Road to Royal Rumble 2021

Survivor Series is here

One more Thunderdome PPV; the Rumble is the first live PPV of the Covid era, from Tampa in January.

But before that - it's December, that means it's the 16th anniversary of the Counterfactual.  So (1) thanks for reading and (2) nope, I don't have an end date yet.  Maybe 20 years?  Or Wrestlemania 40?  Or the 150th PPV?  I don't know; I'm closer to the end than the beginning though and that leads to the AEW discussion.

I think my original AEW take was I wanted to see four years of quarterly PPVs before considering what to do with them; that was insufficiently optimistic, once Cult of Personality hit for the first time in Chicago, it was evident they're going to outlive the Counterfactual. Tony Khan's 39, over a decade younger than I am and doesn't appear to need my two cents.  My inclination is to leave AEW in its real world form; maybe I revisit at some point, but like ROH or the Japanese promotions, I think probably it exists as is without a counter history.  

The Rumble's pretty good, not for nothing.

WWF Title: Ricochet v. Bryan Danielson

IC Title: AJ Styles v. Claudio Castagnoli

Tags: New Day (Langston/Woods) v. Hooligans (Sheamus/McIntyre) v. Miz/Nitro

Women's Title: Sasha Banks v. Bayley

#1 Contender Elimination Match: Rey Mysterio v. Kevin Steen v. Sami Zayn v. Matt Riddle

No DQ: Edge v. Christian

Tyler Black v. Nick Nemeth

Shinsuke Nakamura v. Bobby Lashley

Roman Reigns v. Jeff Hardy

Shayna Baszler/Rhea Ripley v. Bianca Belair/Toni Storm

Defiance (Orton/Priest) v. Ali/Otis

Asuka v. Natty Neidhart

Here's how we get there.

#1 Contender Elimination Match: Rey Mysterio v. Kevin Steen v. Sami Zayn v. Matt Riddle

Tyler Black v. Nick Nemeth

WWF Title: Ricochet v. Bryan Danielson

After Survivor Series, oGDI is given the opportunity to fill 3 match slots at the Rumble; the WWF Title, a Number One Contender's match and a third match TBD.  This creates tension in the group, all 3 men believing they should be fighting Ricochet for the title.  The conceit is that whomever arrives at Titan Towers first to claim the shot gets it.  They identify this as an attempt to divide them and say they aren't going to take the bait, they do though largely take the bait, the idea being we are supposed to understand there's no honor among thieves.

However, they decide among themselves (sorta) what the match sorting will be.  It starts with Steen; Rey is named the first competitor in the Number One Contender's Match; Rey, recall from Survivor Series, is doing another "I want these guys fired" angle, this time with Murphy/Aleistar Black, and that really grates Steen, as he left the promotion for months the last time Rey decided to do this.

Steen interrupts a Rey/Regal promo; Steen and Rey haven't been together in nearly a year, since Steen turned on him on the Rumble, Steen says he thought he beat the God Complex out of Mysterio, but apparently he needs another lesson and takes the slot available to him in the #1 Contender's Match.  

Rey says he'll beat Steen at the Rumble - and who knows - maybe he'll get Steen fired one day anyway.

The psychology allows for fans to dislike Mysterio; that's the idea, he's a babyface, but he's the locker room leader and there's room to find him overbearing - on the other hand, we are supposed to dislike the actions of the men he's opposing; Murphy/Black attacked his son, they brutally attack Kalisto, ending his run with the promotion, and when Regal tells Murphy/Black he can't protect them, there's room to see Rey as doing the right thing.

Murphy/Black finish up in this build (Crews is peeled away, he doesn't appear at all between Survivor Series and the Rumble) they get multiple warnings "hey, you've gone too far" -but attack Dominik, attack Kalisto - it sets up a tag - Rey and the partner he picks -- Zayn - against Murphy/Black; if Murphy/Black win, they get the spots in the Number One Contender Match but if they lose - they're gone.

They lose - they're gone - Regal refuses to intercede - and Murphy/Black leave the promotion.  

That makes Zayn the third man in the match - Riddle beat Lee at Survivor Series, that means Riddle gets the Kliq match at the Rumble, against a former WWF Champion - turns out, the match he gets is this one, against 2 of them.  

Tyler Black peels off into the Nemeth match when Nemeth beats him on TV with assistance from Gable; we're reminded that a year ago, Black and the Bullet Club ended Angle's run with the promotion, Shoot Nation was asked (told) by Lesnar not to retaliate, that they belonged to him and then immediately were funnled into other programs while Lesnar successfully destroyed the Bullet Club.

