Today’s Rewind-A-Raw made me think what would be the best order to the card for the Royal Rumble later this month.
I think the best option would be to lay the card out as so:
Women’s Royal Rumble Match
WWE Championship Match
United States Championship Match
Cruiserweight Championship Match
Universal Championship Match
Men’s Royal Rumble Match
I think, the placement of the US and Cruiserweight title matches in the middle would help break up the Rumbles and world title matches. There’s always the possibility the Cruiserweight title match could be placed on the pre-show to help fill out the part of the show.
I think you’ll have a Cruiserweight title match as a pre-show, if at all. This is how I imagine it’s going to happen but I’m pretty sure I’ll be at least somewhat off the mark.
I mean, historically, Rumble cards have only had five or so matches, I don’t see any reason for this to have any more than the two rumbles and two other matches on the card. Almost surprised Rumble hasn’t gotten the extra hour like the other big four cards have (although who knows maybe it will run a little long) but I don’t expect more than five matches from the whole show. Two rumbles by itself is two hours of programming at a minimum.
You have to remember it’s a four hour show so if the two rumbles last around two hours between them then you have another two hours left. Personally I hope the Brock vs Braun vs Kane match isn’t too long so there’s probably room for three other matches on the main card(US Title, WWE Title and possibly a tag team or cruiserweight match).
I can’t see AJ not defending the WWE Title against Kevin Owens or Owens and Sami Zayn on the show. Even without the two hours for the Rumbles, there’s still two more hours to go with the now-four hour Big Four events.
I was unaware that this was supposed to be a four hour show and if I’m honest I wouldn’t be shocked if it ended up clocking in at three and a half with just the four matches, plus Network ads and various other extracurriculars. I guess it’s possible for an AJ defense but I’d be kinda surprised.
Even though the Royal Rumble PPV doesn’t usually have a great deal of technical matches like other events, but the idea of a match between AJ, KO & Sami would be a show stealer even with the two Rumble matches the same night.
Book ending the show with the rumbles just make sense and the women will open. I think you then do the Universal title and you do the WWE title just prior to the 2nd rumble. Then put the US title in the middle and the cruiserweight title on the pre-show.
I agree with this, except I would imagine they could/would swap the Universal and WWE title matches. They value Brock as a bigger match than AJ, especially with the dumb handicap stip. I think with them making the women’s rumble a full 30-person, over-the-top-rope match that it wouldn’t be hurt by going on first. If they did a 20-woman, through-the-middle-rope elimination match, then having them open would add insult to injury, but they’re pumping it up enough to be monumental while still opening.
Bookending the show with the two Rumbles makes sense, but given all of the attention for the Women’s Rumble (all of the history-making, the fact they’ve announced more participants), I wouldn’t put it past them to have that one happen after the Men’s Rumble.
I feel like it all depends what happens in the women’S rumble because while this is a first women’s rumble match and their making history and such. If nothing big is happening in that match i could very well see them start the show with it just like they did for the Women’s MITB match last year.
Plus let’s face it as much as the market the shit out of the women’S one, the men’s rumble match is always the big attraction that casual fans are tuning in to watch so it would make sense to continue the tradition of having the men’S version finishing up the show
So how i would booked the card for the rumble would be as followed
Pre show matches
Cruiserweight titles match
Smackdown tag title match
Raw tag title match
Main card
Women’s rumble match
WWE championship handicap match
WWE U.S title tournament finals
WWE universal title match
Men’s rumble match
That’s how i would book the show unless if they have somebody like a Ronda Rousey as a surprise entrant in the women’s rumble, i would just open up with it since they don’t have the star power in that match that the Men’s rumble as.
Are we all positive that we won’t see the Women’s titles defended? I have this sneaking suspicion that Charlotte will defend her title and lose it, only to be inserted in the Rumble and win the shot. I don’t want that to happen but I wouldn’t put it past them; she has so many of the first’s already.
Imagine; Carmella gets the number one spot and realises she’s not got a chance winning from there, cashes in on a beat down Charlotte after a gruelling defence against Becky or Tamina or whoever and wins the title, inspiring Charlotte to enter the Rumble in Carmella’s place and win the shot.
It has holes (Why wouldn’t Charlotte just take her mandatory rematch at the next show? How would Charlotte win the Rumble if she was beat down enough after her defence to lose to Carmella?) but what WWE angle doesn’t have massive holes in it these days?
Do you see them keeping the WWE title match a handicap though? I kind of do just so it’s separate from the Universal title match. I agree fully that they see Brock as a bigger deal than AJ, my ordering was mostly because I’m not that bothered about that triple threat match and I prefer AJ’s work.
I like the idea of the match remaining a handicap match to show the dissension grow between KO and Zayn wanting to win the title during the match that will help lead Styles to retain the title.
Because KO and Zayn can only be friendly with each other for so long with their history.
I have a horrible feeling the woman’s match will main event which I think is a mistake. This match is already a big deal early in the card and it would only hurt the men’s rumble, which after last year ended up producing the terrible orton/wyatt/locusts mid-card match needs built back up a bit. Could see the crowd being quiet during the women’s match if it’s so late in the show.
Royal rumble is about the only Ppv I’m happy is 4 hours, especially with the two rumbles now.
