It seems that for half of the year the WWE Universe is locked in on what will happen during WrestleMania season. It is officially WrestleMania season once the Royal Rumble has commenced. Let’s take an early look at who could be one of the last four superstars still standing at WWE Royal Rumble 2018 looking to punch their ticket to WrestleMania 34.
The Royal Rumble match is the most exciting match of the year. It has big debuts, surprise returns, and an unpredictable order of superstars that always keeps fans guessing. Now if fans are going to be projecting potential WrestleMania matches in October, then it certainly isn’t too soon to talk about the Royal Rumble.
The final four of the Royal Rumble is a big realization period for fans watching the match. It is the moment where fans realize that one of the four superstars in front of them will be going to WrestleMania to challenge for a major championship, and at that time a line is drawn in the sand by the WWE Universe.
Before revealing my early prediction list for the final four of WWE Royal Rumble 2018, I wanted to give some honorable mentions. Even though Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins are both very capable of being in the final four, I see both men being eliminated right before the final four. It seems that both superstars will be set to tear each other apart already (if the rumors are true) at WrestleMania.
My final honorable mention is Finn Balor. Balor is a name I debated adding to the list, unfortunately as of this writing the talk of Balor vs. Lesnar has appeared to have cooled down. Balor is a superstar though with good booking over the next few months could find himself in the mix come January.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at an early prediction of the final four superstars in the 2018 Royal Rumble match.
Raw. Photo by WWE.com
4. Braun Strowman
Braun Strowman has been one of the most well protected superstars in WWE over the past six months. The Monster Among Men has feuded with both Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar, yet, looks as unstoppable as he did before encountering WWE’s top two superstars.
Following WWE TLC 2017, it looks as if Strowman and Kane will be set to feud over the next month. More evidence of this has been by the way WWE has tried to add as much immediate credibility to Kane before their inevitable encounter.
Obviously WWE is not going to put Kane over Strowman, which means this will be a stepping stone for Strowman as WrestleMania season inches closer. The key moving towards January is momentum and the belief that a particular superstar can be in the main event of WrestleMania.
Now as far as the Royal Rumble match itself, it does not usually bode well for big men. While superstars like The Undertaker and Yokozuna have succeeded at winning the match, more times than not the big men come up short at the Royal Rumble.
Do I believe that Strowman will win and go on to face Lesnar in a rematch at WrestleMania? No, but Strowman being in the final four will only add to the credibility of the eventual winner. Don’t forget, even though there have not been a ton of big men to be victorious in the match, plenty have gone deep.
Also, be on the look out for the Monster Among Men to send a few cruiserweights flying at the Rumble.
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3. AJ Styles
There does not need to be much explanation here. AJ Styles is the best in ring performer today, and if his crowd reactions are any indication is in fact the most popular superstar in WWE. Other superstars can be dressed up as “WWE’s guy”, but right now Styles is actually “the guy” in WWE.
The one problem with doing this prediction this early is, who knows? Maybe Styles will be the WWE Champion by WrestleMania season. It does look like The Phenomenal One will be targeting Jinder Mahal once The Modern Day Maharaja is finished feuding with Lesnar.
Let’s just say for argument sake that everything with the WWE Championship and the Universal Championship stays as is. As fans we know how WWE likes to give SmackDown the head to head edge in an attempt to pretend that Raw is not the “A show”.
In this case, WWE would not have to convince fans too much to accept the fact that AJ Styles is getting a major championship opportunity at the biggest show of the year. The big question does remain, can WWE keep Mahal and Style apart until WrestleMania?
If WWE can, then WrestleMania would have a great championship match between a heel that actually has heat, and the most over babyface WWE has to offer in Styles.
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2. Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe has been a wrecking ball ever since joining WWE. From Joe’s dominance as NXT Champion to his physical dominance over Lesnar (in a match he barely lost), Joe is as credible as they come.
When thinking about the Royal Rumble match, I can’t help but picture Joe in the final four. I never understood the years where WWE would have a non-top 10 superstar in their final four. The WWE Universe needs to believe that every superstar remaining at least has a small chance of winning to go onto WrestleMania for a major championship opportunity.
It is safe to say that in Joe’s short time on the main roster he has already made himself a credible top 10 level performer within the company. Beyond Joe’s credibility though, wrestling is all about the moments.
Imagine the reaction of the crowd when Styles and Joe lock eyes and meet in the center of the ring. There is history between these men, and even though it did not happen in WWE the crowd will react.
Do I think Joe will actually win the Rumble? No. “But I thought you just said that it has to be believable that the superstar can win?” Yes, and I will believe more in Joe when I get caught up in the moment in January, but I only believe in one man to win the Rumble…
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1. Roman Reigns
Half of the readers just cheered, while the other half just rolled their eyes. Whether you like it or not, Roman Reigns is going to be around at the end of the Royal Rumble match. If you have the expectations that The Big Dog will be eliminated before this point you are simply in denial.
Reigns has main evented the past three WrestleMania shows and is on track to main event his fourth. If the rumors are true, it seems that Vince has had his mind set at having a Reigns vs. Lesnar WrestleMania rematch for quite some time.
Even if Reigns for some reason is not chosen to win the Rumble, WWE would be fools to not have him last until the final four because of his ability to garner a reaction from fans. Oh by the way, as much as fans like to joke, WWE is not a bunch of fools.
Even in 2016 when Reigns did not win the Rumble (even though he main evented WrestleMania), WWE still booked him to last till the final three. Reigns needed to last that long to further his feud with Triple H, but WWE was also able to milk a reaction out of their adult demographic when he was finally eliminated.
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I will be at the 2018 Royal Rumble in Philadelphia, PA, and will likely witness a repeat from when I attended the same event in the same city back in 2015. It is one choice to root for any other superstar to win this match, but it is simply denial if you do not think that WWE will choose to go with Reigns again as the Royal Rumble winner in the city of brotherly love.