punk over clean at Mania as I can't see Rocky being up for the schedule.

[Froggivizal_Version1.0]

An Elimination Chamber PPV where both Chamber matches are to determine who'll open up 'Mania seems like a disaster to me. If The Rock can't defend the title, he shouldn't be on the show. Thats the only way it should happen. The Chambers should be World Title Chamber and a No #1 Contender for The Rock Chamber (Star-Studded one - Punk/Cena/Bryan/Show any heavy hitter they have left.) Plus, it means that during The Rock's appearances, he can interact with all 6 men in the Chamber, as opposed to just interacting with Cena for 2 months again.

 

So in that case, Ryback to win the Rumble. I think it'd create an interesting dynamic with Ryback as No #1 Contender, Big Show as Champ, Sheamus lurking in the background and then Ziggler with the briefcase. He could threaten to cash it in for weeks, only to get sidetracked and leave. It'd be amazing to see Dolph run in with the case to cash in on Show, only for him to get up and clench his fist as soon as Ziggler runs in the ring causing him to just duck and run out the other side and to the back. There's so much you can do with that dynamic.

 

Plus Ryback's story lends itself to a Rumble victory perfectly. Screwed out of 2 title opportunities, just fended off a group of thugs in order to do the impossible. Following the booking of last night, he can't do anything but win. He'd look weak otherwise. There's only so many ways you can take him out of a victory.

[Jackpot]

Ziggler wins the Rumble.

 

Cashes in MITB at Mania on whoever the WHC champ is, then beats Punk for the WWE and holds both titles.

[PunkStep]

Sheamus beats Big Show in feud blow off match.

A blow off match 4 months away? No way, the feud will be finished after TLC.

[The Invisible Boy]

I can see the predictable Rock beats Punk at Rumble and Cena wins the Rumble, sets up Rock and Cena two for Wrestlemania.

 

Then with the World Title I suppose that's less predictable but I'd say maybe Sheamus and Big Show or Sheamus and Orton. Maybe having Dolph cash in.

 

I'd hope it'd be something less predictable with Punk going in as Champion against Rock and Cena. Hell maybe even have a Wrestlemania 2000esque storyline with Heyman in Punk's corner, Vince in The Rock's corner, Lawler in Ryback's corner and AJ in Cena's corner. And then have Punk go in with absolutely no way to get out of it and all of the odds stacked against him only to get his first win without any shenanigans or help or cheating or interference from anyone, including Heyman, maybe have Heyman taken out early in the match so there's no way he can interfere and then Punk does it all by himself for the first time in ages in a Title match.

 

For the World Title then go for Wade Barrett (who would win the Rumble) against Sheamus, do an Ireland vs England thing and make Barrett's first Title win at Wrestlemania.

[HarmonicGenerator]

I could see Ryback breaking Kane's 'number of eliminations' record, but I can't see him winning the Rumble. The fantasy booker in me would then continue by saying... (in spoiler tags because fantasy booking is often rubbish and I don't want to offend anyone):

 

<-- click on 'spoiler' to show/hide the spoiler

Kane and Ryback brawl to the back - Ryback isn't eliminated from the Rumble. We then get either Ryback vs. Kane or Ryback vs. Daniel Bryan at Elimination Chamber, which in the first instance leads to Kane vs. Bryan at WrestleMania (which could be a good little match - or a redo of last year's Sheamus match, either way it'd be a nice addition to the card) or in the second instance leads to Kane vs. Ryback (which gives Ryback a decent storyline going into Mania without too much drawing responsibility on his shoulders, plus it's a match they can happily have him win).

 

[close spoiler]

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As for who'd win the Rumble, I don't know, I could see Rock winning to face Cena (as Champion) but that's solely because I don't know how they'd get round Rock winning the title in January and then barely being there for, presumably, the following month.

[cleslie92]

The big problem with Rock winning at the Rumble is that Rock is definitely not going to work three months of house shows, so WWE would be worried of losing money by not having the champion on the show. What about Punk beating Rock at Royal Rumble, possibly due to interference of this new group, but Rock then entering the Rumble as a surprise, winning it, and setting up a re-match against Punk?

 

If Rock wins the title at Rumble and takes it away, a heel will need to chase it. Disappearing with the belt and inviting the chase is not a move that makes sense for the Rock's character.

 

Cena may well win the title in the chamber to go into Mania instead of Punk, but I think it would make more sense the other way around. For me, The Rock wins it at Mania, and then vacates it the next day with an emotional retirement speech.

 

As for the WHC, I too see Ziggler winning at TLC, and it is possible that Rock could lose to Punk at the Rumble and get his re-match at Mania without winning the Rumble, so in that case I might go for Ryback to win and challenge Ziggler.

[air_raid]

So usually after survivor series you can get a feeling of whose going to be winning the rumble. Everyone's thinking Cena for this year I assume?

 

Except most of us thought it would be Cena the second Rock announced he would challenge for the belt at the PPV. Cena winning the Rumble to secure an earth-shattering Rocky rematch is the only way I can see the show ending. Unless they let Rock waving the belt around go on last.

 

Incidentally re : Ryback. In the Hell In A Cell discussion thread I said the mods can close my account if Ryback wins, and I stand by that. There is no way they won't use the Rumble to set up Rock's Mania opponent and that ain't Ryback.

 

Also anyone thinking Rock can't take the title if he isn't defending it on Elimination Chamber or appearing is a pleb. They can have two massive Chamber matches with exactly the same roster they have relied on at every PPV since 'Mania, and everything will be fine. Even a casual like me who orders the Rumble and Mania and then nearly always nothing until the next Rumble always watches Elimination Chamber as it shapes Mania and is usually a good show.

 

A blow off match 4 months away? No way, the feud will be finished after TLC.

 

He knows. TLC by its nature is there to give you gimmick matches with decisive winners to sort out feuds with previous history of wonky finishes, like Show/Henry last year and Show/Sheamus this. If it's still going on after TLC, I hope it's not with Sheamus still chasing, that would require lots more whining from Sheamus about being cheated which I really don't care for from big hard babyfaces.

 

Ziggler wins the Rumble.

 

Cashes in MITB at Mania on whoever the WHC champ is, then beats Punk for the WWE and holds both titles.

 

I think even the most ardent Ziggler supporter would argue that this would be overkill. It's only a good idea if they are unifying the titles, and Ziggler sure isn't the man to do that.

 

I am surprised no one has ever been holding the briefcase, won a title shot through another means (such as winning the Rumble) then in that particular title shot, given it their best but when they realized it wasn't going to happen, brutally annihilate the champion with a chair and get disqualified, but then cash in and pin the champion who is fucked. I was convinced Edge was going to do that to Big Dave when he won the Gold Rush in 2005.

 

The big problem with Rock winning at the Rumble is that Rock is definitely not going to work three months of house shows, so WWE would be worried of losing money by not having the champion on the show.

 

You buy a ticket to see WWE, not "the WWE title defended." All the small children that talk their parents into buying a ticket to see John Cena aren't going to give a shit whether he is champion or not, and in any case house shows are frequently main evented by meaningless tag or six man tag matches anyway. They'll draw precisely the same amount of fans to the shows with the Rock-less roster they have now, even if he has the belt. Besides, tickets for house shows go on sale (and the bulk of tickets purchased) months ahead of the show, with only a handful of names announced as to who is appearing. No one in Bumfuck, Idaho is going to say "what, I don't get to see a WWE title match in which I already know there is <0% chance of it changing hands? Nah, pass. I'll wait another six months to go and see my rasslin'."