The annual Royal Rumble PPV event is coming to us on Jan. 25 from Philadelphia with a main event featuring heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar‘s title defense against UFC poster boy John Cena. The actual “rumble” is a 30 man battle royal where the winner gets a shot at the man who emerges as champion on this years Wrestlemania 31 event.
A lot is going to depend on Lesnar’s contract situation with the WWE, as he is said to have a contract that expires after the Royal Rumble. The world of media is full of rumors about Lesnar making one more run with the UFC or in MMA, and that he is looking to get that done in 2015. That he likely stands to make more money in a UFC run will also play a factor, as the odds are that Lesnar will at least let the contract expire and tst the waters.
So it would make not sense to have him win. Additionally, Cena has been the WWE’s go to guy in these situations for ten years, and he has been building a comeback story of his own building up to this, as Lesnar defeated him for the title last Wrestlemania. Cena is likely to be the favorite at the books since they know all of this, but there could be a surprise or a twist in the script using interference or a DQ of some type around a surprise ending. The books only pay at “PPV end of show” results, so keep that in mind. Lesnar winning and then vacating or being tripped for leaving would retain his persona’s invincibility for a future post-UFC return.
The Royal Rumble has two announced participants, and both men are going to be considered favorites to emerge victorious. Popular former champion Daniel Bryan is returning from a long injury and recovery period, but he has proven in recent TV appearances that he still commands a following like few others can generate in the WWE. The second entrant is Roman Reigns, who has been building momentum since arriving on the scene a few short years back as part of the Shield, is considered by many to be the favorite going in.
