5 potential winners of the 2022 Men's Royal Rumble and who they could challenge
Royal Rumble matches are easily one of the most entertaining bouts of the year in WWE. Surprise entrants may be the most enthralling aspect of the match, but the winners often make for great stories to cap off the previous year, while introducing angles for the new.
They get to make their choice when it comes to the championship they challenge for on their way to headlining the Show of Shows a few months later. As the saying goes, the Royal Rumble really does kick off the Road to WrestleMania.
With the first of 2022's Big Four around the corner, let's take a look at five early picks to win the 2022 Men's Royal Rumble match. Of course, if you believe there is a more deserving candidate that should win, feel free to let us know in the comments section below.
#5. A babyface AJ Styles could win the Royal Rumble and challenge Roman Reigns
AJ Styles on Roman Reigns: “You can’t deny the fact that Roman Reigns is one of the biggest stars in WWE. He’s WWE. I mean, he’s the guy. So to get him back could be a big help.” [Irish Sun]
AJ Styles is phenomenal. It may be a catchphrase, but it is also quite literally true. He can pull off matches and moments that very few wrestlers in the entire world can. A career spanning four decades is testament to the greatness of this once-in-a-generation talent.
He created history in 2021 when he became the first ever wrestler to become both a WWE and TNA/IMPACT Wrestling Grand Slam Champion. He achieved the feat when he won the RAW Tag Team Championship from the New Day at WrestleMania 37, alongside his then-bodyguard Omos.
If it felt like they sped up the Omos & AJ Styles spilt, it’s because they did. Source says both superstars have significant plans in early 2022, and wanted any type of blow off program done prior to the major Rumble & Mania events.
This past week on RAW, Omos turned on Styles, seemingly turning The Phenomenal One face. It could be argued that this was the right time to split up the former champions.
This opens up both men to newer storylines and fresh opponents. Although he is headed to NXT at the moment, AJ Styles could go on to win the Royal Rumble as a singles competitor next month. He could then choose to challenge Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship.
Reigns may need credible babyface opponents once his feud with Brock Lesnar ends, and AJ Styles can cement his legacy in WWE by headlining a WrestleMania opposite The Tribal Chief.
This could well be the perfect opportunity for AJ Styles to remind the world why he is truly phenomenal.