2010 Royal Rumble Reconstruction
February 3, 2009
By: Doug Lackey of WrestleView.com
The 2010 Royal Rumble Reconstruction
I must say, I?m truly shocked! I did not even think that so many of you not only read my column, but were actually intrigued by my thoughts on how I would reconstruct last Sunday’s Royal Rumble!
Like I said in my appearance on Wrestleview.com’s post-Royal Rumble podcast, the Rumble Match itself is one of the most difficult to book. It’s not just a simple list of 30 names, their entrances, and their exits.
The Rumble Match at times doesn?t tell just one, but at times two or three stories simultaneously. It is over an hour of suspense and drama with eyeballs not just glued on the action in the ring, but on the curtain to see who will march his/her way down the aisle into that same ring.
With all of this said, I present to you my Royal Rumble Reconstruction.
I have used last week’s Royal Rumble as a foundation for what I believe WWE Creative was attempting to program, not changing any of the storylines they incorporated while adding a couple of my own. Also, I have not altered the outcome of the match, with Edge returning and winning.
30 Man Royal Rumble Match
Winner earns a World/WWE Title shot at Wrestlemania 26
1. Dolph Ziggler
2. Evan Bourne
Nothing I would change with this. Starting the match off with a young heel for Bourne to show off his gorgeous ?Air Bourne? is a great way to get the crowd hyped.
3. CM Punk (with Serena Deeb)
Again, nothing I would change. While some disagreed with the insertion of CM Punk’s sermons, I felt it was definitely needed to make sure the crowd latches onto someone to root against.
Dolph Ziggler eliminated
Evan Bourne eliminated
CM Punk jumps on the microphone, lectures, and awaits the next entrant.
4. JTG (of Cryme Tyme)
Nothing I would have changed with this, as CM needed a low-card talent to quickly eliminate to prove his point of how great Straight Edge apparently is.
JTG eliminated
CM is back on the microphone. Blah, blah, blah. The horn sounds.
5. Yoshi Tatsu
Instead of having The Great Khali come out, I chose to bring out another babyface low-card for CM to battle with quickly and once again prove that his messianic complex is more than just that.
Yoshi Tatsu eliminated
CM returns to his pulpit, preaching to the ever-growing critiques of the crowd. The clock counts down, CM smiling while saying he is better than whoever comes out.
6. Triple H (of Degeneration-X, Unified Tag Team Champion)
Now is the time for Triple H to come out and silence the rhetoric. CM goes from smiles to nervousness as the 2002 Royal Rumble winner makes his way to the ring. Triple H enters and the two stare down like they did last week. Punches are traded; signature maneuvers (CM’s corner knee, HHH’s Harley Race knee) debated. The horn sounds.
7. Jack Swagger
Now is the time for another heel to head to the ring that is not in a substantial program but is not high enough on the totem pole to be considered a threat. With Swagger coming in this brings numbers to CM’s side, while at the same time providing an intriguing matchup when HHH has been beaten down enough. The clock has elapsed?
8. Drew McIntyre (Intercontinental Champion)
Having another heel come out seemed logical as to make HHH seem in peril of being eliminated. At the same time, it is a heel who is not considered a threat but big enough for everyone to latch onto and despise. No substantial eliminations yet, this is the time for the ring to fill with performers and slowly build anticipation for what might come. The horn sounds.
9. Finlay
Like I said in my ?hangover?, Finlay should have been used as a sort of traffic policeman within the match. With two Rumble freshmen in the ring, they may seem lost and unfocused at times. This is where Finlay can help maintain the chaos, providing them with someone to wail on while at the same time keeping the status quo. The countdown ends?
10. John Morrison
While McIntyre pounds on Finlay, he glances up and sees Morrison barreling down the aisle and through the ropes. McIntyre has found his foil; he and Morrison will be at each other’s throats throughout the majority of their time in the ring. Throughout this period of never-ending melee, you will see the usual finishing maneuver implemented, typically on HHH. The buzzer sounds?
11. Ted DiBiase (of Legacy)
DiBiase hauls tail to the ring and joins in the fracas, pouncing on HHH since these two do have a lengthy history. We see performers trying their damnedest to eliminate each other next to the ropes, seven of them altogether. You need periods like this in the Rumble again to build suspense and senses of restlessness in the crowd. They want to see someone fly over the top rope. They want closure. They?re about to get it?
12. Kane
The flames blast from the ground. The men in the ring immediately drop to their backs, knocked off their feet from the shock. Kane slowly lumbers to the ring with a purpose and enters with the same. Kane stands on the far side of the ring, the others standing opposite looking at each other and Kane fearing to even step in his direction.
HHH, being the type of guy he is, pushes Jack Swagger at Kane. Swagger looks up, gathers himself, and tries to punch the big man down. Kane takes one hand, wraps it around Swaggers throat, turns, and hurls him over the ropes behind him.
Jack Swagger eliminated
With nearly 15 seconds left before the next entrant, Kane slowly walks towards the remaining superstars waiting for who will test him next. :00 has been reached?
