What if Becky Lynch wins the women’s Royal Rumble 2019?

When the discussion turns to breakout WWE Superstars of the last half year, and talents who have come a long way from where they were when the Royal Rumble went down last year, it’s hard not to talk about The Man.

January 2018, Becky Lynch was an underused middle of the pack face on SmackDown. In January 2019, she’s one of the hottest acts in the company.

For now, her announced involvement in the Royal Rumble PPV is limited to challenging Asuka for the SmackDown Women’s Championship, but a number of pundits see through this set-up to suggest that - win or lose, The Man will be in the women’s Royal Rumble, winning it to cross brand lines and face Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania.

Rousey vs Lynch had the buzz of a dream match back when it was originally supposed to happen at Survivor Series, and the time that has passed since has only built a sense of delayed gratification. Lynch’s popularity has only grown, and Rousey has further and further proven herself as an able in-ring performer.

Of course, there’s also the Charlotte Flair factor. The Queen’s fate has been intertwined with Lynch’s since summer. Moreover, Flair started a more serious beef with Ronda Rousey when she turned heel and bludgeoned the Baddest Woman on the Planet with a kendo stick at Survivor Series.

Rousey upped the stakes when she cost Lynch and Flair the TLC main event, inviting the possibility of a Triple Threat at WrestleMania.

One way or another, Rousey vs Lynch - and whoever else may be involved - looks like a safe bet for WrestleMania.

Lynch winning the Rumble gets us a good portion of the way there. It’s not out of the question, given how over Lynch is, and the need to still establish the women’s Rumble as a champion-maker.

Lynch could use the win as a springboard to actually beat Rousey at the biggest show of the year.