Snap Stories

Everyone may be focused on the winter holiday season right now, but the WWE Universe has already turned its attention to January and the 2023 Royal Rumble.

With wrestling fans anticipating shocking returns and memorable moments created in the always-hectic 30-person Battle Royals, speculation is running rampant about how the Road to WrestleMania 39 will kick off.

Here are three bold early predictions for the 2023 Royal Rumble.

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Roman Reigns Fighting a War on Multiple Fronts

WrestleMania 39 is setting up to be a major showcase for Roman Reigns. If Dave Meltzer's report that WWE has discussed having Reigns wrestle both nights of the show against Cody Rhodes and Dwayne Johnson are true, then the Royal Rumble is shaping up to be a wild night.

One way to ensure the two matches occur would be to have both Rhodes and The Rock enter the 30-man Battle Royal. With Reigns perched at ringside scoping his competition to start the match, this will be the perfect start to the Road to WrestleMania.

The crowd will be in a frenzy to start the bout seeing Reigns sitting ringside, and they will explode when the first theme that hits the Titantron is for The Rock. After a triumphant return entrance and a short back-and-forth with a veteran like Dolph Ziggler, he should quickly stand alone in the ring before the next entrant is announced and stare down the world champion.

Reigns should immediately jump on the apron and shake his cousin's hand, pulling him over the top rope and eliminating him from the match. The two men would brawl to the back as the third entrant in the Battle Royal is announced; Cody Rhodes.

In poetic fashion, Rhodes would return from his torn pectoral muscle and run the table against every challenger put in front of him. After an absolute war, Rhodes should last eliminate Seth Rollins and earn his chance to challenge for Reigns' world title.

The WWE Universe would be far more interested in the Road to WrestleMania if Reigns were fighting two major battles on opposing fronts.

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Sasha Banks Wins the Weekend

With Sasha Banks scheduled to attend New Japan Pro Wrestling's Wrestle Kingdom 17 in January, speculation has run rampant that she could be done with WWE. What better way to make wrestling fans think she won't be in the Royal Rumble than allowing Banks to fulfill her dreams in Japan before returning?

Banks is one of the most talented female performers in the wrestling business, and she continues to generate interest from the WWE Universe and beyond about where she will show up next. The excitement level for her Wrestle Kingdom appearance is already through the roof, but her January could be truly historic.

Triple H and Company have struck a deal with Karl Anderson to work with New Japan in the coming months, so Banks could still be working with WWE behind the scenes and taking advantage of new freedoms afforded her by the new regime.

By pitting the Internet Wrestling Community against itself with a NJPW appearance and a lack of clarity about her wrestling status, a surprise return in the women's Battle Royal would have the WWE Universe in a frenzy.

And if Banks enters the 30-woman Royal Rumble after making so many waves since her departure without ever stepping into a ring, she would undoubtedly win the whole thing and challenge for a top title at WrestleMania.

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Sami Zayn Eliminates The Bloodline

One of the best storylines in all of wrestling over the last year has been Sami Zayn earning the trust of The Bloodline. With even Roman Reigns believing in the former NXT champion, WWE must capitalize on Zayn's status right now with a huge moment at Royal Rumble.

The subtle face turn has already started for Zayn, and a full-blown turn should come after he enters the 30-man Battle Royal and one-by-one eliminates every member of the Bloodline involved in the match.

The problem will come after he is eliminated and has to explain to Reigns and the boys why he went into business for himself. With everything predicted above with The Rock and Rhodes creating extra work for Reigns, the Bloodline will turn on Zayn and leave him decimated in the ring for his actions.

Once Zayn hits his lowest point and bares his soul about losing his friends, Kevin Owens should come to his side and the duo should dismantle The Bloodline. At WrestleMania, it can start with Owens and Zayn stealing the tag team titles from The Usos.

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Many of the nation's elite high school football players in the Class of 2023 are already committed to a college football program. However, there are many who have yet to make an official decision.

The three-day college football early-signing period is slated to begin Wednesday, Dec. 21 and will run through Friday, Dec. 23. This gives the nation's top recruits the chance to commit to a program before the traditional signing day in February.

Of course, for many recruits, this is their chance to sign their national letters of intent to schools they've already chosen. However, some players could flip their commitments, and it will be exciting to see where undecided players land.

