What if The Elite had invaded WWE?
News broke at the turn of the year that WWE had placed big money offers on the table for members of The Elite, including Cody Rhodes and The Young Bucks, which may have even included special considerations like creative input and continuing their Internet show, Being the Elite on the WWE Network. It’s understandable why WWE would pursue this cluster of talents aggressively. Yes, they were entertaining, skilled in the ring, and had carved a special niche with hardcore fans. On top of that, though, there was the threat of All Elite Wrestling.
Before the promotion was officially announced, or inaugural signees like Chris Jericho and Neville had made their intentions clear, AEW nonetheless hovered with rumors abounding about Rhodes making plans and filing for intellectual property rights. After the success of the independently promoted All In event, there was a reason to take the new company seriously. So, in the interest of heading off a company that might pose a rival—maybe not legitimately competing, but at least signing away some desirable talent, WWE made a play for the top guys involved.
So what if WWE’s efforts had worked? This article considers what might have happened if The Elite invaded WWE.
#5 Shaking up the Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is set up to invite big arrivals or returns via its staggered entries. To maximize the impact of The Elite’s arrival, it’s conceivable that we wouldn’t just see Cody Rhodes enter the Royal Rumble, but the Bucks, Hangman Page, and even Kenny Omega. As a unified front, this group could add a unique dynamic to the match and establish an immediate threat. Heck, it seems as though WWE was very much up in the air about who’d challenge for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania at that point, so maybe we’d even see Rhodes or Omega win the Rumble to totally reshape the title picture.
The Rumble was good as it was of course, and provided a natural platform for Seth Rollins to step into the number one contender’s role going into WrestleMania season. Of course, if he hadn’t won the Rumble, that may too have opened the possibility of Roman Reigns stepping up to challenge for the title he never lost upon his return to WWE.