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The Royal Rumble is less than two months away.
It sets the tone for the beginning of the year and begins the Road to Wrestlemania.
It also provides the WWE with two challengers for major titles at Wrestlemania and it jump starts several storylines that usually play out up until and sometimes through April.
One match is already set between Braun Strowman and Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship.
The only potential hindrance is if Braun cannot recover fast enough from surgery.
Since there are two rumble matches slated for the card once again, at least two-plus hours will probably be set aside for those to play out.
That likely only leaves room for around four singles' matches beforehand and a match or two on the pre-show.
Since WWE hasn't shown much faith in the US Title or Tag Team titles of either show, either those two or a cruiserweight title match will likely fall on the pre-show.
These are predictions based on educated guesses and some are based on logical rumours.
Others have been strongly speculated to be happening at Wrestlemania.
A lot can obviously happen between now and the Royal Rumble, but here are predictions for 2019's first main roster PPV.
Pre-Show Matches
Since the rumble is considered one of the 'Big Four' PPVs, it will likely start around 5 p.m. and have two matches on its pre-show.
United States Championship Match: Shinsuke Nakamura (C) vs. Rey Mysterio
The US Title is lowest in the pecking order of WWE Titles, so it will likely be featured on the pre-show.
There aren't many credible babyfaces left to challenge for the title since AJ Styles will be tied up elsewhere and Jeff Hardy has already had a run with the belt.
Rusev is apparently headed for a feud for the title currently, and that may carry over to the following PPV.
If it doesn't, that leaves Rey Mysterio as a likely challenger for the US Championship.
He beat Nakamura at Starrcade by DQ, so that can be used as an impetus for the match.
Raw Tag Team Title Match: AOP (C) vs. Finn Balor and Bray Wyatt
Wyatt faced Baron Corbin twice at Starrcade but hasn't appeared on television yet.
Finn Balor and Elias need some backup and Wyatt needs another jump start to his career.
Teaming with Balor would give both of the wrestlers a soft reboot as tag wrestlers and it would add another layer Corbin's proclamation of remembering who was on his side prior to potentially becoming full-time commissioner of Raw.
The current attacks on Corbin's opposition seem like they are happening more so because Corbin is confident he'll beat Strowman at TLC (or win whatever match may take its place).
Wyatt needs a believable feud to get back into the swing of things and a brief feud with the AOP would help get him on track.
If Corbin wins at TLC, he could send AOP after Finn, Elias and potentially Wyatt to beat them down. It could lead to a non-title match and eventually a title match at Royal Rumble.
WWE Championship: Daniel Bryan (C) vs. AJ Styles
I have a feeling that this feud, like most of AJ Styles title feuds, will span three PPVs.
It happened with Nakamura and Joe, and I'm expecting something fishy again in the finish in their match at TLC.
It might not be another hit below the belt or a disqualification of some fashion, but I suspect Bryan will find another way to pick up an underhanded win one way or another.
This of course will likely infuriate Styles, and he'll demand a title match from Smackdown commissioner Paige.
Since he's carried the brand and has been a good champion for Smackdown, she'll see the logic in his reasoning and grant him a match at the Royal Rumble.
This would set up the finale of the feud, which Bryan would ultimately win.
Styles isn't winning the title back any time soon since his last run with the belt was so long.
He's currently in the process of negotiating a new contract and wants a deal that will allow him some time off here and there to spend time with his family.
He'll be phased out of the title picture after losing to Bryan again until a new deal is reached.
He'll probably take a couple weeks off from TV and say he needs to go back home to his family and rethink things.
He might be a participant in the Royal Rumble match itself, like Roman Reigns was two years ago, but he only will be if it's used to set up a potential match for Wrestlemania.
Reigns entered at #30, so any wrestlers with matches earlier in the night will likely enter toward the latter half of the rumble match (if involved).
Bryan, on the other hand, will gloat about his win and move on to a feud or two to tide him over until Wrestlemania 35.
Universal Championship: Brock Lesnar (C) vs. Braun Strowman
As of now, this is the only title match booked for the event.
Things might obviously change due to the how well Braun does or does not recover from his surgery, but he'll have a month and a half to recover.
