6 Favorites for the Women's Royal Rumble following Survivor Series: WarGames
With Survivor Series: WarGames being the last Premium Live Event before Royal Rumble, some angles have become clearer.
Damage CTRL, despite being built as unstoppable leading up to WarGames, lost to the team of super faces. There was no way a team featuring Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair, and Charlotte Flair would lose.
Bayley suffered the pin after starting the match for her team. Even after saving her team from losing several times, she may be on the outside looking in rather quickly. Rhea Ripley also dispatched Zoey Stark at the show.
Mami was last year's winner but isn't a favorite to win this year's match. Following Survivor Series: WarGames, the following six women should be considered favorites to win the 2024 Women's Royal Rumble.
#6 Charlotte Flair rarely hovers below the title scene
Since the women's match has been around since 2018, many of the favorites are former winners. Any woman who has previously won the match can win again in 2024.
Flair's name is always in the conversation whenever a win is discussed. She is the female Roman Reigns, as she is heavily protected and rarely loses. Her history in Royal Rumbles is also Reigns-like, making the final three in all four of her Rumble appearances. She was one of the last two competitors three times.
The dynamics wouldn't work if she won again since she lost to Ripley at last year's WrestleMania. She's also recently had a few shots at IYO SKY. Despite those situations, WWE always wants her in a title match at The Show of Shows, so another win is possible.
#5 Raquel Rodriguez never got a fair match with Rhea Ripley
Rodriguez has slowly been built up as a future women's champion. She has fallen short in title pursuits thus far but has held her own in each of those title contests. Against Ripley, Nia Jax's interference prevented Rodriguez from winning singles gold on the main roster.
Due to the attention around her signing, some may feel that Jade Cargill could be a favorite to win the Royal Rumble. She has an intriguing future but is not WWE-ready to win the Royal Rumble ahead of some other stars. Rodriguez would be one of them.
She has a history with IYO SKY, who she beat for the NXT Women's Title and Ripley. Getting another crack at Mami could catapult Rodriguez further up the division.
#4 Nia Jax is always a favorite to win the Royal Rumble
Stars like the Big Show, Bronson Reed, Nia Jax, and Piper Niven are always billed as favorites due to their size. None have won a Royal Rumble match.
Jax is usually eliminated by several other stars due to her size. She also often has a string of eliminations before being tossed from the Rumble.
While her odds might be below those of some other former champions (Flair, Lynch, Belair), the Irresistible Force could finally get the win. Since returning, she has yet to square off with Rhea Ripley, and Jax is clearly looking for gold.
#3 Bianca Belair has been in the title picture for the last three years
The following two women would be worthy challenges for Rhea Ripley, and they are usually in title matches at The Show of Shows.
The EST of WWE has challenged for or defended a championship at the last three WrestleManias. She has replaced Sasha Banks and continues to be booked like a super-face.
She won the Royal Rumble in 2021, so it would be nice for someone new to win the match. Belair, Flair, and Lynch don't always have to be in title matches, but the possibility of any grabbing a second win is still high.
#2 Becky Lynch has had passing moments with Rhea Ripley
If someone is to become the first two-time female winner of the Royal Rumble, it should be Lynch. Unlike Flair and Belair, she has been able to operate in angles outside of the title picture. In one feud, she battled Trish Stratus.
However, when she is a champion, she helps elevate the likes of Tegan Nox, Xia Li, and Lyra Valkyria (while NXT Women's Champion). Lynch would be a sensible challenger for either SKY or Ripley should both women still be champions come April. The Man is also one of the most popular stars in all of wrestling.
Like Flair and Belair, WWE prefers to book Lynch in championship matches at WrestleMania. She could earn a spot again in the Royal Rumble, especially with a contract that expires in June 2024.
#1 Bayley could become a face after WarGames
Bayley might be kissing her friends in Damage CTRL goodbye after WarGames. Despite a spirited effort from start to finish, Bayley took the pinfall loss for her team even after saving the match by breaking up other pinning attempts.
She initially formed the group and brought them to WWE but hasn't been on the same page with them for months. That was never more apparent as Kairi Sane and Asuka joined the group without her knowledge.
As she continues to be outside looking in, it feels like a face turn is in the cards for Bayley. That would be a good change since she's been a heel for the last three years. She hasn't won a Royal Rumble, and taking the title from SKY at WrestleMania would be a fitting moment for the former Hugger.