Ranking the 5 Most Likely Men's and Women's WWE Royal Rumble 2024 Winners
On Saturday, Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida will host the 37th annual WWE Royal Rumble.
The event is always the most exciting time of the year for many fans as the company lays out the hottest upcoming storylines ahead of WrestleMania. This year is no different as it looks to capitalize on a lucrative 12 months and give two Superstars the chance of a lifetime.
The buildup to the 2024 men's Rumble match has been outstanding. With all the lingering subplots and convincing characters at play, the iconic stipulation feels more noteworthy than it has in recent memory.
Jade Cargill will likely make her long-awaited in-ring debut in the women's match. Meanwhile, two women lead the pack as potential winners with long-term storylines in place.
We can't wait to see which one of these stalwarts comes out on top.
These are the five most likely winners at the 2024 Royal Rumble.
5. Gunther
After his record-setting performance in the men's Rumble last year, Gunther became an early favorite to win in 2024.
However, the Austrian had drifted out of the conversation after CM Punk returned to WWE and Drew McIntyre emerged as one of the most believable characters in the company.
The Ring General reminded viewers he's still a threat on Monday's Raw when he confronted Seth Rollins to open the show. He is bound to win the World Heavyweight Championship this year after such a dominant run with the intercontinental title.
It's hard to imagine Gunther will headline WrestleMania 40 this year, though, making his predicted victory less likely.
4. Cody Rhodes
Cody Rhodes is, undoubtedly, the most compelling character in the 2024 men's Royal Rumble match.
After unsuccessfully challenging Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship last year, The American Nightmare has had to face new obstacles and opponents to earn another chance to finish the story.
This time around, his road to WrestleMania is much more difficult with two returning Superstars standing in his way of headlining The Show of Shows for the second year in a row. The 2023 men's Rumble winner will have to overcome adverse odds to claim back-to-back victories, a feat only "Stone Cold" Steve Austin has achieved.
No one has won consecutive Rumbles since 1998. That's mainly because it's hard to maintain momentum for an entire year, and it's even more challenging to outlast everyone coming for your spot.
It's safe to assume Rhodes' fight to return to the Island of Relevancy may not end at Tropicana Field.
3. Becky Lynch
This year's women's Royal Rumble match is less predictable than its counterpart. Nonetheless, Becky Lynch is a favorite to win for a second time following a strong year in 2023.
The Man has often talked about her goal to become the first woman to win the annual event twice, and another victory on Saturday would allow her to test herself against Rhea Ripley on The Grandest Stage of Them All.
The two have crossed paths a few times, but their confrontation on the Jan. 15 edition of Raw would suggest this highly anticipated match will finally happen at WrestleMania 40.
However, Lynch must get past one of her fellow Horsewomen first.
2. Bayley
Bayley has quickly become a plausible and popular prediction to win the women's match thanks to her ongoing storyline with Damage CTRL.
The group leader has found herself at odds with her stablemates since Asuka and Kairi Sane joined.
The tension between The Role Model and the other four members has made for some great segments. As her past catches up with her, it's hard not to sympathize with the 34-year-old as she scrambles to maintain control of the faction she created.
This will inevitably lead to a showdown with Iyo Sky and potentially her first face-turn since she abandoned the Hugger gimmick in 2019.
Inexplicably, Bayley has never had a singles match at WrestleMania. She's long overdue for a one-on-one matchup at the event, and a Rumble win is the perfect way to get there.
1. CM Punk
It still feels surreal, but CM Punk will compete in his first Royal Rumble match in 10 years this Saturday.
The controversial Superstar still hasn't taken part in a televised WWE match since his return at Survivor Series in November, but this could be the year he finally wins the iconic Battle Royal.
When The Straight Edge Superstar left WWE in 2014, he expressed frustrations that he had never headlined WrestleMania. When he made his shocking return, he signed with Raw and immediately set his sights on the Rumble with his renewed goal to compete in the main event of The Showcase of the Immortals.
With a marquee matchup against Seth Rollins looming, The Second City Saint stands out as a top pick to win the men's Rumble match.
It's the most feasible way to put him back in the title picture within the next three months and the best use of his star power to build to an encounter befitting The Grandest Stage of Them All.
Just think about how many returning names went on to win their first match back or a Rumble match. It may have seemed unthinkable a few years ago, but Punk has the best odds to win.
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