WWE Royal Rumble 2018 Predictions

Hello Misfits! This is The Wrestling Classic here with my predictions for this Sunday’s Royal Rumble. It’s one of my favourite PPV’s of the year and honestly one of my favourite PPV’s of them all. Theres something about the 3o-man battle royal that’s so much fun to watch. Whether it’s the mystery of who’s coming out next, the surprise entrants, the constant guessing of who’s going to win or the fact that this really feels like the beginning on the road to Wrestlemania because the winner is guaranteed a World Championship match at the WWE’s biggest show of the year, it all equals into a fun match for wrestling fans to watch. This even has a historic feel to because for the first time ever, we are getting a 30-woman Royal Rumble which is groundbreaking for the WWE who hasn’t done anything like this in the 30 year history. On that note, even though the Royal Rumble is the spotlight of the show, the event always gives us so many hidden gem matches on the rest of the card that occasionally get forgotten because people usually remember the event for the Rumble match itself. There are some matches on this card that have that potential to be future forgotten gems because they’re on this card but the hardcore fans won’t forget. I’ll get more into as we get into my Royal Rumble predictions.

The kick-off has been graced with the 205 Live Cruiserweight roster with a six man tag match. Three masked baby-faces take on three arrogant heels. I think this will be a fun high-flying match. Three babyfaces who are great at arial assault against three characters. Drew Gulak bringing some comedy to the match with his “no fly zone” rules. Gallagher as a corky snobby brit who might try to slow down his masked opponents. Perkins trying to be the leader of the team and whiney when things dont go his way. I feel like the Kalisto, Dorado and Metalik get the victory here in a fast-paced entertaining match to amp the crowd up for the rest of the show. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a rematch on the following 205 live episode with the heels getting a their heat back.
Prediction – Kalisto, Lince Dorado & Gran Metalik

This one is kind of tough for me because I’m big on both teams. Anderson and Gallows finally feel relevant again since pairing up with Balor bringing the Balor Club to life. However, The Revival has been super under-appreciated on the main roster and that may be due to the fact that one of them would unfortunately suffer an injury both times they seemed to be gaining momentum. I really dig the Revivial’s old school vibe and they really do remind me a lot of the Brain Busters. I’d be okay with either team winning but I’d love to see the Revival sneak a victory here. Considering the events of the Raw 25th Anniversary Show, The Club seem to be the good guys here and the Rivival seem to be the bad guys and it would be a great way for the Dawson and Wilder to get some redemption here from the beating they took on that show. I feel like with WWE’s creative, The Club is going to go over but I’m rooting for The Revival for the night.
Prediction – The Revival

Bobby Roode will host his own United States Championship Open-Challenge and it’s going to be Glorious. It could be Jinder Mahal, Ty Dillinger, Baron Corbin…maybe Dolph Ziggler? Maybe someone from NXT? Its a joint brand PPV, maybe it’ll be someone from Raw? Regardless who answers the challenge, I predict Bobby Roode successfully defending his championship. I hope the fact that he’s having this open challenge doesn’t mean he won’t be in the Royal Rumble though. I hope he’s doing double duty.
Prediction – Bobby Roode

Smackdown did what I was hoping Raw would do for The Bar vs Ambrose and Rollins. If two teams are going to face each other a ton of times over the same span of months than there should be stipulations added to the matches. Smackdown Live has always been really good at that if you recall the Uso and New Day rivalry from last year as well. There has been some controversy in their previous matches and both teams have gotten over the other, therefore a 2-out-of-3 falls matcn is the perfect stipulation for this current rivalry. Both teams are bring talent and ability, and are great at telling stories in the ring. I wouldn’t say neither team is weaker than the other. The only benefit The Usos have is that they have more experience as a team and that they have twin intuition. It would be shocking to see a match with this stipulation to end in two falls straight, so I definitely seeing it going the stretch with a third fall being necessary. I’m not against Gable and Benjamin winning but I’m rooting that the Usos to pick up the win. The Usos have been the top of the Smackdown Live tag division for some time now, and I think they should hold on to the titles gong into Wrestlemania before pulling the rigger to take them off them. It will also mean more that someone does it then, if they play up The Usos domination of the division.
Prediction – The Usos

