What if Andrade Cien Almas wins the Royal Rumble?
Andrade Cien Almas didn’t get off to a great start in NXT. The former La Sombra felt out of place and like he was struggling to find his character or adjust his working style to fit this new space.
It looked as though he might turn out to be a bust like the original Sin Cara had been on a number of levels, or like Alberto Del Rio turned out to be based on his attitude.
Times change, though, and little would fans have guessed that a heel turn and the addition of Zelina Vega as his manager would reinvent Almas as one of NXT’s hottest acts, the brand’s top champion, and before long a call-up to the main roster.
Almas’s first months on the main roster similarly didn’t set the world on fire, but he has proven himself in recent performances, and rumors abound that he particularly got Vince McMahon’s attention in great showing opposite Daniel Bryan.
Now word is that Almas is on the short list of performers to potentially win the Royal Rumble. But just what would it look like if Almas were to pull off that big victory?
#5 The WWE Championship match opens WrestleMania
It has been a while, but there was a brief period in the two-world title era when the World Heavyweight Championship match opened the main card at WrestleMania.
While it did diminish that title’s standing a bit, the move also got WrestleMania off to a high stakes start with high caliber workers who were major stars in the ring to warm up the crowd.
In this new era, the WWE Championship is a bit more like the World Heavyweight Championship, as it’s the Universal Championship that is defended on Raw and has more guys who come across as the face of the company competing for it.
Andrade Cien Almas challenging for the WWE Championship, in particular, might make it fodder to open ‘Mania given that it’s Almas’s speedy style that has got him to this level recognition.
That’s a style that is fan friendly and perfect for starting ‘Mania strong, especially opposite the right opponent.