WWE ROYAL RUMBLE 2016 REVIEW

Well, the 2016 Royal Rumble event has come to a close, and here's an update on the state of the fandom following it:

WE CAME OUT OF IT OKAY!

With the recent of history of this event overshadowing the entire Wrestlemania build, it's comforting to see that wrestling fans for the first time in two years aren't complaining en masse. What was the reason for this to happen? Read on to find out. 

SPOILERS AHEAD: IF YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE THE RESULTS RUINED, DON'T READ ON!

If you've never seen The CC Network's video reviews of WWE events before, then my review system will be new to you. Matches are given star ratings in accordance with an average, accumulated score of 5 rating factors: Psychology (In-ring story), Move Variety, Crowd Reaction, Match Length and Pacing, as well as my overall enjoyment as a result of those factors.

The Royal Rumble Match itself is rated under different factors, with Surprise Entrants and Elimination Rate being used instead of Move Variety & Psychology. My Enjoyment and Crowd Reaction will remain.

A REVIEW VIDEO IS ALSO AVAILABLE AT THE CC NETWORK YOUTUBE CHANNEL:
Link will be available once uploaded.

Now time to get into the show. As I don't review the Pre-Show Match as part of the whole televised package, here's the result of that match:

Mark Henry & Jack Swagger def The Dudley Boyz, The Ascension and Darren Young & Damien Sandow in a Fatal-4-Way Tag Team Match to win two places in the Royal Rumble Match (7:58)

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DEAN AMBROSE (c) def KEVIN OWENS IN A LAST MAN STANDING MATCH TO RETAIN THE WWE INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP (20:21)

PSYCHOLOGY: 4

MOVE VARIETY: 4

CROWD REACTION: 4.5

MATCH LENGTH/PACING: 4

MY ENJOYMENT: 4.5

CORRECT PREDICTION?: NO

FINAL RATING: ****1/4

I mentioned after their matches at Survivor Series and TLC, that while Owens and Ambrose's matches are solid, they would need weapons to REALLY take advantage of both mens styles and create something great. That statement, through this match, was proven correct.

Both men were aggressive out of the gate, furiously beating each other down. From then on it was a battle of two rabid, and intense equals fighting to prove who was best. Momentum and offence shifted constantly, while the pace of the match remained fast and surprisingly consistent throughout, which allowed the big spots to slow it down towards the end. Even as the punishment of the big spots and weapon attacks were sold, both men didn't relent. This created unpredictability, as I had no idea who was going to walk out of the match as champion, which made its finish incredible considering how much Owens was in control throughout. The match played to Ambrose's strength of being seen as believable when beaten down, allowing for the fans to invest whenever he got back up, further adding to Owen's as usual great body psychology. His facial expressions, angry vocalisations and subsequent moves ensured that this match showcased the hell that these two were willing to put each other through for the sake of that championship. I will even give Michael Cole credit for emphasising the story of the match, as he had Owens thrown on top of him at the announce table, which resulted in him returning to commentary advocating Ambrose to smash Owens' head in with a kendo stick. Great stuff.

This match had few big spots in comparison to recent stipulation matches, but those moves made the match feel larger than life. Firstly, that Rolling Cannonball into the timekeepers area was unexpected, the back body drop through chairs looked painful, Owens had a chair slammed through his head, a Dirty Deeds was done onto a chair, Ambrose risked it all to elbow Owens through a table and Owens hit a great Fisherman Buster off the top rope through another table. While all that was great, they paled in comparison to the finishing move. Expecting a moonsault through chairs by Owens, the push by Ambrose sending Owens through the stacked set of tables was beautifully orchestrated and executed. Both men barely looked like they escaped this match... and even though I predicted a draw or no contest, it still rang out as a satisfying ending.

While there was no blood, selling/working of individual body parts and it being five minutes too short, this still packed the punch that I believed that these two could offer in a weapons environment. While we saw Ambrose test those waters facing Seth Rollins at Hell In A Cell 2014 and Money In The Bank 2015 respectively, it was great to see Owens in a non-traditional bout to show how varied and adaptable he is as a competitor. Both men may have come out of this one hurting, but they had the crowd invested almost for its entirety, and as a result, it kicked off the night with a bang.

THE NEW DAY (c) def THE USO'S TO RETAIN THE WWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS (10:53)

PSYCHOLOGY: 2

MOVE VARIETY: 2

CROWD REACTION: 2

MATCH LENGTH/PACING: 2.5

MY ENJOYMENT: 1.5
CORRECT PREDICTION?: NO

FINAL RATING: **

While The New Day are charismatic as hell, their matches on PPV have usually left me with a bad taste in my mouth. With The Uso's involved as well, I had a feeling this would turn into another boring encounter for The New Day to be part of. In some regard however, that premonition was unfounded.

In a match where the purpose was to prove how good The Uso's were to warrant the Tag Team Of The Year Slammy Award, The New Day stole the show from their opponents. Whether it was through their dominance in the ring or their gyrations and Xavier Woods actions outside the ring, the champs made their time on screen worth it. While The Uso's were in control early on, showcasing their intent to fight, they were overwhelmed by the numbers game and the sheer talent on show within The New Day's ranks. Woods in particular had the spot of the match with a nice Tornado DDT off the barricade to the floor, and got chants to play the newly christened "Francesca II", which he gleefully held off to the fans chagrin. That's not to say that The Uso's had a bad showing, their speed and power was on display for everyone to see especially with the Whisper In The Wind off the top rope to Big E and a catching Samoan Drop to Kofi were lovely spots. Their effort, while minimal, got the audience to somewhat respect them by the end, but The New Day were definitely the favourites in Orlando on this night.

The pace started off quite fast, but slowed as The New Day held control firmly in their favour, it's something we've come to expect throughout their matches over the last year, with a quick flurry towards the latter stages emerging as a result of Wood's attempts to interfere. While The New Day did dominate, their near falls towards the end, especially the kick-out of the Uso Splash due to a foot on the ropes was heart in the mouth stuff for the audience and myself. Much to their relief, The New Day showcased why they deserved to still be champions by tagging in while their opponents still believed Kofi was legal, allowing for a great catch into a Big Ending to have New Day escape with the titles.

