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With WWE all set to close out 2018 with the final pay-per-view of the year in the form Tables, Ladders, and Chairs, the WWE Universe will be more than excited for the first pay-per-view of 2019, the Royal Rumble.
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The year 2019 already promises to be another big year for the entire Pro Wrestling Industry and WWE themselves would love to kick-start their year with a highly anticipated show and what better way to deliver other than going all in at next year's WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view.
Taking place in Phoenix, Arizona on the 27th of January, 2019, the Royal Rumble pay-per-view is guaranteed to deliver some massive surprises.
There is a very solid chance that the WWE Universe watching all around the globe could witness the potential debut of some of the hottest superstars (*cough* Kenny Omega *cough*) on the planet come January 27th.
However, with WWE hoping to go all in next year, the rest of the Royal Rumble card (excluding the two big Royal Rumble matches) needs to deliver and live up to the hype equally as well.
Therefore, I have decided to compile 5 likely matches which need to happen at next year's Royal Rumble pay-per-view if WWE hopes to start 2019 with dominant fashion.
#5. The Bar vs Sanity- WWE SmackDown Live Tag Team Championships
Having won the SmackDown Live Tag Team Titles on the 1000th episode of SmackDown, earlier in the year, the duo of Sheamus and Cesaro will look to begin 2019 by putting the entire SmackDown Live Tag Team Division on notice.
And what better way to do so other than beating one of the most dominant factions' to ever step foot in WWE, in the form of SaNity?
Since their main roster call-up, SaNity hasn't had the chance to shine on WWE TV and the former NXT Tag Team Champions will also look forward to a change in fortunes next year as well.
Therefore, challenging for the SmackDown Live Tag Team Titles will be perfect for a fresh beginning in 2019 for the menacing trio of Eric Young, Killian Dain, and Alexander Wolfe.
SaNity is also likely to be hugely over in Phoenix and a match between them and The Bar promises to be outstanding!
#4 Ronda Rousey vs Sasha Banks- Raw Women's Championship
Billed as 'The Baddest Woman On The Planet' by the WWE Universe, current Raw Women's Champion, Ronda Rousey has been on a tear ever since she won the Raw Women's Championship by defeating Alexa Bliss at SummerSlam.
Rousey, who is currently scheduled to make her next title defense against former champion and arch-rival, Nia Jax at TLC, is expected to put yet another clinical performance, this time in San Jose, California in two weeks time.
Given the fact that Rousey gets past Jax at TLC and marks yet another successful title defence, fans would be hoping to witness Rousey compete in a few high profiles and a fresh set of matches in 2019.
With Alexa Bliss currently out sidelined, having Ronda Rousey square-off and defend her title against another former Raw Women's Champion sounds like a very good idea, therefore, why not have someone like Sasha Banks step up to the plate and challenge Rousey?
This will not only further ignite the feud between the two Four Horsewomen groups but will also give Sasha Banks a fresh start to 2019.
#3 Becky Lynch vs Asuka- 2 out of 3 falls match for the SmackDown Live Women's Championship
Becky Lynch has been on a hot streak ever since she turned heel at SummerSlam, 2018. Lynch, who is now known as 'The Man', has been destroying her opponents inside the ring, on the microphone, and on social media as well.
Her recently concluded feud against Charlotte Flair (which apparently is going to continue at TLC as well) cemented the Irishwoman's place on the top of the mountain not only on SmackDown Live but in all of WWE.
At TLC, 'The Man' is going to make her in-ring return, as she gets set to defend her SmackDown Live Women's Championship once again, this time in the first-ever all women's TLC match also featuring former champion Charlotte Flair and 'The Empress of Tomorrow' Asuka.
Now, let us just assume the fact that Becky Lynch successfully makes yet another title defense at TLC and at the same time, 'The Empress of Tomorrow' Asuka also comes agonizingly close to unhooking the SmackDown Women's Championship as well.
From there onwards, WWE could very well lead into a first-time ever match between Becky Lynch and Asuka.
After all, fans have been wanting to that match for a while now and if WWE hopes to make the 2019 Royal Rumble PPV a memorable edition, then Becky Lynch vs Asuka is the match to book!
#2 Shinsuke Nakamura vs Andrade 'Cien' Almas- WWE United States Championship
Shinsuke Nakamura's US Title reign has been utterly poor so far and doesn't even feel like a proper title reign.
However, with 'The King of Strong Style' keen on making the US Championship feel important once again.
Just like he did with the IWGP Intercontinental Championship back in New Japan Pro Wrestling, it is time for WWE to take both Nakamura and US Title seriously and make it one of the most prestigious titles in 2019.
WWE could very well tear a page out of NJPW's book here and have Nakamura defend the United States Championship on a regular basis (and by regular basis I mean on every single pay-per-view) and make sure that Nakamura competes in matches which are 15-18 minutes long at least.
The SmackDown roster is also massively talented right now, with guys like Shelton Benjamin, Tye Dillinger, Big E, Kofi Kingston, Killian Dain, and Rusev finding themselves with no proper storyline or TV time.
Therefore, why not have all of them step up to 'The King of Strong Style' in order to try and dethrone him off his US Championship in 15-18 minute classic matches.
Now, speaking of superstars who are in desperate need of TV time, how can one forget former NXT Champion, Andrade 'Cien' Almas?
Almas and Nakamura have a lot in common, both are former NXT Champions, both men have previously held the IWGP IC Title and both men have also collided against each other in an NJPW ring in the past.
Having the two men ignite in a feud over the US Title is exactly what both Nakamura and Almas need right now.
There is no doubt in the fact how talented both Nakamura and Almas are and having them face-off over the US Title will not only make the championship a lot more prestigious but the match itself could turn out to be an instant classic.
US Title, Almas vs Nakamura is the match to book, Royal Rumble is the show to watch out for!
#1 Brock Lesnar vs Bray Wyatt vs Braun Strowman vs Finn Balor- Universal Championship Match
Having Braun Strowman challenge for Brock Lesnar's Universal Championship once again in yet another singles match is definitely going to be another washed up idea.
I mean, we've already seen this match plenty of times in the past and Lesnar just beat Strowman to win the vacant title not too long ago in Saudi Arabia as well. Therefore, Strowman's singles title shot can wait for at least a while now!
Why not focus on the bigger picture in the meantime? At Royal Rumble, Brock Lesnar is likely to make his next big Universal Title defence and with Lesnar recently working in a hard-fought 20-minute classic against Daniel Bryan at Survivor Series.
We now know for the fact that 'The Beast Incarnate' is still capable enough of putting together solid in-ring matches with the right opponent.
With Braun Strowman's current TLC status hanging in the balance, it'll only be fair for 'The Monster Among Men' to defeat Baron Corbin on some random episode of Raw (instead of wasting a slot by booking this match at the Royal Rumble) and then challenging for the Universal Title at Royal Rumble.
This is when former WWE Champion, Bray Wyatt finally makes his much-awaited return to TV and with his tag team partner Matt Hardy supposedly retired, it is time for 'The Eater of Worlds' to insert himself into World Title contention yet again (After all, Wyatt did replace Strowman in at Starrcade, 2018).
Adding further to the title picture, instead of having yet another big man in the form of Lashley or Drew McIntyre, let WWE instead put Finn Balor into title contention once again.
Regardless of the Balor coming out with his demon paint, a fatal-four way Universal Title match between Lesnar, Wyatt, Strowman, and Balor is surely going to steal the show!
