WWE Royal Rumble 2022 Preview And Predictions

The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis, MO, will have millions of eyeballs on it Saturday night when WWE presents its annual Royal Rumble event from the home of the former St. Louis Rams of the NFL. Since 1988, the Rumble event has provided some of the most iconic moments in the history of WWE, and the 2022 version should not disappoint. The Royal Rumble matches themselves signal the Road to WrestleMania has begun, and with WrestleMania 38 just over 60 days away, there’s a lot to be sorted out before the superstars of WWE make their way to Dallas, TX.

Roman Reigns © vs Seth Rollins. Universal Championship

Most years, the Royal Rumble matches aren’t usually solely based off of the other title matches on the card, but that is not the case for the 34th version of the Royal Rumble Premium Live Event (PLE). Back on the first day of the calendar year, plans got thrown into flux when Universal Champion Roman Reigns tested positive for COVID-19, postponing his title match at the Day 1 PLE that night against Brock Lesnar. As a result, Lesnar — thanks to his advocate and former “Special Counsel” to Reigns Paul Heyman — was inserted into the Fatal-4-Way match for the WWE Championship and ended up pinning then-champion Big E to win the title.

With Lesnar now on RAW with the WWE Title, WWE Official Adam Pearce had to find an opponent for Reigns to face at the Rumble. Following watching his cousins, the Usos, successfully defend their Tag Team Championships against the New Day on the Jan. 7 SmackDown, Reigns heard a familiar knock at his locker room door. He invited the guest in, and it was revealed to be his former Shield brother Seth Rollins, who told Reigns he would be his challenger at the Rumble.

Over the last few weeks, Rollins has tried to get into the head of the “Tribal Chief”. During their face-to-face confrontation on the Jan. 14 SmackDown, the “Visionary” let his former partner know he created him, and he can destroy him, bringing back his “Architect” nickname from their Shield days. The Usos tried to attack Rollins but failed.

The next week on SmackDown, Rollins challenged the Usos to a tag team match with the stipulation that if his team won, they would be banned from ringside for the Universal Championship bout. Jey Uso accepted, but Reigns added the stipulation that if Rollins’ team fell, Rollins would forfeit his title match. The “Drip God” brought out his “best friend” Owens from RAW, and the match was made official.

During the main event, Rollins would stomp Jey Uso. Looking like Rollins had victory in his grasp, Reigns ran down to the ring and Superman Punched his Rumble challenger, giving the victory to Rollins and Owens by disqualification and banning his Bloodline from ringside during the match Saturday.

The history here speaks for itself. Even though the match is heel v. heel and RAW v. SmackDown, every WWE fan knows what this match is. It’s Reigns vs Rollins for the Universal Championship. That right there sells a PLE, no matter the title of the event. The history that comes with a match of this caliber is bar-none.

Adding an extra component to this match is this will be the first time Reigns will have wrestled a match with nobody by his side during the pandemic. With no more Heyman by his side, the WWE Universe is about to find out if the 500+ day reign of the “Tribal Chief” was legitimate, or if it was all because of Reigns’ former “Special Counsel” pulling the strings.

My guess? By the time the dust settles on the 2022 Royal Rumble, Reigns will still be champion. Reigns is one of, if not THE most dominating champion of all time! WWE wants to make sure Reigns is truly THE franchise of the company in this decade, and the best way to do that is to have Reigns go over clean on Rollins, something he has never done in his career when a title has been on the line. Reigns pinning Rollins in the center of the ring would add another level to the evolution of the “Head of the Table”.

Regardless of outcome, this match could be an all-timer when it is all set and done.

Brock Lesnar (C. W/ Paul Heyman) vs Bobby Lashley (W/ MVP). WWE Championship

On the Jan. 3 RAW, the original Fatal-4-Way from Day 1 was booked to determine who would challenge the “Beast Incarnate” at the Rumble. A Spear to Kevin Owens from the All Mighty locked in a dream match for the Rumble.

WWE hasn’t done much to promote this mega match, and that’s ok because they don’t have to. It’s BROCK FREAKIN’ LESNAR VS BOBBY FREAKIN’ LASHLEY FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER! Just knowing the WWE Championship bout is going to be a match between Lesnar and Lashley sets the stage for an epic encounter.

With me predicting Reigns will retain the Universal Championship over Rollins, that means Lashley has to dethrone Lesnar if my WrestleMania prediction is correct. If Rollins does top the “Head of the Table” I would suspect Lesnar to retain the WWE Title. I don’t think this match is going to last long. My prediction is it’s going to be about a five-seven minute contest with some punches and a lot of high impact finishers.

WWE is treating this like a UFC bout, as showcased with the weigh in on the Jan. 24 RAW, and that’s the way it should be. A knockout, drag out, fight with two bulls fighting for the biggest prize in the sport on one of the biggest stages! The WWE Universe couldn’t ask for anything more for its two main title matches at the first “Big Four” PLE of 2022.

Men’s Royal Rumble Match

The last two Men’s Royal Rumble Matches have been memorable to say the least. In 2020, after starting at №1, then-WWE Champion Brock Lesnar ran through the first half of the match before being eliminated by eventual winner Drew McIntyre. That match also featured the in-ring return of the “Rated R Superstar” Edge after being forced to retire in 2011. Yes, that same Edge who entered into the 2021 Rumble last year at №1 and outlasted 29 other superstars to main event WrestleMania 37. By overcoming the odds last January, Edge became the first superstar since Shawn Michaels in 1996 to win the Rumble from the №1 slot.

