The 2008 Royal Rumble Thread

[Hawk 34 0]

I hope the final six are CM Punk, Big Show, MVP, Matt Hardy, Hawkins and Ryder..though I don't know how they get MVP into the match without Flair too. It's not like the winner of their match will get into the Rumble, because MVP isn't going to win. Also, I could see JBL beating someone up for their spot..maybe Foley?

 

Have MVP lose by count-out or DQ and to avoid a contract hold-out, Vicki enters him in the Rumble.

 

They want Foley for his pop. He'd more likely beat up Cody Rhodes or the already injured Jamie Noble. JBL-Jericho shouldn't be worried about the Rumble. Just let them beat the hell out of each other.

[JPopStarKami 0]

UT, Batista and HHH are the lock'd choices.

 

And all three of them have already won a RR. I really don't want to see any of them win again. They don't need the boost that would give them.

 

It would be much better booking if Hardy lost the title match tonight but entered the Rumble and won it.

[Hawk 34 0]

You can have someone else win the Rumble without doing that.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

The longer WWE.com goes with SIX unfilled spots, the more I think they're going to pull some Foley shenanigans.

[Kristianna 0]

I just hope that Colin Delaney makes it in is all.

[Hawk 34 0]

I just hope that Colin Delaney makes it in is all.

 

They need to have someone dragging him out against his will.

[Aero 0]

I'm hoping that they have the classic MSG short aisle entrance instead of the regular PPV set like WM XX, but since this is the first HD PPV, I assume they'll have some elaborate set.

 

And sure, we all know that HHH, Taker, or Batista will likely win, but at least it really is up in the air as to who will win among them.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

The weird thing is here with Cogeco, not only is there NOT and HD option for the show (which is maybe in the hands of Viewers Choice Canada?), there are NO replays, not even at 11:30. The show airs tomorrow at 8pm and that's it for the next two weeks according to my guide. There are plenty of showings of Women's Erotic Wrestling 22: Nude Sex War, though. The "no encore" thing doesn't matter at all to me but it seems odd... maybe no one (as in, literally nobody) orders encores in the internet age? It is kind of pointless.

[J.T. 0]

Final 7 (Noble is announced hurt at the show) Is 2 Legends, MVP, Regal, Punk, Show and Flair as the guy who fills Nobles spot real late in the rumble with much anticipation. Edgeheads are taken ot during title match, so they cant be in it.

 

 

[Blade2kxx 0]

Alright, I need a little help.

 

Here's the scenario... I'm going to the Rumble. Have been planning on it for a while now. Me and a friend and a friend of his were gonna go up from MD and see it... He would buy my ticket, which he did, and in exchange, I get a really good rate on a hotel room, basically knocking the expense out of the price of my ticket.

 

Well, the situation changed. My friend assaulted his father and is now in jail. I go over last night to crash so we can go in the morning, and his dad answers the door. After finding out the situation, he goes to his room and flat out gives me these tix for FREE.

 

So, here I am with 3 $100 tickets to the Rumble, (Section 67, Row H), and I dunno what to do with 2 of them. It's too last minute for some of my other friends to go...

 

Anyone know if it's a good idea to scalp them?

[Guest]

I actually decided to order it. I haven't ordered a WWE show in forever, so the card looks pretty damn good if I'm going to drop 40 bucks on it.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

They usually put good shows on in MSG on top of that.

 

I still look at the list of rumble participants and see mostly scrubs that TV doesn't make me care about...but the undercard looks really strong.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

It's also the first time HHH, HBK, and Undertaker have all (potentially) been in the ring at the same time since 1997 or so. Put Foley and Batista in the mix with their interesting pasts with those men and it could be a rare treat.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

I think that's actually part of the problem I'm having with the rumble itself.

 

The only legit candidates to win at this point are the same old same old who have been on top for a long time.

 

I'd actually be happy with a win by anyone but those people...

[Guest]

HBK and Taker haven't interacted in almost 8 years, right? Plus, Foley interacting with any of those top guys would be outstanding, given the past between HHH and Foley in the same building. I'd mark pretty hard if Foley was the guy to get rid of HHH.

 

The rest of the Rumble outside of the top guys has potential for hilarity.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

I think that's actually part of the problem I'm having with the rumble itself.

 

The only legit candidates to win at this point are the same old same old who have been on top for a long time.

 

I'd actually be happy with a win by anyone but those people...

