WWE Royal Rumble 2016 Predictions
January 24, 2016
By: Mike Tedesco of Wrestleview.com
It’s time once again for my second favorite PPV of the year. Traditionally, the Royal Rumble event has been one of the most anticipated and exciting events on the WWE PPV calendar, but this year’s show is probably even more so. The last two Rumbles have been hijacked by hostile crowds, so WWE has to be careful to not have that happen a third year in a row. I don’t think that’s going to happen this year. There’s no real underdog in this year’s show unless they throw Daniel Bryan in, which would just be moronic. Still, the possibilities coming out of the match are definitely intriguing. Even if the build to the show has been absolutely horrible, the event will most likely erase those feelings.
WWE Royal Rumble Kickoff Show
Winning team is entered into the Royal Rumble
The Dudley Boyz vs. Darren Young and Damien Sandow vs. The Ascension vs. Mark Henry and Jack Swagger
When I saw this match announced, my first thought was, “Whoa – Damien Sandow is still around?” Where has he been? All four of these teams are pretty low on the WWE totem pole. No matter which team wins, they most likely won’t last long in the match. On RAW, the commentators made a point to mention that this Royal Rumble will most likely be Mark Henry’s last, so I see his team getting the win here. Not that anything is fair in the wrestling business, but I think he’s owed one last spot for nearly twenty years in the company.
Prediction: Mark Henry and Jack Swagger
WWE Divas Championship Match
Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte (c)
I think of all the title matches that have been built up for tonight, this one has to be one of the better builds other than the Intercontinental Championship match. Even though the heat for a lot of the segments was low, the initial heel turn by Charlotte was really well done. The slow build leading up to it was also very good. I really like Becky Lynch right now. She’s really doing well as the white meat babyface of the Divas division. I don’t think she’ll win the championship, but I think this will wind up being a good match. I could see them doing one more rematch at Fastlane before Charlotte moves on to face Sasha Banks at WrestleMania. Actually that last part is wishful thinking. Banks is currently injured with an unspecified injury, so we’ll see what happens on that front.
Prediction: Charlotte retains
WWE Tag Team Championships Match
The Usos vs. The New Day (c’s)
This is a match between two teams that just aren’t really hot right now. The New Day was badly exposed in long talking segments that after a while started to drag. At least they relegated them to a quick and humorous backstage segment on this week’s RAW. As for The Usos, they’re the exact same act they’ve been for the last few years and are really fading in terms of reactions. I’m sorry but you have to save certain spots for bigger matches. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the over the top rope stereo splashes shouldn’t be done every night. The Usos do them if it’s Superstars, Main Event, RAW, or Smackdown. They don’t save anything to make it special. I appreciate the effort they’re putting in, but they just need to work smarter. They’re begging for a blown out knee or shoulder every time they do that. Do you really want to go down for a few months because you had to do the dive on WWE Superstars? On that note, diving attacks are way overdone. What has to be done to be considered special in this day and age? Guys literally have to kill themselves to get over now. It’s a strange way to book. Anyway, I’ll stay with the more entertaining team keeping the titles.
Prediction: The New Day retains
WWE United States Championship Match
Kalisto vs. Alberto Del Rio (c)
I don’t really understand why they had Kalisto win the title only to take it away from him the next day at the Smackdown tapings. Why not just leave it on him until tonight? How could it have hurt? I guess this is WWE’s idea of building someone up nowadays. We’ll see Kalisto main eventing WWE Superstars in no time.
Prediction: Alberto Del Rio retains
WWE Intercontinental Championship – Last Man Standing Match
Kevin Owens vs. Dean Ambrose (c)
I’ve really enjoyed the build for this match. Both guys have done a great job of putting the WWE Intercontinental Championship over as an important title. The physicality between the two of them has been tremendous. I’m expecting a very good match tonight. Both are capable of putting one on. I’m just hoping they get enough time to do it. Something tells me they will.
Prediction: Dean Ambrose retains
The 2016 Royal Rumble Match – WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Confirmed entrants include: Roman Reigns (c), Brock Lesnar, Sheamus, Chris Jericho, Stardust, Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper, Erick Rowan, Braun Strowman, Dolph Ziggler, Ryback, Big Show, Curtis Axel
So far there are only thirteen confirmed entrants announced plus the two that will get in from the kickoff show, so that’s fifteen guys unaccounted for. I’m highly expecting the second most talked about thing about this match will be the surprise entrants. Obviously the big name that’s being thrown around is the possible debut of AJ Styles in the match. If they do that, he has to make it to at least the final four, though wouldn’t it be cool if he was the number two entrant? There’s a lot of ways they could go with that, if they go with him being in it at all. There’s also a lot of talk that Triple H will be in it, but we’ll see. The prospect of a Triple H vs. Roman Reigns WrestleMania main event doesn’t exactly light my world on fire. There are of course other ways to go. They could have Triple H cost Reigns the Rumble and have Lesnar come out on top. Then at Fastlane it could be Reigns and Triple H with the winner facing Lesnar at WrestleMania. That way they could redo last year’s main event only this time with Reigns slightly more over than he was last year. Maybe it could be someone completely unexpected, but I couldn’t imagine who. That’s what makes this match so much fun. I’m going to go with my gut on this one. Unlike years past, this one is not an easy call.
Prediction: Brock Lesnar wins the title
At WWE TLC, I went 6-1 on my predictions. Hopefully I’ll carry that momentum over and get 2016 started off on a good note as well.
Predictions Record for 2015: 52-26 (.667)
My 2015 predictions record rebounded from a slow start. My overall numbers are pretty darn good, though.
All-time Predictions Record: 91-40 (.695)
Well, those are my predictions for the show. Do you agree? Disagree? Let me know!
E-Mail – MikeyT817@gmail.com
Twitter – @MikeTedescoWV
Check back on Wrestleview.com starting at 8 PM EST for a tremendous live recap of the show provided by our Editor in Chief, the great Adam Martin.
Thanks for reading and enjoy WWE Royal Rumble!