Jon Shartzer
The Road to WrestleMania is officially upon us, kicking off this Saturday with the Royal Rumble. WWE’s first premium live event of the year will be taking place at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, with the pre-show starting at 8 pm EST and the main card beginning an hour later.
The card is a relatively small one, which isn’t a bad thing when you consider the matches that have been announced. Each contest will likely have the proper time to tell their story and shouldn’t have to feel rushed. With that said, our group of experts will once again take our best shots at predicting the outcome of each match. Check them out below and see if you agree with what we have to say.
Men’s Royal Rumble match
Andrew: I love how there are so many distinct possibilities here. Sure, it could be Cody. Or Punk. Or Drew. Or X-PAC. But one thing I feel certain about is that it’s not going to be predictable. Triple H likes to take us on journeys, even when we think we know what the outcome will be. I do think Cody is finishing his story at ‘Mania, but Gunther is winning the Rumble & facing Seth Rollins at WrestleMania.
Winner: Gunther
Jon: It feels like the entire wrestling community as a whole knows that either Cody Rhodes or CM Punk are destined to win this year’s Rumble match. Which is exactly why I feel like it would be the perfect opportunity to pull the ultimate switcharoo and have Gunther toss them both at the same time to win the Royal Rumble and go on to have a titanic clash with Roman Reigns at WrestleMania! Unfortunately, I don’t see that happening, as Cody still has his story to finish. The American Nightmare will most likely repeat the result from last year as the last man standing in the Rumble, setting himself up for his latest opportunity against the Tribal Chief on the grandest stage of them all.
Winner: Cody Rhodes
Chris: This is the first Royal Rumble match in perhaps a few years that I’m genuinely excited about. It’s the intrigue. Yes, it will come down to one of two men, either Cody Rhodes or CM Punk, but I honestly couldn’t tell you with any certainty and that’s exciting to me as a fan who’s perhaps become a little jaded with how predictable these things can be sometimes. Cody and Punk did a stellar job in their promo confrontation and their interactions in the Rumble should be fire. Personally, I think it makes more sense for Cody to win and finish the story. Punk could then turn heel, setting up a big SummerSlam match between the two. Works for me!
Winner: Cody Rhodes
Women’s Royal Rumble Match
Andrew: It’s gotta be Bayley. She’s been the MVP of the women’s division, combining great matches with strong storytelling. It’s time to turn Bayley face and square off against the stable she built.
Winner: Bayley
Jon: The stories that will be told inside the match will be more important than the match itself. A perfect example of this, perhaps, is what could happen within Damage CTRL. I could see this being the moment where they pull the trigger on Bayley’s ousting in order, which she will overcome to win the Royal Rumble and go on to face off one-on-one with Iyo Sky at ‘Mania.
Winner: Bayley
Chris: The build for the women’s Rumble has perhaps not been as exciting as the build-up for the men’s. It should be a good match, but I can only really see Becky Lynch winning this one, perhaps by eliminating Nia Jax in the end, thereby truly showing herself to be ‘The Man’.
Winner: Becky Lynch
Fatal four-way match for the Undisputed WWE Championship: Roman Reigns © vs. Randy Orton vs. AJ Styles vs. LA Knight
Andrew: I like this as a final test for The Tribal Chief before ‘Mania when he likely loses the title. The odds are stacked against him. But I don’t see Roman losing before he can crown Cody as his successor.
Winner: Roman Reigns
Jon: The fact that LA Knight is in the mix with three of the best performers that WWE has ever seen says a lot about how much the company’s brass believes in his abilities. While I could theoretically see any four of these men winning and leading the company as the top champion, I realistically don’t see Roman finally falling just yet. WrestleMania is only a few short months away and the Tribal Chief will once again be defending his title in the main event.
Winner: Roman Reigns
Chris: This close to ‘Mania, there’s only going to be one man winning here: Roman Reigns. Still, it’s a good opportunity to give LA Knight a chance on a big stage to look like a superstar in defeat. AJ and Randy don’t need the rub, but Knight needs it to push him over the edge.
Winner: Roman Reigns
WWE United States Championship Match: Logan Paul (c) vs Kevin Owens
Andrew: One thing about Triple H’s booking is that he always seems to get Kevin Owens hot right before ‘Mania. I don’t think KO is winning the title here but I do see this match as an angle of sorts to get him ready for whatever his ‘Mania program will be.
Winner: Logan Paul
Jon: Logan Paul is a legit superstar and has done a more than commendable job of getting different eyes on WWE’s United States Championship. I see no reason why they wouldn’t ride that wave into the spring for ‘Mania season. Kevin Owens is the perfect opponent to help Paul shine both on the mic and in the ring while pushing the overall story of Logan Paul forward. This should be a really entertaining match, with Logan coming out victorious.
Winner: Logan Paul
Chris: Logan Paul has been nothing but impressive in the relatively short time he’s been a WWE superstar; the guy feels like a natural. This title reign is only going to benefit him, as is working with a talent as good as Kevin Owens. Expect Logan Paul to get the rub.
Winner: Logan Paul
There you have it! What do you think about our predictions? What do you agree or disagree with? Let us know in the comments!
