By Shawn Valentino, PWTorch Specialist

Every year, the Royal Rumble seems to be one of the WWE's "can't miss" matches. As my friend and I drove to the event this past Sunday in Detroit, we were excited about the possibilities of great moments and star-making turns in the Rumble. Unfortunately, while I enjoyed the undercard, I found the main event itself to be a huge disappointment.

The Royal Rumble used to be a contest where feuds began, stars were made, and unforgettable memories took place. This year, the battle was such a mess that few such happenings took place. After attending the event and going home unhappy, I wanted to suggest ten ways that WWE could have improved the booking of the match. I am not saying that they should have done all these things, but if they did a few of them, I feel that the match would have been much more memorable. I realize that watching the event on television could have inspired different reactions so I look forward to hearing your thoughts as well.

(10) Legacy Should Have Been More Dominant

The central theme of the match was Legacy helping Randy Orton earn his WrestleMania main event. I feel that this was not focused on enough during the course of the match. Almost everyone seems to agree that this Rumble had too many competitors left in the ring throughout the match. If Legacy had teamed up more during the battle, they could have eliminated some of the wrestlers that mainly served as a distraction.

It would have solidified the group as more of a dominant force to be reckoned with and tied up the story of the match. As it was, none of the members of the faction really benefited from the match other than the one that was already over to begin with.

(9) Unlikely Alliances Could Have Formed to Combat Legacy

If Legacy had established itself as dominant cohesive unit during the match, then other wrestlers could have formed unlikely alliances to combat them. The unification of those wrestlers for the common good of defeating the obstacle would have added to the intrigue of the match. Additionally, if and when that alliance would break, it could have started a new feud.

(8) New Feuds Should Have Been Established

The Royal Rumble usually is the beginning of at least one major feud heading to WrestleMania. This match featured no such confrontations. It would have been nice to see interaction between wrestlers like CM Punk and MVP, for example, to plant seeds for a rivalry in the future.

(7) New Stars Should Have Been Established

Obviously, this is a vague suggestion, but the Rumble is one of those matches where a new star can be created, or a mid-carder can be elevated to a higher position in the card. It would have been nice to see an up and coming performer like John Morrison or MVP get a lengthy, meaningful run in the match. The announcers could have played up what that means for the competitor, and discuss how their performance elevates their star-power.

(Caldwell's Note: Or, The Brian Kendrick could have had more than a cup of coffee in the Rumble.)

(6) The Big Eliminations Should Have Been Showcased

WWE did do a few things right in the Rumble, but the match was such a confusing cluster that it was hard to focus on those moments. Kozlov eliminating Khali could have been something special, but it came across as sloppy and anti-climactic. Rey was in the ring for nearly an hour but I could not even tell when he was tossed from the ring. If these big spots were done in dramatic fashion, they could have been memorable moments.

(5) Elimination of Undertaker and Big Show Should Have Been Featured

In matches of this type of format, the elimination of huge wrestlers or larger than life characters can be an instant star-making moment. WWE needs to take advantage of this opportunity more. The Maven elimination of Undertaker a few years back is still remembered despite the fact that he was a failure. Can we even remember how Taker or Show were tossed out of the ring? Think about what a huge deal it would have been if somebody like Morrison or Miz got rid of them and then gloated in the upcoming weeks. WWE needs to be more thoughtful of how they plan out their eliminations and think about how they can elevate performers during the Rumble.

(4) This Rumble Missed Shawn Michaels

Michaels is WWE's premiere in-ring storyteller and his inclusion in the match would have made for more intriguing moments. I may be in the minority in thinking that WWE is swerving its way towards an Undertaker versus HBK match at WrestleMania. They could have utilized the JBL storyline and intertwined it into the Rumble somehow and gave the fans a memorable confrontation between their top two icons.

(3) This is Not a Battle Royale

Again, the top complaint about this year's Rumble has been there were too many competitors in the ring at the same time throughout the match. It created for a jumbled mess where it was difficult to tell what was going on, especially attending live. With so many wrestlers in the ring, it is hard to tell stories and showcase confrontations that will lead to new feuds. I realize that this is likely an experiment to try something different this year, but hopefully this does not take place again.

(2) Triple H should not be Superman

Now I am not a Triple H hater like so many people online and realize that he has an enormous star presence. Can anybody explain to me, however, what was accomplished by having him survive almost the entire match, eliminate multiple wrestlers in superhuman ways, and only being thrown out due to a triple team advantage that he nearly overcame? The Game should not be eliminating Miz and Morrison at the same time as it makes them look weak more than it makes him look strong. He should have come in around twenty-four and had a strong showing, but he did not need a star-making performance, as he is already firmly established.

(1) Rhodes or DiBiase Should Have Eliminated Triple H

This all leads to the ultimate missed opportunity of the Royal Rumble. Everybody who knows anything about wrestling knew this would come down to Legacy versus Hunter. Even if they kept everything else in the match the same, it would have made the ending so much more dramatic if Rhodes or DiBiase would have eliminated The Game.

Let me propose a scenario. The Game tosses Rhodes over the top rope and DiBiase sees the opportunity and throws Hunter out from behind. This leaves DiBiase and Orton. DiBiase, realizing Orton is the leader of the group and he is just a rookie, voluntarily leaves the ring and gives Orton the main event slot at Mania.

This would have worked on multiple levels. It would have generated mega-heat for Orton as he is such a badass and so powerful that his fellow teammates acknowledge his superiority. It would have also instantly established DiBiase or Rhodes, as a new force to be reckoned with as they eliminated the ultimate superhero of the company. It would also plant seeds for a feud with Orton down the line when Legacy inevitably breaks apart.

Instead, we got the same cliched finish that everyone expected where nothing new was established. Hunter is still Superman fighting off three wrestlers, and Orton is still the Legend killer taking out Triple H. It was a Rumble of missed opportunities and I feel this was this could have been a classic moment that the match lacked.

Please seed questions, comments and feedback to valentino.torch@gmail.com

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