WWE Royal Rumble 2020: Matches and predictions
We're about to embark on the very best part of the WWE calendar: Royal Rumble time and "pointing at the WrestleMania sign" season.
2019 was (as ever) a rollercoaster year for the WWE, with ups, downs, drafts, brand splits, WILD CARD RULES, and more.
And now we're ready to do it all over again in 2020, starting with everyone's favourite pay-per-view.
Royal Rumble 2020 takes place on Sunday, January 26, at 7pm ET/4pm PT (Midnight, Sunday January, 26 into Monday, January 27 in the UK) at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas.
A likely two-hour Kick-Off Show would start at 5pm ET/2pm PT (10pm in the UK).
What's the full match card and predictions for WWE Royal Rumble 2020?
Men's Royal Rumble Match
Confirmed Entrants:
Roman Reigns
Brock Lesnar (WWE Champion - will enter at #1)
AJ Styles
Erick Rowan
Randy Orton
Rey Mysterio
Ricochet
Drew McIntyre
Otis
Tucker
Rusev
Bobby Lashley
Aleister Black
Buddy Murphy
Cain Velasquez
Braun Strowman
Shinsuke Nakamura
Seth Rollins
Kevin Owens
Samoa Joe
Kofi Kingston
Big E
R-Truth
John Morrison
The Miz
Rumoured Entrants:
CM Punk
John Cena
Hulk Hogan
The Boogeyman
Shawn Michaels
Edge
We say this every year, but there's really the sense that this could be anyone's Royal Rumble.
Brock Lesnar's got to be a favourite, but he's in there at #1 and given that he's already holding the title, how much hunger will he really have for this?
Roman Reigns has form here, but he's also got a bruising Falls Count Anywhere match booked with Baron Corbin, which must surely dent his chances?
Braun Strowman always likes a Rumble, big men like Drew McIntyre and Bobby Lashley are made for it, and surely Cain Velasquez wants another shot at Brock? What about Kofi Kingston?
And then there's the wildcards. three unfilled slots at the time of writing, with everyone from Hulk Hogan and CM Punk being tipped to enter.
We're going to go for one of those mystery slots: how about a returning John Cena to FINALLY get some revenge on Brock for that SummerSlam squash and get ever closer to Ric Flair's 21874128974 titles?
PREDICTION: John Cena
Women's Royal Rumble Match
Confirmed Entrants:
Charlotte Flair
Alexa Bliss
Nikki Cross
Sarah Logan
Natalya
Carmella
Dana Brooke
Mandy Rose
Sonya Deville
Rumoured Entrants:
Ronda Rousey
Shayna Baszler
Rhea Ripley
Dana Brooke
Sasha Banks
With just nine entrants confirmed at the time of writing, predicting this one is a total mug's game. But hey, that's what we're here for.
Charlotte is the obvious favourite from those already announced, but we fancy Sarah Logan to surprise her.
Ronda Rousey would surely be hotly tipped if she did turn up, but we don't think she's quite ready for a comeback just yet.
So who then? Well, Shayna Baszler seems on the verge of a massive, major, main roster breakthrough, so that's where our money's going.
PREDICTION: Shayna Baszler
WWE Universal Championship: 'The Fiend' Bray Wyatt (c) vs Daniel Bryan [Strap Match]
Bray Wyatt and Daniel Bryan are two of the most characterful and impressive storytellers in the WWE today.
Not only that, they've got the ultimate backstory, going back years and threading through their various incarnations to this point.
So far, so fun, but we've got a couple of big spanners in the work.
The Fiend's red lights certainly add creepiness and atmosphere, but can also distract the crowd in attendance and us back home, killing the vibe somewhat.
Plus, this is a strap match. So no running away, but also not the most exciting of stips.
That said, both D-Bry and Wyatt are capable of great things at the right moment, so here's hoping they pull off something special.
As for who wins? We can't see The Fiend dropping the title till at least WrestleMania, such is his form.
PREDICTION: 'The Fiend' Bray Wyatt
WWE Raw Women's Championship: Becky Lynch (c) vs Asuka
Another match that has the potential to steal the whole show.
Becky Lynch has lived up to her billing as The Man for the last 12 months in the WWE, but that defeat to Asuka at last year's Rumble has clearly affected her.
She's never quite been able to get over it, and it's fair to say the Empress of Tomorrow has absolutely got under her skin.