I got this prediction wrong, not just in match result but in terms of the match quality as well. While it went a little too long and didn't capture the audience's imagination too much, it still showed why The New Day are the best team in the company. They entertained, even when not doing much. That says something. With that being said though, their matches do need to be amped up a bit in the future, as the formula is getting a little predictable after this many title defences. For a below average tag team match, this hit most of the right notes, so I can't complain too much.

KALISTO def ALBERTO DEL RIO (c) TO WIN THE WWE UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP (11:30)

PSYCHOLOGY: 2

MOVE VARIETY: 1.5

CROWD REACTION: 1.5

MATCH LENGTH/PACING: 2

MY ENJOYMENT: 1.5

CORRECT PREDICTION?: NO

FINAL RATING: *1/4

Why did I doubt that WWE would put the title back on Kalisto? It seemed so obvious from the outset, and based on the way this match was going, it was a formality. Looks like my overanalysis of the whole match made me lose sight of what was truly important: the building of a new Latino star. That being said though, he had a rough time getting to the end of this one.

Del Rio flat out dominated from the first bell, wanting to highlight how weak his high-flying opponent was in comparison to him, controlling the momentum and pace of the match. Even though Kalisto got small chances to get some offence in, they were quickly muted. A fine example of this, being Kalisto's attempt to hit the Springboard Corkscrew Elbow move, only for Del Rio to swat him down like the "little mosquito" he claimed him to be in the build-up. Del Rio's antagonism for his diminutive adversary was on show throughout as he tried to remove his mask twice while the commentators condoned his disrespect to the wrestling culture he originated from. Del Rio also had the upper hand on the move front, with the incumbent champion hitting a Wheelbarrow Double Knee Gutbuster and a Reverse Suplex off the top rope to try and put his opponent away. While the pace did quicken as Kalisto got back into it, he also had the wherewithal to sell the result of Del Rio's beating whenever he stopped moving, allowing momentum and the pace to go with the flow of the matches psychology nicely. He nearly got the win off the Salida Del Sol but Del Rio's ring awareness stopped him from picking up the win. Del Rio went to the heel rule book to use an exposed turnbuckle to win, which predictably was his downfall.

While this match was solid, it was let down by a lack of crowd interest and a surprising lack of fluidity in its latter stages, with some of Kalisto's comeback moves either being botched or looking incredibly sloppy. While the match did build up to a satisfying end, it was too long, as by the time it ended, the crowd didn't really care for a result that was widely predicted beforehand. Overall, it was an okay match that delivered on its story and pacing, but left a lot to be desired by the rest of its contents. Definitely the worst match of the night, but that's pretty good news, as that means no matches that went below one star on the first show of the year. That can only mean good things, for sure.

CHARLOTTE (c) def BECKY LYNCH TO RETAIN THE WWE DIVAS CHAMPIONSHIP (11:41)

PSYCHOLOGY: 2.5

MOVE VARIETY: 1

CROWD REACTION: 2

MATCH LENGTH/PACING: 2

MY ENJOYMENT: 2

CORRECT PREDICTION?: NO

FINAL RATING: *1/2

In the fifth consecutive result of the night I couldn't get right, the women of WWE's main roster once again put on a solid but unspectacular match. While this match should have been the intense culmination to a bitter feud surrounding ethics and friendship, it's surprising that it didn't really reach as high as it should have.

Becky Lynch is over, there's no doubt about that. The crowd in Orlando gave the Irish Lasskicker all the support in the world, while also giving Ric Flair the share of WOOOO's that comes with the territory. As for Charlotte, I get the feeling people respect her in-ring work but don't appreciate her subtlety as a heel. She follows an old-fashioned mind-set of working the opponent as slowly and as meticulously as possible, hoping to sway the audience more towards the face out of necessity. This fit with Charlotte controlling the pace, and consigning most of the matches eleven and a half minute run time to mat offence. However Becky's faster moves and submission attempts helped bring the final minutes back up to speed and give the fans something to cheer for. However the time could have been spent highlighting how much Becky had understood Charlotte as competitor, with both only showing that in countering each others moves before the finish.

In a more positive note, both Becky and Charlotte were nose to nose at the bell, bringing the tension to boiling point before the match began, and as expected the Nature Boy played his part, by Charlotte using her 66-year old father as a shield and having him plant a lip lock on Becky, which has drawn ire from fans and reviewers alike in the aftermath of this event. The finish, of having Charlotte baseball slide her Dad was nice, and the jacket over Becky resulting in a roll-up may be the most pathetic heel win in years, but it worked with the story. All I hope is that WWE builds a rematch between these two to follow on from here.

Overall, this match just wasn't aggressive, fast and intense enough for the crowd to become properly invested. This match felt like a placeholder for the Charlotte VS Sasha Banks match they teased after the bell. This wasn't a horrible match by any stretch, just look at the rating I decided on, but given the storyline, I expected much more. Lets hope Sasha Banks doesn't stop this rivalry from getting to a satisfactory conclusion, as this one is far from over.

TRIPLE H (#30) LAST ELIMINATED DEAN AMBROSE (#19) TO WIN THE 2016 ROYAL RUMBLE AND WIN THE WWE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (1:01:44)

MATCH LENGTH/PACING: 4

SURPRISE ENTRANTS: 4

ELIMINATION RATE: 3.5

CROWD REACTION: 4.5

MY ENJOYMENT: 4.5
CORRECT PREDICTION: YES

FINAL RATING: ****1/4

Ladies and gentlemen, this is what happens when a Rumble Match has a story going into it. It builds tension and excitement, which when built up over the long time that this specialty match offers, makes you feel on the edge of your seat when watching. In accomplishing that, WWE did something they've not done since 2010, and that's make a Rumble Match not only worth the time but also be in a good way, energy sapping to watch unfold.

PHASE 1 - Reigns And AJ Styles' Endurance Battle.

Roman Reigns entered at #1, to a rounded chorus of boos, with Rusev coming at #2. Fitting to have both men who finished as the final two last year, start the next year's match off. The Bulgarian Brute was quickly eliminated and entrant #3 came out to a thunderous reception: AJ Styles! It had been widely predicted and rumoured, but the TNA Original and Florida mainstay had finally debuted in WWE. He battled with Reigns for a bit, before Tyler Breeze came in as #4. Prince Pretty was quickly disposed of by Styles and Reigns, which lead to both men continuing their beat downs of each other. Curtis Axel came out at #5, with Styles adding to his flowering elimination tally as a result. Chris Jericho was #6, going right after Styles in the process. Kane & Goldust returned to in-ring competition, coming in at #7 & 8 respectively  holding their own before Ryback entered at #9. Kofi Kingston came in at #10, which was disappointing, as I thought Xavier Woods would get the nod but then again this is the Ghanian's signature match, so that can be allowed.

No eliminations had occurred for awhile in what was this Rumble's most monotonous and boring section as the action routinely focused on Reigns and Styles staying in, no one else really got much screen time. Titus O'Neil came in at #11 to resume normality by taking Goldust out. R-Truth was #12, giving this match its funniest moment by putting a ladder up and climbing for a belt that wasn't there. The crowd loved it, but Kane duly eliminated him for his hilarious stupidity. Kofi got his yearly elimination moment by using his New Day cohorts to lift him on their shoulders and put him back in the ring. It was fine considering the people with him, but too similar to last years to really be a standout in his repertoire. 

At the end of this section, the surprise entry of AJ Styles and the subsequent crowd reaction is what was driving this match along. Outside of that, it wasn't looking all that impressive, with the wrestlers not showing intensity and desire to eliminate people. That would soon change.

PHASE 2 - The Wyatt Family Decimate The Field, Reigns Is Taken Out.

Luke Harper arrived at #13, and thus begun the start of The Wyatt Family's purge of the match. Before all that, Reigns went through the ropes and was attacked by the League Of Nations, with Vince McMahon in tow. Stardust comes in at #14 as Reigns is put through the announce table thanks to a Rusev running splash, right as Kingston was eliminated by Jericho off camera. Big Show enters at #15 and eliminates O'Neil and Ryback to no fanfare. Neville is #16, performing his usual schtick. All seems rather harmonious outside of the outside chaos, right until Braun Strowman enters at #17. Kane is quickly thrown out, while Big Show and the Wyatt big man stare down. Strowman applies his bear hug nerve clutch and takes Show out, not before Show's legs get tangled in the ropes in the process.

A limping Kevin Owens is #18, fantastically selling the effects of the Last Man Standing, and coming out to a solid pop. He goes right for Styles, Styles puts Neville in a Styles Clash position but Owens breaks it up and throws the popular debutant over the top rope. The crowd boo and chant Styles' name right until he exits. Great idea to have Owens do that, as the heat that would have ruined the whole match was muted. Dean Ambrose is #19, cue the madness as he brawls with Owens! Suddenly, #20 is Sami Zayn, who comes out to a great pop! Zayn goes right for a shocked and angry Owens, they brawl until Zayn throws Owens over the top rope to eliminate his great rival. Erick Rowan is #21, Neville and Stardust are taken out by Harper. Mark Henry comes out at #22 but is immediately overwhelmed by The Wyatt Family and eliminated, with Zayn following soon after.

At the end of this section, the inclusion of The Wyatt Family had sped up proceedings on the elimination and pace front. The match had been going for 35 Minutes at this point, which is pretty solid. The predictable but still great appearance of Sami Zayn and his elimination of Owens was sweet revenge to see, and luckily AJ Styles' elimination didn't spark the rejection of the match from the crowd that I expected. The assault on Reigns made the audience happy, allowing them to watch the rest of the match knowing they didn't have to focus on a guy they clearly didn't like. With that, the next entrant brought the house down.

PHASE 3 - Lesnar Claims Revenge... Sort Of.

Brock Lesnar comes out at #23 with Heyman in tow to the biggest pop of night bar Styles. He throws Rowan out, then throws out #24 entrant Jack Swagger right after an F5. The Miz comes in at #25, and ingeniously goes to commentary instead of entering the match, right as Lesnar took out Harper. Alberto Del Rio was #26, not doing much of note as Lesnar squared off with Strowman and proceeded to eliminate him to a nice pop! The entire Wyatt Family clan had been eliminated right as the ringleader, the eponymous Bray entered at #27. However, The Family were still at ringside, all entered the ring, attempting to beat Lesnar down but he fought back with suplexes. Too bad the numbers game overwhelmed him, as Bray hits the Sister Abigail and orders his clan to toss Lesnar out. The crowd are in stunned silence that the out and out favourite had gone... especially with no repercussion to be had for The Wyatt's, however I bet RAW will be the place for The Beast's displeasure to be duly given out with a vengeance.

Dolph Ziggler is #28 as he goes right for The Miz, who decided to finally enter the ring after Lesnar's elimination. Ziggler is nearly eliminated but barely survives. Ziggler misses the Superkick as Miz hits the Skull Crushing Finale in the first instance of a finisher being used all match outside of the Spear done to Rusev early on. Weird... really. Sheamus comes out at #29, all seems to be going well right as Roman Reigns returns to the match with a Superman Punch right to the Celtic Warrior's face. Boos loudly ring out as the fans voice their displeasure at the prospect of Reigns clearing house to end the match. He starts that off by taking Miz out, followed by Del Rio, decking his major adversary of the last year, Bray Wyatt in the face with a Superman Punch.

At the end of this section, action had really hotted up, with the tension at who would be the upcoming winner really starting to settle in. Lesnar's dominance and multiple eliminations was needed to amp the match up further, while the crowd got their fill of his suplexes. His elimination by The Wyatt Family did kill the crowd and the matches momentum a little, but Reigns returning while a negative for the crowd did give them reason to get back into it. With the pace increasing as this match reaches its conclusion, we enter the final stage.

PHASE 4 - The King Reclaims His Throne.

The klaxon sounds, as Triple H comes in as #30, the final entrant. Michael Cole is stunned as the crowd cheer loudly. He stares down with Reigns in the ring and both duke it out. Ziegler attempted to break it up but ate a Pedigree, the brawling continued as Wyatt intervened. Reigns powered out of a Pedigree as Sheamus nearly eliminates the champion. Jericho, who hadn't done much for awhile took Wyatt down and with a running bulldog and a lionsault. Ziggler then hit a Zig Zag on the recovering Jericho. Ziggler then hit a super kick to Triple H on the apron he dodges a second and takes The Show-Off out. We're now down to the final six.

