The Royal Rumble is close and the extravaganza is probably as big as it has ever been. With the likes of Goldberg, Undertaker, Brock Lesnar, (Do you need more at this time?) New Day, Chris Jericho, Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins, the Royal Rumble at the Alamodome in San Antonio may be one of the biggest Rumbles to date.
Goldberg was the first entrant a few months back after beating Brock Lesnar with ease at Survivor Series. Reeling from the loss, Lesnar was the second entrant so that he could seek his revenge on Goldberg after his stunning loss at Survivor Series.
The Rumble has been built very well by WWE to this point. They have so far added the biggest names they could. Goldberg, Lesnar and Undertaker prove the significance of this event. With those names alone, the Rumble has gained a considerable amount of attention.
Hanging on to the wrestlers of yesteryear is one thing, but the wrestlers of today also have to have a large presence. The likes of Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose are also going to be major names added to the Rumble match and it will be interesting to see how they work into the angles of the Royal Rumble.
Based on current information, the following is a list of guarantees based off of guesses. Interestingly enough you are about to read my thoughts on what may or may not happen at the 30th edition of the Royal Rumble. Considering that I will be present in San Antonio for this event, I am truly excited.
The One Guarantee:
Brock Lesnar and Goldberg are not winning the Royal Rumble. Both wrestlers are being put into this match for the sake of continuing a story line between the two. Goldberg has two wins against Lesnar and it is time for Lesnar to get his revenge.
This Rumble match will be the first opportunity for Lesnar to get his shot at revenge on Goldberg. Goldberg is a man of intense intensity. Yes, I said that. Brock Lesnar is a beast of a man and to see these two work each other at the Rumble should be highly entertaining. The build for these two monsters should lead into a WrestleMania matchup in Orlando. Ultimately, I believe this is what the majority of fans desire.
The Biggest Surprise Entrant:
I have no idea if this will happen, let me first say that, but I believe that Kurt Angle will be the biggest surprise entrant of this years Royal Rumble.
Angle has been out of the WWE loop for a long time running now. His run in the business was one of wonder and a return to the WWE ring could be the biggest moment this year has to offer. The Olympic Gold Medalist is a desired entity by many fans of the business.
Bringing Angle in would be huge for the business as he could be much more than just a wrestler — he could be a prime manager. American Alpha is firing on all cylinders right now and adding the likes of Kurt Angle could amplify there credibility.
On top of everything else, this could lead into Kurt Angle being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame of which is most deserved.
Which Brand Gets the Winner?
The winner of this Royal Rumble is going to be represented by either SmackDown Live or Raw. One of the two brands will main-event WrestleMania but the question is, which brand is more ready to be the main-event on the Grandest Stage of them all?
The current WWE Champion remains on SDLive and goes by the name of AJ Styles. Styles is considered by many the best wrestler on the planet and for good reason. Since the Royal Rumble debut of 2016, Styles has had (arguably) the greatest year of any wrestler on any roster anywhere.
The Universal Champion is Kevin Owens and he is currently on a great role with the championship on Monday Night Raw. Along with Chris Jericho by his side, Owens has had an incredible run with the Championship after winning it in a fatal-four-way on Raw, a match in which he received great assistance from the Game, Triple H.
So which brand gets to be represented by the Royal Rumble winner?
It’s hard to decide really. Undertaker is currently not seemingly represented by either brand even though he is a career long SmackDown character. While I think it would be interesting to see Undertaker win the Rumble I don’t believe it is a necessity. Right now is not the time for WWE to put the title on a part-timer such as Undertaker, and thats from someone that friggin’ loves Taker and everything he has done. Without actually being in the main event Undertaker will still be seen as a main eventer — therefore he does not actually have to be in the main event competing for a title.
But who (who, who)?
With two title matches at the Royal Rumble, my belief is that on of those titles will change hands. As that title changes hands, the one to lose the title will put himself into the Rumble and ultimately win it.
Of course this is pure imagination speaking but it’s logical at the same time. I see Owens dropping the title and then being hell-bent on the idea of Main Eventing the show of shows — so in the same night he will enter the Rumble and win it too. I think this becomes the build of a three-way championship between Roman Reigns, Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho. Jericho and Owens will no longer be “best friends” by the time Mania rolls around.
Can a Singles Match Steal the Show?
The simple answer is yes. Three huge matches are set to take place at the Royal Rumble. Charlotte (Champion) vs Bayley for Raw Women’s Championship, Roman Reigns vs Kevin Owens (Champion) for Universal Championship and John Cena vs AJ Styles (Champion) for the WWE Championship will all be major matches for the company with the biggest being Style vs Cena.
While the main event (the Royal Rumble match) is packed with major superstar talent, the idea that a singles match with title implications could steal the show is not ludicrous.
My best guess is that John Cena vs AJ Styles could be the match of the night. I expect an amazing performance from both competitors as they are both world class in the ring. This match should have the capability to compete with the Rumble match and any major surprises it may have.
Final Thought
I am sure that most of you are excited for the Royal Rumble as it should prove to be one of the biggest Rumble’s that the WWE has ever had. Surprise entrants are always amazing to see and fun for the fans. I have my opinions on how matches may or may not go but more than likely I will be completely wrong. For instance, I expect both men’s championships (Universal and WWE) to change hands, I expect Charlotte to retain, I expect Kurt Angle to be a surprise entrant, I expect Kevin Owens and Jericho story line to finally catch some heat, I expect Balor to make his return as an entrant and finally I expect myself to be completely satisfied by this years Royal Rumble.
And here is to everything I said above coming true.
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