WWE Royal Rumble 2017 Preview
By Tim Sherry
WWE.com
Pre-Show: WWE RAW Tag Team Championship: Cesaro & Sheamus (c) vs Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson
Although this has been a very short feud so far, it’s been really good. And that’s no surprise. In these 4 superstars, you have 4 of the most technical and agile big men in the entire company. It’s no shock that when any combination of these men gets together inside the ring quality wrestling always ensues.
That idea was never more apparent than on the January 18th RAW when it appeared that Gallows and Anderson had dethroned the champs after a spirited battle. Unfortunately for the former IWGP tag team champions, Sheamus had accidentally assaulted a referee thus disqualifying the champs and nullifying the title win. Sunday night Gallows and Anderson will get another shot to do it again.
What a win would mean to Gallows and Anderson: Already former 3-time IWGP Tag Team Champions, Gallows and Anderson made their biggest mark on the industry in Japan. Highly regarded as one of the best teams on the planet the duo could cement their legacy Sunday night by capturing WWE gold. In doing so they would join The Steiner Brothers, The Road Warriors, and The Dudley Boyz as the only team to ever win both championships. A truly elite class.
What a win would mean to Cesaro and Sheamus: After begrudgingly getting together as a team after spending parts of the summer and fall beating the tar out of each other, the duo captured the RAW tag team titles from the New Day at Roadblock in December. In defeating Gallows and Anderson Sunday it would give the team their first signature title defense over a world class caliber opponent. A win would undoubtedly make Cesaro and Sheamus the team to beat in the entire WWE.
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Pre-Show: Sasha Banks vs Nia Jax
Regardless of the outcome of the RAW Women’s Championship match which takes place later in the night, this is the number 1 contender match. Banks, now a 3-time former champ just recently fell from the title scene after her long, tumultuous feud with Charlotte. Jax, on the other hand, has seemed to find her stride since reaching the main roster. She went from being a 2-time runner-up for the NXT women’s title to a legitimate threat on RAW.
This match should come down to one legitimate x-factor: Banks’ knee. If she’s unable to use her legs to keep distance from the monstrous Jax, it could be a very short night for The Boss. But if her knee is actually 100% then Banks unquestionably has all the tools to walk out of San Antonio with a victory.
What a win would mean for Jax: One word: credibility. Jax has never had that major signature win. Surely in defeating a 3-time WWE and NXT champion would undoubtedly be that win. If this is the case, the winner of the title match, later on, should be very nervous.
What a win would mean for Banks: This isn’t necessarily a make or break match for Banks but a loss would show that she’s trending in the wrong direction. After managing only 74 days through her 3 title reigns she’s yet to solidify herself as a top level winner. At 24 years old she still has plenty of time left to make her mark but losing to Jax would be a sign that the company isn’t quite ready to put her back in the title picture just yet.