WWE Royal Rumble 2016: 5 Reasons To Be Fearful
Can it be any worse than last year? Maybe...
Hurling the 'Bulgarian Brute' over the top rope, Roman Reigns eliminated Rusev and had a smile on his face at the end of the 2015 Royal Rumble. For the most part, those smiles were not reciprocated amongst the paying audience. Once again, the Royal Rumble had failed to capture the WWE Universe's collective imagination, and the result proved a dissatisfying one for many. Ironically, Reigns had been a more popular choice to win the 2014 version of the match than the bout's eventual winner, Batista. Upset over the exclusion of Daniel Bryan, onlookers loudly booed both Rumble matches mercilessly. This is something WWE really doesn't want to happen in 2016. For the first time since Ric Flair's memorable triumph in 1992, the WWE World Heavyweight Title will be on the line in the Rumble match. A first for the event, that title will actually be defended in the bout, as opposed to it being vacant in '92. WWE hope this will rekindle faith in the Rumble brand, a brand which has been flagging somewhat in recent years. Management shouldn't celebrate too quickly, however - there are still some potential problems lurking ominously in the distance. The promotion desperately need to get off to a strong start on the 'Road to WrestleMania', but they may have booked themselves into a corner.