WWE's Royal Rumble event is coming up on Sunday, January 24, and already fans are choosing their favorites to win. The man who wins the Rumble match of course gets a shot at the WWE world heavyweight champion on April 3 at WrestleMania, the biggest night of the year for the company.The Rumble has historically always been the scene of one surprise after another, and fans are surely hoping for the same in 2016. This night is different from other WWE events because of the twists and turns that could happen, all of which could have long-lasting ramifications for everyone involved.This means the excitement should be there and that fans should be happy when it's all over.Whether the night will contain swerves and surprises, the likes of which fans have seen before, is anyone's guess. No one can deny the groundwork has been laid, and expectations will be high when the Royal Rumble takes place.Chris Jericho Returns in 2013Chris Jericho is not the Superstar he once was in terms of wins and losses. The former WWE champion and future Hall of Famer was one of the company's top guys during the bulk of his career and, in that time, beating him was a big deal.He was one of Vince McMahon's main event workhorses, and as such, he had the backing of the company as a top star.But those days are gone, and now Jericho is used mostly to get other guys over. While WWE has received its fair share of criticism because of this, the fact is Jericho surely would not go along with it if it were not something he wanted to do.Even though he's lost his top-guy status, he has not lost his entertainment value, which keeps him among WWE's most popular performers. This was especially true in 2013 when he made a surprising return to the Royal Rumble match.Y2J's return blew the roof off the building and gave fans a reason to be excited. Jericho entered as the second competitor and lasted nearly an hour, proving once again he has what it takes to get over and leave the fans wanting more.Vince McMahon Wins the 1999 RumbleIn 1999, there was no man more despised in WWE than Mr McMahon. The owner of WWE was in the midst of a massive war with Stone Cold Steve Austin, a war that was selling out arenas all over the country.The Texas Rattlesnake had the perfect adversary in McMahon, as Vince was the only guy man enough to stand in Austin's way. The fact he surrounded himself with corporate muscle that had his back was irrelevant; he was hated for trying to stop Stone Cold.McMahon did just that at the Royal Rumble in 1999, when he managed to eliminate Austin and win the match. Fans did not see this coming, and while it's true anything can happen in WWE, this was not supposed to have been included in that theory. The crowd was fully behind Stone Cold and wanted him to go over, so watching McMahon take the win sent them into shock.He may have had help, and it may have not come easily for him, but McMahon's win that night remains one of the most surprising and exciting moments fans have seen in the event's history.Bret Hart and Lex Luger Eliminated at the Same Time in 1994Bret Hart was one of Vince McMahon's guys after the end of Hulk Hogan's era, and Lex Luger was one of the guys who could perhaps have risen to the top. Where Hart was skilled and talented, Luger had a great physique and the archetypalWWE image.With those two combined, WWE would, in theory, have had the perfect Superstar to lead them into the future.But in 1994, controversy and indecision ruled the day when the Royal Rumble ended in a shocker. The Hitman and The Total Package both hit the floor at the same time, basically winning the match together. It had never happened before and has not happened since.The timing of the spot was perfect and camera angles did not need to be manipulated in any way by the company to get the desired outcome. They did indeed touch the floor at the same time, and because they were both babyfaces at the time, they walked away with a handshake.Fans may not have expected this, but that is one of the things that makes the Rumble match both special and exciting. The crowd never knows what is going to happen, and this is one of the best examples of that very idea.John CenaReturns and Wins in 2008Part of the criticism leveled at John Cena over the years has related to his Superman persona. It's not a character that was given to him by WWE Creative, and it's not one he even necessarily chose himself, but it's one that has stuck with him for quite a while now.Basically, it came from fans who have sat back and watched him survive one major attack and injury after another, only to return stronger than ever.Cena cannot be held down and cannot be held back. No matter how many times he gets hurt, he refuses to let it beat him. Perhaps the biggest example of this came in 2008, when he made a surprise return at the Royal Rumble.Though he suffered a torn pectoral muscle, Cena came back to action just three months later. He has always had his critics, but that did not stop the crowd from exploding the moment he appeared on the ramp.Once again,Cenabeat the odds and proved he would not stay down very long at all. This would be the theme for his career and remains perhaps the defining moment of his Superman gimmick.Daniel Bryan is Not Included and Eliminated Early, 2014 and 2015Daniel Bryan's WWE career can be summed up with one very precise statement: fans want to see him do well. There is something about the Yes Man that connects very deeply with the WWE faithful, and that connection cannot be denied.Bryan seems very genuine, which is part of his endearing charm. Every time he cuts a promo, it's from the heart. Every time he looks into the camera, he does so with obvious emotion. Any time he's on the card, he gives maximum effort. Fans know he truly cares about what he does for a living whenever he performs in the ring.It's his honesty and his love for the game that makes fans feel as though he's one of them, and because of all that, he will likely always have a place in their hearts.So when the Royal Rumble went down in 2014, many could not wait for Daniel to make an impact. This was his time; this was the moment that he would finally get over the hump and get the WrestleMania shot he had worked so hard for. But he was not even booked in the match.When the Rumble came around in 2015, those same fans were anxious to see him get back to that championship level, the one that eventually saw him win at Mania in 2014. But he came in at the 10th spot and was eliminated very early in the match.In both instances, WWE had the opportunity to get Bryan on track with some positive momentum, and in both instances they chose not to make it happen. Whether either Rumble was done by design to intentionally prevent Bryan from reaching the top is unknown.But there can be no doubt fans wanted to see Bryan do well, and that will likely never change.Tom's work can regularly be found on Bleacher Report and his podcast, Tom Clark's Main Event, is available on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Android, Windows Phone and onlinehere.
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