WWE Royal Rumble - Women's Royal Rumble Match

[George Steele's Barber]

A Royal Rumble isn't wrestling. Yes, winning can mean great things, but losing doesn't bury anyone. Certainly not a whole locker room. Throwing someone over the top rope is far different than pinning or submitting them.

Not that I think Rousey will be in the Rumble. WWE just wants you to believe she may so you are more likely to watch. My prediction is that WWE will send Trish out at 30 to settle the disappointment of no Rhonda Rousey.

In the end, this match is lookimg more and more like Asuka's big moment.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

Just one quick question. Not just you, but generally.

Would a Connor McGregor victory of the Men's Royal Rumble be accepted?

If yes, I submit, if no, why would Ronda's be then?

Well first off, because Rhonda is as big or bigger than every woman There, second off because she is a submission and grappling specialist, not a striker.

This is like saying well if McGregor won it would be just as silly if a debuting Kurt Angle won......when he is like sized to his opponents and whose skill set as a blaringly obvious easy transition to wrestling.

 

[Kodo Sawaki]

Just one quick question. Not just you, but generally.

Would a Connor McGregor victory of the Men's Royal Rumble be accepted?

If yes, I submit, if no, why would Ronda's be then?

Accepted by me or accepted by IWC? Because I can understand why WWE would do that as they are big business company after all. And it would probably mean that Rousey(if she is there to stay) would get one loss after all that to Charlotte, Asuka or somebody and that would be Vince wet dream because, you know, he always likes legit sports stars there and how it would show WWE is "real competition".

Heck, any star there is a big deal for them and they treat it as such. Surprised we dont probably get to see Gronk vs Jinder at Mania this year. Because I dont need to remind you that Snooki has Wrestlemania win. Snooki.

Now, we are maybe debating over nothing, as GSB said she is maybe just WWE marketing trick for people to tune it. But would understand from the business point if they go in that direction.

 

[d_henderson1810]

Let's face facts.

ASUKA WILL WIN THE WOMEN'S RUMBLE!

Why? Because I don't see it being that someone they have built up for three years, and emphasised her unbeaten streak, would lose it in a Royal Rumble Match.

A loss is a loss. If Asuka goes out of the Rumble, her streak is over.

What I would have preferred is this:- A few weeks ago, there was a match on RAW, between Alexa Bliss and Asuka. Asuka beat Bliss, but it was a non-title match.

I would have preferred it be for the title, and Asuka win it then. Why? Because, as champion, she wouldn't be in the Rumble anymore, meaning that the winner is less predictable. If Asuka isn't in the Rumble, then it's anyone's to win. With her in, there is only one winner.

With no Asuka in the Rumble, then even a Smackdown Diva could win. RAW have the Elimination Chamber this year, so I would have Asuka as RAW champion, a SD Live Diva win, and Asuka's challenger win a Divas Elimination Chamber. But not having Asuka as champion means that both the Divas RR AND a Divas EC are predictable.

Putting the title on Asuka early keeps her undefeated, and also elevates other talent, so that the challenger looks strong against her at WM34.

This is why I am not a great fan of winning streaks. It makes matches predictable, and locks things up, especially if they win the title.

I think undefeated Streaks work best with monster heels. For example, emphasising Andre The Giant being 15 years undefeated made Hogan beating him at WM more of a big deal. It should seem like an insurmountable challenge to end a Streak, and a face champion beating an unstoppable force tells a better story, than a heel toppling an undefeated face.

An undefeated Streak should be used to put "the top face" at the top, and finally reach the summit, or overcome their greatest challenge, or elevate a future star, which they can use to brag about for years (like Jericho brags about beating Austin and the Rock in one night).

Also, having an undefeated streak means that the "right" person has to beat them. Goldberg's Streak seemed to deflate when he finally lost to Kevin Nash, because Scott Hall tazered him. Brock was the wrong guy to end Taker's Streak, and I feel that any Diva who beats Asuka will cop heat (and not the proper kind) unless it is someone akin to Rhonda Rousey beating her (and that's who I am tipping will finally topple Asuka).

