WWE Royal Rumble 2019: Predicting The 10 Biggest Spots
Bet your house on Titus O'Neill falling over again.
For many fans (your writer included), the Royal Rumble is one of the year's most anticipated wrestling shows regardless of promotion, but it's hard to know what to make of the 2019 incarnation.
The non-Rumble matches look stellar, and the titular bouts are hard to call. That the men's battle royal has no obvious winner should provoke mass excitement, but none of this year's realistic options feel particularly mouthwatering, despite their obvious talents. The women's Rumble is a more enticing proposition. Still, WWE must find a way to squeeze the white-hot Becky Lynch into the bout if they're to maximise it (presuming 'The Man' loses to Asuka).
All these factors could make this one of the most exciting Rumble pay-per-views in years (as exceptional as 2018's was), but this is WWE. Their propensity for disaster is high, and with so many intangibles, they could well set their programming off to wobbly first step on the road to WrestleMania 35.
If 'Mania is about moments, the Rumble is about spots. This year's are as difficult to predict as the battle royals themselves, but let's take a stab at the stunts sure to fill pre-'Mania highlight packages over the coming months...
10. TITUS... WORLDSLIIIIIIIIIDE!
Greatest Royal Rumble gif legend Titus O'Neil announced his participation in the 30-man over-the-top battle royal on the go-home Raw, telling the world in a brief interview segment that it'd be a "miracle" if he walked away with the victory. He's right, and this snippet tells us exactly what's going to happen to Titus on 27 January.
He's falling flat on his face. Again.
Michael Cole dropped a direct "Titus Worldslide" reference, cementing this spot as a certainty. This is O'Neil's thing now. His character hook is "guy who slips during Rumble matches." Remember the song and dance WWE made of this after the GRR balls-up, and the t-shirt they knocked up to cash in on the spot? There's no way they won't seize on such an opportunity again.
The annoying thing about Titus Worldslide 2.0 is that it would be half as funny as the original. That it'll be scripted removes much of the magic, and WWE's track record with lower-midcard comedy suggests it'll provoke more cringe than chuckles. Still, at least it gives O'Neil something to do. The poor sod wouldn't be anywhere near the match if not for this.