It’s the most wonderful time of year to be a wrestling fan. The highly anticipated Royal Rumble is finally here! Sunday will boast a very great card and hopefully we will get to see a great showing by all involved. The buildup for the matches couldn’t have been any better and it looks like we may be seeing a better product on a week-to-week basis. Just like the other prediction articles that I’ve written in the past, I will jot down what I think will happen in the PPV, but this time we’re trying something new. At the end of the article, I will post staff predictions for the Rumble, which I’m excited to show you guys. The Rumble is probably the most unpredictable PPV each year and this one will be no different. The possibilities are endless and the things that can happen will give a different perspective on the future. You guys have been bombarded with WWE articles recently and I hope you are enjoying them, but not every week is Rumble week. So, now we will get to what you guys want to see, the Predictions.

*My Predicted Winners are Bolded

*Match Card May Not Be in Exact Order

1. United States Championship Match – Singles

Rusev (C) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

It has already been announced that this match will be on the Kickoff Show prior to the Rumble opener. These two have had a feud for the past few weeks and I expect it to be finalized with this match. This just seems like a simple face over heel victory to me. These two competitors are talented, but there doesn’t really seem to be a great storyline for them. The story between these two hasn’t been a great one, and the fact it is in the pre-show tells me that there isn’t much invested in these two going forward. My prediction is that Rusev wins in rather quick fashion with the possibility of an appearance from Lana, who interfered in a match with her husband and Nakamura a few weeks ago. Don’t expect much to come of this match.

2. Cruiserweight Championship Match – Fatal 4-Way

Hideo Itami vs. Buddy Murphy (C) vs. Akira Tozawa vs. Kalisto

I’m going to be honest, I haven’t really been keeping up with the action on 205 Live lately, but I do know one thing, Hideo Itami has been getting a big push. Buddy Murphy has had a great run as champion thus far, but I think his time is up. Itami even got a mention from the WWE Champion this week. Bryan said Itami was a dangerous opponent and claiming that he is the reason that he can’t hear out of his left ear. That seems good enough for me to declare him the winner in this contest. Just like usual, I think this match will be solid, but shouldn’t steal the show due to the loaded match card.

3. WWE Championship Match – Singles

Daniel Bryan (C) vs. AJ Styles

Speaking of the WWE Champion, I think he and AJ Styles will be in the PPV opener and should be an exciting match. It doesn’t seem likely at this point that Styles regains his title that he held for over a year, but crazier things have happened. Daniel Bryan has been about as close to perfection as you can get as a brand’s major champion. He has adopted a new persona and we are seeing the full effect of it as of late. Bryan’s strong mic performances have been enough to propel him to victory in this one. Styles is still the best of the best in the WWE, so don’t look for him to disappear. Possibly a surprise Rumble appearance?

4. SmackDown Tag Team Championship Match – Normal Tag

The Bar vs. The Miz and Shane McMahon

This is the most obscure match on the card, but I think it will be entertaining. The Bar has been the most dominant force in the SmackDown Tag Team division ever since they won the titles, but this is their time to relinquish the titles. The team of the Miz and Shane McMahon is probably one of the oddest pairings as of late, but this seems like a match that is too predictable. On SmackDown a couple weeks ago, Shane McMahon expressed that one of his lifelong dreams was to become a tag team champion. This literally came out of his mouth. So, I’m not going to try to analyze this one too hard, McMahon and Miz become SmackDown Tag Team Champions, but will somehow get separated between Sunday night and WrestleMania, then they square off in April, because if you guys remember right, McMahon entered himself in the World Cup Tournament at Crown Jewel, taking The Miz’s place. This seems very predictable, but it will be interesting to see it all unfold.

5. SmackDown Women’s Championship – Singles

Asuka (C) vs. Becky Lynch

Placement in the card for this PPV will be crucial. This match it is perhaps the most crucial. Many people are expecting Lynch to lose and go on to win the Rumble, but is that a given? Absolutely not. Becky Lynch at this moment is my favorite competitor and as much as I want her to regain the title, I think that a Rumble victory is more probable. Asuka has been a great champion and I just don’t think she is going to drop the title this early in her tenure. There is just so much potential in the Women’s division on SmackDown and I think they can afford for Becky Lynch or Charlotte Flair to leave for RAW in the event that they win the Rumble. I expect this to be a great match, but not steal the show, they’ll save that for later. If they want to add more heat for a possible Becky Lynch Rumble victory, look for The Queen to interfere in this contest.