13. Zack Ryder
Ryder struts down the aisle, shouting ?Woo, woo, woo’s to the jeering crowd. Kane slowly turns his head and sees the brash young man making his obnoxious entrance. Ryder stops halfway through the second rope to see the Big Red Monster peering daggers into his headband. Frozen like a deer in headlights, Ryder can?t move from his precarious state.
Kane grabs Ryder and tumbles him into the ring. Ryder is on his knees in the center of the ring, begging for Kane not to do the inevitable. With a sinister smile on his face, Kane grabs Ryder’s throat with two hands, lifts him off his feet, and slowly makes his way to the ropes on the camera-side pushing Ryder over.
Zack Ryder eliminated
Immediately after Ryder is eliminated, a handful of performers make their way to Kane hoping to gang-eliminate him. Kane swats the young men away and picks one to feast on, Ted DiBiase. Just like last week, with DiBiase on Kane’s shoulders about to be eliminated, the buzzer sounds?
14. Cody Rhodes (of Legacy)
Cody looks and sees his partner on the brink of elimination. He rushes in and makes the save, cueing all those around to continue the melee.
Step aside from the stories that I have set and look back at what I have constructed so far. We still have a full ring of competitors from all brands of all echelons of talent. The crowd could choose from any face or any heel to pull for.
You have the revisiting feud between Degeneration-X and Legacy. You have the continuing rivalry between John Morrison and Drew McIntyre. You have Rumble veterans Kane and Finlay there to help direct traffic and CM Punk to pick a fight with whomever he chooses. Keep in mind also that all of these men could easily pick someone else to wail on.
Back to the Reconstruction, and the clock has now elapsed?
15. The Great Khali (with Ranjin Singh)
The superstars stay away from the center of the ring, as Kane is standing there waiting for Khali’s entrance. As Khali walks over the top rope and makes his way to stand face-to-face with Kane, John Morrison and Drew McIntyre are tangled up. Their tangle leaves them punching in between the two behemoths.
Kane grabs Morrison. Khali grabs McIntyre. The mammoths eliminate the two on opposite sides of the ring.
John Morrison eliminated.
Drew McIntyre eliminated.
On one side, after Kane has taken out Morrison, the melee between HHH and Legacy spills over on top of him. The four are now entrenched. On the other side, Finlay and CM’s battle has spilled onto Khali. While the countdown commences, an elimination is made in the process?
Finlay eliminated
This elimination is essential because now that most of the freshmen are gone, the traffic cop can leave as well. Anyway, back to the new entrant?
16. Beth Phoenix
I really liked this storyline in the Rumble and thought I would keep it in this one but place it later in the match in order to subside all the madness with some surprise and astonishment. What happened last Sunday happens here as well, through manipulation Beth does the unthinkable?
The Great Khali eliminated
Also, she turns and makes the sick clothesline on CM just to maintain her hot streak. Unfortunately, what happened then also happens here at the hands of CM?
Beth Phoenix eliminated
With over half of the field entered, let’s take a deep breath and look at who we have remaining inside the ring right now during the Rumble Reconstruction: CM Punk, Triple H, Ted DiBiase, Kane, and Cody Rhodes. Alright, back to the action?
After the hilarity and disappointment between Khali and Beth, we see HHH pounce on CM while in the background we see Kane trying to contend with Legacy. While Kane does all he can to keep himself in the ring, the two young men end up being too much for him?
Kane eliminated
After the elimination, Cody and Ted regroup and set their sights on one of their fiercest rivals. HHH is on the verge of elimination, the crowd teeters all while the clock counts to double-zero?
17. Shawn Michaels
Michaels sees his partner on the verge and makes the save. He gives sharp forearms to all three heels. A superkick sends one flying over the top?
Ted DiBiase eliminated
On the other side, HHH clotheslines another over the top?
Cody Rhodes eliminated
CM Punk tries to bum rush HHH from behind but Michaels is heard yelling something. HHH turns his head and quickly low-bridges the top rope avoiding CM?
CM Punk eliminated
We are left with Degeneration-X in the ring and the crowd rejoicing. This, again, kind of goes alongside what WWE Creative initially intended.
The biggest difference between their construction and mine is the utilization of the anticipation of elimination; Using the mystique of Kane’s Rumble history, the towering of The Great Khali, the surrounding storyline involving John Morrison and Drew McIntyre, and the past history of Legacy and Degeneration-X. You may argue about the use of everyone else, but sometimes you need to use various talents as packing material.
We return to Triple H and Shawn Michaels staring each other down in the center of the ring. Trading punches, they kill the remaining seconds of the clock?
18. Mike Knox
Instead of immediately bringing out John Cena, it is better to bring out a heavy hitting heel. Again, someone people can go against but still see as a viable threat.
Knox enters the ring and wails on both DX members. Both Michaels and Triple H try to overwhelm Knox, but to no avail. As the two try to overpower Knox over the top rope, the buzzer sounds? now is the time?
19. John Cena
Cena barrels down the aisle and into the ring. Michaels slinks off to the side as Cena helps HHH eliminate Knox. Cena’s assistance helps achieve the goal?
Mike Knox eliminated
?Until the unimaginable happens, the same occurrence that happened last Sunday. After one superkick from Shawn Michaels on an unsuspecting Triple H?