I'm not sure how long it takes the average person to recover from that type of injury, but WWE superstars have proven in the past they are sometimes inhuman when it comes to recovering from injuries (Cena in 2008).
I'm operating under the notion that Braun will be healthy enough for the match with Brock in January.
Unfortunately for those hoping for a full-time Universal Champion, I'm predicting that we'll have to wait until April for that.
Braun's injury will likely be used in the lead up to the match and it can even be said that he came back too soon and was one of the main reason's for him losing (again) to the Beast.
WWE will still have the potential to have a simultaneous Universal Champ and UFC Heavyweight Champ heading into the spring.
And Braun, as frustrating as it will be to stomach, will have to go back to the drawing board.
I feel like they would have already pulled the trigger on Braun as champion once Roman was phased out of the title picture due to his illness.
They decided not to do so and he's gone back to chasing the gold.
WWE hasn't had monster heels as the champions lately and that even has gone down as far as NXT.
The last three Universal Champs have been Brock and Reigns. The last three WWE Champs have been Jinder Mahal, Styles and Bryan.
The last three NXT Champs were Andrade Almas, Aleister Black and Tomasso Ciampa.
Monster heels/faces are often obstacles in this day and age rather than champions.
If they haven't done it by now, they might not do it in the near future.
The plans for the matches usually change up until the rumble, but I just think the backstage brass has soured on the thought of Braun as Universal Champion.
Intercontinental Championship Match: Dean Ambrose (C) vs. Seth Rollins
Due to the severe personal nature of their feud with one another, I expect the feud between Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose to at least play out through the Royal Rumble.
I think Dean will win at TLC but it Rollins' requisite rematch can be saved for the Royal Rumble.
Even if Rollins wins at TLC, Ambrose will likely still attack him, so this match is a possibility.
It might cause the Kingslayer to pull double duty, but we know he has the endurance to participate in multiple matches in one night.
The point is that this feud is too personal to just be over after TLC.
It's been rumoured that they'll continue to use Roman's illness in this storyline and it will continue to be a focal point going forward.
Seth dropping the belt to his bitter rival is a logical step in their history and it will obviously be a pivotal point in the feud.
Dean potentially would have beaten Rollins for the WWE Championship and the Intercontinental Championship and that won't sit well in the mind of Rollins.
Ambrose taking the title from Rollins would give Dean some credibility as a top heel and he'd still be a focal point on Raw as the IC Champ.
Seth has taken pride in defending the title weekly as the true workhorse champion of Raw. Him losing that title will damage his pride, but it wouldn't keep him down for long.
Although he's done wonders for in his association with the Intercontinental Title, Rollins has repeatedly proven this year that he's too good for the mid-card and should be in the Universal Championship picture.
And he just might be in 2019. More on that later.
The main reason he's been the IC Champ is that the show's main champ has been a part-timer for far too long.
Smackdown Women's Title Match: Asuka (C) vs. Becky Lynch
Sometimes when WWE adds a third person to a title match or calls an audible on the planned match for a PPV, that person gets the win.
TLC still has to happen and the match between Becky, Charlotte Flair and Asuka still has two weeks to be sold.
Charlotte and Becky have restarted their bitter rivalry for the Smackdown Women's Title as evidenced on this week's show.
Since Charlotte and Becky will have the blinders on to maim each other at TLC, I'm predicting Asuka to finally claim her first taste of main-roster gold.
They'll likely be trying to keep each other out of the ring, giving Asuka the perfect chance to take the title.
Charlotte doesn't need yet another title reign and she probably has a date with Ronda Rousey in her future.
It probably isn't a popular choice especially since Becky has been on fire all year but her losing the belt at TLC sets up three logical things to happen.
Firstly, Asuka isn't going to win another battle royale.
She won the first-ever Royal Rumble match for the women and she was victorious in the battle royale to determine the third participant for the match at TLC.
Although they like to give Asuka these wins rather than actual titles, I can't see her winning another similar match.
Secondly, it would set up a rematch for the title at the Royal Rumble. The ladies will no doubt tear down the house at both TLC and the Royal Rumble.
Becky and Asuka are two of the top women on the main roster and haven't had a big PPV match yet.
