Update on why WWE changed plans for Royal Rumble title match

A four-way match for the WWE Universal Championship at Royal Rumble 2024 was not the original plan.

On Friday’s SmackDown, Nick Aldis informed Paul Heyman that Roman Reigns will have to defend his title against LA Knight, Randy Orton, and AJ Styles on the PLE. 

Our own Dave Meltzer reported on Wrestling Observer Radio that a singles match between Reigns and Orton was the original plan but there was concern over beating Orton.

Meltzer said:

The original idea was Roman and Randy Orton for the Rumble and essentially there were parties involved who did not want to beat Randy Orton this early and just felt that there is money to be made with Roman and Randy Orton in a program at some point but it’s too soon to do it.

He continued

LA Knight just got beat and AJ isn’t strong enough. I think AJ was the guy that they probably would have wanted because Roman can beat him. 

I mean, I presume AJ is going to be the one who is going to lose. Maybe not, it could be LA. 

The basic gist is AJ gives them someone to beat, LA gives them someone to beat.