Technically The Bar vs Shield rivalry continues but with Ambrose getting injured we do get something a little different. This time around Seth Rollins isn’t tag team champions with his Shield brother but with Kurt Angle’s illegitimate son, Jason Jordan. If there was one thing I can say about the 100+ Bar vs Ambrose/Rollins matches we got, they were all very good and entertaining matches. I dont expect any less with this tag team match. All four guys are super talented and want to have the best match on the show. Whether you like Jason Jordan or not, the guy without a doubt can hang with these guys and go in the ring. As of late though Jason Jordan has shown to be a troublesome tag partner by really only looking at things from his perspective and making decisions without consulting “The Architect” Seth Rollins. I feel like we see that play a role at the Royal Rumble. I feel like The Bar will become four time tag team champions. I know they could have Jordan and Rollins retain here and have them lose the titles later in the next couple of months heading into Wrestlemania since there is so much time left before the big show but I think with no other title changes in my predictions why not this one to shake up The Royal Rumble. Let Rollins and Jordan chase the titles next month only to lead to them having their own issues heading into Wrestlemania.
Prediction – The Bar

To be honest, I found the booking of this match to be questionable. I get the sentiment behind it but do we really think the WWE is going to allow two guys make claim to being the WWE Champion at the same time. I know Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho would joke around both being the Universal Champion during their friendship but they never defeated the champion together to be joint champions, it was always just in good fun. Technically is Sami Zayn and KO win here, they are both the WWE Champion. I think? I feel like if Shane was against this match when Bryan booked it, he could have changed it into a triple threat. If that was the case, there is a story to be told there. Will Owens and Zayn work together? Will both of them low-key wanting to be champion cause tension between them to Shane-O-Mac’s happiness? Can AJ Styles overcome both of them? Will at least the last story is still the same. AJ Styles is going to have to overcome both Zayn and Owens. Which whether it comes with drama involving the Authority figures of Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan or not, I see AJ Styles walking out champion. There is no doubt in my mind that Styles will be the one defending the championship at Wrestlemania.
Prediction – AJ Styles

History is being made at this Royal Rumble event as we are getting the first ever Women’s Royal Rumble. This was something that was only fantasy booking for fans over the years but I don’t think we ever actually thought we were gong to see. However, with the womens revolution in the WWE, the many historic first time ever moments featuring their division over the last two years and the amount of women on both rosters right now, it almost became inevitable. Even with the stacked women’s roster, there is still room for a handful of surprise and shocking entrants. Whether its legends like such as Trish Stratus, Beth Phoenix, Michelle McCool and others or NXT talent like the Iconic Duo, Shayna Baszler or Kairi Sane it’ll be fun to see who fills up those empty spots. Maybe the popular Bella Twins will make surprising appearances. The biggest rumour on the scene is that Ronda Rousey herself could make an appearance which she has shot down by letting TMZ know that she hasn’t officially signed a deal with the WWE and is going to be in Columbia to finish filming a movie she’s working on. However, being the wrestling fan that she is, it wouldn’t be a surprise for her to swerve us to keep kayfabe alive. If Ronda’s in the match, she’s my pick but if she isn’t lets get into who I think is going to take it.
Unfortunately, I don’t see anyone on the blue brand picking up the victory here. I think with this being a log to road to Wrestlemania after the Royal Rumble, they’ll have time to build the Smackdown Womens Title match for Wrestlemania. Plus, Smackdown Live was given the opportunity to crown the first ever Mrs. Money in the Bamk which we’re still waiting for Carmella to cash. I mean having a Royal Rumble winner and Carmella with a guaranteed shot at the championship on the same show really poses a lot of threats for Charlotte but Raw could use this moment. Im sure one or more of the Smackdown girls will make an impact or be in the final four but I dont see them taking the W. Also, I dont know why, but it feels like it’s been months since Alexa Bliss has defended the Womens Title which most likely isn’t true but it feels that way. Alexa needs a challenger she can’t run or hide from.
If it is going to be someone from the red brand there are some options and favourites. I think the four favourites to win it would be Nia Jax, Bayley, Sasha Banks or Asuka. I could see any four of those women winning. Nia Jax needs that reset on her career and character after basically losing any momentum she’s had as a monster and being put in short love angle with Enzo Amore who is no longer employed with the company but I do see her being eliminated single handedly by someone like Asuka or by a group of women ganging up on her. Bayley…I’m just over the Bayley experiment. It’s the last thing I want to see. I’d love see Sasha eliminate her, teasing her old heel self, where she comes before friendship. Personally I would love to see Sasha win this. If Asuka gets eliminated in the Rumble whether its by one person and a group of girls, it would not make her undefeated streak suffer. My ideal scenario would be Sasha winning the Rumble and Asuka defeating Alexa for the belt next month at the PPV leading to a Sasha vs. Asuka match at Wrestlemania. I think that would be more. However, if I was going to bet my money on it, Asuka is taking the victory in the first ever Women’s Royal Rumble. Therefore, as much as I would like Salsa Banks to win the match, my prediction is Asuka.
Prediction – Asuka