What's more, with Kairi Sane in Asuka's corner, and some Green Mist in her back pocket, there's every chance that Becky won't be facing a fair fight come Sunday.
But despite all those obstacles, we're still going for The Man to retain here. She's older, wiser, smarter and more hungry than she was a year ago.
PREDICTION: Becky Lynch
WWE SmackDown Women's Championship Match: Bayley (c) vs Lacey Evans
After being hotshot to a title feud with Becky Lynch she was always destined to lose, Lacey Evans has dusted herself off and clawed her way back into contention.
She's found her inner role model and ended up on a collision course with a good-girl-turned-bad in Bayley.
On paper, this has to be the former Hugger's match. She's got way more experience, she's got champ's advantage, and she's got Sasha Banks in her corner.
But that's where we think things will get a little interesting.
Sasha isn't one to slip into the shadows or a supporting role so easily, and we can well imagine The Boss turning on her Best Frenemy to help give Lacey the win, and setting up a Bayley/Sasha feud, just in time for WrestleMania.
PREDICTION: Lacey Evans
WWE United States Championship: Andrade (c) vs Humberto Carrillo
The United States Championship hasn't always had the attention it deserved, but the series of matches between Andrade and Rey Mysterio showed the belt at its finest.
It offers stakes and glories for mid-card wrestlers who can bring it to every single match.
Andrade came out on top of that battle with more than a little bit of help from Zelina Vega, and while we think Humberto Carrillo has a great future ahead of him, we can't see him overcoming those odds.
The former "Cien" to win, but don't expect it to be 100% clean with Zelina lurking around.
PREDICTION: Andrade
Roman Reigns vs King Corbin [Falls Count Anywhere Match]
Is this feud still going on? Apparently yes, yes it is.
Baron Corbin gets a lot more grief than he deserves. He's the guy that everyone loves to hate.
And Roman Reigns's complicated history with the WWE Universe is well known.
While Falls Count Anywhere isn't always the full stop of Hell in a Cell or Last Man Standing, we're hoping that at the threshold of WrestleMania season it acts as one on Sunday night.
For this to end, we need a comprehensive Reigns victory. Something that sets him free ahead of Mania.
It'll also have the bonus of letting King Corbin move on to other, less dog food-related opponents.
PREDICTION: Roman Reigns
Shorty G vs Sheamus
Sheamus is back back back and he's returned to his whole "I'm a big guy beating up on little guys" shtick.
And, Hornswoggle aside, you don't get littler than a guy literally renamed Shorty G.
Chad Gable is still one of the best technical wrestlers in the WWE at the moment, but he's not really getting the opportunities to prove that.
Here's hoping he puts in a good shift against Sheamus on Sunday, though we imagine a massive Brogue Kick is how this one is going to end.
PREDICTION: Sheamus
Rumoured matches:
WWE Intercontinental Championship: Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs Braun Strowman
What date and start time is WWE Royal Rumble 2020 in the UK?
WWE Royal Rumble 2020 has a start time of Midnight on January 26 into Monday, January 27.
A likely two-hour kick-off would start at 10pm.
What date and start time is WWE Royal Rumble 2020 in the US?
WWE Royal Rumble 2020 takes place on Sunday, January 26, with a start time of 7pm ET/4pm PT.
A likely two Kick-Off Show woulds start at 5pm ET/2pm PT.
How do I watch WWE Royal Rumble 2020 ?
If you haven't bought a ticket to be there in person at the Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas (tickets available here), your options are either the WWE Network, which we highly recommend, or if you don't have a fast, reliable internet connection, the more traditional – and expensive – pay-per-view.
How do I live stream WWE Royal Rumble 2020 on the WWE Network?
The WWE Network is priced at £9.99 per month in the UK and $9.99 per month in the US – first-time subscribers get a month free.
You can access it via the following platforms and devices – click for info on how to access with each app:
How do I watch WWE Royal Rumble 2020 on WWE pay-per-view in the UK?
You can now buy WWE Royal Rumble 2020 on pay-per-view in the UK via BT Sport Box Office, after a deal was struck earlier this year that saw UK broadcast rights to the wrestling series' big events move from Sky to BT Sport from January 2020.
How do I watch WWE Royal Rumble 2020 on WWE pay-per-view in the US?
You can buy WWE Royal Rumble 2020 pay-per-view in the US via your local provider – full list here.
What are your predictions for WWE Royal Rumble? Let us know at @digitalspywwe.
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