READ: WWE Royal Rumble - Final Card & Predictions

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FINAL CARD & PREDICTIONS:

1/29/2018
WWE Royal Rumble
Philadelphia, PA

2 out of 3 Falls Match
SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos vs Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin

Chad Gable was simply too talented to waste after his tag team partner, Jason Jordan, moved to the RAW brand to be with his long lost father, Kurt Angle. The WWE needed to think quick. They didn't have any singles plans for the young Gable; but, Shelton Benjamin, who had been nursing an injury for months, was set to make his long anticipated return. Benjamin, a long time tag team specialist with Charlie Haas, made for a perfect partner for the young Gable. As Big E said, Shelton Benjamin is, "The old Jason Jordan." Benjamin can do everything Jordan can do and also, with his years of experience, aid in Chad Gable's development, something the WWE finds invaluable. While the team are definitely up and comers with a ceiling as high as Gable can launch them, they still have a long way to go and may have bitten off more than they can chew in challenging the SmackDown Tag Team Champions and Cheap Heat Wrestling's Tag Team of the Year, The Usos. The Usos are coming off a year where they not only established themselves as WWE's best team in dominating the previous team of the year The New Day; but, they established themselves as legends and future WWE Hall of Famers. Gable and Benjamin simply aren't at that level yet. Undoubtedly, the newly formed duo will give the Usos a match and perhaps even sneak in a fall; but, in the end the Usos will simply be too good to overcome.

Winners 2 Falls - 1 Fall: The Usos

RAW Tag Team Champions Seth Rollins & Jason Jordan vs The Bar (Sheamus & Cesaro)
Sheamus and Cesaro weren't supposed to be this good. After WWE Creative had nothing for each wrestler, the two were put against each other in a best of seven series. At first fans booed, having to see the two square off again and again; however, the matches became such masterpieces that by the time the series (which ended in a draw) was over, they had won the WWE Universe over. Instead of having a rubber match the two were paired as a team by then WWE General Manager Mick Foley and the rest is history. Since their odd pairing The Bar have won the RAW Tag Team Championships three times. Enter another odd pairing, Seth Rollins and Jason Jordan. After Rollins' original partner, Dean Ambrose left the WWE with a significant triceps injury, Rollins was left in a creative gap. The WWE threw him a bone in pairing him with Jordan and instantaneously making them RAW Tag Team Champions. Since then the two have verbally sparred, with Jordan not knowing his place in the shadow of a former two-time WWE Champion and architect of the SHIELD. Increasingly Jordan has put the team in bad positions, which will inevitably cost them this match and along with it the RAW Tag Team Championships. Currently, WWE Creative has no plans for Jordan and Rollins to be a team going into WrestleMania. Instead, the newly feuding Rollins and Jordan will be one of WrestleMania's best matches.

Winners and NEW Tag Team Champions: The Bar (Sheamus & Cesaro) via pinfall

HANDICAP MATCH
WWE Champion A.J. Styles vs Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn
A.J. Styles made a significant blunder in opening the door for a handicap match at the Royal Rumble. The two-time WWE Champion opened his mouth on an episode of SmackDown LIVE and boldly declared that he could beat both Owens and Zayn at the same time. While it wasn't an official challenge, Owens, Zayn, and most importantly, SmackDown GM Daniel Bryan all took Styles seriously. Now the WWE Champion will have to overcome a huge two headed obstacle in his way under the bright lights of the Royal Rumble, with the shadow of WrestleMania looming. Fortunately, Styles has the right backing and the right man on his side in his former WrestleMania foe, Shane McMahon. Last week on SmackDown LIVE Styles lost cleanly (sorta) to Sami Zayn in a one on one match to close the show. The fact that Styles is overmatches and in enemy waters isn't lost on the savvy McMahon. McMahon won't have the WWE Championship made a mockery by two BFFs who want to be co-champions. Somehow someway he will find a way to keep the title on Styles drawing the ire of SmackDown GM Daniel Bryan, which will play out later in the Royal Rumble match. We think McMahon runs interference in this one, costing Zayn and Owens the match and their opportunity at the Title.

