Royal Rumble Discussion/Predictions

General
1

Obviously, there’s Rumble talk going on all over the forum, but I’ll break this off in its own thread.

Men’s Royal Rumble Match
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura
Runner-Up: Roman Reigns
Iron Man: Finn Balor
Shot In the Dark: A pissed off Braun Strowman is #30 (after Lesnar pins Kane to retain) and cleans house to win

I wanted to go against the grain here. But I know Shinsuke is considered the favorite, and I have no reason to dispute that. Then again, is Roman winning in Philadelphia just so WWE that they won’t be able to help themselves?

Women’s Royal Rumble Match
Winner: Asuka
Runner-Up: Nia Jax
Iron Woman: Becky Lynch
Shot In the Dark: Shayna Baszler eliminates 5+ entrants

This match is kind of booked into a corner. Either they go with the obvious choice and Asuka wins or they have her get eliminated, which puts some measure of an asterisk on the undefeated streak. It’s like having a 21-0 Undertaker in the Andre Battle Royal at Wrestlemania 30.

WWE Universal Championship Match
Brock Lesnar d. Kane and Braun Strowman

I have an inkling of an idea that this match is set up for Strowman to win the strap if Brock hasn’t extended his contract. But my better judgment still knows that the plan is Reigns/Lesnar at Mania until further notice.

WWE Championship Match
AJ Styles d. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn

The Owens injury, the fact that AJ has done the favors several times and the chatter that we’re looking at Styles/Nakamura for Wrestlemania all point toward AJ retaining.

WWE Raw Tag Team Championship Match
Rollins and Jordan d. Cesaro and Sheamus

Meh. I’ll go with Rollins and Jordan.

WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship Match
Gable and Benjamin d. The Usos

I didn’t pick a title change anywhere else. So here it is. Also, there could be some “punishment” involved from the office for recent events.

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I only have one storyline…At NXT Takeover, Charlotte is shown in the audience during the NXT women’s title match and so is Ronda Rousey because she’s obviously there to support her friend Shayna Baszler.

Charlotte and Rousey get into an altercation that distracts Baszler and Ember Moons gets the W.

Ronda uses her connections to get a Rumble spot and wins it, uses it to go after Charlotte because she can be very petty and protective of her friends.

Whoever wins is up in the air, pay Joan Jett some rights fees and have her sing out Rousey and we get a Wrestlemania moment, and the company gets a marquee match up they can claim changed the game for women’s wrestling for years to come.

Hell book Baszler/Moon for the Mania weekend Takeover and do the same for that show.

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So basically we can reveal our rumble pool picks.

Men’s Royal Rumble Match
Winner: I love surprises so Daniel Bryan or
Kurt Angle.
Runner-Up: Roman Reigns

Women’s Royal Rumble Match
Winner: Becky Lynch
Runner-Up: Bailey
Iron Woman: Bailey (that would be so cool)
Shot In the Dark: Lita enters the rumble

4

I’m still not sold on Rousey entering the Royal Rumble. Even in an era without PPV buys, it just seems like bad business not to use it for marketing. Though it sounds like some involvement is a pretty safe bet.

Another shot in the dark for that match, is that I’m still not completely positive that Charlotte doesn’t some how win the Rumble. She’s been given just about every other “first” on the main roster, so why not this one?

Regarding my picks above, I actually had no idea that Baszler was fighting for the NXT strap this weekend. I’ve completely cut myself off from following NXT. Then I get to pop in cold whenever there’s a Takeover and watch 2-3 hours of (typically) really good wrestling. It’s like flipping through the channels and finding a really high-level, well-funded indie show.

5

I suspect a Rousey angle at a Takeover could generate interest the day of the rumble…would definitely increase viewers for any show she was on heading towards Wrestlemania.

Still the biggest draw in women’s combat sports period.

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I liked John’s suggestion that Rousey be in the crowd at the Rumble but I very much like @Deezy’s idea of her being in the crowd at TakeOver and having some kind of altercation with Charlotte, and the idea of Joan Jett playing her to the ring at Mania makes me very happy. I do personally prefer the idea of protecting Rousey in a four on four match out of the gate and building (through a series of matches) to next year’s Mania where she would face off with Charlotte one on one, but I can totally see them hotshotting right to that match for the sake of the quick buck.

