WWE 'Royal Rumble' Match Preview: Alberto Del Rio v The Big Show -- World Heavyweight Championship

Last Man Standing Match for the World Heavyweight Championship:

Alberto Del Rio (c) vs. The Big Show

World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio will put his newly won title on the line against The Big Show, the man whom he beat for the belt, in a Last Man Standing Rematch.

The road to the Royal Rumble

Alberto Del Rio had multiple chances to win the World Heavyweight Championship when it was around Sheamus' waist, but came up short on four separate pay-per-views (PPV's), Over the Limit (May 20, 2012), Money in the Bank (July 15), SummerSlam (Aug. 19), and Night of Champions (Sept. 16). At the time, it looked like he may not have another opportunity to win the gold.

The Big Show defeated Sheamus at Hell in a Cell (Oct. 28, 2012) to win the World Heavyweight Championship. Show would then retain in a pair of rematches against Sheamus at Survivor Series and TLC: Tables, Ladders, and Chairs. The giant looked set to begin a long, dominate run.

However, he made a grave mistake when he chose to bully Ricardo Rodriguez, Alberto Del Rio's personal ring announcer and amigo. Show knocked Ricardo out with a WMD on the Dec, 28 episode of SmackDown, which he followed up by humiliating the ring announcer on the following Monday Night Raw (Dec. 31) in a championship match.

Del Rio promised to win for his fallen comrade. However, the match would end in a no contest when Show walked away from the ring; although, Del Rio would get some revenge, as Sheamus and the entire SmackDown roster sent the giant back into the ring.

Del Rio would have one more shot against Show in a Last Man Standing match on the Jan. 11 episode of SmackDown. By using all of his wits, "The Mexican Aristocrat" was able to outsmart Show to finally win the World Heavyweight Championship.

What's at stake?

This is Alberto Del Rio's chance to prove he belongs in the championship picture. It has seemed WWE has given him a Sisyphean task to remain at the top of the card. Every time he seems to have reached the summit, he has the title snatched away from him. A win at Royal Rumble would prove his victory was no fluke. A loss, however, and he may fall back down into midcard purgatory.

The Big Show wants his championship back. Not only does he want the title back, but he wants to utterly destroy Del Rio for taking it from him. A victory here would right the temporary setback of dropping the title. Losing to Del Rio again, especially in a Last Man Standing Match, would be a humiliating experience for "The World's Largest Athlete."

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Can Alberto Del Rio once again keep The Big Show down for the ten-count? Or will Show fulfill his promise to take back his title? The only way to know, is to watch the Royal Rumble TOMORROW NIGHT and keep checking back with us throughout for anything and everything you might have missed!