5 Things to get excited about WWE in 2018

Does a record-breaking championship win await John Cena in 2018? How will WWE handle the end of Asuka's streak? Even the most pessimistic WWE fan has to be giddy thinking about some moments, matches and events that will come in 2018. Braun Strowman will add another 12 months of fury. A brand-new tournament, Wrestle Mania and the women's division making history all make it easy to get excited. New faces and sidelined stars will make an impact on the year too. There are things about the coming year that are sure to be excellent. The Monster of Men is one of them. A bolstered roster is another.

#1 Inaugural Women's Royal Rumble Match

2017 was another year for trailblazing in WWE women's wrestling as WWE Network featured the promotion's first-ever Mae Young Classic.It's finally going to happen. Women will battle in their own Royal Rumble match, 30 years after the first Royal Rumble.On the December 18th Raw episode, commissioner Stephanie McMahon announced the history-making match.We are going to see Asuka tear it up in a Royal Rumble and Nia Jax play the monster.

Surprise entrants are sure to round out the field, meaning fans could witness Trish Stratus and Lita return.This will also mark the first year we get two Royal Rumble matches in one night. That's going to make the January 28th pay-per-view brim with big moments.There's nothing quite like the first of anything, and that will be the case as the warriors of the women's division look to survive the Rumble.

For the first time, 30 women will battle it out in the over-the-top-rope challenge in a bid to secure a title shot on the grandest stage of them all at Wrestlemania in April.

#2 Kurt Angle's solo match

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Kurt Angle in 2018 won't look like 2003 Kurt Angle, but the Olympian is pure class. Kurt Angle replaced Roman Reigns in the main event of TLC 2017, making his in-ring return during the huge 5 vs 3 Tables, Ladders and Chairs match.He's a technical wrestler, a superb storyteller, and a beloved figure.

To this point during this WWE run, he's mostly served as Raw's general manager. He got in the ring twice in 2017, teaming with Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins at TLC and fighting alongside Team Raw at Survivor Series.

Before he retires, WWE is sure to give him at least one singles match. Angle could take on Triple- H the way story was built at Survivor Series. The Hall of Famer could also face his storyline son, Jason Jordan, to create a passing-of-the-torch moment. There would be ample sparks in each of those cases and there's nothing quite like seeing Angle execute a German Suplex, a sight we will thankfully soon witness again

#3 The Mixed Match Challenge

WWE has teamed up with Facebook Live for a unique Mixed Match Challenge tournament that will pair male and female WWE Superstars in tag team competition.The Mixed Match Challenge is going to be sneaky good. First off, it's a tournament, which creates natural drama.

Finn Balor will team up with Sasha Banks, Braun Strowman is paired with Alexa Bliss and Bobby Roode is paired with Charlotte. A fun vibe should permeate the tourney, and it's always great to get something fresh on the WWE calendar. The tournament is scheduled to kick off Jan. 16 on Facebook Watch. The new event pairs one male Superstar and one female Superstar with the winning team giving $100,000 to a charity of their choice.

Other confirmed entrants in the 12-episode series include real-life couples Lana and Rusev and Naomi and Jimmy Uso

#4 NXT Takeover

Shinsuke Nakamura, Samoa Joe and a long list of Superstars from the developmental brand all made the jump to the main roster this time around, The Authors of Pain, The Iconic Duo, No Way Jose and Aleister Black are all good bets to follow that route.

Unlike the hit-or-miss nature of WWE's PPVs, NXT TakeOver events delivered every time out in 2017.Any quality list of WWE's best matches of 2017 burst with NXT showdowns. Velveteen Dream's masterful performance at NXT TakeOver: WarGames hinted at success headed his way. His battle with Aleister Black that night was one of the best-told WWE stories all year. The dream was captivating, bursting with presence.

WWE's third brand is a haven for top-notch wrestling, and its roster is loaded. NXT will feature compelling stories that will threaten to outdo what Raw and SmackDown Live offer. Kairi Sane chasing Ember Moon for the women's title, Gargano's pursuit of NXT champ Andrade "Cien" Almas and The Undisputed Era's continued dominance will all be great. Throw in the fact that up-and-comers like Lars Sullivan and Richochet are poised for breakout years, and NXT alone is reason enough to get pumped about what unfolds in WWE in 2018

#5 Asuka's Unbeaten Reign

The Empress of Tomorrow has not lost a singles match since debuting in NXT in 2015. She spent the majority of career in developmental as 'NXT Women’s Champion' and tore up the promotion without a single blemish.The easy answer is it has to happen on a big stage. Anything less than a semi-main event at WrestleMania or SummerSlam won't cut it for Asuka's first loss.

WWE has done such a good job of building her up as gladiator no one can take down. The moment she falls is going to be huge. It has to be milked for all it is worth.Since, making it to Raw, she has continued this streak and will see it out through the rest of the year. While keeping her record going, When you build up a wrestler up and give them a winning streak as impressive as Asuka’s there is only one thing you can do to it: break it.

Next year we will see Asuka take her first loss in the WWE. It will be interesting to see her try and reclaim her former glory after realizing she isn’t invincible. It is too early to tell if she’ll fall to a veteran like Charlotte, a monster like Nia Jax, or an old rival like Ember Moon. What we do know is in 2018, someone somewhere will be ready for Asuka.

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