So what does WWE have up its sleeve this year? For one, there’s the star of Jackass Forever Johnny Knoxsville, who’s going to have some interaction with Sami Zayn. There’s the regular Rumble stars in Kofi Kingston, A.J. Styles, RK-BRO, the Street Profits, Kevin Owens, Big E, the Mysterio’s, Cesaro and Sheamus. There’s potential breakout stars in Austin Theory and Omos.

However, I don’t think the winner of the 2022 Men’s Rumble is currently slated to compete. I believe the winner of the match will be either Lesnar or Reigns, depending on who loses their World Title match. I envision a scenario where either the “Head of the Table” or the “Beast Incarnate” enter the Rumble at №30, whether it’s by their own admission or attacking a lower-rated superstar who was slated in that spot such as R-Truth. That person will wipe out the competition and head to WrestleMania 38 to take on the other.

Either way, we are set for a Reigns-Lesnar clash in the home of the Dallas Cowboys. Heyman will be involved somehow, somehow. I suspect he will walk into the match with the challenger Lesnar and leave WrestleMania holding the hand of the Universal Champion Reigns. WWE may decide to flip the scenarios and have Reigns win the Rumble with Lesnar as WWE Champion, but either way, I believe this is the direction WWE is heading for the 2022 WrestleMania season.

Becky Lynch © vs Doudrop. RAW Women’s Championship

Following her successful title defense over Liv Morgan at Day 1, “Big Time Becks” was looking for a new challenger for the Rumble on the Jan. 3 RAW. Outcame her old nemesis Bianca Belair — who is still looking for revenge after Lynch stole the SmackDown Women’s Title from her at the “Biggest Party of the Summer”. Belair wasn’t alone though as Morgan and Doudrop joined her at trying to get in line for a shot at the “Man”.

A Triple Threat match between the three ladies main evented the Jan. 10 RAW to determine who Lynch would defend the strap against. Towards the end of the match, Beliar would deliver her Kiss of Death (KOD) finisher to Morgan, but Lynch, who was sitting on commentary, pulled her out of the ring to prevent facing Belair at the Rumble. Instead, the unlikeness of scenarios happened when the former heavy of Eva Marie stepped in and squashed Morgan to become the №1 contender. Lynch tried to deliever a Man Handle Slam to Doudrop to end RAW that night, but Doudrop made it known she wasn’t a pushover by shoving the champion out of the ring.

The next week, champion and challenger teamed up to take on Belair and Morgan. While Lynch dominated the match, putting Morgan down with a Man Handle Slam while Doudrop took out Belair, Doudrop broke up Lynch’s pin attempt, took out the “Man” and covered Morgan herself to make a point again to Lynch that she is a serious contender. To further her point, Doudrop came into the locker room of the champ and attacked her when they were supposed to be having a sit down interview during the last RAW before the show Saturday.

The story here is the same story RAW has tried to tell with the WWE Championship. Lesnar is taking Lashley like he’s not a threat the same way Lynch has taken Doudrop. The difference is Lynch shouldn’t be as worried as Lesnar because there’s no way Lynch loses the title. This match will be entertaining, but it’s the most predictable match on the card. It’s a way to get Lynch a title defense while setting up her WrestleMania challenger.

Women’s Royal Rumble Match

It’s been 24 years since we’ve seen a back-to-back Rumble winner. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin did the impossible and won the Rumble in 1997 and 1998. The “EST” is about to follow in his footsteps.

Last year, Belair became a rising star through the Rumble match. Entering at №3, she outlasted the competition, and the young upstart from Tennessee became a star that night inside of the WWE Thunderdome in Tampa, FL. She was able to carry her momentum and defeat Sasha Banks for the SmackDown Women’s Championship in one of the best main events in the history of the “Showcase of the Immortals” during Night 1 of WrestleMania 37.

Belair held onto the championship until SummerSlam. As mentioned above, on that night, it was originally scheduled to be Belair v. Banks II, but due to COVID circumstances, Banks was unable to compete in Vegas. Carmella was scheduled to be Banks’ replacement, but the returning Lynch tore up those plans.

Ever since that night, the “EST” has been chasing “Big Time Becks”. During their rematch at Extreme Rules, Banks returned and cost Belair the match. At Crown Jewel in October in Saudi Arabia, Lynch pinned Banks, not Belair, to retain the title. For the last couple months, Belair has had to deal with Doudrop in her way, but now with Doudrop out of the way, it’s time for the “EST” to get back at the “Man” for costing her her moment at SummerSlam. As great as Morgan is, and as much as Morgan also deserves a rematch against Lynch and a title run, Beliar v Lynch III is a marquee WrestleMania encounter that needs to happen.

As for the SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair, she will have her spots in this match, and Beliar may even eliminate her at the end to win the match, but she will find out her WrestleMania opponent in time. Flair can deal with all of the returning legends such as Lita, Summer Rae, Impact Knockout’s World Champion Mickie James and the Bella Twins. Saturday night is Belair’s night, and no matter what number she draws, she’s going the distance.

Edge and Beth Phoenix vs Miz and Maryse

At Day 1, Edge’s wife — WWE Hall of Famer Beth Phoenix — returned to help her husband defeat the Miz. Over the last few weeks, these two couples have traded momentum back and forth in talking segments. Maryse hit Phoenix with a brick while Edge and the “Glamazon” ruined Maryse’s birthday celebration. It’s the GRIT couple (Edge and Phoenix) vs the IT couple (Miz and Maryse) in what will be a fun mixed tag match with the two most popular couples in WWE today. All four of these individuals have great chemistry, so I’m expecting a banger, with the GRIT couple going over. My guess is Phoenix Glam Slams Maryse for the win.

*All photos curiosity of wwe.com*