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For once, the other matches feel bigger and more important than the Royal Rumbles themselves — at least initially.
Some of that is a good thing because we will get WWE and Universal championship bouts wrestling fans have been clamoring for and what should be an entertaining mixed-tag match. The flip side is WWE hasn’t built too many intriguing stories going into the Rumble matches — there is Johnny Knoxville and Sami Zayn, at least — but maybe it doesn’t have to with seeds already long planted for potential WrestleMania matches. Then there is always the Ronda Rousey wild card as multiple reports earlier this week said the “Baddest Woman on the Planet” is at least a possibility to a return.
As WWE gets set for its first Royal Rumble at a football stadium at St Louis’ The Dome at America’s Center, The Post gets you ready for all the angles heading into Saturday’s big show (8 p.m., Peacock).
Here are six things to watch at the 2022 Royal Rumble:
Gods of War
Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins haven’t had a feud worthy of their star power in WWE. Despite a few pay-per-view matches in the past, this feels a long time coming — even if we likely don’t end up here had Reigns not gotten pulled from Day 1 after testing positive for COVID-19. Reigns has been in “God mode,” as he put, it since returning at SummerSlam 2020 and carrying the Universal championship for a record number of days. Other than Brock Lesnar, he’s seemingly never faced a challenger who could believably beat him until now. Rollins, who was reportedly supposed to beat Big E for the WWE title at Day 1, is right when he says he’s gotten the better of Reigns in the big moments. Check off WrestleMania 31 and Money in the Bank 2016, among others. So why not now, especially with The Usos banned from ringside?
What’s been most enjoyable about this build is neither is holding back in their promos. Reigns flat out told Rollins, if I wanted to face a real star I would have picked your wife Becky Lynch. Rollins, the “Drip God,” told his former fellow Hound of Justice that the Usos were carrying him just like he and Jon Moxley (then Dean Ambrose) carried the now Tribal Chief during their time in The Shield. This is personal and reality based. But what’s really been the best part of the timing of this is Rollins’ character is at its most obnoxious right now and watching Reigns react to it has been so much fun. Reigns, however, might not be having much fun when this match ends.
Wait is over
Bobby Lashley and wrestling fans have been waiting to see him get his hands on Brock Lesnar in a singles match — we got a small, explosive taste at Day 1 in the fatal five-way. It’s something that for a long time felt as if it might not happen because Lashley hadn’t gotten to a level worthy of standing across from Lesnar either in MMA or pro wrestling. That’s changed immensely over the last year with Lashley winning the WWE championship and retaining it at WrestleMania 37. He became an unbeatable force outside Big E needing to cash in his Money in the Bank contract to take the belt off him. While the ex-Bellator star tapping out the former UFC heavyweight champion with the Hurt Lock may seem unlikely, it feels less out of the question than it ever did.
Despite getting speared through the barricade by Lashley at Day 1, Lesnar has mostly laughed off and dismissed Lashley. He basically said, if you were ever good enough to face me I would have beaten you already, so it feels like Lashley will have something to prove in the match. Lesnar continually saying “Bobby Who?” could be t he impetus for WWE wanting him to win to show he truly is on The Beast’s level. Plus, anytime you get two real fighters — and you don’t know how they really feel about each other — anything seems possible from a shoot perspective. You have two nearly unbeatable forces and someone has to come out on top.
Rousing Potential
The women’s Rumble feels like it will contain many more viable candidates to win then the men’s. Last year’s winner Bianca Belair, Rhea Ripley, Liv Morgan, Lita, or potential returnees Sasha Banks, Bayley or Alexa Bliss all feel like legit and logical possibilities. Heck, even Charlotte Flair winning as SmackDown women’s champion and having her pick an opponent (which might be fun) or challenging for the Raw title doesn’t seem out of the question. Of course, if WWE wants the moment and headlines they crave in a big show, they will find a way to get Rousey back to either win the Rumble or confront Raw women’s champion Becky Lynch.
