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When a new year starts, a preponderance of wrestling fans look forward to the first biggest pay-per-view of the year, Royal Rumble. With three weeks left before the big event, the excitement is certainly high, and WWE will be aiming to commence the new year with a blockbuster show at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas.
The journey to WrestleMania, the biggest show of the year, starts at the Royal Rumble, as the Royal Rumble match winners receive the opportunity to have a World Championship match on the Grandest Stage of Them All. Having added the Women's Royal Rumble match a couple of years ago, two Royal Rumble matches are now held every year.
Last year, Seth Rollins won the Men's Royal Rumble match, while Becky Lynch was victorious in the Women's Royal Rumble match. Both previous winners ended up winning their respective titles at the Show of Shows.
Both SmackDown and RAW have a talented group of wrestlers, who deserve to win the next Men's Royal Rumble match. However, a couple of names should refrain from winning it. In this article, we take a look at two male Superstars who should win the Royal Rumble this year and two who shouldn't.
#2 Should win: AJ Styles
As one of the most renowned professional wrestlers in the world, AJ Styles has won multiple titles for various promotions, including several major titles in WWE. Styles, however, is yet to win a Royal Rumble match, and will be one of the favorites to win it this year, considering he has back-ups in Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, who have been unstoppable since the reunion of The OC.
Styles is a two-time WWE Champion. Even though he faced Brock Lesnar once at Survivor Series, they never had a lengthy feud, as it was a one-off match between two world champions of RAW and SmackDown. 'The Phenomenal One' has been the recipient of many honors in his illustrious career, and he could add another with a victory at the Royal Rumble.
#2 Should not win: Seth Rollins
Seth Rollins, the winner of Royal Rumble this year, will be a favorite next year as well. However, it would not be a wise move for him to win the 30-Man Battle Royal contest, considering how he has been jeered by fans in recent months.
When Rollins won the Royal Rumble in 2019, he was one of the most popular faces of the Men's Division and was in turn booked to slay 'The Beast' at the Grandest Stage of Them All. On the contrary, the scenario is entirely different this year, with Rollins in dire need of gaining momentum before thinking of challenging for a world championship again.
Furthermore, Seth Rollins and Brock Lesnar already fought for a majority of last year, ending the feud at SummerSlam. Rollins' recent heel turn has been the talking point of RAW. The former Universal Champion was impressive as a bad guy in his last run, as he was an indomitable WWE Champion. If Rollins wants to reach the same stature as a heel again, he needs time to rebuild his character. Only three men have won consecutive Royal Rumble matches, and Rollins has done nothing to prove that he should be added to this list.
#1 Should win: Drew McIntyre
After a subpar year, Drew McIntyre will be aiming to rekindle himself by winning the Royal Rumble. 'The Scottish Psychopath' has already established himself as one of the biggest names of the Red Brand, but is yet to reach his full potential. Other than the RAW Tag Team Championship, McIntyre hasn't won a title in his second tenure - not one singles title.
He started 2019 positively, decimating Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins of The Shield. However, he lost to Roman Reigns at the Showcase of Immortals and hasn't been in a relevant storyline since. McIntyre wasted time by teaming up with Shane McMahon, which wasn't a bright idea, nor did it help his character.
Despite being a heel, McIntyre is a fan favorite, as many in the WWE Universe have been vocal about his push in the main event scene, and the Royal Rumble could be the ideal place to do it. Given McIntyre's abundance of talent, both in the ring and on the mic, he certainly deserves a title shot for the Red Brand's most coveted prize. 'The Scottish Psychopath' has the look as well as the charisma to hold the WWE Championship, and could be a believable man to slay 'The Beast.'
#1 Should not win: Roman Reigns
A recent report indicated that Roman Reigns is the front runner to win the Royal Rumble match next year. While a Royal Rumble victory will allow 'The Big Dog' to return to the main event picture, fans might turn on him again, knowing how he has been pushed in the past few years, especially during WrestleMania.
After receiving a huge push, Roman Reigns became the face of WWE, replacing sixteen-time WWE Champion, John Cena. From main-eventing four WrestleMania events in a row, to pinning The Undertaker at the Show of Shows, Reigns has accomplished just about everything there is to accomplish in WWE. Nevertheless, he hasn't been 'the guy' after returning from illness earlier this year.
Reigns already lost two matches against Baron Corbin, which is uncommon. Therefore, he needs to win some big matches before getting a title shot for the Universal Championship. Moreover, Reigns already won the Royal Rumble in 2015, which wasn't received well by the WWE Universe. Reigns could certainly chase the Universal Title, but winning the Royal Rumble isn't a prerequisite.
