WWE Royal Rumble 2017: 3 Reasons John Cena Defeats AJ Styles
WWE.com
1. This Sets Up a 17th World Title Reign at WrestleMania 34
John Cena tying Ric Flair’s recognized WWE World title record of 16 is an amazing accomplishment. It moves Cena even higher among the all-time greats, and will further make him stand out in the company’s history.
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If WWE waits on Cena to tie this record at WrestleMania 33, it will have just as much of a feel as it would if won his 17th title at WrestleMania 34. He would stand tall with the belt with the fireworks, the fanfare, and everything else. Why not push the title change to the Royal Rumble then, and eventually build toward a WrestleMania 34 win?
Cena breaking the title record at WrestleMania 34 would be a grand moment to close the show, something WWE will likely plan far in advance. After what he’s done for the company as the top guy in the ring and for marketing outside of it, they may reward him with a title win that’s potentially his last one. This could be against someone like the Undertaker, who could walk in with the WWE Championship and potentially be retired by Mr. Hustle, Loyalty, and Respect.
Next: Ranking Every Royal Rumble Match Winner
Is the Royal Rumble the right time for Cena to become a 16-time World champion? Should Styles retain the belt?