10 Expectations Vs. Reality For WWE Royal Rumble 2021

9. Does The Miz Cash In?

Daniel Bryan Brock Lesnar
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Expectation:

The Miz won't cash in. The heel said so on this week's RAW. You will instead see Goldberg look like a pensioner climbing a spiral staircase in a match free of chicanery.

Reality:

It's strange that Goldberg is working Drew McIntyre at the Royal Rumble and not WrestleMania, is it not?

Also: it was strange that WWE gave Miz the briefcase back when they wrote out an unthinkable development with moderate elegance at TLC.

Goldberg doesn't lose and Drew McIntyre shouldn't, and while this should provide the very dramatic core of the match, it's not quite as easy or good as that. A certain WWE mentality - let's f*ck everyone, really hard, right in the f*cking ear - haunts everything.

Goldberg doesn't just lose, shake hands, and miss WrestleMania. WrestleMania is more important than the Rumble. The Miz sneaks through an impromptu Triple Threat, Goldberg squashes him at Fastlane, and Drew wins it back at 'Mania.

Drew's reward for carrying WWE without fans is to bask in their glow at the Raymond James for two minutes and 34 seconds, all of which are spent worrying that a blown-up dunce is going to give him, at best, a concussion.

But, this being WWE, there are several nightmare scenarios to anticipate...

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!