It’s the most wonderful time of the year… The Road to Wrestlemania begins on Saturday night, that’s right Saturday night! Myself (@callumowen98 aka The Wrestling Brain) along with (@MikeJC821 aka Mouthing Off With Mike JC) have joined forces for some Royal Rumble predictions and we kick-off with the mixed tag team match between Edge and Beth Phoenix against Miz and Maryse.
Mouthing Off: MO
The Wrestling Brain: TWB
Edge and Beth Phoenix vs The Miz and Maryse
TWB: As soon as the feud started between Edge and Miz it became very clear that we would see a mixed tag match involving the two married couples, I am happy that it’s happening at this PPV instead of being drawn out until Wrestlemania.
I don’t really see any benefit of Miz and Maryse winning this one, whereas I assume Edge will have a high profile match at Wrestlemania possibly against a Damian Priest, AJ Styles or someone else therefore I’m taking the duo of Edge and Beth Phoenix.
Winners – Edge and Beth Phoenix
MO: This is easily the most pointless match on this entire card. This match helps nobody, this match doesn’t need to happen, this match is so unnecessary I barely wanna talk about it.
So Miz is one of the worst possible opponents for Edge to come back for losses to Edge, making any kind of rematch completely pointless. This match would mean a little bit more if Miz had beaten Edge at Day 1 thanks to Maryse, but that didn’t happen so having this match is even more pointless. Why would Edge even want to face Miz again after already beating him? Why would Beth Phoenix be mad at Maryse at all if Edge won? Why is this match happening at all? Nobody knows… Edge and Beth are winning, making it that much more pointless, since again just for emphasis, Edge already beat Miz and shouldn’t care about this.
Winner: Edge & Beth Phoenix
Becky Lynch (C) vs Doudrop
Raw Women’s Championship
TWB: I’m not even sure if this one is even worth debating over, there’s no chance that “Big Time Becks” drops the Raw Women’s Title before Wrestlemania especially against Doudrop who really bar the win in the Triple Threat a few weeks on Raw doesn’t have much momentum going for her.
The only conundrum I have is who can Becky face at Mania, I mean Liv and Bianca seem plausible but personally, I hope it’s someone else, but more on that later.
Winner – Becky Lynch
MO: This match would mean more to me if Doudrop didn’t lose eight straight matches before earning this title shot. Liv lost two straight title shots clean, Bianca decided she deserved a shot again and Doudrop said she was tired of seeing the same people get opportunities. She is correct, but she’d be more correct if she got some wins before being rewarded.
This should be a good match regardless of the shitty booking but there’s no way Becky is losing. She probably won’t lose the belt until Mania and that’s fine because Becky has been on fire in the ring and as a character since coming back.
Winner: Becky Lynch
Roman Reigns (C) vs Seth “Freakin” Rollins
Universal Championship
TWB: Now I’m probably the biggest Seth fan there is within #TeamSLTD and in the past, I have been able to convince others that Rollins should win certain matches, however on this occasion I can’t, don’t get me wrong if Seth walks out as Universal Champion on Saturday I’ll probably still celebrate, but it’s not the right time for it to happen, Roman’s reign should not be coming to an end not just yet.
The assumption is that we’ll be getting Brock vs Reigns at Wrestlemania which is all well and good, but honestly that match has been overdone for me, and honestly I think even if we had it at the Day 1 PPV it’d be likely we’d see it again at the “Grandest Stage of Them All”.
So, my proposal is they do Lesnar/Reigns in Saudi just as a blow-off match champion vs champion, whilst there is a chamber match to decide the number one contender for either of the titles. That would then allow both nights of Mania to have Lesnar and Roman on in both titles matches which to me makes more sense.
I digress as I have yet given you my prediction, which is this, and it’s with a very heavy heart that Roman Reigns retains over Seth.
Winner – Roman Reigns
MO: Remember when we had a draft in October and the Smackdown roster was once again left in shambles while Raw took all the stars Smackdown was built on the prior year? Clearly, Smackdown’s roster was so bad they needed a Raw superstar challenging for the title. Remember how there are two championships on both shows that are supposed to be exclusive to that brand and the people that are on them? See the answer to the first question.
