WWE The Greatest Royal Rumble Predictions
Hello Misfits! This is The Wrestling Classic here with my predictions for this Friday’s Greatest Royal Rumble. Its a huge event taking place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia just three weeks after Wrestlemania. This event is expected to have nearly 60,000 fans in attendance as its taking place at the beautiful King Abdullah International Stadium, part of the King Abdullah Sports City. It’ll also be airing live on the WWE Network and expected to run about six hours. For us in the Western world it’ll be starting as early at 9 or 11am depending what coast you’re on. I find it quite astonishing that it only being three weeks after Wrestlemania, that the WWE would put on a event with Wrestlemania caliber matches and appearances. Triple H, Chris Jericho, Kurt Angle and The Undertaker are all featured on the card. Also six of the major championship titles are on the line. Unfortunately, due to the cultural difference in Saudi Arabia, there will be no women’s matches at The Greatest Royal Rumble. This is not the WWE’s fault but them respecting another country’s culture. I dont think by any means that they did not try considering their current Women’s Revolution but you cannot dictate to a country or a religion about how they handle things. Now other that I dont know if this events will play a major role on current storylines or what not or if this is a glorified house show. Besides the Raw Tag Team Titles which is guaranteed to have new holders, will any of the titles change hands? I don’t know but here are my predictions.
Raw Tag Team Championship
The Bar vs. “Woken” Matt Hardy & Bray Wyatt
Image via WWE.com
At Wrestlemania Braun Strowman defeated The Bar with an 10 year-old mystery partner in John Cone’s son Nicholas to win the Raw Tag Team Titles. They relinquished them the next night due Nicholas being in the fourth grade and him having to go back to school. This led to The Bar demanding the tag titles back only being told they had to win them back against another team which was decided through a four team small tournament. “Woken” Matt Hardy and his new ally, a “Woken” Bray Wyatt won the tournament. I am a huge supporter of The Bar but they recently got drafted to Smackdown Live and this act between the two “Woken Warriors” is really intriguing. Due to Sheamus and Cesaro being on Smackdown Live, I think its almost inevitable that Hardy and Wyatt leave Saudi Arabia the new tag team champions.
Prediction – Matt Hardy & Bray Wyatt
United States Championship
Jeff Hardy (C) vs. Jinder Mahal
Image via WWE.com
“The Modern Day Maharaja” had his biggest Wrestlemania moment thus far in his career this year by winning the United States Championship in a Fatal Four Way against Rusev, Roode and Orton. Two weeks later when he made his debut on Raw in midst of the Superstar Shake up with Sunil Singh, Raw GM Kurt Angle booked him to defend his championship against the “Charismatic Enigma” Jeff Hardy. Jeff Hardy defeated Mahal and showed up on Smackdown Live the very next night. It a way its the same scenario as the Raw tag title match, the shake-up kind of makes the result predictable. Jeff Hardy retains the US title stays on the blue brand with him. Jinder just suffered a loss on Raw to Gable and I think that is a sign that they’re still trying to find a place for him on the red brand. I wonder what the reaction for Jinder will be in Jeddah since it is a middle eastern country and hes dubbed from India. It might not make a difference but I’m curious.
Prediction – Jeff Hardy
Smackdown Tag Team Championship
Bludgeon Brothers (C) vs. The Usos
Image via WWE.com
I hope they have a longer match than the triple threat at Wrestlemania that felt like it finished just as soon as it started. This would be a great place to really give us a great match where The Usos really bring the fight to the Bludegon Brothers. I don’t see The Bludgeon Brothers losing the tag titles yet and I’m really looking forward to their confrontation with The Bar. Therefore, I do think Harper and Rowen retain. The Usos stay involved in the title picture but with The Bar getting thrown in the mix now too.
Prediction – The Bludgeon Brothers
Ladder Match
Intercontinental Championship
Seth Rollins (C) vs. Finn Balor vs. The Miz vs. Samoa Joe
Image via WWE.com
The thing that is really interesting about his Intercontinental Champion ladder match is that it just dawned on me that its now two Raw guys and two Smackdown Live guys. Which basically means Jinder Mahal could win the US Title taking it to Raw and The Miz or Samoa Joe could win the IC title here taking it to Smackdown Live. That would be wild and unpredictable but for the sake of my predictions, we’re gonna remember that 9 out of 10 times unless its a big event, the WWE goes the predictable route these days. I do feel like the WWE has been flopping titles around in recent years just to allow superstars to have big grand slam moments. Randy Orton just recently won the United States Championship for that specific reason I feel. As much as I would love to see Miz retain the title because I feel like he always makes it feel really important to be the IC Champion and it would tie in perfectly when they revisit the storyline with Daniel Bryan. Samoa Joe with the strap would just be cool but I think it’s just going to stay on Raw. I do think Balor will eventually become champion , but for now I think Rollins retains and the rivalry with Balor continues going into Backlash. This ladder match might steal the show and I wouldn’t be surprised if it does.