Thirdly, although many will be outraged that I would pick someone other than Becky to be champion at this point, just read the rest of this slideshow.
Men's Match Winner: Seth Rollins
The field of those who have a legit chance to win the Royal Rumble isn't as open as it has been in past years.
The main threats for this year are Drew McIntyre, Seth Rollins and the Miz and hopefully, that doesn't change with someone like the Rock or Cena being added to the match.
Although I'd be fine with either Finn Balor or Styles winning the match, I don't see that happening.
Styles is going to be phased out a little bit until he signs a new deal.
Finn will always be talked about as a favourite to win the match, but Finn isn't a favourite of the Creative.
The chairman believes he is too small and not a believable threat to bigger wrestlers.
That was pretty much confirmed when only he and Dolph Ziggler were members of Team Raw to be eliminated at Survivor Series.
That leaves the three aforementioned wrestlers in McIntyre, Rollins and the Miz.
All three would be great choices to win.
None of them has won a Royal Rumble and it's always a blessing when a first-timer wins rather than someone like John Cena or Randy Orton or Triple H a few years ago.
I think Rollins will win because he vs. Lesnar at Wrestlemania might be the most logical storyline for the title leading up to the big show.
Sure, it would be great to see McIntyre get a crack at Lesnar, but it would be a heel vs. heel match and those aren't usually good for 'Mania.
The Miz could win, especially if he's in for a face turn.
He's been a heel for almost his entire career and he's been a consistent performer no matter where he has been placed on Raw or Smackdown.
And since I have Bryan retaining at the event, the Miz would be a logical challenger for Bryan at Wrestlemania.
Back to Rollins again.
He and Lesnar have history and seeds have already been planted throughout Lesnar's two title reigns.
Rollins has run Lesnar down as a part-time champ who only shows up when he wants.
Rollins has been the main champion of the show who has defended his title almost weekly against all comers.
Although he's already a made man in WWE, Rollins taking the belt off of Lesnar at Wrestlemania would be an electric moment for the Architect.
He already has one big win at 'Mania but that was as a heel.
Rollins has proven to be one of the top faces in WWE since his face turn and him winning the belt after winning the Royal Rumble and beating Brock would justify everything he's said.
It would also be a 'win' for Rollins/Roman if Roman's illness is to be used in the storyline.
Hence, I have him winning the men's match.
Women's Match Winner: Becky Lynch
Finally, now that you've read all the way to the end, you'll see the reasoning behind my predictions.
I have the favourites for the Rumble Match being Becky, Nia and Charlotte.
As I mentioned before, I cannot fathom WWE giving Asuka another Royal Rumble win, taking her out of the running.
Ronda probably won't be in the match, so she isn't likely to win.
Nia Jax will have already had her title shot again against Rousey.
No matter how great she thinks this whole 'face-breaker' thing is, it isn't anything special.
She was reckless with a colleague and although WWE often parlays these things into storylines, I'm not a fan of Jax using it.
Charlotte will always be a threat for every match regarding a title, but she doesn't need to be sniffing any gold until next summer at the very earliest.
It's time to let some other women have run with the gold on Raw and Smackdown. Yeah, she's great, but come on, she's already a seven-time champion.
That leaves me going with Becky.
She's already a hero to the WWE Universe and is a made woman (or Man since she's been referring to herself as the Man).
Her losing the title at TLC and her rematch at the Royal Rumble earlier in the night would give her the ultimate victory she's (and almost everyone) has been clamouring for - a match with Ronda at Wrestlemania 35.
We were already deprived of the match due to Becky's injury. And since Asuka was allowed to call her shot as to which champ she wanted, it's easy to see Becky choosing Ronda should she win.
It would give us the match we all wanted and WWE it's potential first-ever main event match for the women.
It also is a logical next step because Fox will be carrying Smackdown come October 2019.
An earlier report has stated that they will want Smackdown to be more focused on the action and physicality rather than the soap operatic storylines.
Because of that, Rousey might be moved to Smackdown in the usual Superstar Shake Up that often comes after Wrestlemania.
If she does get moved to Smackdown, it makes sense to have the hottest women's wrestler on the roster in Lynch as the champion on Raw.
Therefore, I'm picking Becky to win the ladies' rumble match.