With that said, here's a look at predictions for some of the nation's top recruits entering the early-signing period.

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5-Star EDGE Matayo Uiagalelei Will Commit to Ohio State

EDGE Matayo Uiagalelei, the brother of former 5-star quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei, listed Ohio State, USC and Oregon as his top three schools earlier this month.

At one point, it appeared USC had the edge on Ohio State and Oregon, but Chad Simmons of On3.com reported Dec. 15 that Uiagalelei's visit with Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day went well and that he believes they are in a prime position to land him.

If Ohio State lands a commitment from Uiagalelei, he will be the second 5-star recruit to commit to the Buckeyes 2023 class, joining wide receiver Brandon Inniss. The Buckeyes also have more than a dozen commitments from 4-star recruits.

Uiagalelei is 6'5", 265 pounds and is a native of Bellflower, California. He played his high school football at St. John Bosco and is the fifth-best EDGE in the nation, per 247Sports composite rankings.

Additionally, 247Sports has Uiagalelei as the fourth-best prospect out of California and the 31st-ranked recruit in the nation.

247Sports national recruiting analyst Chris Singletary wrote of Uiagalelei:

"This top-notch edge has unique athleticism for someone his size. Possessing excellent agility, change of direction, bend and power makes him one of the best players in the country. He is light on his feet and plays with very good power and technique on the edge and in the run game, with room to continue to develop and improve. As a pass-rusher, he does a good job using speed to power as well as having a good dip-and-rip move and always using active hands to prevent lineman from latching on to him."

Landing a commitment from Uiagalelei would be huge for Day and his staff.

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Georgia Bolsters Defense with Commitment from 4-Star DL Jordan Hall

Defensive lineman Jordan Hall set his commitment date for Dec. 22 at 2:30 p.m. ET, and the 4-star recruit listed LSU, Alabama, Georgia and Florida as his top-four schools.

However, Hall is expected to land with the Georgia Bulldogs, according to expert predictions from 247Sports. If he commits to Georgia, he would join 4-star defensive tackle Jamaal Jarrett as the team's only defensive-line commitments in the 2023 class.

Hall is 6'4", 300 pounds and is a native of Jacksonville, Florida. He played his high school football at Westside and is the ninth-best defensive lineman in the nation, per 247Sports composite rankings.

Additionally, Hall is the 16th-best prospect out of Florida and the 73rd-ranked recruit nationally.

247Sports Southeast recruiting analyst Andrew Ivins said of Hall:

"By far one of the most promising prospects to ever come out of Jacksonville Westside. Looks like a man amongst boys next to his teammates when down in a three or four-point stance. Shoots his way into the backfield with a quick first step. Does a nice job of shifting his weight as he works east-west and has shown that he can squeeze his way through gaps to make a stop. Wins more times than not on Friday nights by simply overwhelming opposing blockers with his sheer mass and power. However, has also shown that he can get after the quarterback by untitling a well-timed spin move. Can displace obstacles with a stiff long arm, as well."

If Georgia can land a commitment from Hall, the defensive line will be in good hands for years to come.

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5-Star CB Desmond Ricks Commits to LSU

Cornerback Desmond Ricks listed Alabama, Florida and LSU in his top three in early November, and the 5-star CB has set Dec. 22 as his commitment date.

While Alabama and Florida have heavily recruited Ricks, the LSU Tigers are favored to land him, according to expert predictions from 247Sports. If he commits to LSU, he would join Zalance Heard as the second 5-star recruit in the program's 2023 class.

LSU has developed some top-notch cornerbacks over the years—Morris Claiborne, Tyrann Mathieu, Derek Stingley Jr. and Patrick Peterson, to name a few—so it wouldn't be surprising to see Ricks commit to the Tigers.

Ricks is 6'1", 170 pounds and is a native of Bradenton, Florida. He played his high school football at IMG Academy and is the No. 2 ranked cornerback in the nation, per 247Sports composite rankings.

Additionally, Ricks is the No. 6 recruit out of Florida and the No. 23-ranked prospect in the country.