 

Yes but that's generally the case every year, and with a few exceptions it's only been since 2004 or so (if you didn't believe they'd pull the trigger with Benoit) we've actually had multiple choices on who could win, but it always comes down to 1-3 people. There was no way in hell anyone but HHH and Lesnar would be winning their respective Rumbles, both of which were fun matches, and it was pretty much guaranteed it had to be Cena or Batista in 2005 and Undertaker or HBK in 2007 (and in both instances, that's how the final two ended up).

 

HBK and Taker haven't interacted in almost 8 years, right? Plus, Foley interacting with any of those top guys would be outstanding, given the past between HHH and Foley in the same building. I'd mark pretty hard if Foley was the guy to get rid of HHH.

 

The rest of the Rumble outside of the top guys has potential for hilarity.

 

Taker and HBK were the final two last year and put on a HELL of a dramatic show to close the Rumble match. This led to a few tag matches - one main evented No Way Out, one was on Raw - between HBK/Cena and Batista/Taker, but the Rumble really left you wanting to see another one on one match between the two.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

HBK and Taker haven't interacted in almost 8 years, right?

 

 

Except that they used that exact scenerio last year in the last 10 minutes of the Rumble.

[Guest]

Didn't watch the Rumble last year. Completely blanked.

 

Damn, that's embarassing.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

Prediction: HHH last eliminates Undertaker.

 

The runners up of the 2005, 2006, and 2007 have all gotten World Title matches at WM that year, so Edge/Taker seems likely.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

You'd think that with 2 world titles for the past several years that one year they'd let an underdog win. They still have another title match to "Main Event" Mania...and it frees up the bigger names to have big nontitle matches at Mania.

 

I wish Hardy wasn't getting the title shot at the Rumble. A Hardy win leading into two months of storyline into Mania would have been surprising (if we obviously discount his beating HHH last month since it wouldn't have happened this way) and obviously a decent storyline (since...you know...they've been doing it already) to have a fresh and interesting Mania title match.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

Benjamin's "skin the cat" elimination was done much better towards the end of BattleBowl 1991, with Steamboat taking out Rick Rude.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

All that being said, I'm ordering the show and looking forward to it.

 

I don't expect any suprises but I do expect 2 good title matches, a fun Flair match and a bloody Jericho/JBL brawl. And even the worst Rumbles are still fun enough when you watch it live.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

Flair will not be in the Rumble.

 

Although he wouldn't have to retire by being eliminated (it was established it's 1 on 1 matches), it would devalue the "Flair must ALWAYS win" scenario to casual fans, create confusion with young fans, and cause the announcers to make excuses for a legend.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

Would it be neat or stupid if you have someone like Tommy Dreamer win and challenge Chavo Guerrero for the ECW title at Mania because he "knows he can't beat Orton or Edge"? It's... a different storyline than the usual but it also kind of devalues the Rumble a bit. That's the problem with having an underdog win, though it can be done right.

 

WWE.com's Top 10 Rumble Moments also note that we are quickly approaching the "20008" Royal Rumble. I think we still have several centuries before that, Michael Cole.

[Ravenbomb 0]

There gonna be a stream of the PPV?

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

Michael Cole doesn't run WWE.com, but nice try at a dig.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

I thought he did. Wasn't he just recently promoted to said job? (and by recently, I think I mean the fall of 2006).

 

Edit: Wow, APRIL 2006.

 

On April 26, 2006, WWE announced that Cole would become the Managing Editor of WWE.com. Shortly after, WWE Chairman Vince McMahon told shareholders in a meeting held on September 14 that he believes that the website "sucks". In response, Cole replied on WWE.com about updated content for the website: a broadband network with original web-only shows have been scheduled for October, with a new mobile offering, a re-vamped subscription site and more exclusive videos and photos. Cole went on to say, "So in summary, the web site does suck, compared to where we are going to take it, but it won’t suck for long. Wish I could say the same for the boss." Whether Cole's final comment about McMahon was either kayfabe or legit is unclear.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

That's not so recently. Apologies for my rude comment, BTW.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

No problem, and I'll use this Cole talk to segue into "Who do YOU want to do play by play for the Rumble"?

 

A two man team?

A three man team?

JR / Lawler / Cole?

Styles / Coach / Larry Adamle?

Larry Adamle / Larry Csonka?

 

Lots of options.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

I expect it to be Jim Ross, Jonathon Coachman, and Tazz.

 

Keep in mind last year featured Jerry Lawler, JBL, and Michael Cole.

 

Cole is the more established "voice" of Smackdown so it could be him in there for Coachman.