WWE Royal Rumble 2018: Predicting The Quality Of All 6 Matches
4. AJ Styles Vs. Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn - WWE Heavyweight Title 2-On-1 Handicap Match
Any combination of these three men - untethered - is near enough a guarantee of superb in-ring wrestling action. The quality of this specific combination hinges entirely on the extent to which WWE opts to frame it as a story-driven sports entertainment spectacle.
Fanciful leaps in logic may be required. AJ Styles may absolutely dominate Kevin Owens in the early going to necessitate a tag, despite their competitive summer 2017 rivalry remaining fresh in the memory. Sami Zayn, perceived as the lesser of the two by management, is at risk of looking like a geek. Both men are at risk of looking inept, if WWE leans too heavily on the symbiotic nature of their relationship at the expense of established psychology. There is scope for good shenanigans - smarmy, hilarious heel antics from the beaming Kami double act; dissension between the two resulting in a tease of Sami's redemptive babyface arc...
There is as much scope for sh*tty shenanigans, the precedent for which exists in the same wider programme. "Kami", Randy Orton and Shinsuke Nakamura were all anonymous supporting players in the Clash of Champions semi-main. There's every chance this match masquerades as a match, instead existing as a platform to further the ongoing Shane McMahon feud. Still, with Shane on the fringe, and not in the stripes, we say see AJ Styles put forth another Phenomenal battling babyface performance. His desperate lunges at the Singh brothers really put over the urgent stakes of his WWE Title win over Jinder Mahal in November. This is a mode at which AJ excels.
He excels in virtually every mode - but even he was not immune to the worst of WWE blue-balls booking, struggling - naturally - to fashion something great from a wretched layout at Battleground '17.
Anticipated Star Rating: ***3/4