Remember how every November when Survivor Series comes around WWE tries to brainwash its fans into thinking that is the only time per year that Raw superstars go head to head with Smackdown superstars? Clearly, WWE is gonna try to do that again this November and it would once again be a lie. All of that is why I hate this.
Why do you have a brand split at all if you’re not going to adhere to it? Why don’t you actually build people on your roster on the Friday show to be worthy of facing the champion, Roman Reigns? Why are we relying on both shows being built on the back of people who wrestle three times a year? Roman is great, and he’s the only person consistently booked well on Smackdown. Seth is great but he’s not on Smackdown, I don’t care about The Shield history, Seth should be on Smackdown if he’s challenging for the title on Smackdown. If you are gonna have a brand split try actually caring about it.
Sure, it will be a great match because these two always have great matches but it shouldn’t be happening.
Winner: Roman Reigns
Brock Lesnar (C) vs Bobby Lashley
WWE World Heavyweight Championship
TWB: Why oh why did Brock have to win this title at Day 1, in my opinion, it felt like a rushed decision purely based on Roman missing the PPV due to COVID and they needed something that would get people talking and be surprised about. I mean it was certainly a surprise but I’m not sure whether it was a good one or not?
That being said, I’m very excited about Brock vs Bobby, because really it’s a match everybody (including Lashley himself) has been clamouring for the last few years now, and I’m sure it won’t disappoint.
I think the safe bet is Brock retaining here and then he goes on to face the winner of the chamber match taking place in Saudi Arabia which will be… Edge!
Winner – Brock Lesnar
MO: I will never understand why these matches need to be title matches. The only match we’ve wanted since Lashley came back to WWE is this match, it’s big enough to not need a title match.
I’ve said more times than I can count that I’m tired of Brock winning titles and then only defending them every two or three months. It’s beyond annoying, and it limits the people on the roster who are there every week and actually care. Lashley has been great and this should be a hell of a match but I don’t think there’s any chance of Brock losing especially since the prospect of Brock facing Roman at Mania is out there and unless there are some shenanigans that help Lashley win I don’t see Lashley winning.
Winner: Brock Lesnar
Women’s Royal Rumble
TWB: To me there is no outright favourite in this one, although realistically in my opinion there are probably six contenders, let’s go through them.
Bianca Belair: Could Bianca Belair be a back to back Royal Rumble Winner, honestly I wouldn’t be surprised if she were, her vs Becky happening as one of the main events of Wrestlemania would feel big, especially when you think that Belair would also be main event Night One two years running as well.
However, for me it doesn’t seem that she doesn’t have the same momentum going into this one compared to 12 months ago, but as I said don’t be shocked if The E.S.T of WWE is once again pointing at the Mania sign.
Mickie James: Imagine the coverage and interest Impact could get if their Women’s Champion won the Royal Rumble and then walked into the main event of Wrestlemania still holding the Impact Women’s Title, it would be very special moment.
In the months running up to Mania, you could have let’s for this instance Becky Lynch invading Impact and we see cross-promotional matches like Lynch vs Deonna Purrazzo.
It would be an incredibly cool moment, and it would certainly create a buzz, but deep down I sense James appearance will just be one-off, but I definitely think she could make the final four.
Lita: Another name that would create a buzz if she were to end up pointing at the Wrestlemania sign is Lita, and quite honestly I’d be up for Lita vs Charlotte at Wrestlemania. It’s obviously a fresh match-up and one that feels big enough to main event night one.
It’s worth noting that Lita is already entangled with Charlotte following that Twist Of Fate she hit the champion with a few weeks ago on Smackdown, it wouldn’t shock me if Flair eliminates Lita, but we still get that match at Mania.
Charlotte: There’s no real logic behind this one, except the fact that I wouldn’t be surprised if Flair were to win her second Women’s Rumble… I just hope I’m wrong.
Sasha Banks: Sasha has been missing due to injury over the last few weeks just as it seemed that she was about to move into a rivalry with Flair over the Smackdown Women’s Championship, so I definitely could see her returning to win the Rumble to continue that programme with Charlotte.