I do wonder whether or not WWE are willing to allow two Japanese stars to win their respective Rumbles on the same night. I can imagine Vince or someone else in the back feeling like it’ll look funny having both Shinsuke and Asuka win, even thought their stories and styles are quite different. Regardless, they remain my personal favourites for the winners of each Rumble at this point, purely because none of the other options really appeal or make sense to me right now.

I also feel like if the winner of the women’s Rumble is from SmackDown then it’s likely the winner from the men’s Rumble with be from RAW.

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My picks are Shinsuke and Sasha Banks. I want to say Asuka but I don’t see two Japanese winners. I see Nia Jax and Asuka eliminating each other.

One thing they should do in the rumble:
Have Daniel Bryan’s music go off at number 30, but theMiz enters instead of Daniel Bryan. The Miz goes dick level over 9000. The Miz gains momentum, eliminates a bunch of people and then Daniel Bryan somehow interferes with the match and the Miz is eliminated. This sets up Daniel Bryan’s eventual return at Wrestlemania with him and the Miz.

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Looking at the card right now and how the go home angle for each match ended like we won’t see much as far as the title matches go

So my predictions for the show are as followed

Raw tag team title match: Seth Rollins and Jason Jordan retains
Smackdown tag title match: The uso’s retains
WWE title match: Aj Styles Retains by pinning Sami Zayn
Universal title match: Brock Lesnar retains by pinning Kane

Men’s royal rumble: Winner: John Cena, Final Four: Cena, Nakamura, Reigns, Orton
Women’s Royal Rumble: Winner: Becky Lynch, Final Four: Nia Jax, Becky Lynch, Rhonda Rousey and Stephanie Mcmahon.

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Men’s Royal Rumble Match
Winner: Roman Reigns, but I had Shinsuke down as my alt.
Runner up: Some heel that will hopefully get the crowd to cheer Roman. Any suggestions?
Original pick: The Miz, because he’s been on fire
Iron Man: The Miz
Shot in the Dark: The Sandman comes out to Metallica, comes to the crowd, and doesn’t actually get to the ring until 3 more men have entered

Women’s Royal Rumble Match
Winner: Becky Lynch
Runner-Up: Nia Jax
Iron Woman: Natalya
Shot In the Dark: Sexy Star or Thea Trinidad (aka Rosita on Impact)

10

I found the surprise picks the hardest to choose in this year’s Post Wrestling Competition.
In previous years you could either pick on rumour or just take a blind guess. This year I found myself deliberating whether it was someone who appeared on Monday, maybe someone who wasn’t or whether people may even be cleared to compete!

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I agree, I think Nakamura wins the Rumble but I wouldnt put it past the WWE to have Reigns win, especially with it being in Philadelphia. I think Asuka wins the Womens Rumble. I dont think theres any chance Lesnar loses his match. Kane is obviously in this match to take the pinfall. Styles wins his match. Rollins and Jordan retain. Gable and Benjamin win the Tag Titles

12

I would love if Nakamura wins. Unfortunately this year feels a lot like the year Roman won in Philly and the Rock came out to attempt to save the boos but it didn’t work. All Vince has to do is slightly sell us on our favorite and that’s enough for us to get excited and watch. Meanwhile he knows damn well that his guy is gonna win and people can boo all they want. It probably helps Roman’s case that this year is back in Philly so that Cole can play up the “unusual” crowd aspect when everyone boos Roman’s win. I will certainly be very excited if Nakamura wins but I also won’t be surprised when he’s eliminated halfway through

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For the men’s Rumble, I’m thinking of these three possible scenarios.

  1. Reigns wins. Predictable and hopefully they won’t do this.

  2. Nakamura wins. If this happens then I see AJ retaining.

  3. Cena wins. If this happens then I see Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn being the first ever co-WWE champions.

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My pick is Nakamura as Reigns is the only other guy I see winning and he doesn’t need the win to main event Mania with Brock.

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Did anyone have any trouble with completing their Rumble pool entries? I don’t remember seeing a chance to pick most eliminations for men’s or women’s. Apologies if this is wrong place to address or has already been addressed elsewhere. Maybe that question was eliminated? Or maybe there and it was such a blur I forgot.

My picks are pretty standard for the winners:

Shinsuke for Men’s

Becky Lynch for women’s (runner up Asuka)

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Men’s Royal Rumble:
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura
Runner-Up: Finn Balor
Iron Man: Elias
Shot In the Dark: No. 1 or No. 2 Entrant Reaches the Final Four

Women’s Royal Rumble Match
Winner: Asuka
Runner-Up: Becky Lynch
Iron Woman: Becky Lynch
Shot in The Dark: Nia Jax Breaks Roman Reigns’ Eliminations Record

Universal Title Match
Brock Lesnar defeats Braun Strowman & Kane

Brock gets the pin on Kane in the match as to not give Braun another loss in a PPV title match.