Belair or Bliss feel likely as they both have issues with current champions. Lynch took the SmackDown belt off Belair at SummerSlam and this would give her the chance to lock in a WrestleMania rematch to win it back. Bliss, who is advertised to be returning to Raw, had her last match against Flair in September at Extreme Rules before a hiatus.
Ripley and Morgan would be believable opponents, but they may not have enough momentum right now.. Bayley and Banks have never won a Royal Rumble and would be great against either fellow Four Horsewomen champion. WWE has already established Lita is potentially back for one more run and just maybe Beth Phoenix is, too. Flair winning it all as champion would pretty much leave the door open for anyone to be her opponent and give the build to Mania a very different feel. Names no one is talking about are Asuka and Lacey Evans.
Then there is Rousey. Giving fans the Rousey-Lynch singles match we didn’t get at WrestleMania 35 is the biggest one WWE can put together and that goes a long way if the former UFC women’s bantamweight champion is willing. It would leave Lynch’s story with Belair feeling very much unfulfilled and potentially lead to an awkward heel-babyface dynamic between Lynch and Rousey. But that stuff will work itself out.
On a side note, expect to see a lot more legends than usual in the women’s match and possibly a strong NXT contingent as the main roster contains just 22 women after WWE’s cuts and releases — not all of whom are currently active. Michelle McCool, Summer Rae, Nikki and Brie Bella and Impact women’s champion Mickie James are already among the announced names.
Chaos Project
Things could be predictable or get flat-out wild in the men’s rumble — especially with reports WWE was seeking a forbidden-door-type entry similar to James on the women’s side. The most obvious winner is Big E, who has issues with all four participants in the world championship matches. Lesnar beat him for the WWE championship, he beat Lashley to win the title, he and Rollins were supposed to have a one-on-one match at Day 1 before it became a fatal five-way and Reigns defeated him at Survivor Series. Kevin Owens, A.J. Styles, Omos or a possibly returning Drew McIntyre all feel like threats, but have less direct storyline connections.
Then there are the two nuclear options. If Reigns or Lesnar were to lose their respective championship matches, they could enter the Rumble and win so the company still gets the two of them to square off at WrestleMania while giving Rollins or Lashley a huge boost in the process. It would create anticipation for if they will enter later in the night, be totally logical if they won and create the type of moment WWE loves to give fans.
It will be intriguing to see who comes over from NXT … Tommaso Ciampa, Bron Breakker, Grayson Waller, WALTER (fine … Gunther), Cameron Grimes and LA Knight all feel possible. Knoxville is your announced celebrity entry this year and will surely interact with Zayn.
Couples Therapy
Edge and Beth Phoenix versus The Miz and Maryse may feel like another predictable and hooky WWE match (the brick in the purse didn’t help) with the outcome already decided. But let’s enjoy what we are actually getting. A few years ago, seeing Edge and Phoenix in their first match as partners was pure fantasy booking. Phoenix, a Hall of Famer, has wrestled just four times since retiring in 2012 and two of those matches were Royal Rumbles. Yes, this may get a little silly and Edge and Phoenix will likely win … but maybe … just maybe this is the start of a return to action for the Glamazon in some capacity. She and Edge looked completely badass this week on Raw (I wouldn’t want to cross the Copelands at a PTA meeting). Phoenix recently exited her gig as a commentator for NXT and maybe she wants one more run. Either that or it is a fun night out with her husband while the babysitter watches the kids.
Card Filler
Becky Lynch defending her Raw women’s championship against Doudrop feels like the most random of clashes, especially after it was Big Time Becks’ interference in a triple-threat match that earned Doudrop the match. While Doudrop has acquitted herself well in the ring and on the mic, this feels like a time filler before WWE can get to Lynch versus Belair or Rousey at WrestleMania. Anything is certainly possible with how formidable Doudrop has been booked. Hopefully WWE uses this as a chance to keep her a legit title contender/threat for the future. Maybe Rousey confronts Lynch after the win.
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