Hello everybody, it’s @TheMagnumDA with your 2020 WWE Royal Rumble PPV Pick’em Contest. We’ve been trying to declare a new WOPC Champion for months, and tonight’s the night for someone to finally win that title and possibly walk into WrestleMania as the WOPC Champion. Time will tell!
Tonight, we’ve got Colin, Heel Turn Tom, Tricky Don, and yours truly going for the gold. We’re going to be adding some big points to the Rumble match, as well as some bonus points. Hopefully, that should settle any ties (which is exactly what happened at Survivor Series!)
ON WITH THE PICKS!
WWE Raw Women’s Championship
Becky Lynch (c) vs. Asuka w/Kairi Sane
Colin: My fantasy booking would be Asuka winning this and Sane winning the Rumble but that’s not going to happen. I would imagine Becky finally gets her one win over Asuka, keeping The Man strong until at least WrestleMania comes around.
Tom: There is no way that Becky doesn’t go to WrestleMania as champ. Becky beats Asuka and the green mist.
Don: The only two women who have won a Royal Rumble will face off for the title tonight. The Man made history last year winning the title in the main event at WrestleMania, and has won the WWE universe over. Becky will get a strong win and carry this momentum as we enter the road to WrestleMania.
Magnum: I think the journey has almost come full circle for The Man. Tonight, she avenges the last major loss on a PPV over the last year (other than losing the Smackdown Women’s Title). This is a match between the first two female Royal Rumble winners! Tonight, The Man is coming to collect. Becky retains.
Falls Count Anywhere
Roman Reigns vs. King Corbin
Colin: What’s next after this? A kennel match? I just want this to be over. It should have been over months ago. After the last surprising win by Corbin, I’m pretty sure Reigns gets this one.
Tom: Why is this feud still going on. Reigns wins and shows why he is the big dog.
Don: Traditional PPV booking history has shown that someone on a PPV will lose the first match, then go on to win the main event later in the show. The falls count anywhere will give King Corbin the advantage to keep Roman strong, and give him an injury to overcome the odds and win the Rumble. Roman is the betting odds favor to win the Rumble, so I have to go with King Corbin for the win.
Magnum: Lol, I love the hate for this match. It is a pretty stupid program. Reigns wins and builds momentum towards the Rumble…but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s going to win it.
Shorty G vs. Sheamus
Colin: Do you see the recently-returned Sheamus losing in his first singles PPV match? Nope. Not me. I wouldn’t be surprised if this match is part of the pre-show actually. Sheamus for the win.
Tom: I like Gable but if Sheamus loses his comeback PPV match then he should quit, retire, or go to AEW. Sheamus gets his first win in a long time.
Don: Here in an interesting fact, 6 out of the 8 matches involve at least one winner from a prior Royal Rumble. For the single matches on the card tonight, Sheamus’s Royal Rumble win took place 8 years ago. We also have to take into consideration that while he has been off from an injury, his Celtic Warrior Workouts have got him in main event shape. Shorty G will put on a great match, but Sheamus will get the victory.
Magnum: Don’s dropping all the knowledge! Anyways, this is the kind of match where Sheamus destroys Gable, and then Gable gets his revenge with an upset fluke elimination on Sheamus in the Rumble match itself. Hey, it worked for Heath Slater one year! Give me Sheamus in the singles bout.
WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship
Bayley (c) vs. Lacey Evans
Colin: Lacey has really improved but I like Bayley as the champion. Plus, I think Bayley vs Sasha will finally happen at WrestleMania so Bayley retains the title here.
Tom: I can see WWE wanting to change the title to someone like Sasha Bank. I am going to predict a woman’s right and 1-2-3 for Lacey Evans and new SmackDown Women’s Championship.
Don: WWE has big plans for Lacey, and tonight’s the night she will win the title and go to WrestleMania as the champ.
Magnum: I feel bad for Lacey…I just don’t think people are behind her. I know there’s some babyface qualities there, but she was built to be a heel for months. You can’t just abandon that and say, “She’s good now!” Doesn’t work that way. Bayley retains and rolls down the road towards WrestleMania.
Women’s Royal Rumble – Winning Pick Worth THREE Points
30-Woman Royal Rumble match for a Championship match (brand of their choice) at WrestleMania 36
Bonus Point Opportunity: Name one HOFer that will be in this match.