6. Men’s Royal Rumble

WINNER: Drew McIntyre

FINAL 4: Drew McIntyre, Seth Rollins, Braun Strowman, Samoa Joe

I fully expect the Men’s Rumble to go on before the Women. Not because it won’t be as good, but I think fans are more invested in the Rousey/Lynch/Flair rivalry than anything that the men have to offer right now. I don’t think any men on the SmackDown roster have a real shot at winning this thing, but I think a few superstars on the blue brand will have strong showings. Andrade and Samoa Joe are two competitors that I think will have lengthy stays in the match and I’ve heard that some people are considering AJ Styles a possible favorite. It’s possible, but currently the favorites are Seth Rollins, Drew McIntyre, and Braun Strowman. It is hard to pick against Rollins in this one, but I think it all depends on who walks away the Universal Champion at the end of the night. I’m picking Drew McIntyre to eliminate Braun Strowman for the win, he deserves it.

POSSIBLE SURPRISE ENTRIES: Bray Wyatt, Kevin Owens, Velveteen Dream, Lars Sullivan, Batista, The Rock, Kenny Omega, John Cena, Shawn Michaels.

7. RAW Women’s Championship Match – Singles

Ronda Rousey (C) vs. Sasha Banks

I feel like I’m playing my predictions way too safe, but I don’t really know how to approach a lot of these matches, because I think a lot of different outcomes could take place. In my Possible Rumble Scenarios article, I suggest that Ronda may take an L in this match and enter herself in the Rumble. I want for this to happen, but I don’t think it will. If she does lose, I think that Becky Lynch will become SmackDown Women’s Champion again, but if she wins, Lynch and/or Charlotte will face Ronda at WrestleMania for the RAW Women’s Championship. I’ve even heard of scenarios where Lynch would win back the SmackDown title and still enter the Rumble and win to face Rousey title-for-title at WrestleMania. That would be insane, but unlikely. I’m going to play it safe in this one and declare Ronda a reigning champ, but I’m definitely keeping my eye on it.

8. Universal Championship Match – Singles

Brock Lesnar (C) vs. Finn Bálor

This match should come down to one of two things. Will Bálor bring out the Demon or will he be regular Finn Bálor? If normal leather jacket wearing Bálor is walking down the ramp, Lesnar wins. If the Demon is brought out, Bálor is your new champ. At least I hope that’s the way it will play out. Nobody has gotten a bigger push as of late than Finn Bálor and this doesn’t seem like something that is too good to be true. It seems like a legit push and it isn’t out of question for him to take the title regardless of his persona. If they want to get back on the fans’ good side, WWE should do us all a favor and make Bálor the Universal Champ again. I think this should be the match of the night as far as singles matches go on the card, but I could be wrong. There are a lot of great matches and this one could be one that blends in, I hope not, but it very well could.

9. Women’s Royal Rumble

WINNER: Becky Lynch

FINAL 4: Charlotte Flair, Lynch, Carmella, Ruby Riott

I know, I know, this is another predictable prediction, but I think this will be the outcome of the Main Event. It’s difficult to say who will be in the Final Four, but you have to think Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch, if she loses against Asuka, will be in the bottom two. That seems like a given at this point, so I’m rolling with it. What I’m getting ready to say next, however, will not be predictable. Like I said before, I’m banking on Flair and Lynch to be the last two in the match. They will go back and forth for a little while and both competitors will be in the ring exhausted. What will happen next will be a huge moment. Bad Reputation will play over the loud speakers and The Baddest Woman on the Planet will make an appearance in the Rumble, not as an entry, but as a chaos causer. She will eliminate Charlotte Flair leaving Becky Lynch the winner. I think this is a legitimate way to include both Lynch and Flair in the Main Event at WrestleMania 35 and provide a way to possibly turn Ronda heel and better yet, turn Charlotte and Becky against her. If this happens, call me Nostradamus.

POSSIBLE SURPRISE ENTRIES: Becky Lynch, Ronda Rousey, Beth Phoenix, Michelle McCool, Rhea Ripley, Kairi Sane, Bella Twins, Trish Stratus, Lita.

Yacs

Some of the Sport Chief writers will be watching the Royal Rumble together so here are our predictions as a group. There are some hot takes and some interesting possibilities here.

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*Do you agree with my predictions? Let us know on Twitter @thesportschief and if you aren’t doing so already, hit that follow button as quick as you can. There is a lot of great, daily content for you guys.

Royal Rumble Predictions