The 2016 Royal Rumble airs tonight on the WWE Network and this time around it’s not for a title opportunity at WrestleMania–but for the WWE World Championship itself!
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The odds are certainly stacked for current WWE World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns, who has to defend his title against 29 other WWE wrestlers. This is the first time the WWE Championship will be defended in the Rumble, but not the first time a champion would be decided in the match. That goes to 1992 winner Ric Flair, who eliminated Sid Justice for the top prize.
So who is going to win the Rumble tonight? Usually the winner sets the stage for WrestleMania season and who will be featured more prominently in the upcoming year. Roman Reigns won the match last year, much to fans’ chagrin, but later finally won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship later in the year…twice.
Here are tonight’s odds on favorites to win the Rumble and the Championship.
Brock Lesnar
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The One In 22-1. The Beast Incarnate. 2003 Royal Rumble Winner.ย
Lesnar has already main-eventedย the Big Dance a couple times already in his career, and is a multi-time WWEย Champion (still the youngest, at the age of 25), and, of course, broke the Undertaker’s WrestleMania streak.ย
Lesnar’sย been in hiding, waiting for the right time to return and reclaim the WWEย Championship, which was stolen from him by Seth Rollins at last year’s WrestleMania. Lesnarย got his eventual rematch against Rollins, but failed to capture the title again.ย
Despite being a “part-timer”, Lesnar’sย presence is still felt regardless if he’s on TV or not and the Rumble could be a good way to get Lesnar/Reigns II.ย
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Bray Wyatt
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Though speaking of Lesnar, it’s hard to not talk about Bray Wyatt humanizing the Beast on Monday Night Raw last week. Bray has also been in a feud with Roman Reigns in the past, as well as the Undertaker, but is that all there is to Bray Wyatt’s character? He’s had superbย WrestleMania matches and has become the New Face of Fear, so could Bray finally win the Big One this time around?ย
He’s the dark horse in the list for sure having yet to even capture any WWEย gold, but don’t count Bray out just yet. It could be the right time to launch Bray as not only as a viable threat but as a WWEย Champion people are actually scared of.ย
Triple H
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Since Roman Reigns was appointed the #1 entry, there’s a good chance ole Trips here will be #30. Think about it for a second.ย
Triple H has assumed the grand villain role that Vince McMahon once held. The Ultimate Antagonist for the champion as he’s the one in control. All of 2015, WWEย creative was trying to figure out how to get Roman over with the fans and it finally happened in December when he clocked Triple H. And while The Authority faction may have made sure Roman enters first, what is stopping them from making sure they enter last?ย
Game on.ย
Kevin Owens
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Even though Kevin Owens is already scheduled to go up against Dean Ambrose for the Intercontinentalย Championship, there could be room in the Rumble for a double dose of Owens.ย
This would hardly be the first time that a superstar was double booked for the event, participating in one match and then find their way into the Rumble later on. If Owens wins both his match as well as the Rumble, he would be the first man to hold both WWEย and the IC titles as the same time since Ultimate Warrior in 1990. Triple H still hasn’t found his replacement for Rollins, and Owens is a proper choice. He’s already feuded with WWE’s top guys and this Rumble and Championship win would cement Owens among those men. ย
Roman Reigns
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At the Royal Rumble, it may be one versus all, but that one should not be underestimated by any means.ย
Roman is already a two-time WWEย Champion and is looking to be this generation’s face of the company, much like John Cena before him. If Roman manages to win, he will be the third person to win the match who had the #1 entrance. Though this is the weakest scenario as it is just another Rumble where it’s all about Roman Reigns and attempting to get him over. He’s already champion with nothing left to really prove on his resume, especially since he won it back from Sheamus so soon.ย
What does tonight hold for the WWEย Champion and the title? Who would you like to see win the Rumble? Let us know in the comments below!
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