2019 Women's Royal Rumble Match Predictions

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What's the only thing that's better than a Royal Rumble match? Two Royal Rumble matches in the same night! Such was the gift when we heard last year that there would be a new women's Royal Rumble match. There was initially a lot of skepticism, but the inaugural bout delivered, stacking up well against its male counterpart to deliver us the consensus best Royal Rumble pay per view of the decade. Picking the right winner certainly helped.

How well this year's women's Royal Rumble match stacks up to last year's is an open question, but it has all the ingredients it needs to surpass the original in quality. The women's division is far hotter now than it was a year ago, with two Royal Rumble entrants and the two current champions being the ones that led the charge.

So, how well will this year's women's Royal Rumble match do? Its potential quality depends on how the match is structured. Here are the people who will stand out during the chaotic contest.

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First entrant: Bayley

Bayley may have better luck this year.

In a reverse of last year, where her tag team partner entered the Royal Rumble first, Bayley will be the one to do so this time.

She won't get too huge of a pop. Her star has diminished considerably even since last year's Royal Rumble match, but with her being part of the favourite team to become the inaugural women's tag team champions, putting Bayley into the Royal Rumble as the first entrant would shine some spotlight on the coming division.

Of course, to be that beacon for the coming women's tag team title scene, Bayley's time in the Royal Rumble match will partially be defined by her tag team partner, who will go on to repeat a notable feat that she accomplished in last year's contest.

Longest time in the Rumble: Sasha Banks

Boss 2.0.

Last year, Sasha Banks lasted 55 minutes in the Royal Rumble, entering at number one. Although she likely won't last as long as she did a year ago, The Boss is an ideal competitor to carry the Royal Rumble match, as she can make everybody look good.

She can also turn eyes toward the coming tag team division with Bayley as the two act as a unit to eliminate and outlast other competitors. This can set up potential rivalries in that title scene.

And speaking of rivalries, with Charlotte and Becky also being in the match, and with Shayna Baszler being a likely entrant as well and Raw Women's Champion Ronda Rousey possibly at ringside, expect some hints of a coming horsewomen feud (not that such a prospect excites me).

All of this is possible with Sasha Banks being the iron woman.

Shortest time in the Rumble: Carmella

Dance break.

#30 though she may be, it only came because of an injury-plagued Mixed Match Challenge. Carmella has gone back to doing what she was doing before winning the SmackDown Women's Championship last year - being a comic relief act.

Look for R-Truth to try and take her spot before she comes into the match, though. That's almost a given.

Entering the women's Royal Rumble match at #30 and doing a seven-second dance break would be the perfect way to set up an elimination and bring some humour to a match that has long been part of some of WWE's rare uses of good comic relief.

She might even be able to break the record Vickie Guerrero set last year at about 0:55 seconds of time spent in the women's Royal Rumble match. Expect less chants of "excuse me!" this time around, though.

Most Eliminations: Charlotte Flair

The Queen of the Rumble.

Last year, Charlotte Flair missed the Royal Rumble, watching at ringside as the SmackDown Women's Champion. There, she saw Michelle McCool rack up a surprising five eliminations, the most of anyone in the match.

This time, the Queen will be between the ropes and will be looking to make a statement, especially after all of her failures against Becky Lynch in the latter half of 2018. She'll do so first by getting the most eliminations and breaking the record that Michelle McCool set last year, with six women going over the top rope at her hands at the minimum.

Her rampage will bring her directly into the crosshairs of her fiercest rival when she finally enters the fray and the closing sequence of the women's Royal Rumble match will thus begin, which promises to be one of the most thrilling in years.

The Final Four: Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Nia Jax, and Alexa Bliss

"Keep my name out of your mouth!"

Becky Lynch still has a score to settle with Nia Jax, who will go on a rampage of her own during the closing quarter of the match. I expect a tease with Nia almost eliminating the Lass Kicker before Becky Lynch finally prevails against her.

I'll go out on a limb and also predict the return of Alexa Bliss in the Royal Rumble match, which she missed last year because of her reign as Raw Women's Champion. Nevertheless, that will only work for so long, and won't help her against opponents as formidable as Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch. Bliss may have outsmarted Lynch two years ago, but not this version of the Lass Kicker.

She'll be tossed, leaving the two rivals battling for supremacy once again.

Winners: Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch

Well, this is awkward.

WWE hasn't set up a rivalry between both of these women and Ronda Rousey for nothing. Becky Lynch stands as the people's champion, but it's hard to believe that Vince McMahon can resist the allure of the Flair name to sell a main event of WrestleMania.

In a repeat of 1994, Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch will eliminate each other at the same time and emerge as the co-winners. Both of them have a score to settle with Ronda Rousey and both of them will make the jump to Raw to do so. This is currently the only way to ensure that scenario.

Many of Becky Lynch's fans won't be happy about it, but the rivalry between these three won't be bad by any means. If fans need to compromise with the company, this is an ideal one. It's hard to argue against Flair and Lynch continuing their rivalry with a formidable new wrinkle.