Although there’s not been much news on her progress that could easily put a spanner in the works, whenever a big star could make a return towards Rumble time it’s difficult to count them out.
Bayley: This is using very similar logic to the one I’ve just used for Sasha Banks, Bayley has been out injured for a while now, and it’ll be a very welcome sight for her to make her return on Saturday night.
On previous episodes of the SLTD Roundtable Podcast I’ve said Bayley is my pick for the Women’s Royal Rumble and for once I’m going to stick with it, Bayley comes back at number 30, as a face with the ‘Whacky Waving Inflatable Arm Waving Tube-men’ and wins the Rumble and goes onto face Becky Lynch at Wrestlemania.
Winner – Bayley
MO: First thing, I can’t stand that the Smackdown Women’s champion is in this match, but that comes down to what I spoke about in the Universal Title prediction. They don’t book anyone other than three people on the Smackdown women’s roster to look strong and since Sasha is hurt at the moment they aren’t doing that match here like I expect they probably would have.
So you waste a spot in the rumble with one of the champions, stupid.
Without naming everyone that’s in the match, the favourite of the people announced is clearly Bianca Belair, then you have to think about people who haven’t been announced that could possibly win. There is speculation that Ronda Rousey could be back for the rumble. Obviously, there is no confirmation on that, but it would be cool to have her back after not being seen for two years.
Then, there are people we haven’t seen in a while due to injury, the main one being Bayley, who before her injury was basically in the role Sami Zayn is in now (but in the women’s division) which was ridiculous after the prior year she had carried the women’s division. If Bayley is back, for me she has to win and she needs to challenge Becky because I don’t need to see her face Charlotte again.
So for that reason, I’m picking Bayley, just because I want that moment of her coming back and winning. She deserves it. Let’s not get me started on her being wasted at last year’s ‘Mania, her winning here and going to Mania would make good for that travesty. If Bayley isn’t there, then Bianca wins. Winner: Bayley
Men’s Royal Rumble
TWB: I think this is the one that I’m for certain going to get very wrong as based on my predictions so far, I’m saying both Reigns and Lesnar will successfully defend their titles on Saturday night, but in the back of my head it’s saying “you fool Roman will lose to Seth then win the Rumble to set-up that Mania main event against Brock that you really don’t want to see”. I’m obviously sticking with my heart also I don’t want to change my other predictions.
Anyway, much like the Women’s match there are a few contenders that I’d like to look at first.
Big E: Big E got screwed at Day 1, sure his title reign may not have been as good as I’d hoped but he shouldn’t have been the one pinned for his title, it instantly made him look weaker.
So, a potential Rumble win could give him back some of his momenta, and instead of taking on Brock who is busy with Edge at Mania (all of the contenders I’ll list go onto to face Reigns) we could see a Survivor Series rematch but this time Big E gets his moment and ends the reign of “The Tribal Chief”. Unfortunately, I do feel that it seems a bit of a long shot and instead of being in the World Title picture, we’ll see him slotted back into the US Title scene.
Damian Priest: Priest has been one of the best-booked stars that aren’t Roman Reigns in the past year, whilst his first main roster feud against Miz and Morrison went on perhaps a bit too long, it did get him over to the point where he became US Champion and he’s had a dominant run since winning the title. The natural progression would be for him to enter the World Title picture and winning the Royal Rumble would be a very good start.
Both myself and Adam have predicted Priest (over on SLTD Roundtable Podcast) for a few months now, so it’d be a very popular win for both of us, and Reigns vs Priest feels like a big matchup, easily worthy of the main event spot on the second night of Wrestlemania.
That being said he is currently still the US Champion and until he drops that title I can’t see him going after another one, so maybe a Rumble win is too early but a Money In The Bank could be ideal.
AJ Styles: I really want to see a strong singles run for AJ Styles in 2022, for the past 12 months he’s been in a tag team with Omos and even during 2020 it felt like an average year for ‘The Phenomenal One’ and let’s face at the age of 44 there’s no guarantee how long we’ll have AJ wrestling for especially at the level that he can still perform at.
