WWE Royal Rumble RAW: 5 Bold Predictions for Tomorrow's Go-Home RAW

WWE's annual 30-man free-for-all emanates from St. Louis, Missouri next Sunday, but first comes one of the more important RAW shows of the young year. 

The WWE has done a good job creating a nice, wide open field for the 2012 Royal Rumble event, but the two favorites—Randy Orton and Chris Jericho—have combined for zero promos in the month of January. 

This may or may not be the week where Jericho breaks his silence to announce that he will be in the Royal Rumble match, and with a fresh new coat of heel on John Laurinaitis, expect a Johnny-heavy episode of RAW en route to the Rumble. 

With one week left to the most opportunistic battle royal of the year, what kind of tricks will the WWE have up its sleeve to add further hype to its most exciting match of the year? 

1. Chris Jericho's Silent Streak Will Continue

This will be a particularly fun week for Chris Jericho's streak of silence now that most fans should get the fact that behind his omnipresent smile and babyface energy lies a sadistic heel. 

More boos should be expected to rain down on Y2J, but the boos likely will not be answered, nor should they be.  With Jericho expected to participate in the Royal Rumble match, expect him to come up with a creative way of letting fans know that he will indeed be participating in his seventh Royal Rumble match. 

2. John Cena Will Continue to Tease an Imaginary Heel Turn

With WrestleMnaia looming, where John Cena will walk into hostile territory against the hometown People's Champion the Rock, the WWE has been focusing on a possible bad John Cena, as Kane continues to urge the longtime babyface to "embrace the hate."

Cena brutally beat up United States Champion and resident jobber Jack Swagger this past week on RAW, so expect the posterboy to continue to walk on the bad side as Kane gets heat with another leg up in his ongoing mind-game filler. 

3. The Miz Will Finally Get Heat Against R-Truth

They may as well save this match for WrestleMania, as R-Truth has gotten the better of the Miz during all their exchanges, and one week is hardly enough time to build Miz up into the credible heel he needs to be for this match to interest anyone. 

But with only three non-Royal Rumble matches announced, the WWE may add Miz-Truth to the Royal Rumble, and Miz should finally get the better of Truth prior to challenging his former tag team partner to a match. 

4. John Laurinaitis Will Referee a Match

To further build up the WWE Championship match between CM Punk and John Laurinaitis Dolph Ziggler, the WWE's newest heel will likely don the zebra stripes early as a preview of the type of shenanigans you will see come the Royal Rumble pay-per-view. 

Perhaps he will guest referee a non-title match featuring CM Punk, screwing the WWE Champion in the process and further enforcing the fact that Punk's days as WWE Champion may be numbered. 

5. Brodus Clay Will Win Another Squash Match, Continue to Impress

Funkamania continues to run wild as Brodus Clay wins over new fans each week, including yours truly. 

Clay will likely pick up another one-sided victory this week—against, let's say, Tyler Reks—as his bandwagon continues to grow. 

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