10 Shocks WWE Could Pull At Royal Rumble 2023

5. Anyone Other Than Rhea Ripley Wins

WWE Royal Rumble 2023 Cody Rhodes
WWE.com

Listen (copyright Max Caster), Rhea Ripley should win the 2023 Royal Rumble.

She's ready to become the alpha female in this company after some infuriating missteps, and her confidence is at an all-time high. Plus, WWE's own booking on TV is pretty much screaming, 'RHEA IS GONNA WIN!' right at you every Monday on Raw.

So, it'd be a massive surprise if someone else won the 30-woman special instead. Dark horse picks like Bayley, Alexa Bliss (assuming she doesn't have a title match with Bianca Belair on the card already) and even Candice LeRae are all there. Becky Lynch would have to be considered a fave too - same with Ronda Rousey.

This isn't as cut and dried as some peeps out there might think it is. Again, Ripley should bag a Rumble win, point at the big neon 'Mania sign and then seize her destiny come the spring, but it's not nailed on. WWE loves pulling a swerve, y'know.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.