10 Expectations Vs. Reality For WWE Royal Rumble 2021

1. They Can't Bring Back Brock Lesnar AGAIN, Surely...

Daniel Bryan Brock Lesnar
WWE.com

Expectation:

Say Bray Wyatt doesn't win the Royal Rumble match.

Say Bray Wyatt does in fact return with a burnt mask and eliminates Randy Orton from the Rumble by distracting him with a Zippo, before one of the robots programmed by every other TV match they work accidentally rolls him up and then scarpers out of the ring.

WWE can't rely on Brock Lesnar again. 2020 was an atrocious year highlighted, inexplicably, by the dual ascension of Drew McIntyre and Roman Reigns. Rule-proving exceptions, or evidence that the giant is merely sleeping?

The giant is dead.

In any event, why would you go back to Lesnar again? He's a draw and 'Mania needs them, but he's not going to do a job immediately after getting his ar*e handed to him in four minutes last year. He'd win, and we'd see more of the deadening repetition that did very little for Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins.

Reality:

The word "respect" should terrify you.

Say Drew actually does defeat Goldberg. The obvious post-match is a respectful handshake and passing of the torch.

But that's not episodic pro wrestling soap opera; what is is Brock Lesnar coming back to avenge last year's defeat.

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Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!