247Sports Southeast recruiting analyst Andrew Ivins said of Ricks:

"What everyone seems to be looking for these days in an outside cornerback prospect. Tall, fast, explosive and physical. Put together a standout youth football career up in Virginia before moving down to Florida and transferring into the national powerhouse that is IMG Academy for his final two years of high school. Was initially a member of the 2024 recruiting cycle, but reclassified to the class of 2023 in October of 2022 shortly after he turned 18 years old. Can run–and more importantly–find the football, which is an important skill to have in an era where most offensive coordinators want to stretch the field."

Even if LSU doesn't land Ricks, the program has already received commitments from 4-star cornerbacks Javien Toviano and Daylen Austin, so the Tigers will be in good hands regardless.

Brittney Griner is planning on returning to the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury next season.

She announced Friday on Instagram she intends to play for the team in 2023 after returning to the United States following a 10-month stint under detention in Russia.

Words directly from BG via her Instagram “ I intend to play basketball for the @WNBA’s @PhoenixMercury this season & …look forward to saying ‘thank you’ …in person” #WeAreBG pic.twitter.com/HmzPyeT08w

— Arielle (Ari) Chambers (@ariivory) December 16, 2022

Griner also wrote she was "grateful to each person who advocated for me," including her wife, Cherrelle.

President Joe Biden announced on Dec. 8 that Griner was on her way back to the United States after the Russian government agreed to a prisoner swap.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert issued the following statement regarding Brittney Griner: pic.twitter.com/Kynxlg3PZV

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) December 8, 2022

A Russian court sentenced Griner to nine years in prison on a drug charge in August. She was originally arrested in February for bringing vape cartridges containing cannabis oil into the country.

Maria Blagovolina and Alexander Boykov, Griner's attorneys, announced on Nov. 17 she had been transferred to a Russian penal colony.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said during an Aug. 1 press briefing that Russia wasn't negotiating in good faith when the two sides were discussing a prisoner swap that would bring Griner back to the U.S.

Griner was in Russia playing for UMMC Ekaterinburg of the Russian Premier League. She has played for the club since 2014 between WNBA seasons.

The 32-year-old has spent her entire WNBA career with the Mercury since being drafted No. 1 overall by the club in 2013. She has been named to the All-Star team eight times, led the league in blocks eight times, won two scoring titles and led Phoenix to a title in 2014.

Phoenix will open the 2023 season on May 19 against the Los Angeles Sparks at Crypto.com Arena.

Philadelphia 76ers All-Star guard James Harden gave some insight into why things didn't work out between him and the Brooklyn Nets.

Speaking to Yaron Weitzman of Fox Sports, Harden suggested that he struggled to adapt to a lack of structure within the team: "I don't mean to, like, just down talk to anybody or whatever. It was just, there was no structure and even superstars, they need structure. That's what allows us to be the best players and leaders for our respective organizations."

Harden was traded from the Houston Rockets to the Nets early in the 2020-21 season, with Brooklyn hoping he would be able to form a superteam with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

Instead, injuries and inconsistency led to a second-round playoff exit for the Nets that year, and Harden was then traded to the Sixers just prior to the deadline last season for a package headlined by guard Ben Simmons.

Following the trade, the Nets continued to struggle and were swept out of the first round of the playoffs by the Boston Celtics, while Harden and the Sixers lost to the Miami Heat in the second round.

The Nets were on the brink of collapse during the offseason when Durant requested a trade and Irving had the right to opt out of the final year of his contract, but both decided to return for the 2022-23 campaign, and it has worked out well for Brooklyn to the tune of a 17-12 record.

Harden referenced Durant's trade request in the interview with Weitzman, perhaps suggesting that issues within the organization prompted KD to want to leave as well:

"I just feel like, internally, things weren't what I expected when I was trying to get traded there. I think everybody knows that. And I knew people were going to talk and say, 'You quit' and all that stuff, but then the following summer, the other superstar there [Durant] wanted to leave. So it's like: Am I still the quitter?"

A perceived lack of structure may have fallen on the shoulders of head coach Steve Nash, who was given the job in 2020 despite having no previous coaching experience.

The hope was that the two-time NBA MVP would be able to communicate well with star players like Durant, Irving and eventually Harden, but the experiment didn't work out, and Nash was fired in November and replaced by Jacque Vaughn.

