The 2008 Royal Rumble Thread

[Guest]

the Rumble, really, is all about getting the heel champions strong for WrestleMania.

Fixed your quote. Prior to the 2006 Rumble, a title hadn't changed hands there since 1999. The Rumble IS all about getting champions strong for WrestleMania. Heel or not, the belt doesn't need to be moved so close to the big show. If you want to move the belt, do it at Survivor Series. Doing it at the Rumble is too late.

 

Hardy's title reign would've lasted one month. It's idiotic to make a title change just for the hell of it, so close to the biggest show of the year. It's bad business. Give him the MitB win at Mania, and draw this thing out. The problem with having a Hardy title match at WrestleMania is...the status of the other guys in the company is such that the match would be nearly meaningless, given all the other stuff that's going to happen. A Hardy title match wouldn't be anywhere near the main event, so why waste putting the title on Hardy now?

[Guest zerfer]

I never liked Cena. And never will.

 

But i gotta give WWE credit. That was one hell of a surprise. Last time i got caught unaware by wwe, was when bischoff debuted.

[Mr. S£im Citrus 0]

Fuck what the rest of y'all say: Cena, Beth Phoenix and Mickie James are the only reason I watch RAW right now. I'm quite pleased with the result.

[garfieldsnose 0]

Definitely nitpicking, but why are they going back to the red ring ropes for all the PPV's? I liked the white ropes for RR and WM last year, then they went to black for SummerSlam and Survivor Series. Now back to all red? Just bugs me... white ropes for the big 4 and black for the rest.

[Downhome 0]

You know, I can't help but ask if John Cena had not returned tonight (or at any point before WM), would they have had Jeff Hardy actually win his title match?

[Dobbs 3K 0]

It's possible.

 

Frankly, I'm kind of glad I didn't order this PPV...between the Hardy/Orton match apparently being a let down, and Cena (who I understand is popular, but I don't care for at all) winning the Rumble, it doesn't sound like I missed much.

[haws bah gawd 0]

Did anyone else notice how PISSED Jeff Hardy looked when he made his entrance? That alone was a sure-enough sign that he wasn't going to win. I just didn't expect him to lose clean. How many clean wins has Orton picked up since being champion, and why did he have to get one over arguably the most over wrestler in the company?

 

When I heard Cena's music start for the Number 30 position, I felt like I had just been punched in the nuts. I've rather enjoyed RAW for the past 4 months, without the same old "THE CHAMP IS HERE - Overcoming the odds" bullshit. Welcome back to the same old overpushed shit on RAW week-in and week-out.

 

The Rumble as a whole wasn't too good this year. Anytime we get to see HBK and Undertaker go at it is a good thing, but some of the stuff seemed to drag. Can someone tell me what's the point of the ECW World Champion being in the Rumble? Plus he tossed Punk out like he was an afterthought.

 

JBL vs Jericho was OK, but the botched Bulldog spot was hilarious. It's kind of hard to figure out who was more at fault on that one though.

 

Edge vs Rey was alright. I got a kick out of Rey being booed out of the building for most of the match, and the match had a good enough finish.

 

MVP vs Ric Flair was acceptable as well. Nothing TOO bad aside from a botched small package from MVP early in the match.

[bob_barron 0]

How did Cena overcome the odds? He was #30!

 

This was an awesome show live, I had so much fun. Cena winning was the best thing ever.

 

I couldn't see any of the entrances, so I wish I had been able to see Jeff's I'm jobbing face. That really killed the crowd and some of the show for me

[Dobbs 3K 0]

I guess I just hope they don't forget how over and popular Jeff Hardy has become. It's been refreshing having another face on RAW in the main event scene.

 

I also agree with Haws bah gawd's sentiment about Cena coming back and making the show the "same old thing" we've seen on RAW over the past couple years. I hope they do something fresh with him, but I'm really not holding my breath.

[Jaxxson Mayhem 0]

That was great. Realizing that only 4 unannounced guys were in and #30 was on the way, I figured it had to be someone of importance... no way in hell did I think it would be Cena. Love him or hate him, he worked really hard before falling to injury and that was one huge "never saw it coming" surprise.

