Royal Rumble is a pay-per-view that has always captured the imagination of WWE fans. The format and the significance of the show have made it an integral part of the WWE calendar over the years and this trend is unlikely to change in the foreseeable future.
While the Royal Rumble match, which gives Superstars a chance to headline WrestleMania and challenge for the biggest prize in the promotion, is the biggest attraction of the show, the undercard matches have delivered on occasions as well.
This year, WWE has jam-packed the Rumble with star power and the undercard has some interesting stories as well. In this list, we are going to take a look at the Royal Rumble match card for 2017.
Cesaro and Sheamus vs. Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows (WWE Raw Tag Team Championship)
The makeshift team of Cesaro and Sheamus have been doing a great job so far and it looks all set to continue at the Royal Rumble. Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows are apparently the rightful challengers from an ill-managed Raw Tag Team division and the fact that the match does not evoke emotions among fans is not a surprise.
A title change is going to be highly unlikely and considering how WWE has been booking the division, it is likely that Cesaro and Sheamus will retain here so that they could have a multi-team match at WrestleMania. Some solid tag team action, however, could be expected from the four men involved.
Sasha Banks vs. Nia Jax
The secondary feud from the Raw Women’s division, this was a well put one for both Sasha Banks and Nia Jax. Sasha was coming off her epic saga with Charlotte when Nia ran around aimlessly squashing everything that was thrown in front of her. As for Sasha, it would be a different challenge in comparison to Charlotte.
For Nia, this is her first real test on the main roster and she should make good use of the opportunity in her hand. The underdog preference goes to Sasha due to the difference in size, but if WWE wants to bring up Nia as a dominant contender for the Raw Women’s championship, the former Champion could take a fall.
Rich Swann vs. Neville (WWE Cruiserweight championship)
WWE has been building up this match for a long time now. From the moment that Neville returned, the fans were certain that he was going to get a big push. With the momentum of his return and the heel turn, Neville piled up some notable wins in the Cruiserweight division and on top of that, he also cemented his place as a vicious challenger that could give Swann troubles.
Neville goes into this match as the favourite, considering how he was booked throughout the road to Rumble, Swann winning the match would end up being a surprise. On paper, Neville winning can be a big positive for WWE as the promotion could build up a new baby face in the division who can then dethrone him.
Charlotte vs. Bayley (WWE Women’s Championship)
After her long-running saga with Sasha Banks, Charlotte is moving into another high profile feud.
This time around, it will be Bayley that crosses paths with the Flair girl. When compared to the feud that Charlotte had with Sasha, the upcoming match at Royal Rumble might be a bit toned down. There is no historic significance or extra stipulation in the match and on top of this, the Rumble already has huge star power in it.
It’s easy for the Women to get buried amidst all the hype, and this is why the match as a stand-alone entity might excel. Both Bayley and Charlotte know what it takes to keep the crowd captivated and they should be focussing on this rather than trying to match the magic that Charlotte and Sasha created throughout the past few months.
Kevin Owens vs. Roman Reigns (WWE Universal Championship)
The WWE Universal Championship will be on the line when Kevin Owens and Roman Reigns lock horns at Royal Rumble. While Owens’ booking has been horrible during the initial stages, it considerably picked up as we neared the Rumble. He got the upper hand over Reigns on some occasions and that too, Owens seemed dominant in those occasions.
Both the sides got a good amount of offence from their side and it would be safe to say that both are equal favourites to win the match. Chris Jericho being suspended above the ring inside a shark cage adds entertainment value but WWE should be careful about not attracting too much attention to Jericho.
John Cena vs. AJ Styles (WWE Championship)
The match has all the hype that it deserves. Though John Cena and AJ Styles had faced off against each other in the recent past, the match has more significance due to Cena’s pursuit of the WWE Championship.
From the point of his return to the company, Cena has been plugging how close he is to the record of Ric Flair and this will be the major subplot in this match.
Fans rallying behind AJ Styles is understandable and AJ has been banking on the same. In short, it’s a perfect story and with the experience that both Styles and Cena brings to the table, if there is a match that would not disappoint you at Royal Rumble, it would be this one.
The Royal Rumble match
Arguably one of the most star-studded Royal Rumble matches in recent history, the Royal Rumble 2017 is bound to be a memorable one. Goldberg was the first announced big name in the match and he was quickly followed by Brock Lesnar. The friction between Goldberg and Lesnar will be something to watch out for.
Undertaker then made a surprising announcement that he will be part of the match and comes in as the favourite. Chris Jericho will be another veteran presence in the match and before he gets locked up in the shark cage, he could deliver a memorable performance. Nothing needs to be said about what to expect from Kofi Kingston.
Baron Corbin comes in as a dark horse in the mix whereas Braun Strowman can also end up making some headlines.
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