Dave Meltzer talks change in Royal Rumble main event plans on WOR
It doesn’t appear that Brock Lesnar vs. Finn Balor will be happening at the Royal Rumble.
Dave Meltzer noted on Wrestling Observer Radio last night that Lesnar vs. Balor for the Universal Championship was originally scheduled for the pay-per-view, but WWE changed their plans yesterday as they decided to move away from that match. Meltzer mentioned that Vince McMahon thinking Balor wasn’t over enough to face Lesnar right now was one of the reasons behind the decision.
Meltzer also speculated that McMahon may have made up his mind prior to the official change of plans given how Balor was positioned in the men’s elimination tag match at Survivor Series. It isn’t clear who will be challenging for Lesnar’s title at the Royal Rumble at this point in time.
Balor lost to Samoa Joe by referee stoppage due to passing out in the Coquina Clutch on Monday’s episode of Raw. After defeating AJ Styles at TLC, Balor lost to Kane on Raw the next night and was laid out by him the following week. The idea was apparently to build Balor back up prior to the Royal Rumble.
Royal Rumble 2018 will take place at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on January 28th. The challenger for either the Universal or WWE Championship at WrestleMania 34 will be decided then, with Roman Reigns tentatively scheduled to challenge for Lesnar’s title in New Orleans.
Subscribers can listen to last night’s WOR with Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez recapping Raw below: