One of the biggest events of the year is right around the corner and one week from today we will have a new Royal Rumble winner. With the road to WrestleMania officially starting at that moment, which woman will be in the main event of WrestleMania this year?
There have been 21-women announced out of the 30 so far for this year’s event. Despite some criticism on the premature announcing of the surprises for this year, the buzz is still huge for this match. On paper, it has the potential to be the best women’s Royal Rumble match in history. It can be argued that some fans still hold the first one in 2018 to be the best so far.
With this being said and knowing 21 women who are already scheduled for the match, let’s go over Diva Dirt’s choices of who should win one of the biggest matches of the year.
Nick’s Choices –
5. Lita
The winner of the Royal Rumble match to me should always be for an opportunity for someone who needs a push or highlights a younger talent and that’s who I always root for (even when it frequently doesn’t happen). However, in this case, this is the exception. With the focus that WWE is putting on Lita in this match and her announcing a final run is something to pay attention to. The way Lita retired from her initial time with the company has often left a sour taste to some fans and her returning and having a Royal Rumble/WrestleMania moment could redeem it.
This may be an unpopular pick, but Shayna needs a complete revamp. She has spent long enough time away from a singles title and hasn’t won one since joining the main roster in 2020. In that same year, she faced Becky Lynch at WrestleMania 36 for the championship in front of no crowd at the start of the pandemic. Baszler going to WrestleMania this year sans the Royal Rumble and winning the title at the show would be great for her and for fans to see someone new at the top of SmackDown.
3. Shotzi
Shotzi has fallen victim to the main roster debut rollercoaster that so many have seen recently. She debuts on the roster even before the last draft and it has been up and down ever since. A clear direction for Shotzi would help her tremendously and her winning the Rumble would do that. Shotzi is an example of someone who needs a push/highlighting a young talent that a Rumble win would value.
2. Liv Morgan
This one has been Plan B (or maybe even C) for me when it comes to Liv for a bit now. It was clear that she wasn’t going to beat Becky for the Raw Women’s Title the first time around. At Day 1, it could have been the time to pull the trigger and give Liv the belt. But the Rumble is the perfect time for her to get that big win in the match and head to WrestleMania. Her having what Bianca Belair did (minus the SummerSlam moment) in 2021 would be perfect.
1. Naomi
This has to be the payoff, right? Naomi and Sonya Deville have been at odds since last August. Yes. Last August. Despite enjoying some of their moments together, we haven’t received the payoff or the endgame. Naomi hasn’t been able to get Sonya in an actual singles match, and she may never will. What she can do though is win the Royal Rumble and decide her own destiny without Deville stopping her. Naomi is due for a big win, it has been a while and she is way overdue for another title as it has been since 2017 when she last held the SmackDown Women’s Championship.
John’s Choices –
5. Bayley
The Royal Rumble is the perfect opportunity for the Role Model to make her return. The severity of her knee injury has an obvious impact on this decision but an appearance at number 30 would allow Bayley to come in, throw a few moves, shout at Michael Cole and win. This scenario would protect her from any serious action and from taking any bumps while giving her an amazing comeback, moment, and much-deserved WrestleMania main event.
4. Rhea Ripley
Ripley’s main roster run has featured some confusing booking decisions, which has had a negative impact on her momentum and character. Ripley winning the Royal Rumble as the no-nonsense ass-kicker she was in NXT would go a long way to get her back on track.
3. Bianca Belair
Belair had an incredible 2021, well until SummerSlam at least, where she lost the SmackDown Women’s Championship to Becky Lynch in under 30 seconds. The controversial booking decision is yet to receive a payoff and for the EST of WWE to win the Royal Rumble for the second year in a row, go on to WrestleMania and defeat Lynch for the RAW Women’s Championship is the right way to go.
2. Sasha Banks
Despite WWE announcing a foot injury keeping her out of action for 6-8 weeks, a returning Sasha Banks winning the Royal Rumble is very possible. The WWE blew several huge surprises when they announced The Bella Twins, Summer Rae, Lita and Mickie James, therefore Banks’ announcement could be WWE pulling a swerve on the audience to save a mega surprise. Similar to Bayley, Banks could enter the Rumble late make hit some of her signature moves and leave as the winner.
1. Lita
The WWE Hall of Famer declared she has one more run in her in a recent episode of SmackDown before leveling Charlotte Flair with Twist of Fate. Wrestling logic implies that a feud and championship match at WrestleMania would result from it and to get there Lita must win the Royal Rumble, which is exactly what is going to happen.
Who do you think will win this year’s Royal Rumble? Join the discussion below.
2022 Royal Rumble card – Saturday, Jan. 29.
Becky Lynch (c) vs. Doudrop – Raw Women’s Championship
Maryse & The Miz vs. Beth Phoenix & Edge
30-woman Royal Rumble Match – Rhea Ripley, Bianca Belair, Liv Morgan, Nikki A.S.H., Natalya, Shotzi, Aliyah, Shayna Baszler, Naomi, Tamina, Lita, Kelly Kelly, Michelle McCool, Summer Rae, The Bella Twins, IMPACT Knockouts World Champion Mickie James, Women’s Tag Team Champions Queen Zelina & Carmella, 24/7 Champion Dana Brooke, SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair plus 9 more TBD.
Check back in with Diva Dirt for your future news and results of the Royal Rumble.
