4. WWE Creative Hasn't Lost The Ability To Shock The World
I, like many other members of the WWE Universe, often feel like I know everything that is going to happen on the weekly shows and PPVs nowadays. We know what the outcomes are going to be because they just make sense. Any examination of the Royal Rumble by a devoted member of the IWC would tell you that John Cena would win the Royal Rumble and The Rock would beat CM Punk. As expected, events transpired and we were left accepting the decisions but not exactly thrilled with the excitement of the unexpected. However, every now and again, WWE creative seem to come up with an evening that keeps crowds in the arena and at home constantly say "What the hell just happened?" This process began with the very first match, a surprisingly fluid and well thought-out confrontation for the World Championship between Alberto Del Rio and The Big Show. After Del Rio showed the guts and determination his face turn has afforded him by kicking out a Chokeslam, and despite a notable fumble where the World Champion slipped on the ropes before connecting with his patented jumping enziguri, Del Rio was able to force the World's Largest Athlete to tap out to the Cross-Arm Breaker. The surprise was not that Del Rio retained his championship in a hard-fought victory. The surprise was that the music of Dolph Ziggler didn't blaze the speakers and he finally cashed in his Money in the Bank privilege. How long is he going to hold that briefcase for? But that shock falls in comparison with what was to happen in the Elimination Chamber. With the fall of Mark Henry, the match was left to Randy Orton, Chris Jericho and Jack Swagger. At this point my logic suggests that Swagger will eliminate either Orton or Jericho to continue his latest mini-push and then is eliminated by a rapid RKO or Codebreaker. With that vision locked in my brain, I was able to enjoy a gripping and compelling conclusion to the match, with all three superstars hitting their signature manouevers. Jericho hadn't lost a beat, Orton was as professional as ever, and Swagger's new attitude and expression really has translated to the ring very well. After Swagger went down, a game of back-and-forth commenced between Orton and Jericho, with the Viper connecting with the RKO and eliminating Jericho. Whilst that was not in accordance to the plan I had set out, when Swagger rolled up Orton into a pinning predicament, I was confident Orton would kick out and swiftly connect with another RKO. Then the referee's hand hit for three. I was stunned that Swagger had pulled off a victory that compares to the shock of his Money in the Bank victory in 2010. Whether Swagger will carry this momentum into the event itself is yet to be seen, as his previous World Championship run was definitely not a great success. However, with his new aggressive patriotism and the effective mouthpiece of Zeb Colter in his corner, the Real American can fulfil the immense potential he has been carrying since 2008.