WWE’s Royal Rumble is on Saturday, one thing that is simple to neglect amid Vince McMahon’s tumultuous return to WWE. The second greatest professional wrestling present of the yr, the Royal Rumble determines who will main-event the greatest present of the yr, WrestleMania.
To this point we all know 5 matches that’ll happen on the present. First, there are the 2 Royal Rumble matches themselves: one for the lads, one for the ladies. On the lads’s aspect, sturdy prospects embrace Cody Rhodes and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who’s long been rumored to be wrestling Roman Reigns at WrestleMania. You can also’t rule out Brock Lesnar, who on Friday’s SmackDown introduced he’d be within the bout. The shortlist is extra hazy on the ladies’s aspect, the place it is a actually open area.
Reigns shall be defending his WWE Common Championship titles in opposition to Kevin Owens. It is the pair’s third title match on the Royal Rumble: They first clashed in 2017, when Owens retained his Common Championship, after which again in 2021 in the infancy of Reigns’ historic title run. It must be a enjoyable match.
Extra enjoyable, for certain, than Bray Wyatt’s return bout, in opposition to LA Knight. Folks clamored for Wyatt to return to the corporate, however we’ll see how lengthy that pleasure lasts contemplating the goofy storylines his mystical character engenders. Wyatt and Knight will conflict in a “lights out” match on the Rumble — a first-of-its-kind bout which is hilariously sponsored by Mountain Dew.
Begin instances
Royal Rumble 2023 takes place on the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, on Jan. 28. For these with no reside ticket, it begins at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET. Grappling followers throughout the pond must keep up late, because the present begins at 1 a.m. UK time. In Australia, the Royal Rumble begins at noon AEDT on Sunday.
Royal Rumble predictions
Cody Rhodes is successful: Cody Rhodes’ WWE Championship saga started after his return ultimately yr’s WrestleMania, when in a promo he declared his purpose for leaving AEW was to satisfy his future, win the title and make his late father, Dusty Rhodes, proud. The primary particular person standing in his approach wasn’t WWE Common Champion Roman Reigns, however Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. The favorites to win the Rumble and go on to face Reigns are Rhodes and Rock. My cash’s on Rhodes.
Kevin Owens will make you consider: There is no approach Kevin Owens beats Roman Reigns on Saturday on the Royal Rumble. However Owens has a expertise for making you suppose he can defy the chances, and Reigns has a knack for wanting extra beatable than he actually is. These two are so, so good, and there bout shall be a spotlight of the present. You may go in understanding Reigns will win, however they will persuade you, even when for a couple of seconds, that Owens is strolling out with the gold.
Bianca Belair will retain, however that will not be the top of it: Judging by the story that is being instructed on Uncooked, Alexa Bliss goes to the darkish aspect. Bray Wyatt’s reemergence has awoken the spirit inside her — or one thing. Alexa Bliss as the feminine Fiend was by no means enjoyable, however it appears to be like prefer it’s occurring once more. I count on Belair to retain her title on Sunday, however that to result in Bliss falling deeper down the rabbit gap, presumably establishing Bliss to win the title at Elimination Chamber.
We final noticed Cody Rhodes at Hell in a Cell, the place he beat Seth Rollins after sustaining a gross pec harm.
WWE
Full Royal Rumble 2023 card
- WWE Common Championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Kevin Owens.
- 30-man Royal Rumble match.
- 30-woman Royal Rumble match.
- Lights Out match: Bray Wyatt vs. LA Knight.
- WWE Uncooked Ladies’s Championship: Bianca Belair (c) vs. Alexa Bliss.
The way to watch: Peacock, WWE Community, Binge
As you most likely know by now, Peacock is the brand new residence of WWE’s pay-per-views. The WWE Community has in essence migrated to NBC’s Peacock streaming service and that is the place you will go to observe Royal Rumble 2023. Peacock has three tiers: Free, Premium and Premium Plus. To observe WWE content material, you will want a Premium subscription. The excellent news is that’ll set you again $5 a month, lower than the $10 for WWE Community.
Identical to the WWE Community has been absorbed by Peacock within the US, it is migrated to Foxtel’s Binge streaming service in Australia. WWE’s cope with Binge went into impact earlier this month, so Binge is the place Australians ought to search the Rumble, although the WWE Community continues to be operational for now.
When you’re within the UK, you will watch Royal Rumble 2023 on the WWE Community as normal.