Wyatt stares down Triple H in the centre of the ring, which draws gasps of awe from the crowd. Hunter tells Wyatt to go after Reigns, which he declines by slapping the taste right out of the COO's mouth. Triple H goes for a Pedigree, but Wyatt counters it into a Sister Abigail which is interrupted by Sheamus. Both men then take Wyatt out together, with the crowd voicing their displeasure. It was Jericho's turn to have a go at Triple H, as he hit the Codebreaker but Ambrose was situated behind him to eliminate Y2J, as revenge for the walkout that he did back at Night Of Champions.

We're now down to the Final Four: Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, Sheamus and Triple H. It's Authority and League Of Nations versus the Blood Brothers. What a fitting way for this match to end. The story that's been built up through the last few months thus far comes to a head right before this match hits the hour mark. Reigns goes after Sheamus and takes him out with a Superman Punch, but Triple H lifts Reigns right over the top! Reigns title reign is over, as we are down to Ambrose and Triple H. The place is going banana's, not just because Reigns was eliminated, but the prospect of Ambrose winning is entering their heads. Ambrose fights valiantly, having already been through a war earlier on, and fights out of a Pedigree, nearly taking Triple H out in the process. Ambrose guns off the rope rebound but eats a patented face buster and Triple H throws Ambrose over the top rope to end the match just over the hour and become a 14-time WWE World Champion and a 2-Time Royal Rumble Winner.

Wow... after the mediocre to passable Rumbles of recent years, this was one to really sink the teeth into and we got good rewards. While the surprise entrants were predictable, as was the finish, the crowd still popped for it and really added value to a match that took its sweet time early on to really get going. For the first twelve to thirteen people entering, the match stagnated and didn't have too much going for it. Only when The Wyatt Family entered did this match really start to pick up on pace and eliminations to bring it to life. The story of the match was executed perfectly and the crowd didn't revolt at the result, and for the most part got into it.

Outside the first fifteen minutes or so, this match delivered on building the tension and excitement that a match of this magnitude needed. While it didn't have the all out star power that an Undertaker, Samoa Joe or even that Ronda Rousey prediction I made would have given, it still made for an entertaining hour of wrestling. Also, it was a great note to end the night on for me, as it was my only correct prediction of the night. Lovely.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Thanks to the events of the last few years, I've come in dreading the Royal Rumble. While it usually has one standout undercard match, the Rumble Match itself usually joins the rest of the undercard in being either average or mind-numbingly boring. This year however, was a little different.

The Last Man Standing Match and Royal Rumble Match both are early Match Of The Year Candidates (when it comes to sole analysis of WWE's product), and they both made this show instantly memorable. The rest of the card, while lacking in potential that was unrealised, did still offer something up that was respectable, as no match went below one star, which for a Rumble event is a great thing to hear. Hell, even the commentary was solid, which makes me ponder why they can't get it right on weekly television. The debut of AJ Styles was moment of the night without question, and almost every match and confrontation opened up potential feuds going into Wrestlemania, many of which are still hard to nail down from a distance. All in all, this event exceeded expectations and did almost exactly what a Rumble event should do... well, you know, outside of the building of a new star part in this years case. While I support Triple H winning the belt for story purposes, I do wonder whether the prospect of seeing over 100,000 people booing Reigns and Hunter out of Cowboy Stadium in three months will be something that makes WWE regret this decision. We'll have to see how the booking handles it through Fast Lane first, before any assumptions are made.

I gave the 2014 Rumble a 3 out of 10, and the 2015 Rumble didn't fare much better with a 4 out of 10. The 2016 Royal Rumble event has put its recent brethren to shame and breaks the good/bad event cycle that ran from Wrestlemania 31 through to TLC 2015. We have with this event, the first above average start to the year for the first time in awhile. All I can say, is I'm very happy for that.

ROYAL RUMBLE 2016 GETS A 6 OUT OF 10.

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I've been Freddy Thomas, you've been people reading. This has been the 2016 Royal Rumble Review for The CC Network Blog and I'll see you next time. 

WWE ROYAL RUMBLE 2016 PREDICTIONS

The Royal Rumble PPV. An event that heralds the start of Wrestlemania season, has now become a turgid time to be a wrestling fan. For the last two years, we've seen fans ruin this near 30-year spectacle by throwing their toys out of the pram, acting like unintelligent babies due to the result of the Rumble. While Roman Reigns and Batista winning was predictable, I could at least accept it because in a broader story, they made some notion of sense. Many fans couldn't handle it, and went up in arms! They did their usual, complaining through social media, and in 2014 actually managed to get Daniel Bryan involved in a main event of Wrestlemania that he deserved to be in. However, last year, the fans went way beyond their duty. They cancelled their Network subscriptions en masse and stopped the wrestlers cars from leaving the car park of the arena, almost breaking out into riot style violence and antagonism. The actions of said fans nearly caused me to have an aneurism and made me doubt my place within the fandom I reside in.

This year, things are a little different.

After having two years of predictable Rumble Matches, a spanner or two has been thrown into the works. Due to injuries of big-name talent at the worst possible time, this years Rumble Match looked certain to become the most unpredictable in years, as no de-facto winner could be easily identified. WWE must have come to the same conclusion, as they decided to take a bold leap of faith and ramp up the stakes and importance of this match like never before. They put the WWE Championship on the line in the Rumble Match itself, something not done in over fourteen years, and for the first time having an incumbent champion defending. The idea like most in this industry, has already been done before, but unlike others hadn't been done in so long that it feels fresh and invigorating amongst a stagnating WWE product that is routinely loathed by fans. It gives this event something big to promote itself round and make the tagline "an event you don't want to miss" ring louder than it ever has.

With a marquee match of such magnitude, can this event produce enough good quality to be remembered? Will the fans of Orlando be like of those of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia before them, and ruin the show through their selfish, self-aggrandising booking ideologies? We won't know until Sunday.

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4-TEAM TAG MATCH: The Dudley Boyz VS The Ascension VS Mark Henry & Jack Swagger VS Darren Young and Damien Sandow (PRE-SHOW)

We start off with a pre-show match that has got some consequences riding on it for a change. The winning team will get two of the spots in the Rumble.

