FanPost

A Henchman's Fantasy Royal Rumble, Road to Wrestlemania, and Beyond

This is my first fan post so feel free to enjoy to your heart's content. Let me start off by saying my goal with my fantasy booking is not to try and top Wrestlemania 31 because I don't believe that's possible with the current state of the roster. My primary goal is make match ups and story lines that would help create new main event performers, rebuild ones that have been horribly booked over the past year or two, and hopefully help start establishing a solid midcard because I believe a solid midcard is necessary to create new main event guys. Think about some of the biggest names that have graced a WWE/F ring over the past 20 years, guys like Shawn Michaels, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Kurt Angle, HHH, Edge, Randy Orton, JBL, John Cena, and CM Punk all held one of the two mid card titles on their way to becoming main eventers in WWE/F so making a credible midcard is important in my eyes in the development of main event level guys.

The format for this will be that I will list each match of the Royal Rumble, Fast Lane, and Wrestlemania with the champion entering the match notated with (c) and the winner of the match in bold. I will give my reasons for making the match, the build to the match in the match details,and post match booking when appropriate. My starting point will be the stories that were started this week on Raw and Smackdown and the matches that have been made for the Royal Rumble. Here we go!

Royal Rumble (Jan. 24)

Match 1: Tag Team Title: New Day (c) v. Uso's

I have the Uso's winning this match because there's a fantasy booked heel tag team that I would love to see paired together (Breeze and Miz) that would inject some new blood in the tag team division while we wait for the Bullet Club to arrive.

Match 2: Intercontinental Title: Dean Ambrose (c) v. Kevin Owens (Last Man Standing Match)

Kevin Owens will play a prominent role in my Road to Wrestlemania and he can't do it as the IC Champ. KO also can't move into the main event scene as the IC Champ so Dean Ambrose retains in a brutal match that makes both guys look good.

Match 3: United States Ttile: Alberto Del Rio (c) v. Kalisto

As much as I would like to put the belt on Kalisto, it makes more sense for my story going forward for ADR to retain the title in this match so ADR will retain the title in this match up and the LoN collects another championship.

Match 4: Diva's Title: Charlotte (c) v. Becky Lynch

Becky Disarms Charlotte to claim her first Diva's Championship. Charlotte's arm is taken as a trophy to hang on Becky's wall at home.

Match 5: Royal Rumble Match (Winner: Brock Lesnar)

There's any number of ways I could go with this, but my personal preference is a Roman Reigns v. Brock Lesnar rematch at Wrestlemania. To accomplish this, I will put the WWE WHC around Brock Lesnar's waist and have him eliminate Roman Reigns to do so after unwelcomed help from the League of Nations.

Some other notables in the Rumble I would have would be AJ Styles and HHH being in the final four along with Lesnar and Reigns. I would have Kevin Owens enter fairly early in the Rumble (6-10) and last until the early 20's before getting eliminated by a debuting AJ Styles. I would also have the LoN look pretty strong before getting taken out by Roman Reigns later on in the Rumble. Chris Jericho's rooty tooty booty gets eliminated by the New Day And finally, I would have the Wyatt Family embarrassed at the Rumble and looking more vulnerable than ever. Beyond those performers, there's not really anything of note I would have happen. As for NXT guys in the Rumble, I would have Apollo Crews and Baron Corbin, but not doing much because they are NXT guys and in theory are not as good as main roster guys.

Fast Lane (Feb. 21)

Preshow Match: Social Outcasts v. Kalisto, Dolph Ziggler, Ryback, and Goldust

A thrown together match to help build up the Social Outcasts for their Wrestlemania match.

Match 1L Tag Team Title: Uso's and Chris Jericho v. New Day (6 Man Tag with the Tag Titles on the line)

This is the return match from the Royal Rumble and the blow off to their feud for now. Uso's win the match to retain going into Wrestlemania. Their primary story line between the Rumble and Fast Lane is tied up with the Authority punishing them for their alliance with Roman Reigns. Jericho is added to the match because of his New Day feud.