But who went unpunished was Black - who beat Lesnar at Mania, sending him from the promotion (at least, as of now) and now it's time for Black to catch some hands; he winds up being attacked by all of Shoot Nation (which we like, because he's a heel, but the psychology is weird, because he fights bravely despite being outnumbered - put a pin in that - with the kill shot coming from Lashley).

Penance.  Black has to pay some penance.  

So Black gives up the title shot to angrily take on Nemeth at the Rumble.

Leaving Danielson.

It's a similar build to the last Danielson/AJ match before the heel turn; Danielson has been working to this moment for years; he is supposed to be the best wrestler in the world, but hasn't held the WWF Title in years - this is why he formed oGDI - this is why he's done everything he's done - to get to this moment and beat Ricochet and win the WWF Title for a record tying 3rd time.  

Danielson says he's glad there are no fans; there's a lot of Mania talk now - it's announced that Mania will be the first match in front of a live crowd in over a year - so the huge anticipation for Mania begins right before the Rumble - but Danielson says he's glad he'll be winning the title with no fans, because they don't deserve to see it - they don't understand what he does - don't appreciate the craft - he's Mozart and all the fans understand are Motley Crue cover bands.  

Shinsuke Nakamura v. Bobby Lashley

Roman Reigns v. Jeff Hardy

No DQ: Edge v. Christian

We discussed Lashley in the last section - he's got a big singles match, babyface v babyface, against Nakamura.  And when you see Lashley - you think Reigns/McIntyre/Langston.  Those 4 have been positioned with each other increasingly over the past couple of years - in matches against each other in multiple configurations; and viewed as on the same level - the power men within their respective stables; we've had years of Reigns/Langston matches, with Usos and New Day and before that Usos/Shield - and McIntyre as part of Hooligans and now Lashley with Shoot Nation, all 4 really thought of together; there's an IRL analogue now, it's the AEW four pillars idea, where guys who aren't stabled together, not even in active programs with each other, are still supposed to be thought of as a collective of some sort.

Reigns has the IRL "head of the table" - "acknowledge me" gimmick, not at the same level, because he's where he is on the card, but the narcisissm is the same (and he hasn't lost with the gimmick, allowing for it to continue without apology).  Reigns beat Hardy in a tag at Survivor Series and now gets him in a single.  

Jeff plays a role in the Edge/Christian build  So - Edge returned at last year's Rumble, he and Nitro winning the tag titles for the Kliq, they lost to the Profits at Mania - and not long after Edge got killed by a masked man.

He returns now, with vignettes, he's angry, paranoid - he's going to find the man who attacked him.

He first accuses Nitro - Nitro and Edge never got their rematch, Nitro comes to Edge in this build and Edge turns him down, he doesn't want to tag with him again, he thinks Nitro might be the masked man.  Nitro turned on HBK once, Nitro's been hanging out with Sheamus, who was known as the Kliq Killer; maybe Nitro wanted to take him out.  

Michaels looks to intervene on Nitro's behalf - look, the Kliq is always fighting each other (Michaels does a comical history about how many times X has turned on Y and A then turned on B - but we all make up at the end of the day and put the Kliq first.  

Edge says Michaels forgets - he's only half Kliq - he's also half Hart Foundation - and maybe Michaels didn't forget that - maybe Michaels was the masked man and tried to snuff Edge out.

Jeff's next - Edge accuses him, brings up Matt, brings up Lita, brings up Jeff's former. masked persona the Blood Dragon.  It builds to what will be the announcement - we are told the Masked Man has come forward and he will confront Edge on RAW the next week.

It's Christian.  Making his return.  He and Edge always talked about one day maybe returning together but Edge couldn't wait - it had to be about Edge - he came back early and teamed with someone else to win the tag titles.  Wait a year - wait 6 more months - and it could have been Edge and Christian - but it always had to be about Edge - do they join the Kliq - do they decide to go singles - and while Edge is winning the Triple Crown - Christian is sent to TNA.  

So thats it - they aren't partners, they aren't brothers, they aren't friends - and now they are going to settle it - a lifetime will build up to one fight - they make it clear they aren't going to do this again - there's not going to be a WM rematch, they aren't going to reunite down the road -  they're going to have a fight at the Rumble, once and for all.  Edge is devastated by the betrayal, but he's already been demonstrating being off balanced in questioning everyone - and he turns that into fury - two men who have known each other their whole lives, with years of under the surface aggrievements bubbling up to the surface, battling it out at the Rumble (yeah, you'd want fans for this one, I appreciate that).

