Cody Rhodes’ second Royal Rumble win in a row has left WWE in an intriguing state of affairs heading in direction of WrestleMania – although the post-show press convention was arguably much more fascinating.
Rhodes was seen as one of many prime contenders to win, although behind the recently-returned CM Punk in betting markets, with Intercontinental Champion Gunther additionally within the combine. However the large shadow of The Rock hung over each the match and the outcome.
After making an look on Monday Night time Uncooked earlier this month the place he talked about being ‘the pinnacle of the desk’, it appeared clear the legend was lastly able to face long-time world champion Roman Reigns – a match successfully constructed in direction of for years by your entire Bloodline story.
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The Rock once more talked about going through Reigns, particularly at WrestleMania (relatively than the Perth Elimination Chamber present subsequent month, or a megabucks Saudi Arabia present), whereas talking on ESPN final week to pump up him becoming a member of the TKO board of administrators.
However, amid hypothesis he would return on the Royal Rumble and win his approach right into a primary occasion in opposition to Reigns, The Rock merely didn’t seem. The No.30 spot, typically used for shock returns, was crammed by the favored Sami Zayn (avoiding a repeat of 2014, when Rey Mysterio was booed closely for showing when the followers needed Daniel Bryan), and Rhodes eradicated Punk to win the match.
Rhodes then made it clear he’ll problem Reigns, relatively than Seth Rollins – holder of the secondary World Heavyweight Championship, created to make sure a world title could be defended whereas Reigns’ marathon reign continues – on the finish of the present.
Once more, Rhodes was a serious contender to win, however it’s nonetheless considerably of a shock outcome given the questions it leaves us with: will The Rock really seem at WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia? And, in storyline, how will he earn a shot at Reigns?
The latter is easy sufficient – wrestlers problem one another on a regular basis, so he doesn’t have to win a match to turn out to be No.1 contender or something like that, even when it’s a bit questionable while you’re speaking concerning the world title – however there are two choices for the previous.
The primary is that he merely doesn’t seem, regardless of the build-up. Veteran journalist Dave Meltzer reported in his most up-to-date Wrestling Observer Publication the Rock “has not formally signed a deal to wrestle for the corporate however the important thing phrase mentioned about that’s ‘but’.”
“It’s recognized that he’s keen and mentioned to be desirous to do a match with Roman Reigns and is powerful on doing it at WrestleMania, however that isn’t locked in as of this week,” he added.
It might be more bizarre if the match didn’t occur this yr, given the quite a few hints dropped on varied reveals, and so the opposite possibility would contain Reigns benefiting from the two-night WrestleMania format.
He might wrestle The Rock on one night time, maybe for the title of ‘Head of the Desk’ relatively than the precise world title, and face Rhodes on the opposite.
And which match would function on night time one, and which might function on night time two – and thus be the true primary occasion – is up for debate. Given Reigns’ story has been about making an attempt to achieve respect and acknowledgment by way of the world title, he might lose it to Rhodes on night time one, after which be left naked as he fights purely for his popularity in opposition to the relative best-placed to take it from him.
However that may seemingly depart Reigns needing to beat The Rock (since Rock is a part-timer and doesn’t want the credit score of beating Reigns), and thus finish WrestleMania celebrating with out the title, which might be a bit bizarre. So they may do Rock-Reigns on night time one, both for the title (and Reigns clearly wins) or non-title (presumably Reigns nonetheless wins for the rationale talked about earlier than), after which Rhodes beats Reigns on night time two.
A 3-way match, which some followers would counsel, would simply be an ungainly approach to mix each tales and weaken them on the similar time, so hopefully WWE doesn’t go down that route.
The opposite main story on the Rumble occasion was how WWE and head honcho Triple H responded to the horrific allegations made in opposition to Vince McMahon in a lawsuit by a former worker, which noticed McMahon resign from the corporate whereas denying the claims.
Triple H, together with Rhodes and Ladies’s Royal Rumble winner Bayley, fronted the media with all eyes on whether or not they could be requested concerning the scenario given it’s alleged a lot of these inside the corporate knew about McMahon’s behaviour.
Rhodes was requested for his response by impartial journalist Nick Hausman, and what modifications he want to see made as a former wrestling firm government (as one of many founders of AEW), with Rhodes saying he discovered when the lawsuit turned public, and that the corporate took the information severely and acted instantly.
Triple H, as anticipated, didn’t reply questions concerning the subject regardless of being requested by TV and podcast host Jon Alba, The Ringer’s CeeHawk and Wrestlenomics’ Brandon Thurston about subjects together with why Triple H beforehand opposed McMahon returning to the corporate, and what he knew concerning the allegations given the board of administrators’ earlier investigation.
However the significance of asking the questions, even when a flat bat response was anticipated, was displayed when Triple H mentioned he had not learn the lawsuit and needed to “deal with the positives”.