WWE Royal Rumble 2018: Preview and predictions

Here’s a preview and prediction for every match at the 2018 WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view event.

The 31st annual WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view is upon us as the superstars of Monday Night RAW and SmackDown Live converge on the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia to begin the road to WrestleMania 34, and there’s certainly plenty of action headed our way on Sunday night.

We won’t see either of the midcard titles defended on Sunday, but there are four title matches and two title chances to be determined as for the first time in WWE history, both the men and women will compete in Royal Rumble matches for a chance at a championship match in New Orleans at WrestleMania 34.

Originally, the Cruiserweight Championship was set to be defended, but with the release of Enzo Amore, that match has been scrapped and the fate of that title is up in the air right now. However, the show goes on and there’s plenty to get to so let’s get started with the SmackDown Tag Team Championship Match.

2-out-of-3 Falls SmackDown Tag Team Championship Match

The Usos (c) vs. Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin

The Usos come into 2018 after having one of the best feuds of 2017 with The New Day, but they have some new challengers to deal with as Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin get their shot at titles they feel they’ve already won. After beating The Usos on an episode of SmackDown Live in late December, Gable and Benjamin earned a title shot the following week in a multi-team match.

In that title match, Gable and Benjamin actually thought they had won the SmackDown Tag Team Championship. Unfortunately, they had pinned the wrong Uso, and the match was restarted, at which point The Usos were able to retain. Obviously upset, Gable and Benjamin had a confrontation with SmackDown Live General Manager Daniel Bryan and asked if they had to beat The Usos twice in one night to get what they think is rightfully theirs, which led Bryan to make the title match at the Royal Rumble a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match.

Prediction: If WWE is smart, they’ll kick off the Royal Rumble pay-per-view with this match. This has the potential to be very entertaining, especially with Chad Gable performing the way he is right now. Each team will obviously win a fall, setting up that drama for the finish. The Usos haven’t been able to have that WrestleMania moment yet, and I think they deserve to take the titles into New Orleans, so I’m going with them here.