The build to that PPV was pretty awesome though, much more entertaining than this one IMO. Basically, Austin forfeited the IC title belt and said he was going to go after the world title which had eluded him until that point.

They basically embraced the fact that he was the odds on favorite, instead of insulting our intelligence by pretending he wasn't incredibly over and strongly booked. They presented him as the clear winner pick. Commentary refers to Austin as a "marked man." So instead of wait for people to come after him, he basically says, "I'm coming for everybody before the come for me." He even draws a target on his back with a marker during a promo.

It leads to that classic RAW where Austin comes out after a bunch of matches, stuns people, and leaves. Backstage segments where people he's stunned are looking to find him. It's all refreshing and exciting. And by presenting Austin as a "marked man" and acknowledging the fact that he's the favorite, it plays with the audience's expectation, a predictable Austin win.

The problem with the Rumble this year isn't that it's all about Reigns IMO. The problem is that Reigns as a character is less compelling to a lot of us than Stone Cold not giving a fuck and beating people up. Part of that is that Austin is one of the most charismatic wrestlers and groundbreaking characters ever, while Reigns is talented but not on that level. And another part of it is that just that creative is not nearly as strong nowadays. If Reigns was a "marked man" spearing everybody on RAW, would it make the WWE more money? I don't know. But it would be a lot more entertaining to internet fans like us to have a refreshing badass character than somebody who's being booked pretty much the exact same way John Cena has been for the past decade.