The Beast returns to the Royal Rumble but this time he is defending his championship in a Triple Threat match where once again the odds are set against him, He has to defend his Universal championship against two monsters in Kane and Braun Strowman. If this was anyone else other than Brock Lesnar, I would think this would be a bigger obstacle for someone to overcome. For example, imagine it was Seth R0llins, AJ Styles or even Roman Reigns in the position, you’d think of it as more of a obstacle but Lesnar is a monster himself. I expect this match to be demolition derby, car crash and out of control match where everyone has the upper hand at some point. I’m happy for Kane and that he’s featured in a championship match this late in his career but I definitely dont see him walking out as champion. I’m not ever against Kane having one last run because his character is still over 20 years later but I dont see him as the one going into Wrestlemania as champion. I definitely want and think Strowman should win. Nobody has been creatively built up so well this past year than Braun Strowman. At times he’s the most exciting part of Raw and the fans pop when they hear “BRAUNNNN” in the arena. He’s a heel who’s over like a babyface and doesnt change his personality because of it. I think most people can agree with the way Braun has been booked and built up this past year, you’d expect him to have been champion already or walk out of this show as champion. Braun would be the perfect person to beat Lesnar too because its believable that he could. However, I predict that Brock Lesnar overcomes the odds and beats both guys. Thus defending his championship next month in a Elimination Chamber and then going to Wrestlemania as champion to be dethroned by the likes of Roman Reigns. Braun could win it here and lose it next month in the Elimination Chamber to Brock Lesnar but I doubt the WWE would want to do that because the story of Lesnar holding it from last years Wrestlemania all the way to the next sounds a lot more appealing.
Prediction – Brock Lesnar

It’s one of the most fun matches of the year every year and always leaves the fans talking after it, whether they’re being positive or negative. 30 men, one ring and no friends. The winner is guaranteed a championship match at the biggest show of the year, Wrestlemania, Its usually stacked with top talent, surprise entrants and memorable moments. If you follow my Instagram page, you’ve been treated with a lot of these moments and memories from these matches over the past month.  There are a handful on guys in this match that could win. The Royal Rumble has been shocking in the past. I mean I had no idea that Randy Orton was going to win last year. I looked at my predictions from last year, I predicted that Finn Balor was going to return and win. He didnt even end up being in the match and returned the night after Wrestlemania. It really tells you how unpredictable this match can be. I have a prediction that I think is a very predictable choice but at the same time is it really? There are top stars in this match such as John Cena, Randy Orton, Roman Reigns, Shinsuke Nakamura and my pick for last year Finn Balor. There are wild card mid card guys such as Matt Hardy, Bray Wyatt, Elias, Baron Corbin. The New Day announced they’re going to be in the match. I’m sure guys who arent announced such as Jinder Mahal, Bobby Roode, Seth Rollins, Jason Jordan and The Bar may appear in the match too. Of course I can’t guess who the special entrants might be but we’ll see if they make an impact.There are even rumours about Daniel Bryan or Undertaker entering the Royal Rumble. Considering I have someone on the red brand winning the womens Royal Rumble, to be fair I think the blue brand takes the mens Royal Rumble this year again. I dont see anyone better than Shinsuke Nakamura being the one to win. The anticipation built over the last year over the eventual match up between AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura was tremendous. Whether they were a team or battling for the Money in the Bank, fans got excited whenever the two were in the same ring. It’s really a match that could steal the show at Wrestlemania. If they are able to recreate the magic they made a couple years back at Werstlekingdom at Wrestlemania, we’re talking about a match of the year candidate in the first month of the year. The chances of me being wrong is high but my prediction for the mens Royal Rumble is “The King of Strong Style” Shinsuke Nakamura.
Prediction – Shinsuke Nakamura

What do you think about my predictions for the Royal Rumble? What are your predictions? Do you agree or disagree with my thoughts and ideas of what might happen on the show? Leave your comments and opinions below.