Triple H eliminated
The crowd is stunned silent. Triple H lies on the outside, John Cena stares at Shawn Michaels with eyes wide open. Michaels stands there, emotionless. As everyone tries to gather themselves, Michaels and Cena stare off and tie up. The clock counts down?
20. Chris Jericho
Instead of waiting near the very end to bring Edge’s foreshadowed rival into the match, I chose to bring him in a little earlier. Having Jericho in earlier helps in building more heat for all involved and instead of making him the afterthought he ended up being last Sunday.
This entry also cues up the next time for a lull in eliminations. We have seen so many go over the top in such a short amount of time. The Royal Rumble is not a match that you just burn through effortlessly.
All three battle with each other until the next competitor is signaled?
21. Vladimir Kozlov
It is again time to bring in the heavy hitters. Kozlov rushes in and uses his trademarked battering ram head-butts on all involved. Cena may get up after one of them and attempt to combat the Russian, but Kozlov lifts him up and plants him down. Kozlov standing alone, he turns and waits for the next entrant not even attempting at elimination?
22. William Regal
Kozlov sees his former mentor slowly march down the aisle until one of the three left in the ring sees his vulnerability. With one swift motion?
Vladimir Kozlov eliminated
As Kozlov lies on the ground, Regal looks down on him with disgust shaking his head before entering the ring. The four inside the ring now continue the melee.
With Regal now in the ring to act as a traffic cop, we can bring some of the younger talent into the match with no fears of lost focus.
23. Kofi Kingston
Kofi rushes into the ring and uncorks some of his maneuvers on all involved. All the men continue to attack each other, trying to eliminate but no real ground made. The buzzer sounds again?
24. Big Show
A smile appears on Chris Jericho’s face as he sees his former tag team partner head down the aisle and into the ring. One after another, superstars fall to the canvas with each head-butt and overpowering shove from the big man.
Jericho walks up to Big Show to display his appreciation that he is there. Big Show disparagingly acknowledges him and continues to show his dominance on the rest of the field. The melee ensues and the clock counts down?
25. Christian
The crowd erupts. Christian makes his way down the aisle. Jericho, who is in the far corner contending to another wrestler, stops and lightly stares at Christian. Christian enters and catches Jericho’s glance. As Christian is fixated, Regal blindsides him. The two become entangled in an all-out brawl in a corner.
3? 2? 1?
26. Chris Masters
Remember what we saw last Sunday with Masters in the Rumble? Connecting some clotheslines and then going after a prone Big Show with a Masterlock attempt? Yeah? same result?
Chris Masters eliminated
While this happens, we see Kofi climbing the top rope attempting a high risk move only to be let down by an opportunistic John Cena?
Kofi Kingston eliminated
All men involved continue to brawl with each other. Blah blah blah? next entrant please?
27. Mark Henry
Again, remember the spot involving John Cena and Mark Henry trying to topple Big Show? Keep those plotlines going.
Also, keep in mind we have Christian and Regal going at it in one corner. Envision Shawn Michaels taking a short breather in a corner somewhere.
Mark Henry and Big Show are tangled up like before and we?ll keep it just like that for the next competitor.
28. R-Truth
R-Truth rushes into the ring and eliminates both Henry and Big Show like he did previously.
Mark Henry eliminated
Big Show eliminated
Chris Jericho sees an opening and tries to take advantage but R-Truth avoids and the two become tangled up. In the background, Cena and Michaels are now trying to eliminate each other. On the other side of the ring, Christian has finally gotten the upper hand on Regal?
William Regal eliminated
Christian turns and sees R-Truth and Jericho locked up. He slowly makes his way to the two and to the crowds? amazement?
R-Truth eliminated
Jericho looks at Christian, Christian returns the glare. SLAP! Christian sends one of his trademark peep-slaps across Jericho’s face. Jericho won?t have any of that?
Christian eliminated
The crowd has now reached a consensus, letting their hatred be known about Chris Jericho. Jericho is left smiling and at times pointing and laughing at the eliminated wreckage that lies below him? all until the buzzer sounds?
29. Edge
From here on out, my Rumble Reconstruction resumes where last Sunday’s Rumble took us. Edge makes his grand entrance, spearing everyone, and eliminating the man who had been insulting him from afar.
Chris Jericho eliminated
30. Batista
And there is your final four, just like last Sunday: Shawn Michaels, John Cena, Edge, and Batista. I would keep the outcome of all four involved in the same manner. Nothing changed.
So what do you think? Just a few tweaks here and there, right? I do have to admit one thing? conceptualizing the Royal Rumble match is a lot easier when you have a template like last Sunday’s to work from.
I?ll be perfectly blunt; there is no way I could have come up with a Royal Rumble match by myself without what happened previously to assist me. Though I do think that my imagination might have come up with a more entertaining and enthralling match than last Sunday’s.
What do you think? Think you could do better? I?d love to see you try!
Until next time, mouth-breathers!
Annoy me with your assumptions and affronts… adore me with your adulations and acknowledgements: dougystyle79@yahoo.com.
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