WWE Championship Match
AJ Styles defeats Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn

Styles wins to set up himself and Nakamura at WrestleMania in New Orleans.

Raw Tag Title Match
Seth Rollins & Jason Jordan defeat Cesaro & Sheamus

SmackDown Tag Title Match
The Usos defeat Gable & Benjamin

18

I can’t remember the last rumble I missed, but the last couple of years haven’t been great imo.

I was still planning on re-upping my network sub for the Rumble and mania but the 25 anniversary RAW still has me shook. I have so little faith in the WWE to put on entertaining shows these days.

19

Roman winning feels like the most WWE thing possible. The only more WWE thing I can think of is a Cena/Brock/Roman match at Mania with Roman going over

People discussed Nakamura being cold but the reality is if he wins the Rumble and the AJ Mania match becomes real he’s going to be heated up very quickly. Aj will know how to get his fullest potential on display

I would hate to see AJ lose again before Mania but I wouldn’t necessarily hate an crazy situation where KO and Sami are co champs and have a huge epic career culminating match together at Mania. And I’d even have it be a ladder match for old times sake

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Men Rumble (Which i think will start the main show off)

Roman Reigns Winner (Why it will start the night however might kill the crowd rest of the night)

  1. Randy Orton
  2. The Miz (Iron Man)
  3. Kurt Angle (or any surprise entrant/special entrant nonetheless)
  4. Tye Dillinger
    27, John Cena
  5. Roman Reigns

Kurt Angle Triple H Tommy Dreamer Cass (no idea his injury status)
Shane one or two more ECW guys could be anyone to get the philly crowd to pop.
CM Punk as a long shot (but WWE showed him on tv a lot and ufc out of nowhere announced he will fight again leads me to believe wwe at least had talks)

Kofie Spot involving a ladder to get to the ring

Also someone mentioned if Asuka WIns which is most Likely that they would not have Shinsuke Nakamura win which i agree with i think he is a more long shot to win then people think. if he does win same can be said about asuka we wont be getting both. Actually i feel if it was the old days i can hear Jason saying the phones are already lit up. One of the Rumbles are really going to disappoint.

Women’s Rumble (end the show especially if Rhonda wins)

Winner Asuka
Runner up Trish or Lita (good way to pass the torch since Charlotte not in match)
Iron Women Becky Lynch

  1. Naomi (need to see the glow entrance)
  2. Bayley (see the inflatable dudes)
  3. Lita
    27.Trish
    30 Nia Jax

Legends/surprises The Bellas. Michelle Mccool Beth Phoenix Lita Trish AJ Lee Torrie Wilson Peyton Royce Stephanie McMahon

Long shot Renee Young! (I feel WWE is going to mess this up and have 29 entrants or some women will drop out they contacted or not pass a medical at the building or something and have to throw out a random nxter or possible Renee just to get 30 in)

Brock Wins
AJ Wins by Interference by Shane
Rollins And Jordan win accidentaly
Gable and Benjamin win (need a title change on the show)
Bobby Roode wins
Kalisto team wins
Gallows and Anderson win

Final Thought Baby face seems to win a lot in my predictions if I am right seems more likely Reigns wins that way one big heel usually gets a win or two to keeps the storyline progressing. Plus i Don’t see A story line reason they do lesnar vs reigns other then the Rumble Angle. There are a few reasons to do styles vs. Nakamura at Mania in story line.

I feel the womens Rumble will under deceiver highly promoted but the women never competed in that match hard to do something first time and go off without a hitch not to mention a third of the match is going to be legends or nxt which aren’t around the main rosters to work out a cohesive match. I hope i am wrong however.

I feel the men will do much better but it’s such an after thought no one will be that emotionally invested in it and then be most likely pissed when Reigns wins.

that being said this rumble has a fine line of being one of the best ever or one of the worst its a really fine line and one or tow choices will depend on how it turns out.

Oh I still See entrant 30 getting booed whoever it is when its not Daniel Bryan hopefully wwe knows this and gives it to someone who needs the heat instead of Rey. (actually that would be a funny surprise to do that)