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| The Royal Fumble? |
Matt Barnes |
Has the Royal Rumble become too predictable for its own good?
If you ask any casual fan of Nineties WWE what their favourite event was, the inevitable answer is ‘Royal Rumble’ (hell, we certainly know its ours on FSM). With its glitz, glamour and unusual main event, it really was the event to watch. Sure, so WrestleMania sometimes features glamorous gimmick matches and superstar appearances, and Survivor Series traditionally features intriguing team-based matches, but Royal Rumble… well, it’s always been special. Until recently, at least.
Gripping, wild and filled with suspense and intrigue, the real inner joy of the titular Rumble has always been that most of the roster are involved in a single match, often bringing with them team issues, personal gripes and heated feuds – plus, when the match is cleverly constructed, it’s almost impossible to guess who will emerge the winner. From its Eighties inception through to its Nineties heyday, the Rumble could proudly boast a number of thrilling moments and finishes. Who, for example, could ever forget the joy of seeing Davey Boy Smith win the match, only for Shawn Michaels to re-enter the ring and steal the victory?
In the Noughties, however, the match has paled in comparison to previous years. Yes, Rey Mysterio and Chris Benoit were fine winners who both won in some style, but – like too much of WWE’s programming at the moment – the format has generally become stale and, more importantly, horribly predictable. And this, remember, is the event that is supposed to lead into WrestleMania, which is the high point of the company’s year; as such, the Royal Rumble should be the absolute epicentre of WrestleMania planning. It should redefine the roles of the champions and challengers, and it should set up countless key angles heading into ‘The Granddaddy of them All’. In 2010, however, the Rumble risks getting lost in the shuffle, its veneer damaged by countless dull outings and its gloss thrown away amidst a raft of meaningless new gimmick pay-per-views.
So what can WWE do to address this problem, and where did it all go wrong? Has the gimmick match to end all gimmick matches lost its charm forever, meaning that there’s no real solution to return it to its rightful place as the jewel in WWE’s annual calendar? Or, are there simple, sensible changes that could be made with minimal fuss that could dust down the Rumble and return it to its former glory? To find out, you have to go way back to the very beginning…
For the rest of this feature, check out issue 49 of FSM - available at WH Smith and all good retailers. (For US readers we are now carried at Borders and Barnes & Noble, so check for local availability or click here to subscribe.)
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