10 Shocking Royal Rumble Plans WWE Originally Had

Forks in the road (to WrestleMania).

God bless the good name of Pat Patterson.

Without his spark of creativity, there wouldn't even be a Royal Rumble to enjoy each January. His late-80s genius feeds neatly into the ever-shifting creative face of what has become known as WWE's kick off on the 'Road To WrestleMania' for generations. Deciding exactly who will win each Rumble match, and how the show will be hyped as important to the coming springtime spectacular, has become an annual headache for the company.

It's perhaps no surprise then to learn that WWE change their minds often when it comes to the pay-per-view's biggest moments. Everyone knows what actually happened, but what about those plans that were originally penciled in before being consigned to the creative dustbin? They're often shocking, and they should send minds racing about what might've been had it not been for last-minute changes of heart, injuries and more.

Various Rumble cards from down throughout the years very nearly had stunning debuts, alternate winners, big 'Mania-affecting title switches, unique storylines and heel turns that would've changed everything. You won't believe how different things could've been...

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.