 

[Spidey Revivey]

No undefeated streak came to an end in a Royal Rumble match. They hyped Muhammad Hassan long after he was eliminated back in the day. It's not really even a match at all. More like a spectacle to see who the #1 contender is. Asuka would lose nothing if eliminated. If WWE wanted to go that route (and why would they?) they could just say she's never been pinned.

 

[d_henderson1810]

No undefeated streak came to an end in a Royal Rumble match. They hyped Muhammad Hassan long after he was eliminated back in the day. It's not really even a match at all. More like a spectacle to see who the #1 contender is. Asuka would lose nothing if eliminated. If WWE wanted to go that route (and why would they?) they could just say she's never been pinned.

Muhammad Hassan "undefeated Streak" was a farce anyway. He lost when he screwed up the finish in a Chris Benoit match, and the ref had to count the pin. Also, he lost a tag-team match against Hogan and HBK when Davari was pinned (a team loss is still registered in the L column for both teammates, and counts as a loss IMO).

 

[Spidey Revivey]

Muhammad Hassan "undefeated Streak" was a farce anyway. He lost when he screwed up the finish in a Chris Benoit match, and the ref had to count the pin. Also, he lost a tag-team match against Hogan and HBK when Davari was pinned (a team loss is still registered in the L column for both teammates, and counts as a loss IMO).

None of this has to do with the comment you made about a streak ending in a Rumble match.

It isn't a thing, which is the point I was making.

 

[@smarkmouth]

If you don't believe streaks remain intact due to a battle royal scenario loss, then Asuka's unbeaten streak has LONG been broken in your eyes. Carmella won a battle royal in NXT, which featured Asuka, who was eliminated by Eva fricken Marie of all people. So if you're saying her streak could be broken by a Rumble loss, your logic is quite flawed.

Not that I don't think Asuka could win this. Definitely a likely candidate. I also think Nia could leave with the W. While I think she has enough talent and presence to warrant the victory, it would also be an easy way to wash Enzo's stink off of Nia Jax and her story.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

Stephanie McMahon is joining the commentary team for the match, so join our friends at one of the other announce tables. I'm going to go with the Japanese because I've always had a soft spot for Funaki.

I look forward to her congratulating the winner by walking around the ring cupping her ear like vintage Hulk Hogan, whilst the victor fades into the background with a bunch of flowers in hand.

 

[Sai the Uganda Guy]

Let's face facts.

ASUKA WILL WIN THE WOMEN'S RUMBLE!

Why? Because I don't see it being that someone they have built up for three years, and emphasised her unbeaten streak, would lose it in a Royal Rumble Match.

A loss is a loss. If Asuka goes out of the Rumble, her streak is over.

If this were the case, then Asuka's streak would've ended already.
In NXT.
In a battle royal, where she was eliminated by who?
All Red Everything herself, Eva Marie.

I'm not saying Asuka WON'T win, but her elimination won't tarnish her streak anymore than her elimination in the NXT battle royal where she was eliminated.
It's a singles competition streak. She also lost in tag action, though she wasn't the one pinned.

 

[Psykohurricane55]

i feel the fact that Stephanie is joining the broadcast team will lead to something big for this match. She not just there to annoyed the fans for a hour. Wouldn't be surprise if this lead to the well speculated debut of Rhonda Rousey.

The fact is that they have history already, so you could have Rhonda Being a surprise entrant near the end, maybe 25 or near ther, she eliminates a bunch of non important participant and then number 30 is suppose to enter and nobody is coming but we find out that stephanie is number 30. She comes from behind rhonda and eliminates her, then she gloats about it forgetting that becky Lynch or Asuka is still in the ring and either one just goes and eliminate stephanie. That way you get another marquee match for mania and at the same time you don't make you're whole roster look like complete idiots by losing to a non wrestler.

 

[HeenanGorilla]

I would think Stephanie sneaks in and eliminates Rousey, setting up a Mania angle, in which Steph gets her booty handed to her.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

Good one, man. If she has a match it'll likely be the most competitive one on the card.

 

[@smarkmouth]

Thank goodness the Network has audio options. I think that I'll tune into Ray Rougeau on the french commentary.

 

[Loveless]

I would think Stephanie sneaks in and eliminates Rousey, setting up a Mania angle, in which Steph gets her booty handed to her.

