WWE Royal Rumble 2022 WON'T Happen In January?!
Could WWE really be about to change the traditional 'Road To WrestleMania' schedule?
Surely not.
Fightful Select are reporting that WWE might decide to hold the annual Royal Rumble pay-per-view in February 2022 instead of the traditional January slot. That, if it happens, will mark the first time that the show has taken place in another month since it debuted on pay-per-view in 1989 (the 1988 show aired on USA Network).
It'd also totally change WWE's typical 'Road To WrestleMania' schedule. Traditionally, the Rumble winner(s) begin their build towards late-March/early-April's supershow immediately after winning the 30-man/woman matches.
That hype could start a little later than expected next year.
Fightful also claims that WWE hasn't decided on a host city for the Rumble quite yet - both St. Louis and Seattle are being considered, but nothing is nailed-on quite yet. This is a guess, but perhaps venue availability will have some bearing on whether or not the show happens in January or February.
One thing's for sure: WWE's long-term fans (at least some of them) will spit the dummy big time if the Rumble changes month. That Royal Rumble-WrestleMania format, with a pay-per-view or two sandwiched in between, has become oh-so-familiar over the years.