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The 2024 WWE Royal Rumble is less than a week away, and the landscape of RAW may factor heavily into the event. Seth Rollins suffered an injury to his knee during his World Heavyweight title defense against Jinder Mahal last week.
Rollins reportedly tore his MCL and meniscus. Had it been an ACL tear, he would be out of action for nearly a year. The Visionary will address his injury situation tonight on RAW.
What he may say is up for debate, but one possibility could be vacating the title he's worked so hard to establish. If this is the case, the 2024 Royal Rumble match could be used to crown a new champ.
Several stars, including the next five, would be favorites if the winner becomes the new World Heavyweight Champion.
#5. Gunther has already dominated with one title
Gunther has already set the record for being the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion. He's been the champion for nearly two years, dominating opponents left and right.
He also set the record for time spent in a traditional Royal Rumble match, and he declared he'd win this year's contest. It's clear that The Ring General is being set up for even bigger things in the future.
Rollins hasn't faced Gunther, so when he returns, it would set up an instant dream match for RAW. The Ring General could then vacate the Intercontinental Championship without losing it.
It would be similar to when the Ultimate Warrior beat Hulk Hogan for the WWF Championship while he held the Intercontinental title.
#4. Finn Balor is a former Universal Champion
While stars from RAW and SmackDown will be in the Royal Rumble, most of the big names from Friday nights are vying for Roman Reigns' Championship. Finn Balor, however, has already challenged for the World Heavyweight title on a few occasions.
His matches for the belt caused miscommunication within the Judgment Day as Damian Priest still holds the Money in the Bank contract. If Balor emerged from the Royal Rumble as the new World Heavyweight Champion, it could cause more dissension due to the briefcase.
It could also be used to break Priest away from the group if the rest of Judgment Day side with Balor and protect him.
#3. Drew McIntyre wants another crack at a major WWE title
One person who has been hovering around the World Heavyweight title and Rollins is Drew McIntyre. He's a former WWE Champion but was cheated out of his attempt to beat Reigns due to Bloodline interference.
While McIntyre has targeted the top faces, he operates in the middle as an anti-hero. He blames other WWE stars but still greets fans on his way to the ring. The Scottish Warrior is also feuding with the Judgment Day, so he could be an anti-hero champion like Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Winning a Royal Rumble isn't anything new to McIntyre, so he could add his name to the list of multi-time winners. This time, however, a win would net him a coveted title.
#2. CM Punk could win the 2024 Royal Rumble
Punk is one of the heavy favorites to win the 2024 Royal Rumble match. His return sparked a renewed interest in his WWE pursuits, and he was slated for a showdown with Seth Rollins.
The Voice of the Voiceless never had a main event spot at WrestleMania, but his return made that a good possibility this year. He's also had encounters with McIntyre, Cody Rhodes, Rollins, and other top dogs on RAW.
While it would be better if Punk won the title a little further down the road, he's one of the biggest names in wrestling and a former WWE Champion.
#1. Cody Rhodes is still waiting for the world title win
When he returned to WWE two years ago, Rhodes' obvious narrative was 'finishing the story.' His father, Dusty Rhodes, never won a major title in WWE, and neither has he. The American Nightmare even went so far as to exclude himself from being able to win the AEW World Championship while with that promotion.
The fans are still with Rhodes and were hoping he'd finally finish the story by beating Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. The Rock's return put that in jeopardy, but vying for the World Heavyweight title in the Royal Rumble would help him accomplish his lifelong goal.
Winning the match in back-to-back years would also add him to another special group and set him up for a huge showdown at The Show of Shows.
A WWE Hall of Famer called out AEW fans HERE
