WWE Royal Rumble 2015 Card: Examining Most Anticipated Matches

The 2015 WWE Royal Rumble was already going to be one of the biggest pay-per-views of the year, but with the addition of several marquee matches and the event taking place in a wrestling mecca like Philadelphia, the stage is set for an incredible event.

Not only will the WWE Universe be treated to the traditional 30-man over-the-top-rope Battle Royal to crown the No. 1 contender at WrestleMania 31, but the card will also feature Brock Lesnar defending his WWE Championship against John Cena and Seth Rollins.

Add in several intriguing undercard matches, and this is can’t-miss programming.

Here is the full card for the 2015 edition of the Royal Rumble and a breakdown of the most anticipated matches.

Matches	Stipulations
2015 Royal Rumble Match	30-Man Royal Rumble Battle Royal
Brock Lesnar (c) vs. John Cena vs. Seth Rollins	Triple Threat Match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
The Usos (Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso) (c) vs. The Miz and Damien Mizdow	WWE Tag Team Championship Match
Paige and Natalya vs. The Bella Twins (Brie Bella and Nikki Bella)	Tag Team Match
The New Age Outlaws (Road Dogg and Billy Gunn) vs. The Ascension (Konnor and Viktor)	Tag Team Match
The New Day (Big E, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) vs. Tyson Kidd, Cesaro and Adam Rose	Six-Man Tag Team Elimination Match

Predicting the Royal Rumble Match

The most talked-about match at every Royal Rumble event is the 30-man Battle Royal. The winner of the annual bout becomes the No. 1 contender for the WWE Championship and is guaranteed a main-event spot at WrestleMania 31.

In previous years, the booking of the WWE made it clear exactly who had been postured to win the match, but that hasn’t been the case in 2015. With Daniel Bryan, Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, Bray Wyatt and many others legitimately having a shot to be victorious, the anticipation surrounding this match has grown exponentially each week.

The two wrestlers who have the best shot at winning the match are Bryan and Reigns. Bryan is coming off neck surgery that was speculated could have ended his career. Despite the injuries, he has returned to the WWE ring and looks to reclaim the title he never lost. After proving he could main event WrestleMania last year, Bryan would be the safest bet for the company.

On the other hand, Reigns has been booked to look like one of the top faces in the company since returning from hernia surgery. He is not as good as Bryan on the mic or in the ring, but he has the support of WWE officials and fits their mold as a top star. While many fans feel Reigns is not ready, this could be the company’s way of launching him into the upper echelon.

As much as Bryan deserves the honor more than Reigns, the support of the people calling the shots behind the scenes is what a wrestler needs to succeed. Expect Reigns to win the Royal Rumble match and go on to beat Lesnar at WrestleMania.

Predicted Winner: Roman Reigns

Breaking Down the WWE Championship Triple Threat

Coming into the Royal Rumble, the expectations for the third match between Lesnar and Cena were not that high due to the lack of excitement for seeing the same bout again. The addition of Rollins to the bout has added serious intrigue.

Everyone involved in this match could conceivably walk away with the WWE Championship.

Lesnar enters the match as the defending champion and has looked unstoppable for months. After ending The Undertaker’s streak at WrestleMania 30, Lesnar went on to take the title from Cena in one of the most lopsided championship matches in history. With a history in the UFC, college wrestling and the NFL, there is no doubt Lesnar could beat both Rollins and Cena in the same match and the WWE Universe would believe it.

As for Cena, there is no counting him out, ever. As seen on the go-home episode of Raw, it doesn’t matter how much the odds are against him, Cena could always walk away victorious. He is a 15-time champion, and winning the title for the 16th time at the Royal Rumble is easily something that could come to fruition.

Whether it’s Cena winning the belt or Lesnar successfully retaining, the ultimate wild card is Rollins. While there are few fans who believe he has a legitimate shot at winning the match outright, the Money in the Bank briefcase is the ultimate trump card.

All three men are viable options to walk out of Philadelphia with the championship, but Lesnar successfully retaining and Rollins not cashing in would make for the most intriguing road to WrestleMania.

Predicted Winner: Brock Lesnar

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