The WWE weathered the storm and is being rewarded with the return of some injured superstars, some proven like Sheamus, and others an unknown commodity like Cain Velasquez. While the Gaelic warrior has been cutting promos the last couple of weeks signaling his return to the ring is imminent, nothing had been heard from Velasquez. Until now. A few reports on the internet claim Cain Velasquez expected to return for Royal Rumble.
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The hype
The glamor of his initial entrance into the WWE to confront Brock Lesnar during Lesnar’s feud with Rey Mysterio has worn off. While it was mainly due to his injury and not being able to live up to the hype, there were other rumors that other talent backstage didn’t like the fact he got a title shot after just showing up, and when we take into consideration his knee still bothered him enough to limit him, it’s reasonable to think he was rushed into things.
Honestly, seeing two former UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) champions face off in the square circle would’ve been worth seeing had things been done differently. Now, there’s virtually no hype about his return, which has resulted in this being considered more of a rumor than not by many.
Given how flat his performance at Crown Jewel was, it makes sense for him to be an entrant in the Royal Rumble as it’s been reported by WrestleTalk.com.
Though no match has been set yet, it makes more sense foe him to be in the 30 man Royal Rumble match. If he enters in the mid count mark, as I suspect, there should be a few others in the ring that can help him cover any ailments he may still have while letting him toss a few over the top rope to build himself back up in the fans’ eyes.
Wishful thinking
This is strictly from my viewpoint of what I’d like to see or think may happen.
Personally, I think it’d be a great boost to him if he and Lesnar are in the Royal Rumble match. It can be played that it’s Lesnar’s attempt to decided who he’ll face at Wrestlemania, hence his excuse for bing part of it.
The next phase would be the two of them in the ring together. They’d each get separated by a few sacrificial wrestlers (not jobbers) and be forced to overpower them to remain in the match — Lesnar to protect his championship, and Velasquez for a rematch he’d feel he deserves.
The pair would then toss out their opponents before coming face to face. In the center of the ring. It’d create instant buzz for Velasquez as fans would want him to defeat Lesnar, and it’d heighten the tension knowing Lesnar would want to eliminate him as soon as possible.
This would be reminiscent to the Ultimate Warrior and Hulk Hogan faceoff in the 1990 Royal Rumble that saw the place explode with anticipation. After a brief confrontation, another entrant that could be seen as a credible threat to both, like a Braun Strowman or Samoa Joe, would enter and force the two to decide to work together or trust the new entrant. Thus why I think Strowman of Joe would be perfect, assuming Joe is cleared to wrestle.
Both men have the potential to make Velasquez and Lesnar’s life miserable, and in the scrum, Lesnar could be eliminated. This would get a rise out of the fans and open the door for Velasquez to win outright and face Lesnar at WrestleMania.
While all of this makes sense with Cain Velasquez expected to return for Royal Rumble, there is the question of would this work? I think it’d be their best bet if they want Velasquez to make an immediate impact. If not, and Vince McMahon has his eyes set on another, then anyone’s guess is good. If nothing else, it’d make Velasquez’s return a memorable one.
Who would you like to see win the Royal Rumble?