This.
Though remembering back a bit, wasn't the plan always Rock/Rousey Vs Steph/HHH?

 

[Spidey Revivey]

I don't see Asuka or Rousey winning it. With how big a name Rousey still is, I feel we would have been spoiled on that by now from various leaks. If WWE could keep that hush for this long they'd be pulling off their greatest trick with a crossover star. That and with their being two Rumbles it would seem logical to put this one as the first match of the night so they don't exhaust the fans by the time the Men's Rumble starts. And of course there's the problem of someone who isn't announced who has mysterious ring skill winning something every established competitor has worked hard to make look important. For a non-wrestler to come in, even one with some name value, and win in their first go is something I'd expect from Impact Wrestling. On top of that, Stephanie McMahon is right there at commentary. If WWE are going to give us Rousey it would be ridiculous for Steph to just sit there and watch her dismantle this Revolution she's supposedly spearheading. It'd be a disservice to forget how Rousey and Steph had an altercation at Wrestlemania 31 and how it made Steph look bad. If Rousey is an entrant, Stephanie has GOT to protect her little investment. If the fans hate the outcome, then WWE can blame Steph, the heat magnet.

Asuka seems more likelier the way to go, but again with the Women's Rumble possibly going on first, I'd think WWE would want to get their disappointments out of the way as soon as possible. She doesn't need the rumble to be a threat. She has her streak that will stay in tact long after Sunday night. Do we need to see her tear through a division she already has been tearing through? I don't know, man. There's still the Elimination Chamber, and for WWE to hype Asuka vs. Bliss for months is wishful thinking. They simply haven't given the women that long an angle to burn. What is Bliss going to do about Asuka between Monday night and Mania? Just seems more like they'd want to get Asuka vs. Bliss out there immediately. Presumably in the Chamber. If Asuka gets cheated at the Rumble, all the more reason to have her either go over Bliss or get screwed again next pay per view.

But there is somebody who could build a program with Bliss that does have the opportunity to get better and better until it's time for the big bout, and that's Nia Jax. I can hear the sighs already, but it makes perfect sense. She's a long shot without any big wins. She's been losing matches where she was protected better than Fort Knox. She's also besties with Bliss, and with Enzo out of the picture it'd seem natural to focus more on that. I can see WWE eventually pulling a body positive angle with her where she is persuaded to jump ship and face the Smackdown Women's Champion instead of Bliss, but then Bliss talks shit behind Nia's back a la Triple H/Batista back in 2005.

 

[#hamler]

This is probably the hardest match to predict. There are a few women who would make the most sense. Nia Jax is just waiting for a good storyline to come her way. With the whole Enzo angle dropped (I'm sure), that frees her up to do something else. Nia has something so very few women have and that's size. She should be running through the division and on par with the likes of Asuka but she's too much like most girls, no matter how much her entrance theme says otherwise.

Another favorite is Sasha. She's pretty much taken a back seat in the women's division since Asuka came around and I think that's a pretty good reason for her win here. A heel Sasha is money and if Asuka can dethrone Bliss sometime soon, Sasha vs Asuka at Wrestlemania screams big money match.

With that, I'm going with the safest bet in Asuka. She's undefeated and they should definitely keep that momentum going well into Wrestlemania. She's probably the best thing going in the fairly stale division and hopefully the WWE realizes this. Then if Rousay wants to sign, I'm sure The WWE higher ups will have no problem sacrificing Asuka to the Rowdy one for her first defeat.

i feel the fact that Stephanie is joining the broadcast team will lead to something big for this match.

...that actually makes sense. Being this match is a first and it certainly makes history, someone big is winning here. If the WWE has kept a Rousey signing secret for this long, they deserve some recognition. With that, I don't know how well Rousey can work an actual match just yet. While she can certainly transition well in the ring, there are still elements that might make her transition into wrestling a bit harder like the crowd booing her or whatnot. If she signs, a tag team match at Wrestlemania will likely hide some of her greenness while she gets feel for the enviroment. Realistically, Asuka is the safest bet.

Hamler's Prediction: Asuka will win the first ever Women's Royal Rumble match.