It’s January and you know what that means… WWE’s 2022 Royal Rumble is nearly upon us! And WWE fans are already wondering who will be heading to WrestleMania for a chance at championship glory. As the company never hesitates to remind us, anything can happen in WWE – just as we saw last week. Day 1 threw things out of whack. Brock Lesnar’s scheduled match against Universal Champion Roman Reigns was cancelled due to the champ’s positive COVID-19 test. As a result, he was inserted into the Fatal 4-Way WWE Championship match, which he won. All this has raised some questions about the original plans for the Royal Rumble and how they might have changed. So, who will win Royal Rumble 2022? And who will they face at WrestleMania?
Who Will Win Royal Rumble 2022?
The direction of the 2022 Royal Rumble has certainly shifted since the events of Day 1. Clearly, Brock Lesnar was never scheduled to win the WWE Championship at the event. Similarly, it seems equally unlikely he was penned to win the Universal Championship. An angle at the conclusion of Reigns’ and Lesnar’s match was reportedly planned that would set up their WrestleMania rematch.
Despite the match having headlined past WrestleManias, it is still one of WWE’s most appealing matches. Ticket sales increased for Day 1 when it was announced. And ensuring the planned match could take place at the “Grandaddy of them All” had to be top of the agenda for Vince McMahon. As a result, we’re now in a position where Champion vs. Champion is looking likely. But what does that mean for the Royal Rumble?
2022 Men’s Royal Rumble Prediction
It’s possible that the original plan was always for Brock Lesnar to win the 2022 men’s Royal Rumble and defeat the incumbent WWE Champion prior to WresteMania to set up the Champion vs Champion match with Roman Reigns. In fact, it’s the only way the stakes of the match could get any higher. If this wasn’t the original plan, it would mean that either a WWE Championship match that was scheduled to take place has been bumped off the card or that Lesnar will lose the belt prior to ‘Mania. Both seem unlikely.
When it comes to who will win the 2022 Royal Rumble it really could be anyone – but I predict that it won’t matter. That’s because they’ll challenge either Brock Lesnar or Roman Reigns for their respective championship prior to WrestleMania and lose – cementing the Champion vs. Champion main event.
Winner
The person to win the 2022 men’s Royal Rumble is likely to be an up and comer in WWE. Someone who Vince and co will see as getting a rub from a losing effort against either champion. Austin Theory sticks out as a distinct possibility. He’s been featured pretty heavily as a rising star and wouldn’t suffer from being placed in that position. Most others who seemed primed for an eventual main event push have been released over the past year.
Let’s face it – it has to be someone relatively new because Reigns has beaten everyone else. Either that or celebrity entrant Johnny Knoxville is about to become the number one contender. Admittedly, that would do well in the press. So, I wouldn’t be surprised if Vince opted for it. And it goes without saying that it would make a joke of the other wrestlers on the roster, as well as the championships. Although, it wouldn’t be the first time they’ve done that…
Who do you think will win the 2022 men’s Royal Rumble? Let us know in the comment section below and don’t forget to check out our other film & TV articles…