The matches he had with Reigns in 2016 were, well… phenomenal and put him over immediately as a big star in WWE. Imagine what they could do at a Wrestlemania, with Reigns as “The Tribal Chief” and “Head of the Table” against a man who used to call himself “The Face That Runs The Place” when he was on Smackdown.
Obviously, it would be a surprise if AJ was the one pointing at the ‘Mania sign on Saturday night but it would be a very pleasing sight.
The Rock: So, this is what’s going to happen in my mind at least, let’s go full fantasy booking mode.
Lesnar beats Lashley and Reigns beats Rollins so there are your two World Champions.
Reigns post-match cuts a promo saying that “Whoever wins the Rumble should go after Brock because nobody will ever come close to beating me and hey I might go away for a few months until someone is good enough and is deserving of my time”
Fast forward to the Rumble Match, clocks ticking down to Number 30, in the ring you have Big E, Happy Corbin (he got the luck of draw I guess), Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso, Damian Priest, Kevin Owens and Omos. The Rock’s music hits and fans lose their minds. Michael Cole squeals “Can it be? It is”, The Rock rushes down to the ring and he knocks down everyone bar The Usos who he teams up with to eliminate Omos, the audience are obviously quite confused as The Usos are heels?
He takes off his shirt to reveal another one that reads “I’m The Tribal Chief” (apologies if this is getting too much like Spartacus for you). The Rock then performs a double People’s Elbow onto Jey and Jimmy, KO then Stunners both of them and they’re eliminated.
The final four are Big E, Happy Corbin, Kevin Owens and The Rock. The Usos and Madcap Moss enter the ring and along with Corbin beat down the other three, they throw out Big E and KO, and then Corbin decides he wants to finish off The Rock on his own (seeking revenge on “The Great One” for the Smackdown 1000th episode incident).
Corbin attempts an End of Days, but Rock counters Spinebuster, People’s Elbow, Moss charges back in misses a clothesline into a Rock Bottom, and a second to Corbin who he then flings out for the win.
Winner – The Rock
Now, this is a complete fantasy booking from me, I would never really want Happy Corbin coming close to winning a Rumble Match. However, if I’m going with Brock on night one of ‘Mania against let’s say Edge or a reinvigorated AJ Styles, then Reigns opponent on night two needs to be a big deal and quite frankly I can’t think of a bigger match that Reigns vs Rock, in Dallas, Texas.
MO: The men’s Royal Rumble, I’m very intrigued about because it doesn’t feel like there’s a clear cut winner going in. There’s been speculation that win or lose against Lashley, Brock Lesnar might enter the rumble to set up that match with Roman that I spoke about earlier, and I would absolutely hate that.
I don’t need anymore repeat Rumble winners, give it to someone who needs it to push them to the next level, makes someone by giving them the win. I don’t need to see Brock Lesnar win another Rumble when someone a lot more deserving could be winning it, I don’t need to see Roman enter the rumble just because he feels like it and wins.
As of today there are 22 announced entrants and there are only two previous winners, Rey Mysterio, I don’t need to see him win either, and Randy Orton who has already won it twice, no thank you. I also don’t need two spots wasted on Brock or Roman who (as of now because they both have title matches) aren’t in it.
Now as far as people I’d like to see win it, Big E is at the top of the list especially after how he lost the WWE Title and the underwhelming run he got with it (which seems to be a theme with New Day WWE Title runs), he deserves a big moment, winning the rumble and going to Mania and having a true crowning moment whether it be beating Brock or Roman either way it would be worth it to me.
Another possible pick I’d see winning is Damian Priest, he is in need of a big jump on the card, he’s had a fine US Title run but the next level push here would be very good for him. I just can’t see any of the other announced names winning, so I’m gonna pick Big E and hope he finally gets a true crowning moment that he deserves more than anyone.
Winner: Big E
There are Mike and Callum’s Royal Rumble 2022 Predictions. Do you agree with their picks? Let us know in the comments below or tweet us @SLTDWrestling.
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