WWE Royal Rumble 2017 Preview
By Tim Sherry
WWE.com
WWE Championship: AJ Styles (c) vs John Cena
There’s been something just a tinge off about Cena since his latest return to the ring. He has a bit of an edge to him and his undying love of WWE fans seems to be waning just a tiny bit. Is this heel turn that’s about 8 years in the making about to become a reality? At this point, this may be the one thing that could reinvigorate Cena’s career. Could a loss to Styles at the Rumble be what sets those wheels in motion? Let’s hope.
One thing that is a definite for this paring Sunday night is that it will be a scintillating match. Their matches last year at Money In The Bank and SummerSlam were show-stealers, especially the SummerSlam one which ranked No. 7 on my 15 best WWE matches of 2016 which you can read here. These two compliment each other so well in the ring that their clashes are a thing of beauty. Look for a spirited battle Sunday night with the winner preparing for bigger business in Orlando.
What a win would mean for Cena: Well this is obvious. In defeating Styles Sunday Cena would become the 16-time world champion, matching that of legend Ric Flair. This is as big an honor as there is in the wrestling world and even if it rubs some people the wrong way, Cena is as deserving a person to win it as there is. I’ve had my reservations about Cena for a long time and I can’t say that I’m a massive fan but the fact of the matter is that he bleeds WWE and brings his big game stuff on a nightly basis. Like him or hate him, he’s a legend.
What a win would mean for Styles: If Styles walks out of San Antonio still WWE Champion he can officially put his feud with Cena to rest, if most likely only temporarily. AJ won both of the aforementioned matches on pay per view against “Big Game John” and with a title defense victory added to that, that would pretty much close the book on this program. Styles can then focus on a slew of different challenges that await him including the Elimination Chamber in February.