Rumble sets table for Mania

Published: February 5, 2012

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The Super Bowl of pro wrestling, WrestleMania, isn't until April, but longtime wrestling fans recognize the table for the year's biggest extravaganza is usually set at the Royal Rumble and in the days immediately surrounding that pay-per-view. This year has certainly proven to be no exception.

Sheamus emerged as the surprise victor at the Rumble last Sunday to secure a guaranteed title shot of his choice at Mania. John Cena and Kane went to a double count out when their bout spilled outside and continued all the way backstage. Daniel Bryan managed to defeat Big Show and Mark Henry in a three-way steel cage match and Bryan would appear to be the likely target of Sheamus for WM, if he retains the world championship through the Elimination Chamber pay per view (not exactly a sure thing).

C.M. Punk beat Dolph Ziggler to retain the WWE title as John Laurinaitis recused himself to ringside to be the outside ref and allowed Nunzio to be the in-ring official in what appeared to be a belated attempt to keep his job in the face of HHH heading to Raw to give him an official job performance evaluation.

Bryan and C.M. Punk tangled on Raw Monday in a rare champion vs. champion encounter. It was well on its way to being one of the better wrestling matches on the program in recent memory when Chris Jericho came running down and briefly attacked Bryan for a disqualification. He proceeded to enter the ring and delivered a code breaker on Punk to plant the seed for what certainly looks to be a match between the two for WrestleMania - hence the belief that Sheamus will be facing the world champ at WM.

The big news at Raw was really the return of the Undertaker as the Dead Man's music hit just as Triple H appeared ready to unceremoniously dump Lauranaitis as G.M.

When Taker strolled down to the ring and stared at the WrestleMania banner and looked at Hunter before giving him the throat slashing sign, it seemed to ensure the year-long rumor that we would get a Taker-Helmsley rematch at Mania. HHH just patted the Dead Man on the shoulder. The storyline appears to be that HHH doesn't believe Taker has any more matches left in him after sitting out a full year since the last Mania.

Also announced on Raw was the planned induction of Mike Tyson into the celebrity wing of the WWE Hall of Fame. Iron Mike was involved as a guest enforcer years ago and has been given considerable credit in some circles for bringing a curiosity factor and corresponding mainstream media attention to WWE when it most needed it. The former boxing champ nailed Shawn Michaels and Chris Jericho and Tyson and Stone Cold Steve Austin had a famous shoving match - all part of the highlight clips shown with the announcement on Raw that had already been scooped by ESPN and TMZ earlier Monday.

This past week on Celebrity Wife Swap, Mick Foley and his wife and kids were featured in an entertaining episode that showcased the laid-back personality of the entire Foley clan. They helped soap opera star Antonio Sabato and his fiancé see the benefit to their approach after the trade nearly appeared to cause a nasty break-up when it seemed to the fiancé that everybody was kind of ganging up on her.

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