 

Lamest thing was probably Finlay just walking away with Hornswoggle - I maintain there is an unwritten rule that once you walk back through the entrance, you're eliminated (which is why Spike Dudley and Scotty 2 Hotty were never eliminated officially in the past), but then JR just says "I've been told Finlay was DQ'd for using the Shillelagh". That made no sense and didn't account for Hornswoggle. That said, I really enjoyed the show, mostly for the Rumble as usual. Perhaps too many guys in there, but some cool stuff like HHH and Foley going at it, Taker having to sell the fact you can't headbutt Snuka, Piper and Snuka's thankfully brief interaction... good stuff. I wish Hardy would have won the title, but with Cena back that's obviously not in the plans now.

 

 

Didn't McMahon run to the back and come back later a couple of years ago?

 

 

Watched Hardy's entrance again and he does look super-pissed, but they can pass it off as HE'S INTENSE~!

[AntiLeaf33 0]

I just re-watched Jeff's entrance, and he does kind of look a bit out of it and pissed off. Even when he's high fiveing thw crowd, he did look a little pissed. Still, I called the finish of that match from the get go. Wasn't too bad of a match.

[majormayhem1 0]

Did anyone else notice how PISSED Jeff Hardy looked when he made his entrance? That alone was a sure-enough sign that he wasn't going to win. I just didn't expect him to lose clean. How many clean wins has Orton picked up since being champion, and why did he have to get one over arguably the most over wrestler in the company?

 

Because now you hate him even more.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus 0]

Lamest thing was probably Finlay just walking away with Hornswoggle - I maintain there is an unwritten rule that once you walk back through the entrance, you're eliminated (which is why Spike Dudley and Scotty 2 Hotty were never eliminated officially in the past), but then JR just says "I've been told Finlay was DQ'd for using the Shillelagh". That made no sense and didn't account for Hornswoggle...

 

 

Didn't McMahon run to the back and come back later a couple of years ago?

I'm quite certain that there's been a rule since the inception of the Royal Rumble that you have to enter the ring at least once before the next guy gets out there, or else you're eliminated. In the example you cited with McMahon, he at least made it inside the ring... So I'm more surprised that they didn't say anything about Hornswaggle getting into the ring in the first place than I am that they didn't say anything about him leaving.

[JPopStarKami 0]

So where does Hardy go from here? What's the best move that'll help him keep his heat?

 

I'd have him cut a promo that basically says he hasn't given up and he'll find a way to get at the belt.

 

Hey, you know what? I just had a great idea.

 

How about Cena/Orton/Hardy at WM?

[JaMarcus Russell's #1 Caucasian Fan 0]

The best move for Hardy IMO, is to win the EC and challenge Edge on Smackdown. MITB is way overdone. At the least it gives the Smackdown title picture something fresh.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

Lamest thing was probably Finlay just walking away with Hornswoggle - I maintain there is an unwritten rule that once you walk back through the entrance, you're eliminated (which is why Spike Dudley and Scotty 2 Hotty were never eliminated officially in the past), but then JR just says "I've been told Finlay was DQ'd for using the Shillelagh". That made no sense and didn't account for Hornswoggle...

 

 

Didn't McMahon run to the back and come back later a couple of years ago?

I'm quite certain that there's been a rule since the inception of the Royal Rumble that you have to enter the ring at least once before the next guy gets out there, or else you're eliminated. In the example you cited with McMahon, he at least made it inside the ring... So I'm more surprised that they didn't say anything about Hornswaggle getting into the ring in the first place than I am that they didn't say anything about him leaving.

 

It was a rule for 1991 when it happened with Savage, but things haven't been consistant for a long time (if ever). Nunzio never got in the ring one year too, until Cena tossed him in a few entrants later.

 

As for the show, which was my first since the Benoit murders, I thought the undercard was remarkably bland but the Rumble itself was great. For the first time in a long time, the bookers managed to pull off something truly surprising and it was easily the right choice to win it. I thought it was brilliant how they made you think HHH was a lock once all of his major competition got low numbers and then they brought out the biggest surprise entrant in the match's history one number later. For the first time in a long time I'm actually interested in wrestling again.

[edgehead69 0]

Man Cena's Return Was Epic Man... As Much As I Dont Think Much Of Him... Damn.. The Rough of Buffalo Wild Wings EXPLODED!! I had a hard time hearing today... Truly Surreal!!!.. WWE put one over on ALl of us!!!

