WWE Royal Rumble 2017: 5 Mistakes the Company Must Avoid

WWE.com

2. The Goldberg-Lesnar Feud Trumps All Others in Royal Rumble

The events that unfolded in the main event of Survivor Series last November got everyone chomping at the bit to see the next chapter of Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar.

“The Beast”, once thought to be unstoppable, was shaken to his very core when Goldberg made short work of him in his first match in over twelve years. It was arguably the most shocking upset, ironically in fact, since Brock Lesnar laid waste to The Undertaker’s unprecedented 21-0 streak at WrestleMania just two years prior.

More from Daily DDT

• It’s time for Adam Cole and MJF to drop the ROH tag team titles
• Tom Lawlor talks MLW return, AEW opportunity, CM Punk’s WWE return and more
• Eddie Kingston stands to gain the most from the AEW Continental Classic
• Trish Stratus on WWE NXT would help elevate that women’s division
• Randy Orton signs with SmackDown to go after The Bloodline

Now, heading into the Royal Rumble match, we have received confirmation that both Goldberg and Brock Lesnar will be competing for the opportunity to headline WrestleMania. Out of all the potential encounters put forward by thirty of the world’s finest competitors next Sunday, the real mouth-watering clash is the inevitable brawl between Goldberg and Lesnar – no matter what order they enter in.

The playing field has been set for these men to go to war, and whether it’s a one-sided affair or an evenly spread fight, it’s bound to blow the roof off the Alomodome.

That being said, we do need to remember the work that’s been put into making this one of the most unpredictable Royal Rumble matches in WWE history.

It’s so hard to call a winner, in fact – even with the bookies’ favourites heavily swaying the general consensus – that we’re not even going to hazard a guess in this piece regarding who’s going to win it all. But again, that unpredictability doesn’t happen overnight – the WWE has been utilising its brands to add a tonne of depth to this year’s Rumble that we perhaps haven’t seen in previous years.

Braun Strowman has been a one-man wrecking crew since his arrival on Monday Night Raw – recently going so far as to decimate Sami Zayn on a number of occasions to step right in front as the favorite to be the last man standing.

Dolph Ziggler’s inability to win “the big one” has whittled his morality down to the point where he’s turning on everyone – even Jerry “The King” Lawler.

Speaking of frustrations, The Miz’s issues with SmackDown Live management are about to reach their boiling point. Being held down by Daniel Bryan, Renee Young and the senior officials, not to mention his peers, has caused The Miz to lose the Intercontinental Championship – just in time for a push perhaps?

Related Story: Why The Miz Should Win The Royal Rumble

The Wyatt Family is on the fritz, with Harper and Orton’s inability to get along preventing the trio from moving forward as a unit ahead of WrestleMania season.

Seth Rollins is in desperate need of Triple H to take notice, and a strong performance in the Royal Rumble match is sure to turn the head of “The Cerebral Assassin”.

The progression, and in some cases, the conclusion of each of these narratives and more await us when the bell rings on January 29, so although Goldberg and Brock Lesnar may be the poster feud for this event, it would be a mistake for any of these story threads to suffer as a result of their imminent encounter.

There’s about an hour of time to work with here, and if it’s done correctly, this could wind up being one of the most story-driven and rewarding Royal Rumbles since the concept was ushered in – provided the rest of the roster isn’t steamrolled by Goldberg and Lesnar before it has the chance.