The space between Survivor Series and Royal Rumble on the WWE premium live event calendar is a welcome one, because with the holidays in-between those two shows, there’s less pressure for the company to race toward the next event. As a result, while the 2024 Royal Rumble in St. Petersburg is just seven weeks away, that’s actually a long time in WWE terms.
It should come as little surprise, then, that except for the two traditional Royal Rumble matches, nothing else has yet to be announced. WWE also has the luxury of not needing to do so to sell tickets given the hot streak it’s on with live attendances.
But you know what? That’s fine with us because it means a little more time for speculation and debate over which matches might end up on the card in St. Petersburg. It won’t be a lot, numerically speaking: the 2023 Rumble card had just five matches, and the 2022 edition six.
So with the help of the most recent Wrestling Observer newsletter (subscription required) as a guide, let’s take a look at what might end up on that show.
Roman Reigns vs. Randy Orton – Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match
This is one of those “makes too much sense not to happen” deals. Roman Reigns will be back for the Rumble after sitting out Survivor Series, and he needs a new challenger to hold him over until WrestleMania. Randy Orton is hot on the heels of his return, and was supposed to face Reigns in the second half of 2022 before he got injured.
The pieces are already falling into place. Orton has signed with SmackDown and has his sights set on The Bloodline. Reigns will be back on the show on Dec. 15. A Royal Rumble meeting feels very likely.
IYO SKY vs. Bianca Belair – WWE Women’s Championship match
The last two Royal Rumble shows have seen one of the top women’s titles defended, and this feels like the more likely one this time out. Bianca Belair has made it known she wants to be champion again, and has spearheaded the efforts to fight against Damage CTRL even as the group has grown larger.
The question is whether IYO SKY will be the leader of the faction as well as champ by the time January rolls around. And if she decides to give Bayley the boot, will that make her seem vulnerable and ripe for a title change?
Logan Paul vs. Kevin Owens (maybe) – WWE United States Championship match
Though Logan Paul defeated a legend in Rey Mysterio to claim his first singles gold in WWE, he could use a defense over a real threat to solidify his status as a worthy champion. That’s why the No. 1 contenders tourney, while somewhat silly in most cases when you can often get a title shot just by asking or beating up the champ, makes sense for him.
There’s no guarantee that Kevin Owens will win it, but that does feel like the direction WWE is hinting. It would be a good program, as beating KO at Royal Rumble would feel like a big deal for Paul, and Owens is so over that a loss really doesn’t hurt him at all.
Seth Rollins vs. Drew McIntyre – World Heavyweight Championship match
This matchup feels the least certain, and could definitely be the difference between five or six matches ending up on the card. Drew McIntyre is in the midst of some of his most interesting character work so far, unable to let go of the way The Bloodline hosed him out of a world title at Clash at the Castle (which was last year — huzzah for longform storytelling!) and blaming everyone but himself for the ripple effect it’s had on him.
Heck, Drew is even bitter he’s not on the Royal Rumble poster!
He’s already had one shot at Seth Rollins, but it’s also clear the Scottish Warrior isn’t done with him. Rollins could be headed toward a WrestleMania program with CM Punk, but a rematch with McIntyre at Royal Rumble would make sense with the way things are currently set up. If neither man announces for the Rumble match, this gets even more likely.
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