Colin: This will be an interesting one. I look forward to the women’s Rumble more than the men’s Rumble match. I’m hoping Shayna Baszler shows up and beats the living shit out of everyone and wins this. Baszler vs Lynch at WrestleMania. Give it to me. And the Hall of Famer, I’m going the “safe” route and say Beth Phoenix.
Tom: I see the traditional HOFers like Beth Phoenix and Lita making an appearance in the match (I’ll pick Lita). If I knew that Ronda was coming back, I would pick her to win it all. Since I am not sure if she is back, then I select Shayna Baszler to give Becky a tough challenger at WrestleMania.
Don: My prediction is based on Ronda Rousey not returning tonight. I could see the WWE trying to recreate the magic from WrestleMania 32, where the match of the night was Flair vs Banks vs Lynch. I think the triple threat rematch will take place at WrestleMania 36. With that being said, I will pick Sasha Banks. As for the HOFer, last year we got to meet and witness Beth Phoenix go into a second HOF, which was the George Tragos & Lou Thesz Pro Wresting Hall of Fame in Waterloo. I’m rolling with Beth!
Magnum: For the Rumble match itself, it only makes sense that Charlotte Flair gets the nod, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Shayna Baszler gives her a run for the money. It will likely come down to these two, and if I have to pick, I gotta roll with Shayna. There’s a reason she lost that NXT Championship – they’ve got bigger and better plans for her. As for the HOF wrestler, I’m going to roll with Lita.
WWE United States Championship
Andrade (c) vs. Humberto Carrillo
Colin: I like Andrade as the champion. I think he needs to move higher up in the chain. But if we’re going Andrade/Mysterio at Mania then the champ needs to retain.
Tom: It’s too recent of a title change and Andrade will walk out the arena with Charlotte on one arm and the US Championship on the other. Not a bad night.
Don: This should be a great match. I think they have something special with Andrade as the US champ.
Magnum: I like watching both of these guys compete. I think Andrade’s in a position to build up a good US Championship reign. Give me Andrade to retain (but don’t be surprised if Carrillo gets his revenge later in the night).
Strap Match for the WWE Universal Championship
“The Fiend” Bray Wyatt (c) vs. Daniel Bryan
Colin: Someone needs to beat The Fiend eventually, but it won’t be Daniel Bryan and won’t be this soon. At least, I don’t think so. The thing is, WHO will beat The Fiend, and how? Unless they come up with some stupid excuse where “The Fiend” can’t appear and it has to be Wyatt, I don’t know how they will go around it. Anyway, The Fiend wins and retains.
Tom: The Fiend needs to continue on to WrestleMania. I can see the Yes movement winning it there but tonight Bray retains the WWE Universal Championship.
Don: The YES movement is back, and I do not think they have a marquee match in mind for The Fiend at WrestleMania. I think Daniel Bryan will get his win back from Survivor Series.
Magnum: I’m surprised that they brought Kane into the mix. I don’t know if he’ll be a presence here (more likely the Rumble itself), but I’ll take Wyatt to retain and stay strong through the coming months.
Men’s Royal Rumble – Winning Pick Worth THREE Points
30-man Royal Rumble match for a World/Universal Championship match at WrestleMania 36
Bonus Point Opportunity: Brock Lesnar is picking #1 – Can you guess who #2 will be?
Colin: It would be super hilarious if Brock Lesnar wins. Actually, I’m going with Brock Lesnar to win this whole damn thing. And #2? I say it will be Ricochet!
Tom: After Raw last week, Ricochet will be #2 and hold off a hard fight from Brock for a while. But at the end of the night, I predict that Roman Reigns will toss out Brock to win the Royal Rumble and then challenge Brock at WrestleMania.
Don: Hustle, Loyalty and Respect is what it will take to win this years Royal Rumble. John Cena has teased many appearances last year to return at a PPV, but I believe the WWE universe will believe it when they see it. You can’t see me….or will we? John Cena wins his 3rd Royal Rumble. As for #2, give me Matt Riddle, BRO.
Magnum: I am incredibly stoked for this match. I’ve heard all the rumored names (Punk, Cena, Cain, Kane, and even freaking EDGE) and I could see one of them being #2 (I’ll pick Punk on that) but I’ve had my eye on someone else winning it for some time. Although Vegas and the UK betting sites say Roman Reigns is the favorite, I’m rolling with Drew McIntyre. He called his shot last Monday, and I think he will deliver.
Okay folks there you have it! We’ll see you next month for the ELIMINATION CHAMBER! @TheMagnumDA signing off.
