The goal for the wrestlers is to toss their opponents over the top rope and to the floor at ringside and be the last man standing in the ring. It's every man for himself. Or is it?
One story to follow in this year's Rumble match is that Randy Orton has two allies. WWE may have foreshadowed the outcome of the Rumble match on Monday's Raw when they had Ted DiBiase and Cody Rhodes help Orton win a battle royal that served as a preview for the Rumble match. It can't be that easy, though, can it?
The bigger angle took place at the end of Monday's show when Vince McMahon returned after a long hiatus. He announced that he and his daughter will run the Raw show together. Although Stephanie McMahon was all smiles in front of her father, she's shown several times in recent months that she doesn't like to share control of the Raw brand.
Let's not forget that Stephanie is a multi-generational performer, just like the members of Orton's Legacy faction. Steph has bickered with Orton several times, but she has also done a few things behind the scenes that make me question whether she's in cahoots with Orton as his minions. Sure, she cried when Randy went Reggie Roby on her father's head in the hot angle that closed the show on Monday night, but it wouldn't be the first Steph has swerved viewers.
If Orton doesn't win the Rumble and challenge for the World Hvt. Championship at WrestleMania 25, there's a chance he could actually appear in a higher profile match. Although Jim Ross has publicly denied that Steve Austin will return for one more match at the company's biggest annual event in April, there are some rumblings that the angle on Monday night could lead to an Austin vs. Orton match at WrestleMania.
It would be a match between WWE's biggest legend and the self-proclaimed Legend Killer. Austin has stated in the past that he thinks he has one more match left in him, but he's also battled some serious neck injuries in the past. I'd love to see the match, but only if Austin is physically able to pull it off.
The Smackdown favorite to win the Rumble is Triple H. Sure, he has the misfortune of being the first person in the match per his loss on Friday's Smackdown, but it wouldn't be the first time that the boss's son-in-law has overcome ridiculous odds or headlined a WrestleMania pay-per-view.
Jeff Hardy vs. Edge for the WWE Title. Edge has claimed repeatedly that he's not responsible for the recent attacks on Hardy. If you haven't been following along, Hardy was the victim of a hit-and-run accident, and a pyrotechnic "accident" in addition to being attacked by a mystery man the morning of the Survivor Series. Jeff blames Edge, but I'm guessing that Edge's character isn't lying.
Christian Cage's contract with TNA has expired. Although he won't comment on his contract status, TNA president Dixie Carter has stated that he turned down their contract offers. As such, it's logical to assume that the artist formerly known as the Creepy Little Bastard is the man behind the attacks on Hardy. Don't be surprised if Christian helps his former tag team partner defeat Hardy for the WWE Title on Sunday.
John Cena vs. JBL for the World Hvt. Championship. I was as bored as anyone with the Cena vs. JBL feud, but WWE really spiced things up by adding Shawn Michaels to the mix. The story goes that Shawn went broke because the economy collapsed and agreed to work for JBL so that he could put food on his family's table. Sure, it sounds like a stretch given that HBK is an active WWE main eventer, but they've actually done a great job of getting this angle over.
Cena said there will be a point during this match when Shawn has to choose. Will he help the man he despises in exchange for a big paycheck or will he snap and stick part of his boot down the throat of JBL? I think we're all guessing that JBL will know what Shawn's boot tastes like by the end of the match, but it should be fun either way. I don't think they want to head into WrestleMania 25 with JBL as champion, so I'm picking Cena to win this one.
Jack Swagger vs. Matt Hardy for the ECW Title. Swagger surprised everyone by pinning Hardy clean and capturing the ECW Title on a recent edition of WWE's Tuesday night show. This is his first title defense and it will be interesting to see how he performs in his first semi-high profile match on pay-per-view. WWE officials obviously think highly of Swagger and see him as a blue chip prospect. Meanwhile, Hardy could have his hands full helping his younger brother against longtime rivals Edge and Christian, so I'm taking Swagger to win this match.
Beth Phoenix defends the WWE Women's Title against Melina. These are two of the best female wrestlers in WWE and they can deliver a good match if they're given enough time. Look for new Diva Rosa Mendez to get involved in this match somehow. It looks like they're building toward a feud between Beth and Mendez, so it's possible that Rosa's interference backfires and costs her idol the women's strap. This one could go either way.
I'll be back on Monday with a recap of the Royal Rumble. Until then, for all the latest pro wrestling news, check out ProWrestling.net