There are a few problems with this one. Firstly, why didn't we get qualifying matches for the Rumble on weekly television to set up some entrants? Secondly, why isn't Darren Young teaming with Titus O'Neil for this tandem to make sense? Finally and most importantly, why make a stipulation match when as a viewer and critic, I know only one team listed here has any chance of winning?

With The Ascension not looking like a credible threat since this time last year and both Sandow & Young and Henry & Swagger having no history of teaming up before, this means that The Dudley Boyz have this won without any doubt, anyone who says otherwise has no clue. 

PREDICTION: The Dudley Boyz to qualify

TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: The New Day (c) VS The Uso's

Here we have a battle between a team that shouldn't have won the Tag Team of the Year Slammy Award, and the reigning 2-time champs who rightfully deserved it. This is a match that has been meaning to happen for some time, but thanks to the former teams absence due to injury, it could never be done. They now have a chance to give these two teams a good match. Sadly, it's come at the expense of both teams legitimacy in the process.

The New Day up until that Slammy loss were arguably the strongest team in the WWE's floundering tag team division, and they've had the unenviable task of trying to make The Uso's look like the threat that their Slammy win should justify. In doing so, The New Day haven't looked this weak since early 2015, and The Uso's don't look like a team who deserve to be in the spot to take the titles from the champions. While all that is depressing to think about, The New Day, just like "Francesca The Trombone" will need to be taken down at some point. All signs point to this Sunday as the day when their dominance is finally usurped and halted.

With their cousin, Roman Reigns on a major high as WWE Champion, and the Samoan Family being more important to the company than ever, they would want to ensure that they look as strong as possible. Even if Roman doesn't keep the title on the night, rest assured his cousins will be able to add to their family's honour by bringing The New Day's long reign to an end, which in my opinion is coming a few months too late. Not that I'm complaining, I love The New Day, but in my opinion these titles deserve to be dropped a much better team than The Uso's. Sadly this is what I believe we will be getting, for no other reason than storyline circumstance and turgid, archaic wrestling nepotism.

PREDICTION: The Uso's to win the titles.

UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: Alberto Del Rio (c) VS Kalisto

With the World Title being hurled around like a hot potato that no one wants to eat, lets talk about a championship that has decided to follow in its older brothers footsteps. The United States Championship has fallen from the highest of perches that it sat on under the reign of John Cena, all thanks to the debacle surround Kalisto and Alberto Del Rio's sudden rivalry.

Kalisto should still be United States Champion at this time of writing, defending his belt in a rematch against Alberto Del Rio on this card. Kalisto winning the title on RAW two weeks ago was fantastic, and having him defend it on the Rumble PPV would give him the chance to prove himself as a singles competitor on a big stage. However, WWE decided to throw the cat amongst the pigeons by having Del Rio regain the title on Smackdown the NEXT NIGHT (three days later on tape delay). The result of that match immediately killed any interest I had in the PPV encounter, due to it being a foregone conclusion that Kalisto will fail at a hurdle that needs to be rightfully jumped. A returning King Barrett was the reason Kalisto lost, so unless Sin Cara makes a miraculous return from a shoulder injury to help his partner, the odds are once again stacked in Del Rio's favour.

While I don't deny that these two will put on another stellar match, they will need to spice it up to ensure it is worth the time, as we've seen them face each other twice in the last two weeks. I would suggest they throw in a ref bump and interference to showcase Kalisto's strength against the odds, have him pull out some unique spots off the top rope or the announce table, hell have both men brawl into the crowd for all I care! As long as something is done to make it more than a traditional wrestling match, then I will be happy. The notion of champion retaining because he just won the title applies to both men considering the length of their respective reigns, therefore either man could win it. However, I suspect that to keep the League Of Nations strong on a night where a Rumble Title Match loss is inevitable, Del Rio will walk out with the title on this occasion.

PREDICTION: Alberto Del Rio to retain.

DIVAS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: Charlotte (c) VS Becky Lynch

While this match isn't the Steel Cage Match that I believed the feud was building towards, we know for certain that this will still be a very solid match that thankfully has had a slow burning build to thank for the intrigue going into it.

With Ric Flair in Charlotte's corner once again, this match can go one of two ways: Ric can help Charlotte retain as usual leading to that aforementioned Steel Cage Match occurring at Fast Lane, or he can help contribute to his daughters' defeat. While that latter option may sound counterproductive, it would make some form of sense. With this match occurring because Ric got overzealous in a war of words against Becky, I wouldn't be surprised that Charlotte would get irritated with her Dad doing things that in her opinion don't help and a results in an altercation that would cause the 2-Time Hall Of Famer to leave his daughter to fend for herself, causing her former best friend to win the title.

The former can happen regardless of who wins this match, despite of what I've stated above. Flair CAN help his daughter win, leading to Becky making the Fast Lane Cage Match herself, or if Becky does win, Flair can set the match up for his daughter just like he did this past week, so she can prove herself without his help. When looking at this match from that perspective, with a final blowoff happening regardless of result, it seems ever more likely that Becky could indeed win the belt.

When looking at who will be going into Wrestlemania as champion, Charlotte will be the woman who will get the nod. However, with the idea of the reaction to the Rumble Match not being positive, WWE needs to give us a victory that the fans can pop to and feel happy about on their way home. Having these two  women put on a great match and have Becky win it would be the best result for all concerned. Charlotte may win it back in the long run, but Becky needs her moment, or all that momentum would have been used for nothing.

PREDICTION: Becky Lynch to win the title.

INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP LAST MAN STANDING MATCH: Dean Ambrose (c) VS Kevin Owens

With these two destroying each other outside the ring in recent weeks, it came as no surprise to me that this match would have this stipulation hanging over its head.

Both men have been showcased as ruthless, aggressive and determined, and they aren't willing to lose under any circumstance. Even if they did lose in the case of Owens at TLC, they won't take it lying down and will rightfully re-establish their dominance again. While I expect this match to be more violent than recent Last Man Standing Matches we've seen from WWE, with both men being former members of the CZW roster, I do have problems in predicting a winner because of the implications of the main event.