Match 2: Kevin Owens v. AJ Styles

This feud started at the Royal Rumble when Styles eliminated Owens and isn't finished after this match. Kevin Owens then defeats AJ Styles in another match on Raw and they blow off their feud in Toronto at the WWE Network house show special.

Match 3: Intercontinental Title: Dean Ambrose (c) v. Rusev

This match is made the night after the Royal Rumble when Ambrose gets involved in Authority business and this is his punishment. Ambrose demands his rematch the night after Fast Lane and gets beaten down during the match and is "injured" for a couple of weeks afterwards.

Match 4: Diva's Title: Becky Lynch (c) v. Charlotte

Rematch and Becky retains. There's not really anything special story line wise, but Becky and Charlotte/Ric Flair promos should make for some entertaining moments and puns from Becky.

Match 5: US Title: Alberto Del Rio (c) v. Neville

Similar story to the ADR/Kalisto story. Neville picks up a surprise victory on a Smackdown, but Del Rio learns from his mistake the previous month and doesn't grant the rematch as a title match, just tells Neville that the rematch is for an opportunity at the title which Neville wins to set up this match.

Match 6: Roman Regins v. Sheamus and King Barrett (2 on 1 Handicap Match)

I know this is going to be pretty much the same story line as last year with Reigns and Daniel Bryan in a #1 contenders match, but I think this is best story to tell at this point. On the Raw after the Royal Rumble, the Authority is in the ring congratulating Lesnar on winning his 5th WWE WHC when Reigns comes out angry about getting screwed at the Royal Rumble and demanding a shot at Reigns. The Authority says that will happen on one condition, that Roman Reigns defeats the League of Nations at Fast Lane, otherwise the WWE WHC coming out of Fast Lane gets to hand pick his opponent for Wrestlemania. They make a further stipulation that Reigns will face each member of the LoN in singles competition on each Raw between the Royal Rumble and Fast Lane. In his first match Reigns defeats Alberto Del Rio after the LoN tries to get involved, Ambrose and the Uso's make the save. The Authority then make a stipulation that Ambrose and the Uso's are barred from ringside for the remaining 3 matches or they will be stripped of their titles and never given another shot at any WWE title again. In the second match, Reigns loses to Barrett via count out after Barrett throws Reigns out of the ring and distracting the ref while the LoN jumps Reigns. In the third match, Reigns defeats Rusev after the LoN try the same trick. In the fourth match, Reigns loses to Sheamus after getting distracted by someone getting on the apron and Sheamus landing a Brogue Kick.

Match 7: WWE World Heavyweight Title Brock Lesnar (c) v. Bray Wyatt

I don't buy Wyatt as being in position for this, but that's the position WWE is putting Bray in with the Wyatt's standing tall after the Royal Rumble go home shows. Brock wins the Royal Rumble and demands a match with Bray Wyatt so the match is made for Fast Lane. Lesnar goes full Suplex City on the Wyatt's and absolutely destroys them.

I wish Bray was a serious threat, but he's just not at this point. This match drives home that point and now that Bray has been sent to the bottom of the card and Bray acknowledges he has to start over. Now the rebuilding process of the Wyatt Family can begin.

Wrestlemania 32 (April 3)

Preshow Match 1: Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal (Winner: Mark Henry)

This is a match that has proven in its first two years to have absolutely no relevance as neither previous winner has received any kind of boost after winning this match. That changes with this AtGMBR as it is announced prior to the match that the winner will receive a US Title match on Raw the following night's Raw. I would have Henry win his US Title match at Smarkamania and announce his retirement and vacate the US Title because he deserves to go out a champion for his years of service.

