Predictions: Royal Rumble 2016 (24.01.16)

Tonight, the road to WrestleMania begins with the Royal Rumble! However, due to the curse of injuries afflicting the WWE at the moment (has Dixie Carter done a deal with the Devil to make sure as many WWE superstars are injured for the biggest PPV of the year?!?!), I reckon the road won’t be paved properly until Fast Lane. That’s why the WWE Championship is on the line in the Royal Rumble: so the Number 1 Contender spot isn’t set in stone. No doubt we’ll find out the Number 1 Contender at Fast Lane! They should bring back the Elimination Chamber to decide who that will be…Anyway, here are my predictions for tonight’s event!

Alberto Del Rio (c) vs Kalisto (United States Championship)

What was the point of Kalisto’s incredibly short reign? Answer: there wasn’t one! Presumably, Del Rio was set to engage in yet another feud with Cena upon Cena’s return, but the latter wrestler’s injury stopped that (thankfully!). And Kalisto’s tag partner Sin Cara is also on the injured list, so the writers are merely shoving Kalisto into a random storyline with Del Rio. Del Rio will win here, no doubt about it. I can’t see Kalisto winning back the title!

PREDICTED WINNER: Alberto Del Rio

Charlotte (c) vs Becky Lynch (Women’s Championship)

Charlotte finally became interesting after her heel turn. Lynch, after treading water since the ‘Diva’s Revolution,’ has been able to show what she’s capable of, both in the ring and out of it. The two had a good bout in NXT shortly before Lynch’s shot at the NXT Women’s Champion, Sasha Banks (and that match was superb!), so I can imagine they’ll pull out all the stops for this match. I can see Charlotte holding the belt until WrestleMania, against Sasha Banks, perhaps? So, unfortunately, Lynch will lose this match in a screwjob fashion.

PREDICTED WINNER: Charlotte

The New Day (c) vs The Usos (Tag Team Championship Match)

I’m still laughing at The Usos winning the Slammy for Tag Team of last year, considering they were absent for so much of it due to injuries. However, they always put on an good match, as do The New Day. I’d be surprised if The Usos win the match though. Like Charlotte and the Diva’s Championship, a heel wrestler/tag team heading into Mania presents the opportunity to give the crowd a big face victory. So that means The Usos have to lose! Plus, The New Day are so damned entertaining!

PREDICTED WINNER: The New Day

Dean Ambrose (c) vs Kevin Owens (Last Man Standing Match for the Intercontinental Championship)

I feel like Owens and Ambrose haven’t quite lived up to the expectations I’ve had of them in the ring. They’ve had good bouts, but they’ve either been too short or lacking that special something. That’s not to say their feud hasn’t been one of the better ones of recent memory; their brawls have been great to watch. But you expected brilliant matches from Ambrose and Owens, which we just haven’t had. However, with this Last Man Standing match, I reckon they will pull out all the stops to make sure it’s a fitting end to their feud. I’d be surprised if it continues after Royal Rumble. And for that reason, although it’s a tough one, I reckon Ambrose will retain the IC title!

PREDICTED WINNER: Dean Ambrose

Royal Rumble Match for the WWE Championship (Roman Reigns (c))

For the first time ever, the WWE Championship will be defended in the Royal Rumble! Roman Reigns is the defending champion. Thanks to the maniacal Mr. McMahon, Reigns is the first entrant in the Royal Rumble. The only men to win the Rumble from Entry Number 1 are Shawn Micheals and He Who Shall Not Be Named (Chris Benoit). Can Reigns add his name to that very short list? I think that he will. What’s the point of him having a sub-two month reign? The whole point of bringing McMahon back was to get Reigns over and to prove Reigns can beat the odds stacked against him. To derail his push now, only to have him win back the championship at WrestleMania (possibly against HHH), would make little sense. A screwjob at the final moments, or a surprise entrant who eliminates Reigns, would be brilliant, no doubt about it. But when do WWE do surprises? Last year’s Rumble was one of the all-time worst, in part to the pathetic surprise returns we were “treated” to. WWE.com have even put up a video of six superstars who would be great surprise entrants, including The Undertaker, Steve Austin, Daniel Bryan, Goldberg, Sting and Seth Rollins. So let’s count them out (apart from The Undertaker, maybe). But even if we see Mr. McMahon himself enter at Number 30 and have Reigns beat to a pulp, I doubt we’ll see Reigns lose. I’d put my money on Reigns to retain!

PREDICTED WINNER: Roman Reigns

Leave your thoughts/predictions below!