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WWE Royal Rumble 2024 preview with UK start time, surprise entrants and WrestleMania 40 implications-Alistair McGeorge-Entertainment – Metro
Everything you need to know before this weekend’s show.
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CM Punk makes his long awaited in-ring return at the Royal Rumble (Picture: WWE)
WWE Royal Rumble is almost here, and with it the beginning of the road to WrestleMania 40.
This weekend’s huge premium live event comes after an unprecedented week, which began with the news Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson has joined the board of directors of parent company TKO, as well as the announcement of a blockbuster Netflix deal.
However, the show will also take place 48 hours after allegations made against former owner Vince McMahon in a new lawsuit filed on January 25 by a former employee.
With the company under the creative guidance of Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque for much of the last 18 months and president Nick Khan handling office duties as WWE President, the show comes at a pivotal time for the company.
There have been hints The Rock could get back in the ring to face his cousin Roman Reigns, while the likes of Cody Rhodes and CM Punk have emerged as contenders in the men’s Rumble.
The show will also feature controversial YouTuber Logan Paul in action defending his United States Championship, and WWE’s WrestleMania direction will start to take shape.
Here’s everything you need to know.
When is WWE Royal Rumble 2024?
WWE Royal Rumble airs Saturday night (January 27) with all the action kicking off at 1am for fans in the UK.
How can you watch WWE Royal Rumble 2024?
The usual Kickoff preview show – which is available via the WWE Network, as well as WWE.com, the WWE app, X, Facebook, YouTube and Twitch – will start an hour before the main show at midnight.
For fans in the UK, you can tune into the main Royal Rumble event either live or on demand via the WWE Network, or by ordering the event on TNT Sports Box Office.
Next year, that will all change with WWE’s content shifting to Netflix in January 2025 as part of a massive $5 billion deal.
WWE Royal Rumble 2024 full match card
Men’s Royal Rumble: Confirmed entrants – Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, GUNTHER, Damian Priest, Shinsuke Nakamura, Bobby Lashley, Drew McIntyre, Chad Gable, Otis, Akira Tozawa, Kofi Kinston and 19 more
Women’s Royal Rumble: Confirmed entrants – Becky Lynch, Bayley, Bianca Belair, Nia Jax, Maxxine Dupri, Ivy Nile and 24 more
Undisputed WWE Universal Title: Roman Reigns (c) vs. LA Knight vs. Randy Orton vs. AJ Styles
United States Title: Logan Paul (c) vs. Kevin Owens
WWE Royal Rumble rules
The Royal Rumble is one of WWE’s most iconic matches (Picture: WWE)
Two superstars start the match
Every 90 seconds, a new superstar enters the bout
An entrant is eliminated by going over the top rope and both feet touching the floor
The last superstar standing is the Royal Rumble winner
WWE Royal Rumble predictions with Jade Cargill, CM Punk, Cody Rhodes and more
The Royal Rumble is one of the most unpredictable wrestling events of the year, with surprise entrants and rumours aplenty.
For the men’s match, there are no real firm reports on potential comebacks for the bout, although several stars are in the running to emerge victorious.
While CM Punk seems the favourite to win and take on Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40, the World Heavyweight Champion’s injury casts just a little doubt even though he’s expected to recover in time.
Seth Rollins and CM Punk has been rumoured for WrestleMania 40 (Picture: WWE)
Cody Rhodes is also an option as he looks to ‘finish the story’ be dethroning Roman Reigns, but The Rock may be waiting in the wings for the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion.
When it comes to the women’s Rumble, fans are desperate to see the likes of Sash Banks return, while it seems much more likely that former AEW star Jade Cargill will make her debut in the bout.
In terms of a winner, Becky Lynch has a ready-made bout with Rhea Ripley in the pipeline for ‘Mania, but a Bayley victory would be the catalyst to get her out of Damage CTRL and set up a showdown with Iyo Sky in April.
Kevin Owens and Logan Paul are on a collision course (Picture: WWE)
Elsewhere on the show, it seems likely that Logan Paul – who just put pen to paper on a WWE contract extension – will triumph over Kevin Owens, but the Prizefighter will push the YouTuber to his limits.
It seems unfathomable that Roman Reigns will lose his gold tonight, although nothing can ever be totally discounted in professional wrestling.
He’s got some worthy challengers in LA Knight, AJ Styles and Randy Orton, all who need a firm direction for WrestleMania coming out of this weekend.
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