The Road To WrestleMania has officially started and the first stop is on Sunday at the 2017 Royal Rumble. This year is the 30th anniversary of the annual event and will take place at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. This is the second Rumble that will take place from the Alamodome. The first one was back in 1997 when Stone Cold Steve Austin won the 30-man Royal Rumble match.
The theme of this year’s Royal Rumble seems to be unpredictability. No one knows what direction the WWE will go and how many of these matches will end. That said, the results of the Royal Rumble match will be a pretty good indicator of what WrestleMania will look like in seven weeks. Needless to say, everyone is waiting to see what happens as this may be the most exciting thing for WWE fans in months.
We have predictions for the 2017 Royal Rumble. The overall hope from this Sunday’s event is that the company begins to move away from the band aids it depends on like Goldberg or The Undertaker and begin the transition to new stars such as Finn Balor and others. Let’s begin our predictions of the Royal Rumble, starting with the pre-show matches.
Pre-Show Matches
Sasha Banks v. Nia Jax
This match was pushed to the pre-show when it really should be on the main show. Jax has improved immensely in the last few weeks as her ring work improved. This feud between her and Banks has also been built up perfectly. Jax will win this match as she moves towards Charlotte and a shot at the Raw Women’s Championship.
Your winner, Nia Jax
Cesaro and Sheamus (champions) v. Gallows and Anderson for Raw Tag Team Titles
Can The Club just win a big match? Gallows and Anderson are one of the best tag teams in the world but they have been made to look awful since coming into the company. They defeated the tag champs a couple weeks ago, but by DQ, and did not win the titles. I believe this is the time for The Club to finally ascend to the ranks of champions.
Your winner and new champions, Gallows and Anderson
Becky Lynch, Nikki Bella and Naomi v. Alexa Bliss, Mickie James and Natalya
As a way to get the Smackdown Live women some time at the Royal Rumble, six-women are just thrown into a multi-women match. This is when I will probably get a beverage and a burger.
Your winners, Bliss, James and Natalya
Main Show
Rich Swann (champion) v. Neville for the Cruiserweight Title
The change in Neville has been amazing since he turned heel. He’s dangerous and is making a case to be called the best in the Cruiserweight division. The problem is that no one cares about the division because they are being displayed incorrectly. Some very bad creative decisions has caused the Cruiserweights to just flounder on the Monday Night Raw and 205 Live .
Swann, while he has personality, has not connected with the crowd and that is the WWE’s fault once again. Neville, if he wins, will need the WWE machine to start churning in order to create interest in the division. In the end, Neville will destroy Swann
Your winner and new champion, Neville
Charlotte Flair (champion) v. Bayley for Raw Women’s Title
The burn to this match was a slow one with the integration of Banks and Jax early in the feud. Since then, the intensity has been turned up and we have a title match between two of the best female wrestlers in the world.
Charlotte would seem to be the favorite, but I see Bayley as a prime candidate to end Charlotte’s pay-per-view undefeated streak...at some point. A rematch will happen, possibly multiple times, between these two women. For now, Charlotte will win this match with a bit of mischievous behavior.
Your winner and still champion, Charlotte Flair
Kevin Owens (champion) v. Roman Reigns for Universal Title (Chris Jericho will be held in a shark cage above the ring)
Let’s keep it 100...the WWE is putting Jericho in a shark cage above the ring to help sell its shark cage ring toy. The company’s sheer lack of shame in their marketing is ridiculous, but I digress. Owens as Universal Champion has been lackluster, but once again, it’s WWE’s creative that is making Owens’ reign terrible. He should be a dominating bad guy champion just killing people, but instead, he is just a guy with a belt who loses almost every week.
For some reason, the WWE still wants Reigns to be their babyface champion. Unfortunately the crowd is still not fully behind that idea and the crowd reaction seems to be getting worse from week to week once again. Owens will not be the Universal Champion at WrestleMania and I think this will be the show where he will lose the title.
Your winner and new champion, Roman Reigns
AJ Styles (champion) v. John Cena for the WWE Title
Similar to Owens, rumors have Styles not holding onto the WWE Title until WrestleMania. John Cena returned after filming a television show and was put right into a title match against Styles, his new and equal rival. The WWE wants Cena to get his 16th title and this is something that everyone is expecting to happen at the Royal Rumble.
AJ Styles will be okay when loses the title...but that will not be at the Royal Rumble. With Smackdown Live getting the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view in Feburary, Styles will most likely lose the title in that structure. As for the Royal Rumble, Styles will be leaving San Antonio the WWE Champion.
Your winner and still champion, AJ Styles
2017 Royal Rumble Match
This is probably the hardest prediction I will make. I have been fighting with this prediction for weeks and I am still fighting. My heart wants Finn Balor to win the Royal Rumble match, but in this match, the focus will be on Goldberg, Brock Lesnar and The Undertaker. Balor deserves a return to action fit for a star and not just as a Rumble entry. My brain is telling me that The Undertaker is the man to win the Rumble, which could set up a Title vs. Career match at WrestleMania.
Well it’s time to man up and make a decision. I believe that The Undertaker will win the 2017 Royal Rumble. The sheer shock of him even being included in the Rumble this year says that there has to be big plans for him and with his career winding down, this is the time to focus on him over the few weeks and set up for what I believe will be his final WrestleMania.
The winner of the Royal Rumble match is The Undertaker.
What are your thoughts about this year’s Royal Rumble? Let us know in our comment section.