With the Rumble match missing some big name current talent, they will need Ambrose, Owens or both to enter. However, will this match be so punishing that neither man could enter at all? That poses a major problem. However, having a match on the night doesn't stop some wrestlers. "Rowdy" Roddy Piper won the IC title and appeared at #15 in 1992, Shawn Michaels entered at #19 after losing to Edge in 2005 and Dolph Ziggler came in at #31 in the mammoth 40-Man Rumble after losing to Edge in a World Title match in 2011. None of those matches were as physically draining as a Last Man Standing Match but they all have something in common as they all were either the first or second match on the card. If that were the case here, either or both men could enter late in the Rumble Match after using the rest of the night until that point to sell their injuries.

With that in mind, the match needs to finish with both men looking strong. Last Man Standing Matches on PPV in recent years have had a habit of the winner "burying" his opponent to keep them down. I can foresee Ambrose doing the same because he's 'street smart' and resorts to desperation without it looking bad. However, I don't expect WWE to book it that way, especially when you have two headstrong competitors who never say die. When looking back at the history of this gimmick match,  I've noticed one that Sunday's bout could follow in its quality and finish: Triple H VS Shawn Michaels from 2004's Rumble Event. While both men beat each other to bloody pulps and couldn't stand afterwards, it was a match with a steady pace and enough momentum shifting to believe either man could win. This match between Ambrose and Owens could echo their Rumble predecessor, and have them beat each other up to the point where neither man has the strength to carry on. This would make more sense in regards to storyline and make both men look good in the eyes of the fans, as Ambrose won't lose the title he won a month ago and Owens wouldn't have technically "lost" the match. It makes the most sense, and makes for an interesting debate on what it would take to put both men down for the ten count. Which makes it the most compelling result for the match.

PREDICTION: No Contest, with Dean Ambrose retaining.

WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: 30-Man Royal Rumble Match

Here's the big kahuna, the Royal Rumble match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. It's a match which will decide the booking direction of the company for the next three months and certainly be the one thing this event is remembered for. It's a match that on paper, has the potential to be fantastic and unpredictable, but at the same time throws up its fair share of problems.

Do WWE decide to have Roman Reigns become the next Cena by using this match to put him over as a monster babyface, which would cause fans for the third year running to riot? Do they put the belt on someone new so they can finally trust heir new stars to carry the company forward? Will the surprise entrants be worth it? Will the wrestlers be ordered correctly to ensure the right story is told?

What happens and its effects can only be ascertained during and after the match has finished. We don't have to focus on most of them, as more importantly, I need to decide out of those who have confirmed entry and those who I believe could appear will win this most important of Rumble Matches. I don't stick to one pick, as I  pick a bunch to make it a lot of fun, allowing for more investment on my end. With this system in place, I've correctly predicted every Rumble winner since 2011, and believe I will continue that streak with for the fifth year in a row.

Here are my "Fav Five" picks, as well as one extra acting as a wild card, that I believe will win the 2016 Royal Rumble Match, and leave the WWE World Heavyweight Champion:

ROMAN REIGNS (c) - THE SAFE CHOICE

I already highlighted earlier in this article that this result will cause uproar amongst many fans, however, even with that looming over Roman Reigns' head, it seems like it's WWE's safest option.

The 2015 Winner, 12-man elimination record holder and current WWE Champion is a safe bet, not just because of his position in storyline, but also because he only won the title a month ago, and needs a major PPV victory to solidify himself. I'm sure WWE doesn't want a title that has been built on solid, long title reigns for the past few years to transition into a hot potato role like it was in the Attitude Era, or how the US Title has been for the last month. His position as #1 entrant will help his chances, but also hinder him. Defeating wave after wave of wrestlers won't look as convincing as it would do normally because of the storyline at hand, he is under pressure to deliver and has the target of champion on his back. He therefore needs to struggle but still put up some fight throughout, so fans don't turn on him. If he lasts to the end, he must have three legitimate, tough opponents to face off against in the final four to make sure the crowd are kept on their toes and don't feel like Roman has an easy bunch to steamroll through to victory like he did last year. This time, he's got a proper mountain to climb and will need to show for it go over properly.

One thing that lets Roman's chances down is that notion of predictability. From the moment this match was booked to be a Title match, many have presumed Reigns will be put over 'strong'. WWE will have no doubt of the fans consensus and the negative reaction that it could cause, and will try to swerve us if given the opportunity. Another thing that reduces his chances, is a certain COO of the company that he speared to hell at TLC: Triple H. If The Game does enter as rumoured, him eliminating Reigns makes the most sense storyline wise for a Wrestlemania match to happen between them. Finally, another nail in Reigns coffin is that he's been booked strongly in recent RAW's, wrestling 101 dictates that a loss on PPV comes at the expense of television wins. However, he was demolished by The Wyatt Family on Monday, which could put him on stronger ground in this regard.

Roman Reigns has it all to lose, and while the storyline plays into his favour, it will be very interesting to see if WWE goes down the predictable route like they did at Survivor Series, or throw us a curveball to give the match some spice, that in some peoples eyes is sorely needed. It's crunch time for the company to do what's best for business by making that decision the right one.

BROCK LESNAR - THE FAVOURITE

When Brock Lesnar is involved in any match, it's almost always a certainty that he is going to walk out the winner. Putting that claim into perspective, he's only lost 5 times since his return in 2012, only being beaten clean in two of them. With that in mind, and what destructive power he brings, his position as an out and out favourite to win carries substantial weight that others don't have. There's no doubt as to where the 2003 Winner will end up, he'll be in the Final Four for sure, but whether he wins or not will count on a few factors. Firstly, is he entering late on in the match? Secondly, is he the biggest name in the Final Four? Thirdly, are any of his rivals within that same group that could possibly eliminate him?

With Lesnar included in the match, him winning is almost more predictable than Reigns winning, however, it is more acceptable due to Lesnar's believability as a destructive force. If he does enter in the from #25 onwards, he is certain to come out on top. If he enters early, his chances are diminished, but his freakish strength and endurance will mean he can easily last a long time and power his way through the field, even breaking Reigns' elimination record in the process. His record in this mach also plays into his favour, as his only Rumble Match appearance was his victory in 2003. Having a sole win on his only Rumble appearance is a record that he shares with Vince McMahon of all people. When also you count in that he DIDN'T lose the WWE Championship via pin fall and was screwed out of his rematch at Battleground, winning it back is a certainty for The Beast Incarnate at some point. When you look at the facts, everything is seemingly in Lesnar's favour.