While the Nets seem to be finding their stride, there are still major question marks surrounding the Sixers.

Despite being viewed as a top contender in the Eastern Conference entering the season, the 76ers are just 15-12, placing them fifth in the East.

Games missed by key players like Harden, Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid have undoubtedly played a role in Philly not playing to its potential, but it is also fair to wonder if Doc Rivers is the right answer at head coach.

Although Rivers is an NBA champion head coach who has rarely been accused of lacking structure, Harden may be running into some similar issues to those he experienced with the Nets under Nash.

After being elevated to the No. 2 quarterback spot earlier this week, Zach Wilson will start for the New York Jets on Sunday.

Head coach Robert Saleh announced on Friday that Mike White won't be available against the Detroit Lions. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Jets doctors won't clear White to play following the rib injury he suffered in Week 14 against the Buffalo Bills.

White later told reporters he was diagnosed with a fractured rib.

Saleh announced on Wednesday that Wilson was being moved up the depth chart. He was inactive for the previous three games, with Joe Flacco serving as White's backup during that stretch.

Wilson was benched following a disastrous Week 11 outing against the New England Patriots. The 23-year-old went 9-of-22 for 77 yards in a 10-3 loss.

SNY.tv's Connor Hughes reported after the Patriots game that Wilson's demeanor rubbed some of his teammates the wrong way because he was walking around the locker room "like he isn't the problem."

.@Connor_J_Hughes: "Do you feel like you let the defense down at all?"

Zach Wilson: "No." pic.twitter.com/tiJiTSrFPE

— Jets Videos (@snyjets) November 20, 2022

Saleh expressed confidence in Wilson's ability to figure things out after naming him the starter for Sunday's game.

"He's the same quarterback that once went 18 for 18 in a bowl game," the Jets coach said.

White threw for 952 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions in the past three games as the starting quarterback.

The Jets succeeded with Wilson as their starter this season, despite his struggles. They are 5-2 in seven games with him under center. He is only completing 55.6 percent of his attempts with four touchdowns and five interceptions.

Wilson moves back into the starting role as the Jets are fighting for a playoff spot. They are tied in the standings with the Patriots and Los Angeles Chargers at 7-6, but both teams are ahead of them based on tiebreakers.

New York is hosting a Lions team that has won five of their last six games.

James Harden is in a good place right now, but the former NBA MVP was emotionally and physically drained from the previous two seasons.

Speaking to Yaron Weitzman of Fox Sports, Harden called the past two years "a low point" in his career.

"I've never really had to deal with something like that," he added. "My body, mentally, physically … It was a lot going on. I mean, basketball is everything to me."

One of Harden's friends told Yeitzman the 10-time All-Star was "broken" after the Philadelphia 76ers' playoff loss to the Miami Heat.

Harden was acquired by the Sixers in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets prior to the trade deadline. There was hope that pairing him with Joel Embiid would give Philadelphia a spark to advance past the second round of the postseason for the first time since reaching the NBA Finals during the 2000-01 season.

Instead, the loss to Miami became the latest in a long line of playoff disappointments for Harden. He only scored 11 points and took nine shots in a 99-90 loss in Game 6 that clinched the series for the Heat.

The previous two seasons were certainly a whirlwind for Harden. He began the 2020-21 campaign asking for a trade from the Houston Rockets, but it took them until three weeks into the regular season to deal him to the Nets in a four-team deal.

Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were expected to be one of the most dynamic trios in the NBA. They were only able to play in 16 games together because of injuries and health and safety protocols.

A hamstring injury kept Harden out for three games in the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Milwaukee Bucks. He attempted to play through the issue, but he only averaged 14.3 points on 30.6 percent shooting in the final three games of the series for the Nets.

Things took a turn for the Nets last season, with Harden and Irving not seeing eye to eye on things. The 33-year-old ultimately wound up in Philadelphia, reuniting with Daryl Morey after their time together with the Rockets.

The 76ers re-signed Harden on a two-year, $68.6 million contract during the offseason.

Harden is still rounding into form after missing 14 games with a tendon strain in his right foot. He is averaging 22.1 points, 10.8 assists and 6.7 rebounds per game in 13 starts. The star point guard has posted double-doubles in each of his past three games.