Royal Rumble 2012: Why Chris Jericho Is the Favorite to Win

The Royal Rumble is supposed to be unpredictable, but that often isn’t the case. 

Although the match features a whopping 30 WWE superstars, you can basically eliminate 20 as possible winners right off the bat, another five have maybe a one-percent chance of emerging victorious, and then only five or so competitors are actually legit threats to win it.

Unless something wild happens—like when John Cena returned super early from injury during the 2008 Rumble—you can pretty much bet your life that one of a select few superstars is going to win the match every year. 

In 2011, it was ridiculously obvious that Alberto Del Rio was headed for a Rumble victory, and in 2012, it’s painfully evident that one of four stars will win the match: Wade Barrett, Chris Jericho, Sheamus or Randy Orton. 

What’s even more evident is that Sheamus and Barrett are the long shots here, while Jericho and Orton are the two likeliest choices to win the 2012 Royal Rumble. 

On the surface, it appears as if Orton is the clear-cut favorite for a number of reasons. He’s been out of action nursing an injury, he’s likely going to make his in-ring return (and possibly his TV return) during the Royal Rumble match and the Royal Rumble takes place in his hometown of St. Louis. 

It would be a “fairytale” story, so to speak, but I think having Orton win the Royal Rumble is almost too predictable—it would be like watching a movie when you already know what happens at the end. 

That’s why I think Jericho has now emerged as the favorite to win this year’s Royal Rumble match. 

Would it be an obvious outcome? Sure. Not Orton obvious, but still obvious.

It’s clear from watching Monday Night Raw week in and week out, however, that all the pieces are falling into place for Jericho to win the Royal Rumble and then go on to wrestle CM Punk for the WWE Championship. 

The creative team has made sure that Jericho and Punk have had virtually no direct interaction with each other, which I see as a red herring meant to throw us off. The more time that Jericho and Punk spend away from each other, the less the casual fan will consider the possibility of them feuding in the near future. 

But we know better. 

Jericho is being silent because he can actually pull it off and still make it interesting, but we all can see that he’s on the verge of exploding and cutting a promo for the ages. That promo will come after he wins the Royal Rumble match. 

From the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (via WrestleNewz.com): 

"

As noted before, WWE officials have had talks about Chris Jericho winning the Royal Rumble this year. There was an idea suggested this past weekend where Jericho won’t speak on RAW until after the Rumble. This would see Jericho give his big victory speech, speak for the first time since returning and likely call out WWE Champion CM Punk for WrestleMania 28. 

"

This would be an absolute perfect scenario for Jericho, who—since he has yet to speak—hasn’t clearly established himself as baby face or heel, but is widely expect to open his mouth, blast the fans and turn heel after winning the Royal Rumble. 

We have sort of spoiled the surprise aspect of it, but that doesn’t make it any less true. 

As evidenced by the World Title reigns of CM Punk and Daniel Bryan, the WWE listens to Internet wrestling fans more than ever, and company officials know that a good portion of us want to see Punk take on Jericho on the grandest stage of them all. 

It is a very predictable outcome, sure. But it’s one that could lay down the foundation of a potentially epic feud between two of the most complete wrestlers on the planet.

Jericho, “the best in the world at what I do,” takes on Punk, “the best wrestler in the world.” 

The WWE could get to this match a different way (like by having Jericho win at Elimination Chamber instead), but that wouldn’t have near as much of an impact as a Royal Rumble victory for Jericho would. 

Y2J has surprisingly never won a Royal Rumble, and that’s about the only thing that he hasn’t accomplished throughout his storied career. 

That changes this year when Jericho wins his first-ever Royal Rumble match. 

OK, maybe he won’t. But it’s hard to say that he won’t be expected to.