THE WWE Royal Rumble is LIVE tonight – and the men's Rumble is opening up the show!
Who will be victorious in the over-the-top-rope bouts and go through to WrestleMania 39 in Los Angeles?
We don't have long to find out now. Follow ALL of the latest updates below.
Cody Rhodes is returning for the men's Royal Rumble match and is the current bookies favourite.
And Brock Lesnar has also confirmed his place in the match, with PLENTY of surprise slots remaining…
WWE Royal Rumble 2023 – six best free bets, bonuses and sign-up offers
Follow ALL of the latest updates below…
- Kostas Lianos
Roman Reigns on The Rock
Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns addressed speculation linking him with a WrestleMania 39 megamatch against his cousin The Rock, who is rumoured to return at the Royal Rumble
Reigns told Jimmy Fallon: “That’s been the rumors — there’s been a huge buzz on that for a long time now. I mean for years now. But it’s really picked up in the last couple of years.
“I believe he just came out with a statement saying that he’s not gonna be ready in time, which — that’s the kind of face everyone’s making, like, ‘Hold on, he trains every single day… He’s huge!’
“To his defense, it’s one thing to train with weights, and the bodybuilding to look the part. But to be able to get in the ring and do a main event match — a championship match, an Undisputed WWE Universal championship match — it takes a lot of conditioning. It beats up your body.
“So there’s more that goes into it than just training in the weight room… it’s a professional athlete type of situation where you have to condition, you have to — you know, he does two out of the three things perfectly. His nutrition and his weight training is on point, but you have to condition yourself And you’ve gotta be ready to fall down. You’re never gonna get away from that”
- Kostas Lianos
Royal Rumble Kickoff
The Bloodline just had an intense backstage segment during the Royal Rumble Kickoff show.
Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns was not happy with Sami Zayn disobeying his orders and showing up on SmackDown last night.
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champion Jey Uso leapt to Zayn's defence reminding The Head of the Table that he was the one that asked him to help Solo Sikoa against Kevin Owens.
The Tribal Chief then ordered Jey and his fellow champion Jimmy Uso to stay at the back, while the Canadian star will be by the world champion's side all night.
It's "Sami's night"…
- Kostas Lianos
Surprise Women's Royal Rumble entrants
There will also definitely be surprise entrants in the Women's Royal Rumble Match.
Every year we see Hall of Famers rolling back the years and coming back to the ring.
The likes of Lita, Trish Stratus, Molly Holly, Ivory and many more have laced up a pair of boots.
They have been joined by a raft of NXT stars throughout the years.
This year's won't be any different
Trish Stratus
- Kostas Lianos
Surprise Men's Royal Rumble entrants
There will DEFINITELY be some surprise entrants in the Men's Royal Rumble Match, just like every year.
There are already a few names being dropped as we approach the big event.
The Rock has been continuously touted as WWE have been wanting him to face his cousin and Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns at WrestleMania.
However, the publisher and editor of the Wrestlign Observer Newsletter Dave Meltzer has claimed Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson's hectic schedule won't allow him to build the necessary fitness for the Royal Rumble or WrestleMania 39.
Logan Paul is also a potential shocker with WWE wanting him to get involved in some capacity – and he could be bringing his brother Jake Paul like he did at Crown Jewel.
Randy Orton, Edge and of course Stone Cold Steve Austin are some other big names being linked with a big comeback.
Other names being touted are Scotty 2 Hotty, British star Wade Barrett and US Olympian Gable Steveson
- Kostas Lianos
Royal Rumble Kickoff
The Royal Rumble Kickoff Show has – well – kicked off!
Kayla Braxton is joined on the panel by Peter Rosenberg, Kevin Patrick and WWE Hall of Famers Booker T and Jerry 'The King' Lawler
- Kostas Lianos
Confirmed Women's Royal Rumble participants
Here’s all the confirmed participants for the Women's Royal Rumble Match:
Liv Morgan
Raquel Rodriguez
Rhea Ripley
Candice LeRae
Shayna Baszler
Zelina Vega
Emma
Lacey Evans
Bayley
Dakota Kai
IYO SKY
Xia Li
- Kostas Lianos
Confirmed Men's Royal Rumble participants
Here's all the confirmed participants for the Men's Royal Rumble Match:
Cody Rhodes
Kofi Kingston
Ricochet
Bobby Lashley
Seth "Freakin" Rollins
Austin Theory
Gunther
Drew McIntyre
Sheamus
Omos
Braun Strowman
Baron Corbin
Santos Escobar
Rey Mysterio
Karrion Kross
Brock Lesnar
The Miz
Xavier Woods
- Kostas Lianos
Royal Rumble predictions
James Orr and I will be covering the Royal Rumble tonight, and here's our predictions:
Men’s Royal Rumble
James Orr: Cody Rhodes
Kostas Lianos: Cody Rhodes
Bray Wyatt vs LA Knight (Pitch Black Match)
James Orr: LA Knight
Kostas Lianos: Bray Wyatt
RAW Women’s Champion Bianca Belair vs Alexa Bliss
James Orr: RAW Women's Champion Bianca Belair
Kostas Lianos: RAW Women's Champion Bianca Belair
Women’s Royal Rumble Match
James Orr: Becky Lynch
Kostas Lianos: Rhea Ripley
Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs Kevin Owens
James Orr: Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns
Kostas Lianos: Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns
- Kostas Lianos
Royal Rumble match order
Here's the Royal Rumble's full match order, as per Fightful:
Men’s Royal Rumble
Bray Wyatt vs LA Knight
RAW Women's Champion Bianca Belair vs Alexa Bliss
Women’s Royal Rumble Match
Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs Kevin Owens
- Kostas Lianos
Royal Rumble match card
Here's the full match card ahead of the Royal Rumble:
Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Kevin Owens
Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair battles Alexa Bliss
Men's and Women's Royal Rumble Matches
Bray Wyatt vs. LA Knight (Mountain Dew Pitch Black Match)
- Kostas Lianos
Good evening from Texas
Hello everyone, Kostas here, and welcome to SunSport’s live blog coverage of WWE’s Pay-Per-View megashow Royal Rumble at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
We are officially on the road to WrestleMania 39 and tonight we all find out who will challenge for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship as well as one of the women’s titles at the Showcase of the Immortals.
Just like every year, 30 men will go toe to toe for a place in the main event of WrestleMania – and there are some major names involved this year.
And of course, 30 women will also lock horns for a title opportunity against either the RAW Women’s Champion or SmackDown Women’s Champion.
Furthermore, Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns will put his title on the line against Kevin Owens.
This is the second time the two heavyweights face off at the Royal Rumble after Reigns beat Owens in a controversial Last Man Standing Match in 2021.
And RAW Women’s Champion Bianca Belair will defend her title against a new and improved Alexa Bliss.
Bliss is going back to her former dark persona after Bray Wyatt’s triumphant return to the company.
Wyatt will be in action for the first time since his comeback as he will take on LA Knight in a Pitch Black Match
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