It will take a feat of sheer strength to get Lesnar eliminated, and there are only four people that can, do that, all bar one feature in this prediction bracket: the already featured Roman Reigns, and the upcoming duo of Kevin Owens and The Undertaker as well as Braun Strowman. If Cesaro wasn't injured, I'd most certainly add him to the list too. In Reigns and Taker's cases, they are rivals who have faced and matched Lesnar in big bouts over the last year. Having either man get one over on Lesnar would make valid sense considering their history, with it seemingly likely that Reigns and Lesnar will have a rematch down the line. As for Taker, he had his "final encounter" at Hell In A Cell and won't be facing Lesnar at Mania, so we can count him out. In regards to Kevin Owens, it's been made apparent through online reports that he wants Lesnar at Mania, and so do the fans. Having him eliminating Lesnar would set up a monster clash at Mania to reward him for his efforts of the last year, while establishing him as a major name in the process. In the case of Strowman, he would be better off feuding with a retiring Big Show or Mark Henry at Mania, but I can see WWE not wasting any time having Strowman match up to the big men in this match, which includes Lesnar too.

Overall, I foresee Lesnar doing very well, whether he wins or not entirely depends on who is lined up for him at Wrestlemania, and without knowing that, it is hard to tell what will happen.

KEVIN OWENS - THE DARK HORSE

It's become a tradition that a wrestler who's fights earlier on in the night will not be wrestling in the Rumble Match itself. However, I already explained in my prediction for the Intercontinental Championship Match that it is entirely possible, especially with a Rumble match lacking in current star power.

Owens has a better chance of winning if he isn't the Intercontinental Champion going into it. While it would be fantastic to see him hold BOTH belts after proclaiming he'd do it at Survivor Series, it isn't likely to happen as the IC title would lose prominence in the shadow of the match and the newly won heavyweight title. After a massive 2015 which saw Owens take the WWE by storm, he needs to be built as dominant as possible at the first PPV of 2016. With very few current wrestlers matching him in ring and on the mic that aren't injured, Owens stands out as a future player in the main event, having already shown he's capable in his acclaimed feud with John Cena. If WWE really has plans for him, they don't have the time to wait, as the roster needs its new blood to come through and proclaim a new era's arrival after the last two Wrestlemania's failed to live up to their potential with new rising talent.

While Owens would be a great advocate for The Authority and be the lynchpin for WWE's New Talent Revolution going into the biggest Wrestlemania ever, there is a likelihood that his victory isn't as watertight as I make it out to be. If he makes it to the Final Four, I don't see him lasting past Lesnar and Reigns no matter who else is with them. Ambrose could easily continue their feud for ONE more match at Fast Lane by eliminating him legally or illegally. If Owens takes out Lesnar, Reigns or Undertaker, his own elimination will most likely follow soon after. Sami Zayn making a surprise appearance would also limit his chances, knowing their history and potential for a Wrestlemania showdown of gargantuan proportions. Regardless of how strong Owens is booked, those big names and his biggest rival will be the reason the headstrong Canadian doesn't go the distance on his debut Rumble appearance.

Owens is the only member of the current roster who isn't injured, a part-timer or a "golden boy" like Cena, Orton or Reigns who has a chance of winning. It would be a major shock if WWE pulled the trigger on him now, but in all honestly, this match will build him up for a Wrestlemania payday and nothing more.

TRIPLE H - THE INSTIGATOR (Surprise Entrant)

He hasn't been seen since he was speared straight to hell by Roman Reigns at TLC, and with the odds being stacked against Reigns' in this match already, it's easy to see why the idea of Triple H entering this major match and winning it has gained traction from the moment the title stipulation was announced.

As the COO and main authority figure, the 2002 Winner can place himself WHEREVER he pleases into this match in or out of the ring. He could allocate himself the #30 spot to ensure that if Reigns' survives that long he has a clear opportunity to end his chances, he can attack Reigns in the aisle way like he did to Stone Cold in 2001 to stop him before the match begins, he can order wrestlers entering the match to attack Reigns and weaken him down, finally he can come in as an unprecedented 31st entrant to take the title when Reigns thinks he's won the whole thing. Whether Triple H wins his second Rumble Match or not, this entire match is being used to start the build for a match with Reigns at Wrestlemania, which would be a big draw and many would be getting a match fans have wanted to see since The Shield split from The Authority in 2014.

However even with all of that in Triple H's favour, he may not even appear. Most likely due to the idea of not interfering in Vince's major plan. Using the failure of that idea as a reason to question Vince's ability to lead the company in the future, setting up the long-awaited power struggle between the two. That seems unlikely in the current storyline, with Triple H's winning chances likely to be ended by Reigns given the feud he's currently embroiled in. If he fails, he could easily make himself the #1 contender just to get revenge, because he can.

Triple H winning seems likely, and would make sense considering storyline going into and following the match. However, do WWE really want the crowd booing an inevitable win by Roman Reigns at Wrestlemania, with the audience KNOWING that Triple H would most likely lose the title to him if he did win the Rumble? Its a risk of which its consequences would have to be faced if they indeed go with it.

THE UNDERTAKER - THE RETIRING LEGEND (Surprise Entrant)

This might come out of left field, with Taker being absent since his 25th Anniversary match against The Wyatt Family at Survivor Series, but the main statement I have in response to any complaints is simple: why not? Why can't Undertaker be WWE Champion going into what could be his last Wrestlemania?

After having a match at both Summerslam and Survivor Series, in what feels like a 'one last farewell' kind of deal, if WWE wants to set up Taker's retirement to make it as grand as possible, then the 2007 Winner getting the title and a second Rumble victory under his belt would be the best way to do it. With him coming in at #30 as the ultimate obstacle. Taker could staredown Lesnar, tackle Reigns for the first time since 2013, and re-ignite a Rumble tandem with Kane if he returns as well. Taker appearing would really add some star power to the match and help set up the last few months of his career. Winning the match will give whoever wins a #1 Contenders Match at Fast Lane the chance to retire Taker in his home state, at the grandest Wrestlemania of them all. That is a booking opportunity that WWE would be foolish to overlook. They don't need to do it if Taker isn't done, but it would be great regardless.

