WWE: Cody Rhodes to Becky Lynch? Ranking the early favourites for Royal Rumble 2023

WWE Royal Rumble 2023 is still seven months away. Yet, we rank the early favourites to win the tournament and head on to WrestleMania 39.

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The World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has its unique tradition of kicking off the opening month of the new year with a bang as it hosts the highly anticipated pay-per-view (PPV), the Royal Rumble. The year 2022 saw Brock Lesnar and Ronda Rousey win the event of the respective genders and headline WrestleMania 38. While the 2023 Rumble is still seven months away, the WWE has already reportedly started planning on the road ahead and is considering early favourites who could win the competition to punch their tickets to WrestleMania 39. While WWE is yet to finalise the date and venue for the Rumble, we present the early favourites to win it.

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According to BetOnline, as reported by Wrestling Inc, Cody Rhodes is being dubbed as the outright favourite to win the Rumble next year, with an odd of 5/4. The American Nightmare is currently out injured for around nine months, having suffered a pec injury and tearing his muscles in his arm. He has recently undergone surgery and is expected to be back in time for the Rumble.

Also, WWE would leave no stones unturned to make Rhodes win the Rumble, given his sensational return to WWE from All Elite Wrestling (AEW). At the same time, he is undoubtedly a fan-favourite and a true main-eventer who deserves to be a world champion. However, it will be interesting to see who remains the world champion.

Considering the women's Rumble, the longest-reigning Women's Champion, Becky Lynch, has been tipped as the ultimate favourite to win it next year. It is mainly because of her highly anticipated rematch with Ronda. Becky became the first woman to pin Ronda at WrestleMania 36 and won the RAW Women's Championship, which began her record reign.

However, Becky's win came on a controversial note, as her pin over Ronda was not a clean one. Although the latter returned at the Rumble this year, fans were astonished to see her not challenging the then-champion Becky and instead challenged the then-SmackDown Women's champion, Charlotte Flair. Thus, Becky's win at the Rumble next year makes all the sense, while Bayley (9/2) and Charlotte Flair (6/1) are the next favourites.