Who Will be in the Big WWE Royal Rumble Matches?

Welcome all wrestling enthusiasts!

I'm glad to see lots of reads and comments on my first articles, and I'm glad people want to hear what I have to say!

Well from what I saw at Armageddon, it was far better than my perhaps overly bleak verdict that it would be boring! (I was 5-2, which made things nice and tasty!)

Anyway, I am looking at how the big storylines (World titles and Rumble Match) will develop until the end of the Royal Rumble, which is, of course, the next PPV on the horizon. 

Finally, a PPV that can be built up to with more developed story lines. I despise how every single PPV is multi-branded these days, taking away from "The Big Four."

This will ensure new challengers, more emotional story lines and people will be more into the story lines than when the story lines have two mediocre weeks.

That brings me on to Jeff Hardy.

Hardy now has exactly one month and 10 days to show his capabilities of carrying a flagship show. Even if his title run were to come to an end, he would still have had a decent one-month reign for a first-time "experimental" sort of champion.

Who will he feud with until the Rumble? Personally, before Armageddon, I would have said Triple H. There has been a huge build up of tension between Hunter and Jeff since last year's Armageddon.

Spreading over two shows, in fact it is almost a year to the day that Jeff's title hunt began, Do you remember Hardy's roll up win over HHH last Armageddon?

However, I think differently after last night's show, as at the end of the match, Hunter didn't take the pinfall. This makes me feel like the heat has now been transferred from Hunter to Edge.

Also, The Hardys teaming up against Edge and Kozlov week after week on TV and at house shows is very attractive to the WWE, as I cannot see them letting the Hardyz both as World Champions not looking after each other (awww, brotherly love. Isn't it nice?)

Therefore, the first major match at the Royal Rumble will be:

Jeff Hardy (C) vs Edge for the WWE Championship

Moving on to the "Other World Title:"

Superman defeated Chris Jericho last night very predictably (thank god Hardy's match was on last). I think this leaves two possible options: No. 1, Chris Jericho gets one last attempt at winning the World title, which Cena obviously wins to hold on to the title until WM (ugh, another Cena main event). The possible option that is also available would be Cena/Batista/Orton part two.

Orton and Batista of course both have previous grudges against Superman. Orton punting Cena's dad in the head, injuring him etc. Same for Batista injuring him etc. As you will see later on, I think one of the two former Evolution members will win the Royal Rumble.

If it was to be Randy or Big Dave, then you could see whoever misses out at the Royal Rumble getting their big shot at WM.

If I were Vince McMahon, I'd have Jericho take one more loss against Cena and start a fresh mega feud building towards WM. And please make it WM this year, not that No Way Out nonsense like last year.

John "Superman" Cena (C) vs Chris Jericho for the World Heavyweight Championship

The other major match at the next PPV is obviously the actual Royal Rumble match. Here are a list of my personal favorites to win the Rumble in order of most likely. If you want to compile your own list below, it would be cool to see what others are thinking!

1. Randy Orton usually doesn't lose in two straight PPVs. He could feud with Cena or Hardy and that would further push Legacy as the new Evolution. (Or at least the new powerful stable).

2. Big Dave: Cena and Batista is a WM style main event, missed out last year's main event, lost the previous years and was injured for the year before.

3. Hunter: Always has to be a favorite while he does the boss. Apart from that, he could feud with Edge, Hardy or Cena (The WM 22 Rematch). 

4. Jeff Hardy (you'll see why): Loses title at Royal Rumble but gets into the Rumble and comes out at number 30 and gets a win, meaning he main events Mania. Could feud with Edge, Triple H or even a heel Cena! That would be amazing!

5. Edge: same as Hardy could be put in as a late entrant of the Rumble and sneak a win. He could feud with Cena, Hardy, or Triple H.

Royal Rumble Match winner: Randy Orton

Other matches will include Michaels and JBL, which isn't living up to the Jericho and Michaels feud; Hardy vs Kozlov, possibly Tag Title matches, and maybe the end of the Intercontinental Championship final if they stretch it that long.

Anyway, I'm off. I hope you enjoy Raw tonight and I'll post my thoughts on it tomorrow.

Until then, celebrate Hardy's title win and eat Christmas cake!

AJ

(Oh and give us a new WWE title belt, please, to match Hardy's persona.)

Cheers in advance, WWE!