In 2011, the WWE presented the first-ever 40-man Royal Rumble main event. Former WWE champion Alberto Del Rio won the Royal Rumble, and went on to face Edge for the World Heavyweight championship. Del Rio lost against the Rated-R Superstar in a fantastic match on the card. There was much scrutiny when it came to the 40-man Rumble, and fans wished it wouldn’t happen again.
The chance of another 40-man Royal Rumble main event is now a realistic possibility, as SEScoops is reporting that the 2015 Royal Rumble will feature more than just 30 men.
WWE announced at Tuesday night’s SmackDown tapings that tickets for the 2015 Royal Rumble go on sale this Friday.
They also announced that the 2015 Royal Rumble will feature 40 men, only the second time in history the Rumble has featured that many competitors.
Former WWE Superstar Alberto Del Rio won the 2011 Rumble, besting 39 other men to earn his spot in the main event of WrestleMania.
The 2015 WWE Royal Rumble takes place on Sunday, January 25th from Philadelphia, PA.
Since that was first posted, other outlets are reporting that it will feature only 30 men, due to a flyer the fans received on their way out of the arena during the Friday Night SmackDown tapings last night. The WWE has yet to comment on the dilemma, but a decision should be made soon, as the Royal Rumble pay-per-view is only a few months away.
This year, Royal Rumble 2015 will be held on January 25, 2015 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. One thing the WWE Universe may want to consider is to make noise and let their presence be felt during the show. Last year, when Daniel Bryan didn’t enter into the Royal Rumble main event at no. 30, the crowd went irate in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Few say that it was that moment that sparked the push for Bryan to be the WWE’s choice at WrestleMania 30 to win the title. On top of that, their winner, Batista, wasn’t well-received from the WWE Universe. Many were very frustrated with the choice to win last year’s Royal Rumble.
There are a few notes to consider heading into the final stretch of next year’s Royal Rumble. The WWE World Heavyweight champion, Brock Lesnar, isn’t being advertised until the pay-per-view in January. While that is a disappointment for fans who want to see the Beast Incarnate defend his championship, rumors are still swirling about Daniel Bryan’s return to the WWE.
Apparently, there’s a slight chance that Bryan might return at the Royal Rumble in 2015. That would mark a nine-month absence from one of the WWE’s favorite superstars.
Hopefully, next year’s Royal Rumble will feature a better story than last year’s event. Hopefully, WWE’s two biggest-draws, Daniel Bryan and Brock Lesnar will be at the event. And as long as a part-time star doesn’t win the main event, the WWE Universe will be happy, if that’s possible.
[Images via WWE.com and Google]