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The Royal Rumble kicks off the Road to WrestleMania every year. It's one of the most-anticipated premium live events and usually sets things up for the next few months.
Triple H gets his first crack at booking Royal Rumble matches this year. He has a different mindset than the previous head of Creative, so some outcomes may be different had Mr. McMahon still been in charge.
Last year's event was noteworthy because Ronda Rousey and Brock Lesnar won title shots.
The 2023 event will also mark the first match for Bray Wyatt since his return to WWE at Extreme Rules. He'll compete in a "Pitch Black" match against LA Knight. The bout will essentially be a "No DQ" showdown.
Matches and storylines are being set up for The Show of Shows, so some things shouldn't happen at the Royal Rumble. Here are four mistakes that WWE should avoid at the Royal Rumble.
#4 Charlotte Flair competes in the Women's Royal Rumble
WWE is in a tough spot regarding the booking of SmackDown Women's Champion Charlotte Flair. Even with the title swap, there aren't many credible challengers. Sonya Deville has been positioned as her first challenger, but it's hard to take her seriously as a threat since she's lost so many matches.
The problem is that a match with Deville isn't worth putting on a premium live event, so WWE may decide to enter Flair into the Royal Rumble. This happened last year as Flair took part as the SmackDown Women's Champ. She was the final person eliminated by the winner, Rousey.
If The Queen was supposed to enter this year's Royal Rumble, then the title shouldn't have changed hands. With the same problem this year, she may enter the match as champion again. Doing the same thing this year would take away a potential tile opportunity from the other 29 women. If they want her on the card, she can approach the women's winner as she did in 2018.
#3 There needs to be significant movement in The Bloodline/Sami Zayn angle
Almost every week on RAW and SmackDown, there is a progression in the ongoing angle between Sami Zayn and the Bloodline. Things came to a head on the 30th Anniversary of RAW. Reigns was ready to excommunicate Zayn from the Bloodline, but Jey Uso saved The Honorary Uce.
On the same show, The Great Liberator helped the Usos retain the Undisputed Tag Titles against Judgment Day by replacing an injured Jimmy Uso. With so much emphasis on this storyline, something significant needs to happen at the Royal Rumble.
Kevin Owens is challenging The Tribal Chief, so Zayn will probably be in the Rumble match. To move the angle forward, he could inadvertently help Owens or completely turn on the Bloodline.
Solo Sikoa, Reigns, and the Usos could also turn on Zayn if he refuses to hurt The Prizefighter. The Road to WrestleMania begins this weekend, and something needs to kickstart the dissolution of the alliance.
#2 Bray Wyatt and LA Knight need to look strong in The Pitch Black match
The Pitch Black match is intriguing on many levels. It will feature the super-creative Bray Wyatt and his litany of psychological issues. It will also mark his first official match since returning to WWE at Extreme Rules. LA Knight has all the talent to be a major player, and this will be his first true showcase on the main roster.
Uncle Howdy is also looming. Will he appear? If so, will he again attack Wyatt, or will it be Knight this time? Could someone else appear? Will Howdy be unmasked? With so much surrounding one of WWE's stranger angles, something significant needs to happen.
Regardless of what does happen, both stars need to look good. Knight needs to look strong. Most fans think Wyatt should win, with it being his first match back. It is a no-DQ contest, so that stipulation would help explain a potential loss by Wyatt after rebuilding some of his credibility.
Conversely, Knight would receive a massive boost if he beats The Eater of Worlds. Whatever happens, both men need to look strong coming out of San Antonio.
#1 A part-timer should not win either Rumble
Last year, part-timers won both Royal Rumble matches. Ronda Rousey returned and outlasted 29 other women. Brock Lesnar lost the WWE Title earlier on the card but entered and predictably won the men's match. Neither star is currently a champion, but both will likely have big spots at WrestleMania 39.
Lesnar reappeared on the go-home episode of RAW by attacking Bobby Lashley in the main event. Rousey and Lesnar should not win the match again this year, and the same goes for Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock. If one of them is going to face Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39, they can just show up in San Antonio.
A part-timer's win takes away from the stars who are there every week. WWE wants those part-timers in prominent spots at the Show of Shows. Booking how they get there, however, should not come as a Royal Rumble victory.
