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This Friday, WWE will be hosting a one of a kind event in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: The Greatest Royal Rumble Event. WWE has announced a plethora of huge names, and the company is making a concerted effort to make the show as grand as possible.
Seven championships will be on the line, and the WWE Universe is expecting a lot of twists and turns in the biggest Royal Rumble match of all time.
Few unexpected entries and results will certainly make fans drop their jaws, and here are five surprising moments WWE can pull off which are sure to wow the audience.
#5 Orton interferes and costs Hardy the title?
Jeff Hardy got traded to SmackDown Live a day after winning the United States Championship from Jinder Mahal. A rematch has been set for this Friday and will see Mahal fighting for the title one last time before going ahead in his endeavors on the Red Brand.
For the past two weeks, Hardy and Randy Orton have been interrupting each other's entrances, and WWE might be teasing a feud between the two superstars. Orton's current babyface run has become stale and has left him in the mid-card tier. A high-profile rivalry between them, with Orton as the heel, seems to be the way going forward. An interference by The Viper during Jeff's title defense would be the perfect setup for the feud and will get Orton out of his boring vanilla personality.
An Orton-Hardy rivalry has money written all over it, and WWE may plant its seeds at The Greatest Royal Rumble Event.
#4 No clear winner?
A low-blow to AJ Styles at WrestleMania 34 was all Shinsuke Nakamura needed to become the most hated villain in WWE today. Not caring about respect or victory, Nakamura has transcended into a full-fledged heel who would go to any extent to destroy the current WWE Champion.
Styles and Nakamura will come face to face once again when the former defends his title at The Greatest Royal Rumble Event. If the last three weeks are any indication, Nakamura will be looking to break down Styles and not worry about the consequences of getting disqualified. Winning the coveted prize may not be on his mind, but creating a reign of terror and getting into Styles' head will ensure his big moment.
The rivalry between the two superstars seems far from over, and Nakamura getting disqualified after laying waste to Styles would surely explore new angles to the storyline.
#3 ... And still the Universal Champion?
After a lethal beatdown to retain his Universal Championship at WrestleMania 34, Brock Lesnar has cemented his position as the top face in WWE. Re-signing with the company, The Beast Incarnate is set for another defense in Saudi Arabia against Roman Reigns in a much deadly stipulation, a steel cage match.
WWE is adamant about making Reigns as the top babyface of the company, but maybe the time hasn't quite come yet. Him losing on the grandest stage was a huge swerve for the fans, and WWE might have planned another shocker come this Friday. Lesnar retaining his championship would open a plethora of angles regarding the next contender, maybe someone who is more invested and over with the fans.
Superstars like Braun Strowman and Bobby Lashley are getting bonafide cheers from the fans and might be next in line for the Universal Title. As for Reigns, a heel turn is the need of the hour and title pursuits should not be the priority at the moment.
#2 Big Match John gets his mojo back?
John Cena and Triple H are two of the most polarising figures in pro-wrestling history. With multiple championship reigns to their names, both Cena and HHH will surely go down among the greatest of all time. After a clean loss to Roman Reigns and getting squashed by The Undertaker, Cena seems to have lost all his momentum. While Triple H gets bonafide heat as part of the authority, Cena's character has now become less compelling than before.
John Cena is yet to pin Triple H in a 1-on-1 match at a PPV. With Cena likely looking to take some time off WWE to pursue his Hollywood endeavors, WWE needs to book him at the winning end just this time. Big Match John would love to get his mojo back by defeating one of his fiercest rivals and solidifying his status once again as the biggest main-event attraction of all time.
#1 Jericho creating history?
With 50 men battling it out to create history in the hugest Royal Rumble match of all time, WWE would be looking for a big name to go all the way and win the contest. Speculations are going around that Daniel Bryan or Braun Strowman may be the favorites to win, but one name that has not crossed anyone's mind is Chris Jericho.
Y2J is one of the most consistent performers in the history of pro-wrestling. Even at 48, he can still give wrestlers half his age a run for their money. His last run in the company along with Kevin Owens received great appreciation from both fans and critics, and The Lionheart may be looking for a final stint in WWE.
A victory of this magnitude will give Jericho endless storyline possibilities in the time ahead and also validate his claim as the true GOAT.
