February 4, 2008 Observer Newsletter: John Cena makes shocking return at WWE Royal Rumble, TNA wants Impact live

In what will be remembered as one of the greatest surprise finishes in the history of WWE PPVs, John Cena, unannounced, showed up in the No. 30 slot and won the 2008 Royal Rumble on 1/27 in Madison Square Garden, throwing out HHH in the finals.

When Cena’s music played, the crowd, which had chanted, “Cena sux” on a few occasions earlier in the show and booed his face whenever it came up on packages, exploded with a cheer that blew the roof off the building. When it came down to Cena, HHH and Batista, the place really was buzzing. After HHH eliminated Batista, which based on WWE-style booking, then made Cena the favorite to win, the crowd turned against Cena and went with HHH. It was similar to last year when you had two established superstars in at the end, but last year it was seemingly clear Undertaker would win, and this year, the way it was presented, you couldn’t see either Cena nor HHH, both as top babyfaces, lose.

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