Can you smell it?
WrestleMania season is here baby! With the 2024 year closing in, we are on the way to WrestleMania 40. But our first stop before the Grandest Stage of Them All, is the Royal Rumble. This year is a spicy with lots of rumors and predictions on who should win, particularly with two superstars, Cody Rhodes and CM Punk.
For the 2023 Royal Rumble, I don’t think there was a doubt in anyones mind on the fact that Cody was going to win the Royal Rumble. Being out with a nasty pec tear, there was no one else who could’ve realistically been in the spot to face Roman Reigns. Until this year… Up until CM Punks return at Survior Series, Cody Rhodes has been the ideal candidate to face Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40 after falling short the year prior. Now with a feud brewing with Seth Rollins, CM Punk’s name has been thrown in as a potential winner of the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble. At the same time, there is no question Cody Rhodes is looking to finish the story and defeat Roman Reigns at WrestleMania.
WWE is in a tight spot. WHO SHOULD WIN?! Both men and they shake hands after?! Go with door number 3 and bring in The Rock?!
Here’s what I think should happen:
http:/https://youtu.be/o2P_pZ-kJNk?si=yokBU5XBoHMz8CwB
Lets no kid ourselves. CM Punk will face Seth Rollins at WrestleMania. There is no question, given Seth Rollins’s fiery response to Punk’s return and the brilliant segment on RAW. But the question is, is it worth using Punk winning the Royal Rumble to set up the match? It can be. Punk eliminates Cody last to win, shedding doubt into whether Cody will “finish the story” and Punk can get his proper Royal Rumble win and officially challenge Rollins at WrestleMania for the World Title. But that almost seems to easy.
Instead, I’d love a scenario where Rollins costs Punk the Rumble match. Rollins already made his intentions for Punk clear, calling him a cancer and saying to his face how much he hates him. Don’t even wait till the final four, have Rollins slip in 10 minutes after Punk enters, wanting NO CHANCE for Punk to face him. This helps give Rollins more of an edge leading into the match, to prevent Baby Face vs Baby Face. The fans will most likely boo the living hell out of Rollins and be foaming at the mouth to see Punk get his revenge and even the odds. Thankfully options like the Elimination Chamber are there to help Punk fight for his spot.
But that leaves Cody Rhodes. Rhodes currently staying busy in a feud with Shinsuke is a great way to keep him active in the wrestling fans mind before we get to the Rumble. Even if the two face off in a one on one match at the Rumble, it never stopped Superstars for pulling double duty and entering the Rumble match, we all know that ever since the nuclear reaction to Reigns entering in 2017. But giving Cody the second year win helps catapult him back into the title picture as well as a small class of superstars to win back to back Royal Rumbles. I’d have him in the final moments with a deadly heel such as Drew McIntyre to throw doubt of his win into the air. Have Cody really dig deep to pull off this incredible victory.
Cody winning helps prevent a negative reaction to Punk, like Batista in 2014. Although both men are in no doubt slated to main event Night 1 and Night 2 of WrestleMania 40, I feel the honor of the Royal Rumble belongs to Cody this year. Punk immediately returning and winning the Royal Rumble could sour his monumental return and lead to chaos in this happy and exciting time as a wrestling fan.
What do you think? Share your thoughts, opinions, feedback, and anything else that was raised on Twitter @PWMania and Facebook.com/PWMania.