Preshow Match 2: Charlotte w/Ric Flair v. Paige w/Natalya

With the return of Paige as a face this week (I know, makes absolutely no sense), this is a story that could follow up Charlotte's feud with Becky and is a chance to have a second women's story line going because the more quality women's wrestling, the better

Match 1: Wyatt Family v. Social Outcasts

Wrestlemania kicks off with the normal fanfare and after the usual opening, we get ready for the first match. The Social Outcasts make their way to the ring and then the Wyatt Family's music hits. The rebuilding of the Wyatt Family starts here. They pick up the easy win over the Social Outcasts and carry them off like they did the Undertaker and Kane. The difference is this time their brain washing works and at Smarkamania the next night, the Social Outcasts have aligned with the Wyatt's. It's not an earth shattering development, but like I said, the rebuilding of the Wyatt's has to start somewhere and at the bottom is where to start with them now.

Match 2: Intercontinental Title Match: Rusev (c) v. Chris Jericho

This match is set up a couple of weeks after Fast Lane after Rusev defeats Ambrose in their rematch. Rusev is cutting a promo declaring himself the greatest IC Champ of all time when Chris Jericho interrupts Rusev and reminds everyone that he has won the IC title more times and anyone in history and he wants to make it an even 10. This is a match that should be a very good technical match and help put Rusev over a legend.

Match 3: Diva's Title: Becky Lynch (c) v. Sasha Banks

On a Raw Becky defeats Charlotte at Fast Lane, Sasha's music hits and she comes out full BO$$ mode demanding a Diva's Title match. She uses her and Becky's NXT past to remind Becky that Sasha has always been the better wrestler. At Wrestlemania, these two are allowed 15 minutes and told to go top their NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable match.

Match 4: Tag Team Title: Uso's (c) v. Miz and Breeze

While the Uso's have been dealing with the New Day and the Authority for the previous 2 months, the team of Miz and Breeze were formed on a Smackdown shortly after the Royal Rumble and built themselves into Tag Title contenders. Between Fast Lane and Wrestlemania, Miz and Breeze were able to upset New Day for the Wrestlemania Tag Title shot. The tag division very thin right now, so a Miz/Breeze tag team would inject some new blood into the division.

Match 5: US Title Match: Alberto Del Rio (c) v. AJ Styles v. Big Show v. Dean Ambrose v. Dolph Ziggler v. Neville v. Stardust (7 Man Ladder Match)

ADR steals the win in a 7 man spot fest that's designed purely to entertain the crowd before dropping the title the next night at Smarkamania to Mark Henry who then announces his retirement. A battle royal for the Raw after Smarkamania is announced to determine the next US Champ.

Match 6: Undertaker v. Kevin Owens

After ending his feud with AJ Styles, Kevin Owens starts cuts a promo talking about legacies and how Wrestlemania is where legacies are truly made. He then starts running down a list of greats when the lights go out and bell tolls. Undertaker appears on the ramp and corrects Kevin Owens about what a Wrestlemania legacy truly is. The challenge is issued by Undertaker to Owens and immediately accepted. This a match dominated by Kevin Owens, but when he hits the Pop Up Powerbomb, Undertaker is able to counter it into a Hell's Gate for the submission victory. This should help boost KO by making him look strong against an man of the status of the Undertaker.

Match 7: WWE World Heavyweight Title: Brock Lesnar (c) v. Roman Reigns

These two work a brutally stiff match that is very much a 50/50 match because 50/50 booking works with these two. After about 20 minutes of beating the hell out of each other, Roman Reigns is able pull off the victory. I know right now that this outcome would end in Roman getting booed, but I believe this post match stuff will salvage a positive crowd reaction to Reigns. After Reigns gets the pinfall, Brock Lesnar legitimately shakes Roman's hand and raises it. Paul Heyman cuts a promo that puts Roman over before the leave Roman alone in the ring thanking the fans. This is an ending that won't likely keep Roman over for good, but it should at least be sufficient to salvage a positive reaction for Reigns as Wrestlemania closes.

I realize that because this is a fantasy booking, my personal preferences and biases are all over this, but hopefully these are at least story lines and matches that make sense based on where WWE is currently at heading into the Royal Rumble. Thanks for taking the time to read this!

The FanPosts are solely the subjective opinions of Cageside Seats readers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Cageside Seats editors or staff.