[Brett Favre 0]

Damn, I wish I ordered the PPV. Or went to it. I didn't even know it was in MSG.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

I haven't watched wrestling since the Benoit stuff, but I though Cena was injured. How did he recover so quickly, or was he not even injured at all?

[ashamed wrestling fan 0]

I'll give it two weeks before everyone is sick and tired of Cena

 

Welcome back to wrestling the likes of Carlito, Jeff

[Enigma 0]

I haven't watched wrestling since the Benoit stuff, but I though Cena was injured. How did he recover so quickly, or was he not even injured at all?

He was definitely injured, but they said he healed really quickly and was way ahead of schedule on his rehab. He recieved a clean bill of health earlier this week.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Just re-watched the last seven minutes of Hardy/Orton. The match was a lot better on second viewing, but it was hurt by a lack of crowd heat. I don't think the crowd bought that Jeff had a legit shot at walking out with the title.

[zappafrank 0]

My friends and I joked that Cena returning was a shoot in the sense that HHH didn't know a damn thing about it. After Cena came out, we joked that a ref would get HHH's attention to tell him something, and that HHH would then throw a fit since he had been booked to win.

 

And did anyone else find it odd that Cena immediately squared off with HHH insetad of Kennedy? HHH and Cena haven't done anything with each since early 2006, and even though Orton took Cena out on the announce table, it was Kennedy who last was in the ring with Cena.

 

We knew #30 was going to be someone meaningful, but we were thinking it would be Big Show.

 

And I want to see if they acknowledge that Hornswaggle never was eliminated (Finlay, too, possibly).

 

As a match, how do you think this Rumble will be remembered (since the surprise only can happen once)? I'd say it's in the middle somewhere. It's not on the level of '99, but it's also not on the level of '92.

[pochorenella 0]

From PWInsider via 411mania.com:

 

When WWE and John Cena got word that he would be able to return to the ring early from his pectoral tear, they decided to have him make media appearances where he said he was still months away from returning and would also probably not be able to work WrestleMania. The idea was to throw everyone off and deliver a big surprise return at the Royal Rumble.

 

Cena also make stuff up regarding his next WWE film project, 12 Rounds. While the film is real, and shooting will be in New Orleans, it will only be for 4-5 weeks, not five months like Cena was saying. Cena was saying that he would film the movie while recovering, again, as a way of keeping people in the dark about his surprise return.

 

Most figured that while Cena was ahead of schedule on rehabbing his injury, that he was still awhile away from returning to the ring. Cena hinted at an early return during an interview with Sky Sports in Great Britain, saying he felt fine and that "you never know" when he might return. But again, once WWE got the clearance that he could return, they had him go out and act like he wasn't close to being able to return to keep everything a surprise.

[pochorenella 0]

I'm a big fan of this kind of stats. Also taken from 411mania.com:

 

- Below are the order of entrances, order of elimintations, and times lasted for the Royal Rumble.

 

Order Of Entrants:

The Undertaker (0:00)

Shawn Michaels (0:00)

Santino Marella (1:39)

the Great Khali (w/ Runjin Singh) (3:34)

Hardcore Holly (5:06)

John Morrison (6:42)

Tommy Dreamer (8:00)

Batista (9:36)

Hornswoggle (36:49)

Chuck Palumbo (12:34)

Jamie Noble (14:04)

CM Punk (15:27)

Cody Rhodes (17:00)

Umaga (18:35)

Snitsky (20:04)

Mike Mizanin (21:32)

Shelton Benjamin (22:49)

Jimmy Snuka (24:17)

Roddy Piper (25:59)

Kane (26:53)

Carlit0 (28:11)

Mick Foley (29:28)

Ken Kennedy (30:56)

Big Daddy V (32:46)

Mark Henry (34:13)

Chavo Guerrero Jr. (35:47)

Finlay (36:59)

Elijah Burke (38:47)

Triple H (40:08)

John Cena (43:02)

 

Order Of Eliminations:

1) Santino Marella by Undertaker

2) Great Khali by Undertaker

3) Tommy Dreamer by Batista

4) Jamie Noble by Chuck Palumbo

5) Chuck Palumbo by CM Punk

6) Hardcore Holly by Umaga

7) Shelton Benjamin by Shawn Michaels

8) Roddy Piper by Kane

9) Jimmy Snuka by Kane

10) Snitsky by Undertaker

11) Undertaker by Shawn Michaels

12) Shawn Michaels by Mr. Kennedy

13) The Miz by Hornswoggle

14) John Morrison by Kane

15) Finlay by DQ

16) Hornswoggle left with Finlay

17) CM Punk by Chavo Guerrero

18) Cody Rhodes by Triple H

19) Big Daddy V by Triple H

20) Elijah Burke by Triple H

21) Mick Foley by Triple H

22) Carlito by John Cena

23) Chavo Guerrero by John Cena

24) Mark Henry by John Cena

25) Mr. Kennedy by Batista

26) Umaga by Batista

27) Kane by Batista & Triple H

28) Batista by Triple H

29) Triple H by John Cena

 

Time in the Rumble Match

Batista (37:42) *Ironman*

Shawn Michaels (32:42)

The Undertaker (32:36)

WWE Smackdown! Tag Team Champion John Morrison (29:24)

Umaga (26:06)

CM Punk (23:53)

WWE Raw Tag Team Champion Cody Rhodes (23:16)

Kane (18:00)

Carlito Caribbean Cool (15:08)

WWE Raw Tag Team Champion Hardcore Holly (13:46)

Ken Kennedy (13:32)

WWE Smackdown! Tag Team Champion Mike Mizanin (13:07)

Snitsky (12:27)

Mick Foley (11:30)

Triple H (11:22)

Mark Henry (9:13)

John Cena (8:28) *Winner*

Big Daddy V (7:47)

ECW World Champion Chavo Guerrero Jr. (7:35)

Chuck Palumbo (4:10)

Jimmy Snuka (2:43)

Elijah Burke (2:11)

Tommy Dreamer (2:10)

The Great Khali (1:09)

Roddy Piper (1:01)

Hornswoggle (about 1 minute)

Finlay (about 1 minute)

Jamie Noble (0:28)

Santino Marella (0:26)

Shelton Benjamin (0:18)

 

Credit: thehistoryofwwe.com

[Hawk 34 0]

My friends and I joked that Cena returning was a shoot in the sense that HHH didn't know a damn thing about it. After Cena came out, we joked that a ref would get HHH's attention to tell him something, and that HHH would then throw a fit since he had been booked to win.

 

And did anyone else find it odd that Cena immediately squared off with HHH insetad of Kennedy? HHH and Cena haven't done anything with each since early 2006, and even though Orton took Cena out on the announce table, it was Kennedy who last was in the ring with Cena.

 

And I want to see if they acknowledge that Hornswaggle never was eliminated (Finlay, too, possibly).

 

Hunter was standing right in middle of the ring, thus Cena would naturally be looking at him. Kennedy, storyline wise, had nothing to do with Cena's injury. The credit went to Orton. Also, Cena didn't square off with HHH right away. Henry threw HHH down as Cena got into the ring.

 

HHH's reaction to Cena was fantastic.

 

Also, Batista had one of the quietest iron-man runs in history until the ring when he suddenly got in the picture. It seems as if he laid on the floor for awhile via Umaga's spike.

 

 

[Brocklock 0]

How did Cena overcome the odds? He was #30!

 

That seems to be the universal exuse for why most of the internet hates Cena, yet HBK "overcomes the odds" more than Cena despite being the least threatening member of the roster and everyone's fine with him. At least Cena looks the part when he "overcomes the odd" and isn't a skinny, old orange guy trying to be 25 still.

[bob_barron 0]

What did happen to Batista anyway? We never saw what happened to him, at one point the guys next to me were freaking out that Big Dave wasn't in the ring, and I realised he wasn't, wondering how we missed his elimination.

 

While it wasn't a great Rumble, seeing the Rumble live was incredible. There's really nothing like it. Cena's surprise was the craziest thing ever

[Hawk 34 0]

What did happen to Batista anyway? We never saw what happened to him, at one point the guys next to me were freaking out that Big Dave wasn't in the ring, and I realised he wasn't, wondering how we missed his elimination.

 

While it wasn't a great Rumble, seeing the Rumble live was incredible. There's really nothing like it. Cena's surprise was the craziest thing ever

 

Batista took a spike from Umaga and rolled out of the ring and apparently laid on the floor for a good amount of time. In other words, he Backlund'd it.

[Brocklock 0]

Barron, was the reaction for Jamie Noble as loud as it came off as on television. I heard a really loud Lets Go Noble chant during the Rumble.