Let’s get ready to (Royal) Rumble: A look at the WWE’s second biggest event of the year
BY MATTHEW VINSKO & BRETT MURDOCK, Couchsideshow.com bloggers
The Rock makes another return at the WWE pay-per-view event, Royal Rumble. Photo by: DL Wise / Flickr
WrestleMania season is upon us, and all the biggest players are stepping up their game. The Rock has come back, CM Punk has held onto the belt for over 400 days now, and John Cena has declared (for the umpteenth time) that his time is now.
But the first stop on the road to WrestleMania is the Royal Rumble, an event highlighted by its 30-man over-the-top-rope battle royal. The prize? A main event slot in the “Grand Daddy of ‘em All.” Sit back, relax, and enjoy two writers’ predictions of the Royal Rumble card, and tune in next week for a retrospective review of our experience at the Rumble. Yes, we’re going, and no Wade, we will not make a Couch Side sign.
United States Championship: Antonio Cesaro (c) vs. The Miz
• Matt: The Miz once again finds himself in pursuit of the U.S. Title, but this time, he faces what is perhaps his toughest test to date in the form of Antonio Cesaro. Ever since becoming a good guy, The Miz has floundered. That all changed on the 20th anniversary of Monday Night RAW, when he teamed up with WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair to lay the verbal (and physical) smackdown on Cesaro. Not only that, but Flair bestowed on Miz the figure-four-leg-lock, a move he has yet to fully master. Still, an endorsement from Flair and a new finisher may have people thinking Miz has turned a corner, but I feel the rut will live on for the “Awesome One.” Cesaro is just too over right now as a bad guy (and an excellent worker to boot) to lose his belt. While I don’t expect his title reign to last much longer, I don’t think that loss will come at the hands of the Miz.
Winner: Antonio Cesaro
• Brett: If you remember our previous post on the WWE, you will remember that I predicted that Antonio Cesaro will be the next big star that the company produces. His momentum has slowed down a bit since then, but he still carries that US Championship with dignity, power, and sophistication. Nobody that has challenged him for the belt, which he has held since SummerSlam, has been able to dethrone him and his claim saying that “no American can beat him” seems to have a solid base. That streak will live on this Sunday as I believe The Miz will fall victim to the “Swiss Sensation.” This was a match that was randomly thrown together and is based off a segment involving the two and WWE Hall of Famer and wrestling legend Ric Flair on Monday Night Raw’s 20th Anniversary show a few weeks ago. I guess that WWE just needed to fill something for part of their free pre-show. I fully expect Cesaro to reign supreme once more in another title defense, and do it with ease.
Winner: Antonio Cesaro (more…)
couchsideshow.wordpress.com 