10 Wild Outside Bets To Win WWE Royal Rumble 2020

6. R-Truth

John Cena Royal Rumble
WWE

This may read as a ridiculous suggestion, but a deep dive into objective data may yet yield such a ridiculous result.

The issue with delving into the data is that the flux of the modern industry makes it very difficult. What data is left?

No WWE stars draw on pay-per-view because pay-per-view no longer exists in the traditional sense. WWE's overarching brand-is-the-star mentality, and the putrid, nonsensical booking from which only now is there a sense of escape, renders dire TV ratings the fault of the vehicle, and not the stars. The tendrils of the brand are so suffocating that this issue extends to house show gates, merchandise - virtually every fan-driven metric.

We are pretty much left with 'YouTube numbers' as a measure of popularity, but the true validity of those numbers is questionable. A thumbnail of Alexa Bliss' naked back is on 7.6M, but prospective viewers are more likely to watch on the Nipple Promise Principle than, with all due respect, the idea that Bliss might one day headline WrestleMania. Fans were entertained by R-Truth's exploits as 24/7 Champion, another YouTube hit, before the bit ran its course, and Vince has long loved the man. Brock Lesnar: What's up?

YouTube numbers and weddings, and that's it, but a pimple-sized pop is still a pop.

Probability: 25%

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!