Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

WWE Royal Rumble 2021 Predictions for Biggest Raw, SmackDown Stars

Donald Wood

With the 2021 edition of the Royal Rumble pay-per-view scheduled for January 31, the WWE Universe has shifted its attention to predictions for the biggest Superstars on Raw and SmackDown.

In the men's Battle Royal, Daniel Bryan, "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt and Brock Lesnar are the early favorites, while Bayley, Charlotte and Bianca Belair are the most likely to earn a monumental victory on the women's side.

Here is what fans should expect from the biggest names on the red and blue brands.

Daniel Bryan

The first person to announce his entry into the men's Royal Rumble was Daniel Bryan, which is fitting since he is the Superstar most likely to walk away from the PPV as the No. 1 contender to the universal title at WrestleMania.

Despite seeing limited action over the past year, Bryan remains one of the most beloved Superstars on the roster and would be the perfect hero to go up against Roman Reigns and the Tribal Council he has formed around him.

As the ideal underdog, Bryan should enter the 30-man Battle Royal at No. 1 overall and nearly be thrown out of the ring by everyone but hold on long enough to pull out the victory and earn the right to challenge Reigns for the Universal Championship.

Bayley

In the women's Royal Rumble match, there will be an array of possible winners, but none would make the product more enjoyable on the Road to WrestleMania than Bayley.

During 2020, Bayley showed that her heel work on the mic was second to none in the division. With a guaranteed title shot at WWE's biggest show of the year, the annoying heel would become unbearable.

Add in the fact that Bayley could once again stalk Sasha Banks or set her sights on a possible brand change by focusing on the Raw women's champion, and she is the most interesting option to walk away victorious at the January PPV.

The Fiend

Ever since Randy Orton burned The Fiend alive at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs in December, Bray Wyatt has been missing.

While normal WWE storytelling would have the payoff to this angle be a giant egg, The Fiend has been booked almost perfectly since his debut in 2019, and an epic return at the Royal Rumble would create an iconic moment.

One of the best parts of the 30-man Battle Royal is the abundance of surprises. WWE should keep Wyatt off television throughout January and not mention him during the build to the event.

Orton should be one of the last men in the ring as the clock ticks down for the final entrant in the match. The lights should all begin to shut down and the arena should go dark, only for the lights to come back on to show The Fiend eliminate Orton before disappearing again.

Wyatt doesn’t need a Royal Rumble win, but he does need to create an unforgettable moment at the show.

Charlotte Flair

There will always be a contingent of WWE fans who think Charlotte Flair receives too much focus, but she is one of the most gifted athletes on the roster and one of the best talkers in the women's division.

At the Royal Rumble, the Queen should dominate once again and walk out victorious. After being on the shelf for several months, Charlotte has already provided a much-needed shot in the arm to Raw.

With a built-in feud against Asuka waiting on the Red brand and several marquee matchups possible on SmackDown, The Queen's victory would create a firestorm of speculation about whom she would challenge at WrestleMania.

Brock Lesnar

While it remains unclear what Brock Lesnar's WWE status is heading into the Royal Rumble, if he has re-signed with the company, the perfect opportunity for a surprise return would be the 2021 Royal Rumble.

Lesnar's dominance in last year's men's Royal Rumble made for an incredible match, but he should have his sights set on Drew McIntyre and the WWE Championship when he returns because of the lopsided loss he was handed last time he was in the ring.

After McIntyre disposes of Goldberg at the January PPV, Lesnar should win the main event Battle Royal. As The Beast is celebrating, McIntyre should make his way to the ring and set the tone for the Road to WrestleMania.

Bianca Belair

Based on talent alone, there is no better athlete in WWE's women's division than Bianca Belair, and she deserves a breakout performance. If the company wants to push create a new star, the EST should be victorious.

Belair would instantaneously gain credibility with the casual wrestling fans who didn't have the chance to fall in love with her skillset on NXT. In addition, she would become a viable championship threat and a desirable challenger for both the Raw and SmackDown champions.

Whether or not she wins the match, Belair should dominate the women's Royal Rumble like she did last year by eliminating at least nine women and proving her ability. At some point, WWE has to pull the trigger on making this star into a Superstar.

                     

For more wrestling talk, listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot topics (some language NSFW).

   

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