Each and every year the WWE Universe prepares for a night packed full of surprises as WWE begins its annual Road to WrestleMania with their Royal Rumble PPV.
The Royal Rumble is a chance for forgotten superstars to step back into the limelight and stake their claim for a rightful spot on the WrestleMania match card with championship matches and the highly anticipated Women’s Royal Rumble, or if anyone is feeling lucky like Nia Jax, maybe the men’s Royal Rumble. With 30 spots and an open invitation to returning superstars who will rocket their way onto the WrestleMania match card?Elsewhere champions from both RAW and Friday Night SmackDown look to hold onto their championship gold as they take on quite possibly their greatest rivals to date since becoming champions.
Last year Becky Lynch became the central focus of WWE with a historic win in the first ever Women’s WrestleMania main event against Charlotte Flair and ‘Rowdy’ Ronda Rousey. Later this evening Becky looks set to walk into this year’s Mania with just as much swagger but not before taking on Asuka at tonight’s Royal Rumble PPV. Over the last few weeks Asuka has seemingly had Lynch’s number with continuous ambushes on the RAW Women’s Champion thanks to her fatal green poison mist and BFF Kairi Sane. Will Asuka manage to dethrone ‘The Man’ before her road to WrestleMania has even begun?
Over on the blue brand, Lacey Evans sets her sights on the SmackDown Women’s Championship as she takes on current champion Bayley after weeks of back and forth action between Evans, Bayley and Sasha Banks. With a possible aid from Sasha Banks at ringside will Bayley manage to retain her title and solidify herself as a worthy champion? It’s time for our Royal Rumble PPV Predictions:
Raw Women’s Championship: Becky Lynch Vs Asuka
Elle: God how I have loved this feud and the revitalisation of Asuka and Kairi Sane as the new and improved Kabuki Warriors. Anyone who knows me knows I have become completely obsessed with Asuka especially over the last few weeks and I seriously can’t believe WWE held back this side of Asuka which has been itching to come out ever since her jump to the main roster. Like Asuka Becky has totally reinvented herself and I just can’t get enough of either women making this one a win no matter the outcome. Unfortunately I can’t see WWE pulling the rug out from under Becky’s feet right before Mania, even more so after a year of proving herself not only as Champion but the face of WWE. I have no doubt however that regardless of the outcome this could well be a match of the night contender between two of the best in WWE right now. Prediction: Becky Lynch
Adam: I’ve just loved the long, heated build this feud has had. It’s so refreshing when the WWE allows a deep story to be told and the women to go at it and show off their talents. It’s almost a shame the feud has to end here because it’s gone so well. That being said, I think that The Man will get the long awaited win she’s been obsessed with after all of last year. This is going to be an awesome match! Prediction: Becky Lynch
SmackDown Women’s Championship: Bayley Vs Lacey Evans
Elle: Unlike the previous match this match feels somewhat harder to predict. I don’t think I’ll be the only one to say this, but for me Bayley’s heel turn has been kind of a flop. Sure Bayley has begun to find her footing as a heel but it almost feels a little too late in her championship run for it to make a difference. That being said I’ve always said Bayley makes such a better challenger than she ever has as a champion so I wouldn’t mind seeing how she fares as a heel challenger as opposed to this stale championship run. Unlike Bayley Lacey has taken to this face turn like a duck to water and I honestly wouldn’t be mad to see Evans pushed to the moon after her recent promos and the WWE universe finally getting behind her. However I can’t shake the feeling that Sasha may help Bayley pick up the win to then go on and win in this year’s women’s royal rumble. Hmm decisions decisions. Prediction: Bayley
Adam: A match harder to predict. The WWE has tried again to try and make Lacey Evans happen, but aside from fancy hats she’s not been able to deliver even with dragging in her child to drum up some attention. Evans getting a non-title win in the run up to this match makes me think we’ll have a Bayley victory, and perhaps with a shady outcome to cheat her way to retaining. I don’t think this will be the end of their feud however regardless of who wins. Prediction: Bayley
Women’s Royal Rumble Match
Elle: When it comes to this year’s Rumble I can’t help feel like there is only 4 women viable of winning regardless of whether I want them to or not with the women being Charlotte Flair, Shayna Baszler, Sasha Banks or Ronda Rousey. Now don’t get me wrong I love each of the women in their own way but of the four the only women I wouldn’t mind seeing win are Shayna Baszler and Ronda Rousey. Charlotte (and arguably Sasha) clearly doesn’t need a win, never mind a shortcut on the WrestleMania card, Charlotte’s skills speak for themselves and I’m sure WWE could think of several ways to get ‘The Queen of all Eras’ on the match card. While I wouldn’t mind seeing Sasha pick up the win, like Bayley her heel turn has felt a tad like a flop and I’m not as invested as I probably should be. Ronda and Shayna on the other hand need a way to bounce back after being humiliated at WrestleMania and NXT after losing their hard fought championships. If Ronda wins I would love to see her take on Becky as a revenge storyline for sending her packing at last year’s event never to be seen since. Shayna on the other hand already gave us a teaser way back at Survivor Series and I can’t wait to see what Shayna Vs Becky would look like over the mess of the triple threat match. Prediction: Shayna Baszler
Adam: To me, I cannot see Charlotte Flair winning even with how strongly (and to be frank, the WWE has really only been pushing her as a woman to win) the WWE has tried to make her out to be. So that leaves only two options for me. A Ronda Rousey return which is probably a longshot (and something I personally wouldn’t want to see) or Shayna Baszler gets the call-up from NXT. To me Baszler winning and being a vicious threat to Lynch works for a WrestleMania match. And hey, if Lynch has spent so long obsessed with one loss in 2019, why can’t she do the same again with her other big PPV ‘loss’ which came at the hands of Baszler as well? Prediction: Shayna Baszler