In many ways, 2012 was an example of some of the best and worst things about modern Rumble match trends, depending on your point of view. If you like the comedy thrown into the matches in recent years, then 2012 well exemplified how to execute it in as entertaining a fashion as you could expect. Mick Foley came back to join the fray, combining with Santino Marella for an amusing bit that saw the two fashion their hands/arms with their classic puppets - Mr. Socko and the Cobra, respectively - for a sock puppet showdown of sorts. If that is not your cup of tea, then 2012 may not have fully connected for you. One newspaper's review spoke to that opinion, calling the Rumble "fun..but without much substance." The Miz and Cody Rhodes provided the foundation for the match with a pair of 45-minute outings that elevated them both. If you did find 2012 to be amongst the best, it would likely be due to its climax. The Rumble is booked to its finest when WWE identifies the favorites and makes sure that they are around at the end. Chris Jericho was the odds-on favorite. Sheamus was considered not quite a dark horse. When they were the final two, it seemed that it could go either way. The two pros played to that fact and kept everyone guessing for several minutes, having a "match within the match" similar to the Undertaker-HBK ending in 2007 that drew considerable praise. To the critics of the 2012 Rumble, it might also speak to them to state that the finish was the only redeeming quality. A mixed bag to be sure, but it left an impression.
"The Doc" Chad Matthews has written wrestling columns for over a decade. A physician by trade, Matthews began writing about wrestling as a hobby, but it became a passion. After 30 years as a wrestling fan, "The Doc" gives an unmatched analytical perspective on pro wrestling in the modern era. He is a long-time columnist for Lordsofpain.net and hosts a weekly podcast on the LOP Radio Network called "The Doc Says." His first book - The WrestleMania Era: The Book of Sports Entertainment - ranks the Top 90 wrestlers from 1983 to present day, was originally published in December 2013, and is now in its third edition.
Matthews lives in North Carolina with his wife, two kids, and two dogs.