Tags: New Day (Langston/Woods) v. Hooligans (Sheamus/McIntyre) v. Miz/Nitro

Women's Title: Sasha Banks v. Bayley

IC Title: AJ Styles v. Claudio Castagnoli

In the last section we referenced Langston/McIntyre as positioned with each other continuously; they're programmed here as New Day (which includes Banks) battles Hooligans (which includes McIntyre).  

Recall, Nitro has the tag title rematch - Edge turns him down - so he goes to Miz to be his partner.  

Miz, of course, is with Hooligans - Nitro joined them at Survivor Series in an uneasy alliance of Miz's friend groups; it didn't work out.  So Sheamus and McIntyre aren't stoked about Miz joining up with Nitro here; here's where that Kliq Killer stuff resurfaces and the 3 men essentially tell Miz he has to pick a side.  

Miz picks Nitro - it's a title shot and he wants it.  

Sheamus says Miz is ungrateful - Miz was the Cuck, a joke, an embarrassment, and Sheamus saved his career, gave him a home, helped him with his first title.  

Miz says when McIntyre came back, Miz became the third wheel - so the choice between being half of the tag champs or being the third guy in some random match that maybe is on the card or maybe not - doesn't seem that hard.  

Hooligans makes it clear that if Miz makes this choice there's no turning back.  

Miz hands over his hockey jersey.  

So that's the first iteration of the tag match, New Day defending against Miz/Nitro -- meanwhile however, Banks is defending against Bayley - Bayley never got a rematch from losing the Women's Title - Bayley and Banks had a good feud that really kicked off this Banks run of dominance over the past year plus - and since Bayley is with Hooligans and Banks with New Day - there's some type of match that is put together in the build where McIntyre gets a fall on Woods -- and with McInyre and Langston talked about as being in the same space - it evolves that Sheamus and McIntyre are then added to the tag title match.  

The other title is the IC - Claudio was to be Garza's opponent, continuing the long Twisted Sun Gods v. Kings of Wrestling feud - but Covid knocked him out, AJ replaced and won the belt.  So - there's an all babyface match here. 

There's stakes for Claudio - he's been WWF Champ and Tag Champ - a win makes him a Triple Crown Winner.

Let's discuss Dark Ride - Gargano is the champ (Walter also holds a belt and "defends" it overseas) but he loses an epic blowoff to his former friend turned rival Ciampa in an all babyface match.  Postmatch, they hug, the feud over - Gargano handing the belt to Ciampa - and then they are attacked by GDI (Cole/Fish/O'Reilly) and beaten down.  

Leading to a 6 man - GDI uses shenanigans and Cole gets the fall on Ciampa.

That sets up Ciampa defending against Cole - all the stablemates are barred from ringside - but the match ends when, from under the ring, emerges Roderick Strong to assist Cole.  Strong, of course, has spent his entire WWF career as a Horseman, but they've broken up and he emerges his - aids Cole and joins GDI - Cole taking the Dark Ride Championship and he is champion as we get to the Rumble (the last show without dark matches)

That leads to an 8 man - GDI against Kings of Wrestling/Ciampa--- and Styles, who doesn't want Claudio injured before their match -- there's miscommunication however between Styles and Claudio (Claudio inadvertantly lays AJ out and Strong gets the fall on Gargano -- Claudio and AJ fight to the back postmatch, leaving Gargano and Ciampa alone - they have to battle all 4 members of GDI - when to the ring comes -- Prince Devitt - who has emerged as a tweener in Dark Ride after his long heel run with the Bullet Club.

Devitt aids Gargano and Ciampa in fighting off GDI -- and then attacks Gargano and Ciampa - leaving us the image of GDI on one side, Gargano and Ciampa on another -- and Devitt opposed to both.  

Shayna Baszler/Rhea Ripley v. Bianca Belair/Toni Storm

Defiance (Orton/Priest) v. Ali/Otis

Asuka v. Natty Neidhart

Belair beat Baszler at Survivor Series and then got beaten down by the Horsewomen; she takes two of them on with aid of her babyface friend Storm.  Orton's new version of Defiance is he and Priest, from developmental - that'll be the opening tag.  And Asuka, longtime Ace of the women's division faces veteran babyface Neidhart.

Royal Rumble 2021 - the Final Thunderdome PPV is in January