Winner and STILL WWE Champion: A.J. Styles via pinfall

TRIPLE THREAT MATCH
WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar vs Braun Strowman vs Kane
Brock Lesnar is a beast. Check. Braun Strowman is a beast. Check. Kane is a beast. Check. With years of brutality and dominance, each man has earned his opportunity to be in this match and in doing so each man has earned an entry ticket into hell. Strowman showed a few weeks ago on RAW, that he is capable of anything, including tipping over trucks and using construction cranes to maim his opponents. Kane is capable of using lighting, fire, and whatever demonic powers are at his disposal on any given night. However, if WWE is a jungle, filled with beasts of ancient lore, it is ruled by only one. Brock Lesnar is the king of WWE's proverbial jungle. He has proven his royalty by destroying everything laid in his path from Braun Strowan to A.J. Styles to Randy Orton to the Undertaker. Although Kane and Strowman are formidable opponents, Lesnar will use his superior athleticism and mat wrestling skills to win this match. Look for him to incapacitate Strowman and then take Kane to the mat for a three count, as Lesnar heads to WrestleMania to fulfill Vince McMahon's dream match against Roman Reigns.

Winner and STILL WWE Universal Champion: Brock Lesnar

30-Man Royal Rumble Match
As with any Royal Rumble match, anything can happen including mind blowing decisions that make fans pull their own hair out (see Batista's last win). This match; however, has several possibilities. Shinsuke Nakamura is the Vegas favorite to win and face A.J. Styles in what many believe to be a WrestleMania dream match. The problem with that is that WWE Creative just doesn't see Shinsuke as ready for such a major challenge. They view Nakamura as someone who has failed to evolve his character since making his way to the main roster and have major doubts about him carrying a WrestleMania main event or holding a major WWE Championship. Then there's Roman Reigns who could win; but, even Captain Obvious might scoff at that one. Interestingly enough Cheap Heat Wrestling reported a major former WWE Champion moving up the Vegas betting odds in the weeks leading to the Royal Rumble: Daniel Bryan. Bryan was forced to retire two years ago due to a history of concussions accompanied by seizures. Bryan never wanted to retire and has always believed that he is well enough to compete in a WWE ring; but, WWE found him to be a liability. Now Bryan has threatened to leave the WWE and compete elsewhere once his contract is up; but, if and only if the WWE continues to disallow him to compete. Leading up to the Royal Rumble, there has been a huge angle between Bryan and Shane McMahon, with the two butting heads over control of SmackDown. We predicted that Shane McMahon will cost Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn the WWE Championship in their match against A.J. Styles. This will undoubtedly draw the ire of Bryan, who feeling undermined, will enter the 30 man Royal Rumble and win, setting up a dream match against A.J. Styles at this year's WrestleMania.

Winner: Daniel Bryan

30-Woman Royal Rumble Match
There are several possibilities in this historic match. First, who would make a good opponent for Charlotte? Out of everyone on the SmackDown brand (and it won't be Carmella, who already has her Money in the Bank briefcase) the wrestler that would make the most sense would be Charlotte's real-life best friend Becky Lynch. Lynch has been a forgotten albeit gifted worker since her main roster debut. She has been lost among the bigger names like Sasha and Bayley and Charlotte; but, she is very capable of winning this match and contributing mightily to a huge WrestleMania build and match. Then there's Asuka. While Asuka vs Charlotte would be eagerly anticipated, fans should remember that Asuka is on the RAW brand. Does anyone think Alexa Bliss has even the slightest chance in a match against Asuka? Does Asuka vs Bliss sound like a WrestleMania match? Nia Jaxx is also a possibility. In winning, she would finally receive a legitimate build and opportunity toward a major women's championship, something the behemoth has long deserved. In winning, she would go on to face her best friend, Alexa Bliss, who would undoubtedly have tricks up her sleeve along the way and in the match. Still, there's an elephant in the room the WWE Universe needs to address. While Ronda Rousey recently denied rumors that she would participate in the Royal Rumble, fans should learn from the Hardy Boyz, who denied that they would participate in WrestleMania 33 up until they were announced in the match. Cheap Heat Wrestling wasn't fooled and although Rousey says she will be filming a movie, there's a reason why she recently had dinner with Triple H and it has everything to do with being secretly signed to the WWE. Rousey will be announced toward the end of the match and throw Asuka over the top rope and out of the ring. She will go on to WrestleMania to face Charlotte Flair for the SmackDown Women's Championship in what will be the first women's match to ever close a WrestleMania.

Winner: Ronda Rousey