Booking John Cena Over The Next Year

Cena was getting the absolute best out of Dean Ambrose - a sometimes inconsistent performer - and their verbal wars were only bettered by their in-ring encounters over the last couple of months. Ambrose was the first person in seven years to get a clean win over Cena on a non-PPV show, while Cena's jibes about Ambrose's abilities have swayed many fans away from the Lunatic Fringe.

To settle their differences and also provide Smackdown with some healthy competition, they fight in the opening match at the Rumble for a chance to enter the main event at #30. Ambrose wants his title back, Cena wants to equal Ric Flair's record, and both men are prepared to go through the other to achieve their goal.

Cena comes out victorious in the brutal match, earning a begrudging handshake from Ambrose in the process. Both men come away with plenty of battle scars as a souvenir of their encounter, but Cena's night has only just begun.

As the last entrant in the Rumble, he quickly eliminates several men from the field before then getting sneaked up on by The Miz, who gives him a low-blow before throwing him over the top rope. The match itself is won by Sami Zayn (of course), who eliminates Miz last for the chance to face his mortal enemy Kevin Owens at Wrestlemania.