WWE Royal Rumble 2018: Predicting The Quality Of All 6 Matches
1. Men's Royal Rumble Match
It's the Royal Rumble match. It is mathmetically calibrated to entertain.
Even at its most putrid - in 2012, when Michael Cole entered, stretching credulity where people once accepted Drew Carey - Kofi Kingston was on hand, literally, to rescue it from the depths.
The Miz kicked Kofi off the apron before lifting his feet off it; Kofi then walked backwards, on his hands, before landing on the ring steps. Just as WWE indulged its most rancid comedy leanings, Kofi fused the classic theme of suspense with state-of-the-art athleticism to engineer a memorable spot. Even when it is awful, the inherent magic of the Rumble match renders it bulletproof. Unless The Big Show and Kane unite over a decade removed from their prime to treat your darlings like luggage after an exhausting long-haul flight.
The announced field, at time of writing, is loaded with potential. Finn Bálor and Shinsuke Nakamura promise to kick through the field in a strike-heavy update on the jobber domino sequence. Kofi Kingston has surely planned his customary false finish spot for months - and he was at the peak of his powers throughout a sterling 2017. WWE in recent years has thankfully substituted decrepit Legend cameos for welcome NXT teaser trailers.
Rusev and Aiden English do comedy very well; hopefully, they can make that divisive modern trope sing. The very presence of Roman Reigns, synonymous with the Rumble's lost lustre, adds an undeniable drama - albeit driven through sheer anxiety. If he loses - and not at the calculated expense of another established office favourite - the match automatically becomes momentous. Even his apologists are urging WWE to inject some creativity ahead of the WrestleMania 34 headliner. If he wins, we at least get to bask in a deafening rejection of, depending on your perspective, Reigns himself or yet another missed opportunity to elevate a fresh face with a stature-enhancing win.
So much rests on the victor. The recent history of the January spectacular almost makes redundant the exciting work within it - the match has become that tainted with antagonistic fan anti-service.
Anticipated Star Rating: ****