For the first time in its 30 years, 30 women will battle it out in the over-the-top rope challenge in a bid to secure a title shot at Wrestlemania 34 in April.
The rest, we imagine, will stay true to form, with plenty of madcap action, drama and trash talk.
Familiar faces including Randy Orton, John Cena and Shinsuke Nakamura will take part, while the women's battle will feature the likes of Sasha Banks, Sarah Logan and Paige.
Stephanie McMahon announces the first WWE women's Royal Rumble match (Image: © WWE)
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But when does Royal Rumble 2018 take place? Here's everything you need to know...
When is Royal Rumble 2018?
John Cena battles AJ Styles at Royal Rumble 2017 (Image: WWE)
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Three matches added to WWE Royal Rumble including surprise title bout
Make sure you keep this evening free. The main card starts at midnight (GMT) but the kickoff show gets under way at 10pm.
Where will Royal Rumble 2018 be held?
Reigning champ Randy Orton will take part in this year's Rumble (Image: WWE)
The action will take place inside the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
How can I watch Royal Rumble 2018 on TV and online?
The Royal Rumble is a pay-per-view event (Image: © WWE)
A pay-per-view event, Royal Rumble will be aired live on Sky Sports Box Office and the WWE Network.
You can either pay a one-off fee of £19.95 to watch the action on Sky Sports Box Office or subscribe to the WWE network for a monthly charge of £9.99 to live stream it.
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The kickoff show gets under way at 10pm - and the good news is that it's completely free to watch, for everyone.
It'll be streamed on wwe.com, the WWE app and WWE's Facebook and YouTube channels.
Who will compete at Royal Rumble 2018?
Big Show and Braun Strowman square off (Image: © WWE)
Confirmed to take part in the men's royal rumble are: John Cena, Finn Balor, Randy Orton, Shinsuke Nakamura, Elias, Baron Corbin, Matt Hardy, Bray Wyatt, Aiden English, Rusev, Titus O'Neil, Apollo Crews.
Confirmed for the women's Rumble are: Asuka, Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan, Sarah Logan, Sasha Banks, Nia Jax, Bayley, Naomi, Natalya, Sonya Deville, Mandy Rose, Mickie James, Tamina Snuka, Lana, Carmella, Becky Lynch, Dana Brooke, Alicia Fox.
This year's event will be historic, featuring 30 women (Image: © WWE)
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Elsewhere, the Universal Championship will be: Brock Lesnar vs Braun Strowman vs Kane.
The WWE Championship will be: AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn in a handicap match.
The Raw Tag Team Championship will be: Seth Rollins & Jason Jordan vs The Bar.
The SmackDown Tag Team Championship will be: The Usos vs Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin.
And there's a surprise match
(Image: © WWE)
Three explosive matches have been added to WWE's Royal Rumble event tonight including a surprise championship bout.
Raw's Universal Champion Brock Lesnar will defend his belt against Braun Strowman and the masked Kane in a triple threat encounter.
The odds are against SmackDown's WWE Champion when he faces Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn in a 2-on-1 handicap match.
Unlikely duo Seth Rollins and Jason Jordan put their Raw Tag Team Championship on the line against rivals Cesaro and Sheamus.
Meanwhile, Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin will challenge The Usos for their SmackDown tag team titles in a 2-out-of-3-falls match.
Who might compete at Royal Rumble 2018?
Roman Reigns could take on The Miz (Image: WWE)
Rumours are rife that Roman Reigns will take on The Miz in the Intercontinental Championship, while Bobby Roode may battle Dolph Ziggler in the United States Championship.
Sunday, 28 January 2018
Wednesday, 24 January 2018
WWE Royal Rumble: Matches, card, date, predictions, rumors, location 2018
The Royal Rumble will go down live from Philadelphia on Sunday, Jan. 28. It will be a four-hour show beginning at 7 p.m. ET with a kickoff going down two hours earlier at 5 p.m. ET. CBS Sports will be offering full coverage leading up to and during the Royal Rumble, so be sure to check back for more in the lead up to the big show.
2018 WWE Royal Rumble matches
Men's Royal Rumble: The 30-man, over-the-top-rope affair for a No. 1 contendership to a world title will go down as usual. It will likely serve as the main event of the show. Entrants (12/30): John Cena, Finn Balor, Randy Orton, Shinsuke Nakamura, Elias, Baron Corbin, Matt Hardy, Bray Wyatt, Aiden English, Rusev, Titus O'Neil, Apollo Crews
Women's Royal Rumble: For the first time, WWE will hold a women's rumble. It was announced Monday night that the event will include 30 participants just like the men's match. Entrants (18/30): Asuka, Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan, Sarah Logan, Sasha Banks, Nia Jax, Bayley, Naomi, Natalya, Sonya Deville, Mandy Rose, Mickie James, Tamina Snuka, Lana, Carmella, Becky Lynch, Dana Brooke, Alicia Fox
Universal Championship -- Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Braun Strowman vs. Kane: This match was formally made on Raw, and though it appears to be a mess of a booking, getting Lesnar and Strowman together in the ring is not normally a bad thing.
