It’s January, and you know what that means. It’s officially time for WWE to kick off the road to WrestleMania with this year’s Royal Rumble Sunday, January 31. Below we take a look at this year’s show and predict the winners of the men’s and women’s 30-person bouts along with the other championship matchups.
Charlotte and Asuka (c) vs Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler - Women’s Tag Team Championships
The sporadic partnership of Charlotte and Asuka easily seems like a precursor for a potential WrestleMania feud between the two for the Raw Women’s Championship. Asuka would be trying to keep her title as well avenge her loss to Charlotte at Wrestlemania 34, where her undefeated streak finally came to an end. A fracture in their newfound tag team alliance seems like the obvious plot point. It is a matter of when, not if, and this Sunday seems like an opportune time for this to happen.
Prediction: Jax and Baszler regain their tag team titles.
Roman Reigns (c) vs Kevin Owens – Universal Championship (Last Man Standing Match)
If this feud has proven anything over the past several months, it’s that Kevin Owens is still a main event-caliber superstar and is overdue for a second world title reign after his first Universal title run in 2017. However, it is extremely difficult to picture anyone taking that title off of Roman Reigns right now. WWE has finally gotten Reigns’ “Head of the Table” heel gimmick right after years of mishandling his character, and they are not going to put a halt on the hottest thing in the company at the moment.
Prediction: Expect Reigns to walk out of the Royal Rumble still Universal Champion.
Drew McIntyre (c) vs Goldberg – WWE Championship
Here we are again. WWE has inserted Goldberg into a world title feud purely for a nostalgia ratings pop. Kevin Owens and The Fiend have fallen victim to this before, and it would be entirely souring for Drew McIntyre to join them after the career year he has had. McIntyre has dedicated his performance this Sunday to everyone who has been affected by Covid-19, which seemingly makes it difficult to picture him losing. However, never underestimate the booking of Goldberg over today’s talent. That being said, seeing as how WWE would undoubtedly receive copious amounts of ridicule if Goldberg goes over, we feel solid saying McIntyre retains here, but you never really know what Vince has up his sleeve.
Prediction: Drew McIntyre
Women’s Royal Rumble Match
Favorites
Bianca Belair: The odds-on favorite to stand victorious Sunday evening. Belair has been given quite the push the past few weeks on SmackDown and has shown she has main event stuff. There is little doubt a championship match at WrestleMania between Belair and current champion Sasha Banks wouldn’t be a must-see matchup.
Bayley: Having her long-awaited feud with Sasha Banks abruptly end at Hell in a Cell felt odd, and left fans thinking we haven’t seen the end of it. Bayley could win the Royal Rumble and reinvigorate her feud with long-time rival and friend Banks, and she would be a credible winner.
Don’t Count Them Out
Rhea Ripley: After losing her NXT title to last year’s Rumble winner, Charlotte, WWE can do itself a favor and re-establish Ripley as a main event threat in the women’s division. A victory on Sunday would certainly do that.
Wild Card
Ronda Rousey: It’s been widely speculated if and when Rousey will make a return to the squared circle after saying she wants to start a family. Now nearly two years removed from showcasing WrestleMania 35, it is possible we could see the former MMA fighter make a surprise entry in the Royal Rumble. If she were to enter, it is difficult to imagine she would not win it.
The Bottom Line: Bianca Belair comes out on top. Belair is a star in the making, and sometimes it is best to roll with the favorite.
Men’s Royal Rumble Match
Favorites
Daniel Bryan: The past few weeks on SmackDown, Bryan has cut numerous promos on finally winning a Royal Rumble and getting back to the main event of WrestleMania. Bryan has been robbed of deserved Rumble victories over the years and still is one of the best wrestlers on the planet so he’s certainly a viable candidate to come out victorious on Sunday. He has stated he is looking to transition to more of a part-time role sooner rather than later, and being a consummate professional he would probably put over a younger star (current champions McIntyre or Reigns) at the showcase of immortals.
Keith Lee: Lee is in a similar situation as Bianca Belair. Newly called up to the main roster but immediately making their presence felt. Lee has all the tools to be a main eventer and recently put on a stellar WWE championship match on an episode of Raw with Drew McIntyre. It is doubtful anybody would be opposed to a WrestleMania program between the two, or even Lee going over to SmackDown to challenge Roman Reigns.
Edge: After announcing his return from injury this past week on Raw, Edge immediately inserted himself into the conversation for potential Rumble victors. After being on the shelf with a torn triceps since the summer, Edge can finally get another championship run after coming out of retirement last year. This would be a story that hits for nostalgia but ultimately, it would take away from a younger star winning. However, the Rated-R Superstar has made quite a journey through injuries to the point where a world title run would not seem unjustified.
Don’t Count Them Out
Shinsuke Nakamura: Nakamura has gained a full head of steam the past few weeks after winning a gauntlet match on SmackDown and hinting at a faceturn with Daniel Bryan post-match. There is no doubt Nakamura can put on a WrestleMania-caliber match with either brand’s champion. He has won a Royal Rumble before, do not be surprised if he does so again.
Sheamus: The Celtic Warrior has surprised many by showing how he can be very entertaining when given the correct storyline. Winning the Rumble could lead to him feuding with Drew McIntyre for the WWE Championship, splitting up two superstars who are on good terms with one another. Sheamus is in the best shape of his career and could produce a solid WrestleMania program with Raw’s current champion.
Wild Cards
Brock Lesnar: Having not wrestled since dropping the WWE Championship at last year’s WrestleMania, Lesnar could quickly make a case for either world title by inserting himself in and winning the Royal Rumble this Sunday. He could go to Raw and challenge Drew McIntyre in a WrestleMania rematch. He could also go to SmackDown for a truly compelling story and go after Roman Reigns. Reigns would now be playing the role of the heel along with Lesnar’s former advocate Paul Heyman. Lesnar cutting his own promos and playing the role of at least a partial babyface would be something the WWE audience has not seen in years. This would also be a WrestleMania 34 rematch, just with roles reversed. Lesnar came out on top then, beating Reigns clean. How would this year’s bout end?
The Fiend Bray Wyatt: The Fiend still plays a role of an odd entity after being burned alive by Randy Orton at TLC, but could still return in the Rumble. Bray Wyatt has shown how creative he can be character wise and could come up with something exciting to have the Fiend win the Rumble and go back for his world title at WrestleMania.
The Bottom Line: Brock Lesnar makes a surprise entry and wins. Lesnar is a legitimate winner and instantly makes a threat to either world as well as a compelling storyline heading into WrestleMania.
Written By: Kyle Coreth
January 29, 2021