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TLC got messed up, period! WWE will be looking to shift gears for their next pay-per-view outing which will also kick off the road to WrestleMania.Due to the tradition it carries, there is a lot of pressure on the company to make look Royal Rumble good and unlike the last outing where a developmental show outclassed an actual WWE PPV, the margin for error is nil.Stars will be born and some others will fall when the show finally goes down and though it might be a bit too early to imagine how the match card would turn out to be, here is a look at the possible path that WWE would take for Royal Rumble.
#7 Nikki Bella vs. Natalya (Divas Championship)
Personally, I would like to see Paige as the next challenger for Divas Championship but since its Vince McMahon who runs WWE, we might have to settle for Natalya or someone else other than AJ Lee.
AJ working against Nikki for the Divas title at Royal Rumble is unlikely due to the matches they’ve already had. The company needs to find someone different for the scenario and Natalya is the favorite since she is having a jealousy angle involving Tyson Kidd.
There is a lot of potential in the Natalya – Kidd angle and incorporating it into the Divas title and letting AJ take a breather would work wonders. They could then pit the idea of Nikki vs. AJ for WrestleMania where the divas could have a solid match.
#6 New Day vs. Miz and Mizdow (Tag Team Championship match)
The tag team championship title defense at TLC ended up being a disappointment thanks to the botched ending that it had. Miz had to take the easy route out of the match and if WWE is going to booking the championship matches in pay-per-views like this, then they are going to have a lot of trouble.
With that said, having another Usos vs. Miz and Mizdow match at Royal Rumble is unlikely. Throwing in more teams into the scenario is also out of the possibility list since they pulled off that trick only recently.
So the best choice that WWE has in their hands is to make New Day the new no.1 contenders. The trio got a good win at TLC and looks set to climb the ladder. A title change at Rumble would be ideal and hopefully WWE will start the Miz – Mizdow feud as well.
#5 Big Show vs. Roman Reigns
Reigns is surely heading into the Royal Rumble match as a favourite, but the company might make him pull off double duty on the pay-per-view to make him look extra strong before WrestleMania.
Show tried to play foul party at TLC when he interfered in the match between John Cena and Seth Rollins. However, a timely save from Reigns let Cena win the match while it also served the purpose of the surprise return.
Earlier that night, Show got a win over Erick Rowan which was uncalled for. There was no reason for Show to win against Rowan unless WWE was planning to have this match. Show looks strong now and if Reigns slays that giant at Rumble then goes on to win the battle royal, that will stamp his place as a big name in the business.
#4 Seth Rollins vs. Randy Orton
The much-expected confrontation between Rollins and Orton at TLC didn’t happen, but it will be coming sooner or later. WWE needs a handful of solid undercard matches for Royal Rumble and a bout between Orton and Rollins would serve the purpose pretty well.
Chemistry between the two was clearly top class in the last match they had and under the Royal Rumble spotlight; it will most probably come out looking even better.
This match is also likely to happen since Rollins doesn’t need to appear in the Rumble due to Money in the bank briefcase while a returning Orton doesn’t have enough options to feud with. Feud running all the way to WrestleMania is also a possibility since both men would be wasted elsewhere.
#3 Dean Ambrose vs. Bray Wyatt
You think you’ve seen everything from these two? If the answer was yes, then think again. There is a lot more to come from the Lunatic Fringe and the Eater of the Worlds and Rumble might prove to be the stage for their final clash.
Their TLC encounter had all the looks of a hit match until WWE screwed up the ending with a television monitor. The way in which Ambrose lost the match wasn’t a decisive ending to the match and this point towards an incomplete story.
Just like TLC, the match would be decorated with some stipulation if it is to happen. At the same time, it should also mark the end of their feud as Ambrose facing Rollins at WrestleMania will be the best for business decision.
#2 Royal Rumble Match
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the Royal Rumble match would be there for the Royal Rumble pay-per-view so there’s that. WWE was apparently planning to have 40 superstars in the match, but they seem to have scratched the idea.
The 40 men battle royal came because of the show happening in Philadelphia and WWE wanting to bring back some ECW originals as the surprise entrants.
It looks set to be a 30 men affair right now and the favorite would be Roman Reigns. Other names like Rusev, Ryback and Dolph Ziggler would shine out bright from the rest, but none of those superstars is going to win.
#1 John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar (WWE World Heavyweight Championship)
This match has already been booked for the pay-per-view so this isn’t technically a prediction. At the same time, it would be unfair to keep this away from the list.
WWE is billing this match as the final battle between these two superstars and from the last two bouts that they had the company should wrap up the feud at Rumble itself. Lesnar is the favorite here if the company is still sticking with the plan of Reigns vs. Lesnar for WrestleMania.
The alternative is Lesnar quitting WWE before the granddaddy of them all which in turn would let Cena win his 16th WWE Championship on the Rumble. Either way, the only thing that the WWE Universe wants is a good match.
