The Royal Rumble Premium Live Event is one of the WWE's big four events of the year, alongside SummerSlam, Survivor Series, and WrestleMania. Although the show is a huge marquee event in itself, it also kicks off the 'Mania season, and is seen by the fans as the beginning of the most fun weeks of the year in terms of the huge angles and major names appearing.
While the event gathers the fans' attention just by advertising the two annual Royal Rumbles, the overall card matters just as much in the end. Here are a few bouts Triple H should consider for the 2023 iteration of the spectacle.
9 Pitch Black Match: Bray Wyatt Vs L.A. Knight
Out of all the matches on the list, this is the one most likely to happen on the PLE as WWE is currently advertising an intriguing Pitch Black Match for the Texas show.
While Bray Wyatt's return has not been the best, it certainly has been having a slow build up to what will probably a huge turning point in his story. With the former Fiend currently in a feud with L.A. Knight, a match between the two in complete darkness can be the catalyst to the next chapter fans want Wyatt's story to go in to.
8 Damage CTRL (c) Vs Meiko Satomura & Sarray - WWE Women's Tag Team Championship
IYO SKY and Dakota Kai have been the women's tag team champions for what has been the majority of their time on the main roster. However, their reigns with the tag titles have been un-eventful to say the least. This is not to the fault of their own as the main roster severely lacks in tag teams.
In order to showcase the deep NXT Women's Division at the PLE, Triple H should bring over Meiko Satomura and Sarray from the Gold brand and have them challenge for the titles. Not only will this give the current champions a strong title defense, but also provide Satomura and Sarray with something prominent to do since the closure of NXT UK.
7 Bronson Reed Vs Johnny Gargano
Bronson Reed made his surprise return to WWE recently when he helped the Miz win his ladder match against Dexter Lumis on the December 19, 2022, episode of Raw. With Lumis being on-screen paired with Johnny Gargano, the former NXT Champion going after Reed seems in the realm of possibility.
Unfortunately, Johnny Gargano hasn't been having the best time on the main roster due to the lack of serious feuds. This can be changed with the help of a heated rivalry with the recent main roster debutant. Gargano is an excellent in-ring performer and Reed is just coming off from a run of his life in the G1 Climax, hence the two stars can easily have a TakeOver level bout at Royal Rumble and set the tone for the Road to WrestleMania.
6 Goldberg Squash Match
While a Goldberg match at a premium live event will not be the most exciting prospect to wrestling fans in 2023, it certainly can be a great one if booked the right way.
Ever since the introduction of the Women's Rumble, any match which has followed the first Rumble bout of the night has suffered due to the crowd being already drained out. This is because fans aren't just into cheering for in-ring action after watching an hour-long spectacle. A Goldberg squash match, similar to his match with Dolph Ziggler at SummerSlam 2019 can be the perfect solution to this problem. The former Universal Champion popping up to have a brief showcase with someone like Chad Gable will certainly get the crowd going again and maintain the event's flow.
5 The Usos (c) Vs The O.C - WWE Undisputed Tag Team Championship
With every changing day, it feels as if the record longest reigning tag team championship reign of Jimmy and Jey Uso is coming to an end as them losing to Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens at Mania seem like the possible end goal.
However, the champs are currently facing the issue of lack of credible challengers as their seems to be no one for them to feud with. Triple H can change this by having Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson challenge for the belts at the Rumble. The two teams have a long history and can put on a much-needed high impact fight for the tag straps.
4 Brock Lesnar Vs Bobby Lashley
To say that things between Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley have not been resolved might be an understatement. Following the vicious beat down the Beast Incarnate had to face from the hands of Lashley following their bout at Crown Jewel this fall is a clear indication that a rematch is on its way.
As per reports, the current plan for WrestleMania involves a mouthwatering clash between Gunther and Brock Lesnar. So in case that is indeed the plan WWE is going with, it might be the best to get Lesnar's current ongoing feud out of the way before Mania which makes Lesnar versus Lashley perfect for the January PLE.
3 Gunther (c) vs Drew McIntyre - Intercontinental Championship
Speaking of the rumored Lesnar versus Gunther bout at Mania, WWE creative will probably look to getting the Intercontinental title strap off the current champion in order to free him for the upcoming major feud.
There is absolutely no denying that Gunther has been a fantastic Intercontinental Champion and hence the one to dethrone him should be someone just as good as him. This makes McIntyre the perfect candidate to do so as he matches the star formerly known as Walter in terms of both size and speed, and hence can bring a believable end to the amazing title reign.
2 Roman Reigns (c) Vs Sheamus Vs Kevin Owens - Universal Championship
With Royal Rumble officially kicking off the Road to WrestleMania, there is a huge possibility that the PLE is Reigns' final title defense before the show of shows. Hence, the company should try to tighten as many loose ends as possible before the tribal chief goes toe-to-toe with the likes of either The Rock or Cody Rhodes.
While Kevin Owens being involved in the title picture seems like a given due to his involvement in the Sami Zayn arc, Sheamus need to be involved too. Sheamus has emerged as a big time baby face since his feud with Gunther during the summer, and felt like the biggest threat to Reigns at the War Games match. This, and his deep history with the champion, makes him a vital candidate to be put in the bout.
1 Men's Royal Rumble Match - WWE Championship
While a Men's Royal Rumble Match is a given, perhaps Hunter should spice it up even more by the addition of the new stake of having the WWE Championship up for grabs in the historic bout.
With Mania arriving, there seems to be too many top guys who should be challenging for the belt, and with The Rock vs Roman seeming like a major possibility for the show, it might be best to separate Reigns' two belts. A situation where Reigns crosses the line with Adam Pearce or Hunter himself causing this to be his punishment seems like the most logical booking decision to make.