WWE Championship -- AJ Styles (c) vs. Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn (Handicap Match): Styles will defend against the team of Owens and Zayn in a match made by general manager Daniel Bryan, who took Styles' sarcastic suggestion that he fight the best friends seriously. Once again, this match will likely wind up being background fodder for the continued rivalry between the partial Bryan and hothead commissioner Shane McMahon.
Raw Tag Team Championship -- Seth Rollins & Jason Jordan (c) vs. The Bar: Sheamus & Cesaro finally get their title rematch at the Royal Rumble, though the Rollins/Jordan team looks to be together for a while and likely needs the championship in order for their program to make sense.
SmackDown Tag Team Championship -- The Usos (c) vs. Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin (2-of-3 Falls Match): The rematch to the rematch, this one should be the end of the feud (if The Usos retain) or just the start should we get new champions at the show.
Cruiserweight Championship -- Enzo Amore (c) vs. Cedric Alexander: It was Alexander who won the No. 1 contendership on Raw a couple weeks back, and he just beat Amore via countout.
2018 Royal Rumble predictions
The following matches are projections and have not been announced (yet).
Intercontinental Championship -- Roman Reigns (c) vs. The Miz: The current plan is for Reigns and Miz to fight at the Raw 25 show, which also serves as the go-home program before the Royal Rumble. Neither has officially entered himself into the Royal Rumble itself, which lends one to believe they will fight again at the PPV in a rematch, likely after The Miz wins the title on Raw.
United States Championship -- Bobby Roode (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler: Ziggler may (or may not) have relinquished the title, and Roode won the U.S. title tournament. I would not be surprised to see Ziggler demand a match on the show now that a new champion has been crowned.
2018 WWE Royal Rumble matches
Men's Royal Rumble: The 30-man, over-the-top-rope affair for a No. 1 contendership to a world title will go down as usual. It will likely serve as the main event of the show. Entrants (12/30): John Cena, Finn Balor, Randy Orton, Shinsuke Nakamura, Elias, Baron Corbin, Matt Hardy, Bray Wyatt, Aiden English, Rusev, Titus O'Neil, Apollo Crews
Women's Royal Rumble: For the first time, WWE will hold a women's rumble. It was announced Monday night that the event will include 30 participants just like the men's match. Entrants (18/30): Asuka, Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan, Sarah Logan, Sasha Banks, Nia Jax, Bayley, Naomi, Natalya, Sonya Deville, Mandy Rose, Mickie James, Tamina Snuka, Lana, Carmella, Becky Lynch, Dana Brooke, Alicia Fox
Universal Championship -- Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Braun Strowman vs. Kane: This match was formally made on Raw, and though it appears to be a mess of a booking, getting Lesnar and Strowman together in the ring is not normally a bad thing.
WWE Championship -- AJ Styles (c) vs. Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn (Handicap Match): Styles will defend against the team of Owens and Zayn in a match made by general manager Daniel Bryan, who took Styles' sarcastic suggestion that he fight the best friends seriously. Once again, this match will likely wind up being background fodder for the continued rivalry between the partial Bryan and hothead commissioner Shane McMahon.
Raw Tag Team Championship -- Seth Rollins & Jason Jordan (c) vs. The Bar: Sheamus & Cesaro finally get their title rematch at the Royal Rumble, though the Rollins/Jordan team looks to be together for a while and likely needs the championship in order for their program to make sense.
SmackDown Tag Team Championship -- The Usos (c) vs. Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin (2-of-3 Falls Match): The rematch to the rematch, this one should be the end of the feud (if The Usos retain) or just the start should we get new champions at the show.
Cruiserweight Championship -- Enzo Amore (c) vs. Cedric Alexander: It was Alexander who won the No. 1 contendership on Raw a couple weeks back, and he just beat Amore via countout.
2018 Royal Rumble predictions
The following matches are projections and have not been announced (yet).
Intercontinental Championship -- Roman Reigns (c) vs. The Miz: The current plan is for Reigns and Miz to fight at the Raw 25 show, which also serves as the go-home program before the Royal Rumble. Neither has officially entered himself into the Royal Rumble itself, which lends one to believe they will fight again at the PPV in a rematch, likely after The Miz wins the title on Raw.
United States Championship -- Bobby Roode (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler: Ziggler may (or may not) have relinquished the title, and Roode won the U.S. title tournament. I would not be surprised to see Ziggler demand a match on the show now that a new champion has been crowned.
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