WWE Rumors: Buzz on Road to WWE Royal Rumble 2017 for Week of Jan. 26

With WWE's Royal Rumble pay-per-view just days away, talk is growing online about what one of the biggest shows of the year can offer.

Who will emerge victorious in the show's marquee Royal Rumble match and move on to headline WrestleMania?

And what is in store for the company's two major champions? Can AJ Styles and Kevin Owens hold on to their championships, or will John Cena and Roman Reigns triumph?

As is always the case, the rumor mill has gone into overdrive in the week of the Rumble, and this week's rumor roundup features all the latest gossip as the event nears.

Seth Rollins' Plans for the Royal Rumble

Credit: WWE.com

Monday's go-home edition of Raw saw Seth Rollins lose his place in the Royal Rumble match at the expense of Sami Zayn—but he could still have a say in the events of Sunday night.

Randall Ortman of Cageside Seats reported earlier this week that although Rollins is officially off the list for the main event, an angle between himself and Triple H is going to happen.

That means the two will almost certainly collide, and they could do so in a number of ways.

Rollins could be a surprise entrant in the match, having convinced Mick Foley to place him in at the last minute before Triple H screws him out of victory.

The same could happen vice-versa, with Triple H being the man who enters before Rollins exacts revenge and sets up their WrestleMania feud.

Basically, there are plenty of options for WWE with just a few days remaining before the event. The fact that nobody is sure how it will play out makes it even more exciting.

John Cena's WrestleMania Plans Figured Out?

WWE fans have seen a more edgier side to John Cena lately.

The Cenation leader's promos have been noticeably different, with a more aggressive undertone to how Cena is working his latest feud with AJ Styles.

And from backstage rumors that surfaced online earlier this week, it seems like WWE already knows the direction one of its top stars is headed for WrestleMania.

There have been all sorts of potential feuds mooted for Cena in recent months, but Bryan Alvarez of Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t Ortman of Cageside Seats) says WWE has Cena's plans ticked off already.

Surely Sunday will give fans a major clue, as it will become apparent after that whether he's going to be in contention for the WWE Championship at the biggest show of the year.

Interestingly, the report also noted that Cena's plans do not involve The Undertaker, despite that being heavily rumored.

Goldberg Favorite for the Royal Rumble

The odds for this Sunday's Royal Rumble match (courtesy of OddsShark) have changed a number of times in recent weeks, but the most up-to-date list has Goldberg as the shock favorite to go on and win the bout.

That would be a major surprise, especially as plans for Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar seem somewhat of a lock.

However, Dave Meltzer reported on Wrestling Observer Radio earlier this week (h/t Marc Middleton at Wrestling Inc) that despite the veteran emerging as the favorite, it's still unlikely at this stage.

Meltzer reported that Lesnar would have to win the WWE Universal Championship between now and WrestleMania 33 if Goldberg won on Sunday, which doesn't seem to have any real chance of happening.

It seems the odds aren't quite right on this occasion, but who knows what Sunday could bring when the event actually airs.

AJ Styles vs. Shane McMahon on the Cards for WrestleMania?

AJ Styles' complaints about being at the back of the poster for this Sunday's Royal Rumble pay-per-view on SmackDown boiled over into Talking Smack on Tuesday too, and it seems this is all part of a plan from WWE to set up an angle for WrestleMania.

Ortman reported this week that WWE still has its eyes on a Shane McMahon vs. Styles feud, which would obviously lean toward Styles dropping the WWE Championship this weekend.

It's highly unlikely the belt will be on the line for a rivalry of that type, so if the rumors are true, Styles will no doubt be coming up short against John Cena this weekend.

But it looks like Styles' complaining was part of a plan from WWE all along.