WWE Royal Rumble 2017: Ranking 10 Most Likely Winners
1. John Cena
Love it or hate it, the stage has been set - San Antonio is the perfect place for John Cena to claim his third Royal Rumble victory.
This Sunday, Cena (and Dean Ambrose) will challenge AJ Styles for the WWE World Championship, a bout that's partially built around the fact that, if Cena wins, he'll tie Ric Flair's record of 16 career world titles. Cena has done a great job of building up that aspect of the match, cutting passionate, real-feeling promos about how that record is something he's never spoken about, but which is very important to him.
The thing is, Cena's not going to win at No Mercy. He'll lose, then take some time off to film season two of American Grit. That'll bring him back to TV in late December or early January, just enough time for him to be strongly pushed as a contender for Royal Rumble victory. Once again, talk will turn to the possibility of his tying Flair's record.
A Royal Rumble win (which, it should be noted, would tie Steve Austin's record of three victories in the match) could set Cena up for a one-on-one contest with Styles at WrestleMania 33. Not only would that bout be a classic, but it would cap off a nearly year-long story.
Who needs The Undertaker?