WWE Royal Rumble 2012: Predicting Best Likely Card for WWE's Winter Classic

With the exception of WrestleMania, the Royal Rumble is likely the WWE's most anticipated event of the year. With the pay-per-view only about a month away, there has already been plenty of speculation with regards to who might win the Rumble itself and what the undercard will look like.

There are at least seven or eight solid candidates to win the Rumble, so who comes out is anyone's guess, but there is the potential for a very solid slate of matches preceding the Rumble as well. With the Rumble returning to 30 participants after having 40 last year, there will likely be four undercard matches rather than the three that took place in 2011.

Here are my predictions for every possible match on tap at the Royal Rumble in January. 

Divas Champion Beth Phoenix vs. Alicia Fox

As is customary there is likely to be a Divas Championship match on the card. Not much has been going on with the Divas of late other than champion Beth Phoenix dominating the division. She has already beaten Kelly Kelly and Eve on multiple occasions, so I figure it's time Alicia Fox receives a shot at the title.

It is my opinion that the creative team is biding its time by leaving the belt on Beth until Kharma can return from her pregnancy. This figures to happen sometime in the late spring or early summer. Beth must continue to be built as an unstoppable force who runs through the entire division. Once she has run the gamut, Kharma can come back and pose a true threat to Beth's title reign.

John Cena vs. Kane

Seeing as John Cena will be facing The Rock in the main event of WrestleMania, there is absolutely no reason for him to be in the Rumble match itself. With that said, it would be shocking for him to be left off the card at consecutive pay-per-views after he went unused at TLC. It seems as though Cena and Kane will feud as a bridge to The Rock's eventual return, however.

I wouldn't expect a clean resolution to this match as the writers won't want to make Cena or the new-and-improved Kane look weak. Kane will likely get disqualified from the match and proceed to beat Cena senseless. Kane will still be in the Rumble in all likelihood, and his savage attack on Cena will be a nice precursor to him cleaning house in the Rumble match.

World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan vs. Mark Henry vs. Big Show in a Steel Cage

Because of what happened at TLC with Mark Henry and the Big Show losing the World Heavyweight Championship in succession, both are technically entitled to a rematch. I think they will get one simultaneously at Royal Rumble against Daniel Bryan. I also expect it to take place in a steel cage since the trio will be working that match on the house show circuit in the coming weeks.

Not only does a steel cage make sense to enhance the wrestling ability of Henry and Show, but it allows Bryan to get a fluke win. It is obvious that the creative team is trying to make him look like he can't beat Henry or Show cleanly. I expect Big Show to knock Henry out cold with a right hand and Bryan to escape out the door as it happens. This will let Bryan keep the title and continue what looks to be a slow-burn heel turn for Big Show.

WWE Champion CM Punk vs. Dolph Ziggler

With Alberto Del Rio sidelined by a groin tear there is no clear top candidate to challenge CM Punk for the WWE Championship. Seeing as Dolph Ziggler won a gauntlet match to get a shot at Punk's title on next week's edition of RAW, I think the two will likely feud through the Royal Rumble. This is especially true with the only other candidate, The Miz, looking to be tied up with R-Truth.

There is no question that these two competitors can put on a spectacular match and I expect that to be the case at the pay-per-view. Ziggler challenged Edge for the World Heavyweight Championship at last year's Rumble and he was impressive. While Ziggler will put on a great show, he will ultimately fall short. I think he will still be in the Rumble, much like last year, though.

30-Man Royal Rumble Match

While the Rumble match itself could go so many different ways, I like the route that the WWE took last year. Rather than give the Rumble win to an established main eventer, Alberto Del Rio scored the victory as a means of legitimizing himself as a major player. I think something similar will happen this year with Dolph Ziggler coming out on top.

After a grueling match with CM Punk for the WWE Championship right before the Rumble, I would have Ziggler enter either first or second. He will be dead tired, but somehow last throughout the match and ultimately find a way to win. This would let everyone know that Ziggler has finally arrived and that he is worthy of a spot in the main event.

Aside from that there are several things I can see happening. There are sure to be a couple surprise entrants, including injury returns like Del Rio, Christian and Rey Mysterio. Also, Road Dogg would be a nice nostalgic surprise as he works for the company now.

Kane, Wade Barrett, Sheamus, Randy Orton and The Miz will all fare well too and will probably be among the final participants in the match. The thing that is so great about the Rumble is its unpredictability. You never know what is going to happen, but I think an iron-man performance from Ziggler would help push him to the next level.