WWE kicked off its PPV schedule for 2013 with all that we can expect throughout the coming year - laughs, shocks, thrilling action, controversy and the continued presence of the Great Khali. The Royal Rumble match was short compared to previous instalments but provided enough excitement to keep the crowd entertained and satisfied, with John Cena eventually winning the prestigious contest by lastly eliminating Ryback. However, the crowd were mostly pumped up for the shock returns of both Goldust and Chris Jericho, who lasted over forty minutes from his entry at No. 2. Stellar performances from Sheamus, Cody Rhodes, Kofi Kingston, upstart Bo Dallas and the starting participant Dolph Ziggler made this one of the most hotly contested matches in its history (despite the winner being a pretty full-gone conclusion). But the night was not only about the Royal Rumble match, as the show opened with a hard-fought victory for Alberto Del Rio over the Big Show where he retained the World Heavyweight Championship. This match had tables, chairs, and was surprisingly fluid, which was unexpected due to the lack of pace of the Big Show and the match constantly being interrupted by referee counts. Despite the assist from his friend Ricardo Rodriguez, the match aptly illustrated Del Rio's new-found guts and battling attitude against the powerful giant. Perhaps the most shocking part of this match was that Dolph Ziggler didn't cash in his briefcase before his entry into the Rumble. Other matches saw Antonio Cesaro defeat the Miz to retain his United States Championship in the pre-show, and Team Hell No defeating the Rhodes Scholars in tag team action. But the spectacle of the night would of course be the main event, as for the first time since Summerslam 2002, the Rock would compete on PPV for the WWE Championship. The longevity of CM Punk's title reign and the constant threat of both Paul Heyman and The Shield did not deter the Rock, who was able to defy the odds and return to the top of the mountain for the eighth time. However, as shall be discussed later, the match was mired in controversy, and could have deep ramifications for the future of the company's most valuable possession (besides John Cena). So what were the most important talking points from the event? And significantly, what can we learn about the future on the Road to WrestleMania based on the events of the Royal Rumble?
1. Team Hell No Are Not Going Up in Flames Just Yet
The comedy pairing of Daniel Bryan and Kane continues to tickle many in the WWE Universe, but there had been a suggestion that the pair would lose their championships to the Rhodes Scholars on Sunday. This would lead to a feud between the two that would culminate in a match at WrestleMania between the former partners. However, this prediction proved unfounded, as Team Hell No were able to dispose of the threat for their titles, and looked more unified in the process. The team shares similarities with Kane's 2003 partnership with Rob Van Dam, in the way that the two components of the team have virtually nothing in common. But, the mixture of Kane's power and experience teamed with Bryan's technical mastery have created a team that has few weaknesses. However, if one thinks that the two are consistently on the same page, then the Royal Rumble match showed the other side of their relationship, as Bryan eliminated Kane from the match, only to be caught by Kane when he was knocked off the apron. Then, Bryan attempted to convince Kane to throw him back into the ring and continue the match, but after a few seconds argument Kane denied the request and dropped Bryan on his back, leaving "La Cara de Cabra" shocked at his partner's actions. However, I don't see this as the origins of the team's demise, as a key component of their team is the rivalry between the two for superiority, and that creates the humour and edge to the Tag Team Champions that very few other teams can match at the moment. I feel some members of the IWC are being too quick to chisel the gravestone of their union, as currently they are the best team in the company. I can imagine them both being in an Elimination Chamber match at the next PPV, and we will get another chance to witness their hilarious in-fighting before they compete at WrestleMania, hopefully still united as a team.