WrestleMania 37 is on the horizon, which manner it be time to kick off the festivities this weekend with the Royal Rumble. On Sunday evening, 30 men and 30 females will compete of their respective Royal Rumble fits with the final map in thoughts of primary for a world championship on the grandest stage of WrestleMania. The most fun time of the one year to be a legit wrestling fan has arrived, so buckle up, all individuals.
Moreover the two Royal Rumble fits, there are two world title fits at showcase confirmed for the tournament. Roman Reigns will defend the neatly-liked championship against Kevin Owens in a Final Man Standing match, and the legendary Goldberg will return to the ring for the first time since WrestleMania 36 to order WWE champion Drew McIntyre.
The Royal Rumble will open at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, Jan. 31, with the label expected to last any place from 3-4 hours, no longer counting the kickoff label, which starts one hour forward of the first card at 6 p.m. CBS Sports shall be with you all the vogue on Sunday with are living results, highlights and evaluation.
For now, let’s take dangle of a explore at how our experts take into consideration the Royal Rumble will play out this Sunday.
2021 WWE Royal Rumble predictions
Females’s Designate Crew Championship: Asuka & Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Shayna Baszler & Nia Jax
It was ridiculous to attach the titles on Asuka & Flair in the first space, and provided that every and every are embroiled in separate singles storylines, it makes even much less sense to carry the straps on them. Baszler & Jax were working completely fine as champions and had a nice storyline setup with Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke. With the muscle mates now healthy and relieve in motion, it would possibly presumably maybe even be hysterical — albeit depressing — for WWE to flip the titles relieve to the heels, however I judge that’s exactly what they’ll by hook or by crook close up doing, fully doing away with any attach from the champions’ present title escape. Retract: Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler take dangle of the titles — Adam Silverstein (also Brent Brookhouse)
SmackDown Females’s Championship: Sasha Banks (c) vs. Carmella
Carmella has performed a honest job in her present heel escape, and there could be no denying that she has improved as a performer. All that said, Banks is at last taking half in a title reign where she has managed to in actual fact defend the title. It be laborious to see her escape coming to an close against Carmella in what has been her first steady storyline after worthwhile the belt from Bayley. Banks is an enticing champion heading into WrestleMania, and a match that comprises her in the champion feature feels love a bigger deal than one with Carmella. It would no longer feel love there is powerful mystery to this one. Retract: Sasha Banks retains the title — Brookhouse (also Silverstein)
Long-established Championship: Roman Reigns vs. Kevin Owens (Final Man Standing match)
As fun as a swerve Owens take dangle of could presumably maybe be, it proper feels fully unrealistic to demand WWE to crop off Reings’ escape forward of WrestleMania. Reigns has been the most straightforward enchantment in the firm since returning at SummerSlam and Owens has provided a honest foil in present months, however he is by no manner of direction seemed a menace to beat Reigns for the title. A Final Man Standing match does present some outs to carry Owens solid (interference from Jey Uso), however he is no longer leaving as neatly-liked champion. Retract: Roman Reigns retains the title — Brookhouse (also Silverstein)
WWE Championship: Drew McIntyre (c) vs. Goldberg
Followers were rightly excited when Goldberg emerged on Legends Evening to order McIntyre, in particular given the truth that the storyline to construct the match did no longer draw a shred of sense. With McIntyre out two weeks due to COVID-19, the temperature of fan resentment cooled down however so did any staunch hobby in this match. Even though Goldberg has defeated heel Kevin Owens and “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt for the neatly-liked title twice — and WWE is constructing this championship because the lone world title Goldberg has by no manner conquered — it would draw fully zero sense to attach him over the firm’s high male babyface that it has spent the last one year constructing. This ought to be a rapid match with McIntyre overcoming an early barrage of offense from Goldberg to retain the title and retain it as a minimum unless WrestleMania. Retract: Drew McIntyre retains the title — Silverstein (also Brookhouse)
Females’s Royal Rumble match
There are a large selection of viable alternatives to take dangle of the match, however none that close what a Belair take dangle of would. She’s a substantial time expertise who proper wants the upright storyline to fully ruin by to being a well-known tournament participant. Belair showing off her strength and athleticism again in the Rumble whereas outlasting each and every various lady right now establishes her in the title image a long way greater than her present awkward contention with Bayley. Retract: Bianca Belair wins — Brookhouse (also Silverstein)
Males’s Royal Rumble match
If there is one component WWE loves to shut, it be give legends principal spots at the very finest PPV events of the one year. That’s why Goldberg is going by McIntyre, that’s why Goldberg held a world title forward of last one year’s WrestleMania, that’s why The Rock’s title was tied to Reigns for WrestleMania forward of the dearth of a sellout are living crowd seemed to tank that. Edge wasn’t returning to be a fleshy-time expertise, nonetheless it seemed he was tantalizing to be in substantial spots in direction of the one year. If WWE needs to take dangle of a substantial swing on an underdog to face Reigns at WrestleMania, Edge would tick moderately a large selection of the bins they’re looking out for. Daniel Bryan would also effectively fit the invoice, however there is an itch tiresome my thoughts asserting Edge gets the feel-honest moment and the Mania slot. Retract: Edge wins — Brookhouse
Edge announcing his return to WWE and entry into the Royal Rumble on Raw felt love a wasted shock moment even supposing that’s what we bought last one year at this very tournament, nonetheless it did add a stage of intrigue to the match because Edge (as predicted above) would draw a ton of sense as a Royal Rumble winner and future McIntyre challenger. Alternatively, forward of Edge’s announcement, I believed that WWE would transfer in its easiest conceivable booking route, which is placing Bryan over in the match because the WrestleMania challenger of Roman Reigns. There is a tantalizing-made storyline between Bryan and Reigns dating relieve to 2014 when Bryan made his long-awaited return at the Royal Rumble most productive to unceremoniously be eliminated as Reigns went on to take dangle of the whole component. Followers revolted, and that moment was the catalyst to persevered dissatisfaction with Reigns as a face.
Seven years later, with Reigns now a heel, WWE can without wretchedness attain relieve and play off that storyline. We noticed interactions between Bryan, Reigns and Jey Uso a pair of months ago, and I feel about those were planting the seeds for the Boulevard to WrestleMania. There are various legit possibilities to take dangle of this match, however Bryan makes the most sense by a long way. He could presumably maybe composed originate a shot at Reigns by the Elimination Chamber, however why extinguish the supreme storyline? Retract: Daniel Bryan wins — Silverstein