If Taker does appear, then outside of a romp to victory, setting up his Wrestlemania match is key. With John Cena, the opponent that many predicted now being on the sidelines after shoulder surgery, WWE will need to think hard about who will get the nod and be given the most glorious opportunity of their career in Arlington. I've already outlined that Lesnar is out of the picture in his section, and there are few names that come to mind with only three making sense: Kevin Owens, Bray Wyatt and Kane. Wyatt facing Taker at Wrestlemania to avenge his losses at Survivor Series and Wrestlemania 31 would be great, so eliminating Taker would be a good place to start. Kane facing Taker one more time may only be for nostalgia reasons, but if both end up retiring after this Wrestlemania, it would make a lot of sense for two characters that are so intertwined to bow out together, but preferably not for the championship. As for Owens, it would be the ultimate feather in his cap to face The Deadman after his sublime debut year. Just imagine the mic work that would be on show with these two at war, it would be glorious. However, Taker may not appear at all, which would be incredibly disappointing if it's indeed the case.

Taker's position in this match is up in the air and comes down to circumstance. Does WWE want to start off the grandest send-off ever given to a wrestler in history with a title victory here? Do they simply give him one more chance to showcase his star power in a match that sorely needs it? Or do they save him until the build-up to Wrestlemania really starts to take shape? It's hard to tell, and Sunday will be the place to find out which direction the company takes.

WRESTLERS WHO HAVE AN OUTSIDE CHANCE, BUT PROBABLY WON'T WIN:

AJ Styles (Surprise Entrant)

Bray Wyatt

Daniel Bryan (Surprise Entrant)

Finn Balor (Surprise Entrant)

Sheamus

RONDA ROUSEY - THE WILD CARD (Surprise Entrant)

I know what you're thinking reading this. You think I'm mad, and that this isn't a piece of constructive analysis, and is simply fantasy booking at its finest. Alas, it isn't. I'm being 100% serious with this choice. You're probably wondering, why the hell would I predict this? Why would I believe that the former UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion (who is still under contract with the MMA company) could possibly walk out of the Royal Rumble with the match win and the title? It's simple. Judge the current circumstances, and then think of the shockwave it would make in not just the wrestling and mixed martial arts industries, but sport as a whole.

Ronda Rousey lost her title to Holly Holm a few months ago, and thanks to recent news, she will not be fighting at UFC 200, and won't be getting her rematch against Holly Holm for many months yet. She's apparently asked for time off from fighting to heal up and focus on other projects. That announcement in the last few weeks or so, has re-assured me of her position to become an integral part of Wrestlemania 32. The part she played at Wrestlemania 31 was a massive surprise and sowed the seeds for something bigger, which have sadly failed to materialise. We know she's a big wrestling fan, got given the Rowdy nickname from the late Roddy Piper himself, and has vowed many times to return to WWE in the future. That future could come a lot sooner than we thought, say, this Sunday?

Sure, we are all foaming at the mouth at the possibility of AJ Styles entering the WWE in biggest fashion possible with the prospect of him facing off with Samoa Joe in the home city of TNA making our minds implode, but this match of this magnitude needs something bigger to really make it special. Even when you slap the World Title on the line, it still needs a wow-factor that puts it into the memory. With big name talent such as Rollins, Cena and Bryan (seemingly) missing out, WWE would need to do something drastic in order to ensure this match feels like the big deal that it's being built up to be. So it doesn't seem like such a bad idea to forcibly inject that special feeling into it by having Joan Jett's "Bad Reputation" ring out, and have the toughest woman on the planet come down the aisle to fight in the biggest WWE title match in over a year and a half. Can you imagine the reaction, not just of the crowd in Orlando but the mainstream news and sport media the next day? Can you imagine what the sight of her staring down UFC alumni Brock Lesnar would be like? Can you imagine what would happen if she wins? It would be historic and ensure that this match goes down forever as a significant moment in not just wrestling but sport as a whole.

Roused winning would help legitimise WWE after years of wanting to be taken seriously, be the first concrete instance of a UFC fighter going to WWE instead of the other way around and most importantly, it would be a signifier for how essential women have become to the company. For years, WWE has been labelled as misogynist due to its portrayal of women, and they've done a great job in the last few years by having women's wrestling improve in quality and have it become crucial to their brand identity. So why not show that, by having a woman come in and become "the man" for the first time? Chyna won the Intercontinental Championship twice and appeared in two Royal Rumble Matches. NO woman has been in a position to do something of similar stature since then and with Rousey doing the unthinkable, it would be a watershed moment where the idea of women's and men wrestling being different can be thrown under a bus forever. While it would seem incredibly ironic and difficult to fathom why WWE would use a UFC talent to do it, its easy to understand why as no female on WWE's current roster has the level of legitimacy that Rousey has as a bone-fide ass kicker. She's beaten up full grown men outside of the octagon and threw Triple H to the canvas at Wrestlemania 31, therefore it's not a major issue if she were to appear on Sunday. All watching the event would view her as having a legitimate chance just like the guys. Believability can go a long way, even with her crushing defeat to Holly Holm still being on fans minds. Even with that seemingly playing against her, this match would be the ultimate chance to prove that she has come back from it and is ready to go.

It may be a MASSIVE wild card to pick, but from the moment this Rumble Match was announced to be for the WWE Championship three weeks ago, the idea of Ronda Rousey appearing popped into my head and I was convinced it could happen. Since then, my confidence in that idea has grown substantially, to the point that I would actually have the balls to mark it as a concrete prediction. It's without a doubt, the most insane thing I've done in my five years as a wrestling reviewer on these here inter webs. It seems so crazy, that I'm probably going to have it thrown back in my face anyway. Then again what if I AM right? What if my broadest assumptions are indeed correct? If she appears, let alone ends up winning the whole thing, I will be able to stand on the highest of horses for all time and say that I was the one who called it. However, it could just be an overzealous misfire that comes to nothing, but that is the beauty of the Rumble Match, anything can happen.

Hopefully on Sunday, unpredictability and good times reign supreme. WWE have one chance to get this right. Lets hope they deliver.

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I've been Freddy Thomas, you've been people reading. This has been the Royal Rumble 2016 Predictions for The CC Network Blog and I'll see you all next time.