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The entire WWE Universe knows by now that Brock Lesnar will be in the Men's Royal Rumble Match in 2020. Paul Heyman officially announced the news on WWE RAW and confirmed that 'The Beast' is going to face everyone. To top it off, it turns out that Lesnar will be entering the Men's Royal Rumble at #1.
This recent news actually makes for interesting speculation leading up to the event. Considering that there is no clear picture of who Brock Lesnar will be facing at WrestleMania 36, the match itself could be used as a great way for WWE to test the waters and see what gets the biggest pop.
Think back to Lex Luger and Bret Hart winning the 1994 Royal Rumble Match together. Vince McMahon actually decided who would become the next WWE Champion after listening to the crowd reaction.
Moreover, it makes sense that since there are now 3 distinct brands (RAW, SmackDown, and NXT), it's very possible that 10 men from each brand will be part of the match. This actually provides great opportunities to see which WWE Superstar could go toe-to-toe with 'The Beast.'
Here are 5 WWE Superstars that Brock Lesnar could face off with in the 2020 Men's Royal Rumble Match.
#5 Keith Lee
Most wrestling fans who watch NXT are in love with Keith Lee. His athleticism defies his size and he's able to move with some of the best in the business. Similar to a Samoa Joe, he possesses the right type of physicality that is more in line with Brock Lesnar.
Assuming that Lee heads in at #2, he would provide the audience with something different. Brock Lesnar has been paired with smaller men for a while now and maybe the time has come for a mastadon like Lee to go one-on-one with Lesnar - at least, for a brief period.
#4. Drew McIntyre
From being a jobber in 3MB to now being known as 'The Scottish Psychopath,' Drew McIntyre has come a long way. He was one of the men who was long rumored to be the front runner to take the WWE Universal Championship from Brock Lesnar, but those plans never came to fruition.
This is another 'monster' matchup that the WWE Universe probably wants. It was rumored that McIntyre was one of the opponents considered for Brock Lesnar's original singles match at Royal Rumble 2020.
McIntyre has said that he wants a shot at the title and this could be his chance. He said:
"I’m going to keep kicking people’s heads off, until I get my first ever world title shot, currently held by Brock Lesnar. He doesn’t like to show up to work very often, so I may have to wait a while, or I might have to show up on his farm to actually get my title shot. But, that’s my goal right now.”
The Men's Royal Rumble Match allows WWE to judge the theory that McIntyre is the right man to take on Lesnar at WrestleMania 36. Brock Lesnar has been engaged in 'David vs. Goliath' matches for the last couple of years and perhaps it's time to change the formula.
#3. Randy Orton
Randy Orton and Brock Lesnar have a real history together. 'The Viper' and 'The Beast' go way back - all the way to OVW. Their careers have had different paths, but both are well regarded. Orton is a third generation wrestler with professional wrestling in his blood, while Lesnar has made it clear that he has always taken to wrestling, just for the money.
Think back to the infamous SummerSlam finish back in 2016 when Brock Lesnar left Orton in a pool of blood. While it was a worked shoot, several fans were unhappy with the gratuitous violence. Moreover, WWE never visited this story again on television or in a pay-per-view.
Randy Orton, however, has tweeted that he does want a rematch with 'The Beast Incarnate.'
The Men's Royal Rumble Match would be a perfect place to test that theory with the audience to see if it gets the pop that Vince McMahon could be looking for. It would certainly make for a great story, as Orton would want revenge on the man who annihilated him at SummerSlam.
The matchup could prove to be the building blocks for a potential match at WrestleMania 36. Whatever case may be, the audience at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas will decide the fate of this potential clash.
#2. Bray Wyatt
This seems like a ludicrous idea, but it's highly possible that WWE could pull a Mick Foley on the WWE Universe. Back in 1998, Mick Foley appeared as Mankind, Cactus Jack, and Dude Love in the same Royal Rumble Match. It was a ridiculous booking, but the audience ate it up.
In similar fashion, Bray Wyatt could enter the Royal Rumble while The Fiend defends the WWE Universal Championship against Daniel Bryan. It may seem like out of the box thinking, but WWE has done it before. To quote Battlestar Galactica, 'What has happened before will happen again.'
The Fiend and Brock Lesnar almost happened at WWE Survivor Series 2019, but the match was canceled. Triple H revealed why the match was cancelled and said:
Triple H says Adam Cole Vs The Fiend Vs Brock Lesnar was considered, but WWE felt the story with Lesnar and Rey Mysterio was 'so strong' they felt they had to go with that.
With the arrival of The Fiend, WWE has one of their strongest characters that has gotten over with the audience. Could there be a unification match at WrestleMania 36? Never say never in WWE.
#1. Matt Riddle
The match that will get the WWE Universe more excited than ever before is Matt Riddle vs Brock Lesnar. NXT Superstar Matt Riddle is one of the most gifted athletes to enter a WWE ring and his UFC background adds legitimacy to his fantastic wrestling skills.
Riddle has stated several times that Brock Lesnar is the match he wants, going as far as saying that he wants to retire The Beast. But he also said that Brock Lesnar may not even know who he is. He explained:
"I don’t even think Brock knows who I am. He’s never acknowledged me. I’ve been to multiple shows he’s been at and I’ve never seen him in person."
Irrespective of that, Brock Lesnar vs Matt Riddle would be a face-off that WWE fans would go gaga over. It's pretty easy to see why. Both men have a background in amateur wrestling and have fought in the UFC. While Lesnar is the more successful of the two, Riddle is the perfect foil for him.
If there is a face-off between the two, the crowd reaction is going to blow the roof off the place. And why not? It's a potential dream match and there is no better way to do it than to see it practiced at the Royal Rumble.
