The road to WrestleMania begins this Saturday night as World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) presents the Royal Rumble live from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. For many wrestling fans, this is the most exciting event of the year on the WWE calendar as you’ll never know who will show up in the Men’s and Women’s Royal Rumble matches. Along with the Rumble matches will be the first-ever Mountain Dew Pitch Black Match as well as two title matches with the Raw Women’s Championship and Undisputed WWE Universal Championship on the line. Here’s all you need to know in this 2023 Royal Rumble preview.
Royal Rumble Preview: Full Card
— Bray Wyatt vs. LA Knight in a Mountain Dew Pitch Black Match
— Raw Women’s Championship: Bianca Belair (c) vs. Alexa Bliss
— Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Kevin Owens
— Women’s Royal Rumble Match
— Men’s Royal Rumble Match
Royal Rumble Preview: Main Matches, Rumble Match Participants, and Predictions
Women’s Royal Rumble: Small Field Means Anything Can Happen With Guaranteed Surprises
Who will win the Women's #RoyalRumble Match this Saturday? pic.twitter.com/Ni1CcRFYaH
— WWE (@WWE) January 24, 2023
Seven Participants as of 1/25:
- Emma
- Shayna Baszler
- Liv Morgan
- Rhea Ripley
- Raquel Rodriguez
- Candice LeRae
- Zelina Vega
As fans have become accustomed to in recent years, the Women’s Royal Rumble Match will have a number of open spots for surprises as they only have seven participants announced for the match with days to go. When looking at the announced field, it’s undeniable that Rhea Ripley has to be the heavy favorite in the match. What she’s managed to do for The Judgement Day is give them an identity that they were missing for their first few months. Now, Ripley is not only the confident de facto leader but is ready to make a statement and chase her WrestleMania goals. She’s finished in the final two before, losing to Bianca Belair in 2021, so she knows what it takes to get close to winning.
In terms of other potential winners, those have to come from anyone not announced. Becky Lynch was left laying by DAMAGE CTRL on Monday with the Steel Cage match against Bayley never getting started. If she’s able to compete in this match, she’d have to be one to watch as a former winner. Legends are sure to appear in the match and with all the wrestlers who have returned to WWE over the past year, this Royal Rumble match certainly has the chance to be one where someone can make an impact.
Prediction: Rhea Ripley
Roman Reigns vs. Kevin Owens: Can ‘The Prizefighter’ Dethrone ‘The Tribal Chief?’
What will Sami Zayn do to prove himself to The Bloodline one more time? After making it out of the Trial of Sami Zayn “not guilty… for now,” Roman Reigns made it a point that Zayn will need to deliver on Saturday when the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship is on the line against Kevin Owens.
It’s well-documented that Owens has been a thorn in the side of Reigns for months now and Zayn has shown signs of remorse towards his long-time best friend. But if we avoid the “Honorary Uce” for a second, we know Owens is in the head of Reigns. “The Tribal Chief” has forced The Bloodline to wreak havoc on every single show, including multiple episodes of Raw, to make Owens pay. These two have a long history that includes two world title matches in the past at this very event — including the last time the Royal Rumble was at the Alamodome. In those matches, they sit at 1-1 but if Owens wants to rise above Reigns and The Bloodline, he’s going to have to pull off a miracle.
This close to WrestleMania, the “Head of the Table” is going to do everything in his power to keep himself atop the WWE. Whatever Sami Zayn decides to do could decide the result of this match in the end.
Prediction: Roman Reigns
Men’s Royal Rumble: Who Has What It Takes To Main Event WrestleMania?
Who will win the Men's #RoyalRumble Match this Saturday? pic.twitter.com/8XGtQHh9Qq
— WWE (@WWE) January 24, 2023
15 Participants as of 1/25:
- Cody Rhodes
- Seth “Freakin” Rollins
- Bobby Lashley
- Sheamus
- Austin Theory – United States Champion
- Gunther – Intercontinental Champion
- Drew McIntyre
- Omos
- Santos Escobar
- Ricochet
- Rey Mysterio
- Baron Corbin
- Kofi Kingston
- Braun Strowman
- Karrion Kross
The Men’s Royal Rumble Match has half the field filled with some heavy hitters filling it up, leaving this year’s match already in a better spot than last year’s. There’s no denying that the 2022 Men’s Royal Rumble Match was an upsetting one in terms of surprises. This year, major surprises may not be as needed with the return of Cody Rhodes headlining the talent. “The American Nightmare’s” return to the ring has been heavily pushed on television over the last four weeks with continuous videos showcasing the work he has put in to get healthy. We won’t know how good he is health-wise until he returns Saturday, but there’s no doubt that Rhodes has it in him to walk away as the winner.
Other potential options are former winners Seth “Freakin” Rollins, Drew McIntyre, and Sheamus. In terms of surprises, the Men’s match has seen winners time and time again not be announced prior to the match and by the time the Men’s Royal Rumble is over, a big surprise has walked out as the winner.
The excitement is in the air and there’s no undeniable favorite. That makes this Men’s Royal Rumble Match as highly anticipated as any we’ve seen in the last decade.
Start the countdowns, get on your feet, and enjoy the ride of the Royal Rumble on Saturday night.
Prediction: Cody Rhodes
More from LWOS Pro Wrestling
Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on this report and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. You can check out an almost unlimited array of WWE content on the WWE Network and Peacock.
