WWE Royal Rumble 2017: 10 Things WWE Must Do
Let's kickstart WrestleMania season the right way.
Christmas has come and gone, yet the most wonderful time of the year is still a couple of weeks away: the Royal Rumble.
The event and its famous match are beloved by wrestling fans around the world. No matter how lapsed you may become in your wrestling viewing habits, there's something special about the Royal Rumble and it's tough for anyone to resist the allure of the 30-man over-the-top-rope extravaganza each January.
Besides the fun of the Rumble match and the chance to see wrestlers face off that we usually wouldn't, as well as creative eliminations and elimination survivals, the bout is also generally the time of the year when WWE starts to put the wheels in motion for its big feuds and matches at WrestleMania. We expect 2017's event to be no different in that respect.
It's already one of the most open Royal Rumble matches in years and it's honestly tough to predict who'll win the coveted 'Mania title shot this time around. Whatever happens though, we're expecting big moments and surprise returns aplenty.
Here's our take on the 10 things that WWE absolutely must make happen at this year's show.
10. Roman Reigns And John Cena Don't Win
First of all, we really hope that Vince McMahon and WWE resist the urge to play it safe and stick their championship belts back on John Cena and Roman Reigns before WrestleMania.
It's mind numbingly predictable and we'd much rather see WWE try something different going into their busiest period of the year. On Reigns' part, he's still struggling to connect with the majority of the audience under the bland babyface persona he's been given, and as talented as he is in the ring, a heel turn is desperately needed to get this guy over with the audience at large.
In a similar vein, we'd also like it if John Cena didn't win his 16th world championship at the Royal Rumble. Although it would be a big moment (and goodness knows WWE love breaking those records at the moment), it would also be a waste to take the belt off A.J. Styles so soon before WrestleMania, especially when he's had such a tremendous 12 months with the company. Having A.J. once again beat Cena (even if he does it via nefarious means) would be a huge statement of intent from WWE, and the story of A.J. retaining the WWE championship at the same event at which he made his debut the year prior would be a great one.
Our concern is that WWE may have desires to make the heavily rumoured 'Mania match between Cena and The Undertaker a title match, having Cena win here and a returning 'Taker winning the Rumble match itself. However, they should resist. That match doesn't need the title and A.J. deserves to go into WrestleMania as the champ.