Prediction – Seth Rollins
Casket Match
The Undertaker vs. Rusev
Image via WWE.com
I went to Wrestlemania this year with the idea that the Undertaker was wrestling his final match of his career against John Cena at Wrestlemania 34. He would redeem himself for how he looked the year prior before his hip surgery against Roman and to pick up a victory in the same building where the streak ended to bring everything full circle. I was wrong however. The Phenom returned here in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and I know this is HUGE for the fans over there because Taker’s an icon and a fan favorite all over the world. I’m excited to see how much “Rusev Day” is over in Saudi Arabia considering its massively over here. Rusev was initially announced for this match and then replaced by Jericho. WWE changed their mind again and put Rusev back in. There is a bunch of controversy and stories involving Tweets like Rusev saying “bury me softly, brother”, Lana acting as is shes been involved in these decisions and rumours about Rusev asking for his release or walking out from the WWE on why this match has been changed so many times, but I think they just simply changed their mind. It would be something special to see Rusev win but there no way I see Undertaker losing cause its a special event in Jeddah and you want to send the fans home happy. The Phenom stands tall in Saudi Arabia in front 60,000.
Prediction – The Undertaker
John Cena vs. Triple H
Image via WWE.com
For the hardcore wrestling fans in Jeddah that don’t always get live wrestling events but have been watching for years, this is a dream match. Both guys are absolute icons and legends to fans around the world. Especially in those countries in the middle east where wrestling is still very portrayed as real and less as a scripted show. I think these two will put on a fun but competitive belt. It’s going to have some memorable moments including a show of respect between the two legends during or after the match I’m sure. Now with the mind-set of sending the fans home happy and all the little kids of Saudi Arabia, I see John Cena taking the W here over the GAMEEEEE-UHH. Well anything is possible because Triple H beat Jinder Mahal in India and well damn but I’m still going with the leader of the Cenation. I mean he just broke up with his girlfriend of six years. He needs a W.
Prediction – John Cena
WWE Championship
AJ Styles (C) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
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I was a little let down by their match at Wrestlemania. The real story was what happened after the match with Shinsuke Nakamura turning heel by low-blowing Styles following the match and beating him up like a sore loser. This adds depth to the story they can tell in the ring because we have a clear good guy and a clear bad guy. There is potential for this match in Jeddah between the two to be better than their Wrestlemania match. I do think they’ll be wrestling each other at Backlash at well, so this match could end is some sort of DQ or maybe AJ Styles just picks up the W again. Regardless, I do see the “King of Strong Style” becoming the WWE Champion by the end of this year but the “Phenomenal One” walks out victorious in Saudi Arabia. I’m hoping this match is a step up from their Mania encounter. I pray that these two steal the show.
Prediction – AJ Styles
50-Man Royal Rumble
Image via WWE.com
Its dubbed The Greatest Royal Rumble as its the first one to have 50 participants. The largest Royal Rumble to date before this was the 40-man one they did once for the annual event. It will include names such as Elias, The New Day, Breezango, Dolph Ziggler, Drew McIntyre, Big Show, Braun Strowman, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Jinder Mahal, Chris Jericho, Kurt Angle, Bobby Roode, Bobby Lashley, Baron Corbin, Chad Gable, Titus Worldwide, Sin Cara, Shelton Benjamin, Goldust, Big Cass and Daniel Bryan to name a few. There are 50 guys involved in this match, so I have no doubt we’ll have some interesting show-downs and moments. Perhaps we’ll get another Elias and Jericho moment. I’m sure they’ll be another face-off between Strowman and The Big Show. There will definitely be some shenanigans with Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. The New Day will bring some fun to the match and much much more. If I had to predict who was going to take the W here, it would have to be between Daniel Bryan or Braun Strowman. I think either outcome would be a feel good moment. The Monster Among Men either standing tall in Saudi Arabia or the Ultimate Underdog overcoming 50 other men to validate his comeback even more would be memorable moments for this historic event.
Prediction – Daniel Bryan or Braun Strowman
Steel Cage Match
WWE Universal Championship
Brock Lesnar (C) vs. Roman Reigns
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The Beast and The Big Dog locked inside a SALAD STEEL CAGE. I’m super curious to see what the reaction Roman Reigns will be in Saudi Arabia. I’m under the impression that he might actually really be over in the middle-east. Brock Lesnar has re-signed to the WWE and supposedly to an extremely lucrative contract. I was kind of shocked that Brock Lesnar agreed to this appearance but he did do the “Beast in the East” a couple of years back. I don’t know how this match will compare to their Wrestlemania match which was pretty forgettable. I’m sure we’re going to get german suplexes, superman punches, F5’s and spears but I’m hoping for more variety. I will not be shocked if we get some colour in this match too. I definitely can see Brock Lesnar retaining the championship but there is a part of me that feels like this is where the Big Dog finally beats The Beast. It’s a historic event and this title changing hands here will make sure it goes down in the history books as a historic evening. I predict that this is finally where Roman Reigns wins the Universal Championship.
Prediction – Roman Reigns
What do you think about my predictions for the The Greatest 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.