By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
The following matches are advertised for the WWE Royal Rumble, which will be held on January 28 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at Wells Fargo Center.
-The 30-Man Royal Rumble match (Entrants: John Cena, Finn Balor, Randy Orton, Shinsuke Nakamura, Elias, Baron Corbin, Matt Hardy, Samoa Joe, Bray Wyatt, Aiden English, Rusev).
-The 30-Woman Royal Rumble match (Entrants: Naomi, Asuka, Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan, Sarah Logan, Sasha Banks, Nia Jax, Bayley, Naomi, Natalya, Paige, Sonya Deville, Mandy Rose, Mickie James Tamina, Lana, Carmella, Becky Lynch).
-Brock Lesnar vs. Braun Strowman vs. Kane for the WWE Universal Championship.
-AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn in a handicap match for the WWE Championship.
-Seth Rollins and Jason Jordan vs. Sheamus and Cesaro for the Raw Tag Titles.
-The Usos vs. Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable in a best of three falls match for the Smackdown Tag Titles.
-U.S. Title tournament final.
-Enzo Amore vs. Cedric Alexander for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship.
Powell’s POV: WWE announced the WWE Cruiserweight Title match on Friday. Dana Brooke teased her entry into the women’s Royal Rumble match on social media. WWE has not added her to the official list as of this update, thought it’s probably only a matter of time.
The U.S. Title tournament semifinal matches feature Mojo Rawley vs. Bobby Roode, and Jinder Mahal vs. Xavier Woods. The winners of the two semifinal matches will meet in the finals at the Rumble. My guess is we’re looking at a Roode vs. Mahal finals. We will continue to update this list as more matches and Royal Rumble match entrants are announced.
NEW: Help support Prowrestling.net when you shop Amazon by starting your online Amazon shopping at Prowrestling.net/amazon. You are not charged extra, but we receive a small and very helpful commission on everything you purchase. Thanks for thinking of us every time you shop at Amazon.
If I were to guess, and that’s all it would be, is the Womens Royal Rumble will have 20 competitors, with Ember Moon as an NXT representitve. Once Charlotte (or Carmella) and Alexa are excluded as they’re already their respective brand champions, the WWE apparently has combined 19 active women on their main shows (although, that source is wikipedia).
Can’t rule out some more surprise NXT appearances or a couple cameo appearances from some past wrestlers just to bump the match up to 30 women. Plus, it’ll probably open the show.
See? I was right!
It has to just be 20, 30 will make the match WAY too long. I mean one 90-ish minute match on a PPV is a lot, but 2 would just be boring.
Who misses the good old days from the late 80’s to the mid 90’s when the Rumble WAS the most anticipated match of the show? Flair’s title victory is still the measuring stick for the match in the era when a full two minutes would pass between entrants and you had the odd surprise of top stars from different territories making appearances. They had real intrigue back then but now they are so obviously choreographed to the point no one cares.