The next pay-per-view (PPV) on the WWE schedule is the Royal Rumble event set to take place on Sun., Jan. 26, 2013, at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the company's annual beginning of the year showcase that will crown the next number one contender to the WWE world heavyweight championship.
We're now three weeks out from showtime and two matches on the card are official with one big rumor accompanying them.
- Royal Rumble
Card subject to change, of course, but if nothing else WWE has confirmed that this year's Rumble match will feature the traditional 30 participants. No entrants are official for the match at this time but with Batista's returning happening at the go home edition of Monday Night Raw on Jan. 20, it's almost a lock that he's in. Basically every other big name is expected.
- Randy Orton vs. John Cena
This match was made official just this past week, a rematch from their showdown at TLC. When announcing the bout, Stephanie McMahon remarked it would be "one fall to a finish" and that it must end "by pinfall or submission". We all remember what happened the last time The Authority promised no interference in the main event WWE world heavyweight championship match, but whatever, it's what we've got.
- Brock Lesnar vs. Mark Henry*
This is just a rumor as of right now but Lesnar returned on Raw just last week and declared himself the number one contender to the WWE world heavyweight title before daring anyone to dispute that. Henry answered the call and took a savage beating for it. That doesn't necessarily mean the two will work a match here but it was rumored before the beatdown, so we shall see.
That's it so far, Cagesiders. You buying?