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On January 26, a swarm of screaming, excited fans will gather inside Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas, for the first big event of 2020. The show will stream live on the WWE Network and pay-per-view.
As every fan of WWE should know, The Royal Rumble match is a staple for the eponymous pay-per-view. It is one of the most anticipated events of the year and this year will be no different.
As of the time of writing, only one Superstar has officially declared their intent to enter the Royal Rumble match. That Superstar coincidentally happens to be one of the early favorites, Roman Reigns. The Big Dog made the announcement on the Blue Brand's first televised show of the year.
Roman Reigns has a decorated history at the event. In his first Rumble match, he eliminated twelve men and was the runner-up of the match. The following year, in 2015, Reigns eliminated another handful of Superstars and emerged victorious. The Big Dog has entered five Rumble matches and he has eliminated over 30 men. It's a pretty impressive record for such a young star who is still in his prime and has many years to go.
Here are 3 reasons why Roman Reigns should win the Royal Rumble match for the second time in his career.
#3 To challenge "The Fiend" for a dream match at WrestleMania
The current Universal Champion, The Fiend, is a savage, menacing, and ominous monster that is tormenting the locker room. The man behind the mask is Bray Wyatt, who is quite familiar with The Big Dog. Reigns is an honorable individual who would want nothing more than to end Wyatt's reign of terror.
Wyatt and Reigns went to war in the summer of 2015. They traded victories, but Reigns won the decisive Hell in a Cell match at the titular pay-per-view that October. The former rivals have seldom crossed paths since then, but there's a strong possibility that they could work together again in the near future.
The winner of the Royal Rumble match is guaranteed a shot at the WWE Champion or Universal Champion on the Grandest Stage of Them All, WrestleMania. If Reigns wins the Rumble, it would set the stage for a blockbuster match between the former and The Fiend.
#2 To complete his remarkable comeback tour
On October 22 of 2018, tears of agony and despair flooded the eyes of the WWE Universe as Reigns relinquished his Universal Championship to fight an arduous battle against leukemia. Fans speculated about his return, some thought that he was done as an in-ring competitor while others thought it would take him a couple of years.
However, four months later in February 2019, Reigns returned to Monday Night RAW. The crowd was delighted and when the Big Dog uttered the words, "I'm in remission, y'all", the live crowd went nuts. It was a heartwarming moment that fans would never forget. Reigns returned to in-ring action a few weeks later and became a regular competitor once again.
One thing has been conspicuously peculiar and odd about his comeback tour. The former Universal Champion has been kept out of the title picture. Post WrestleMania, Reigns dealt with the likes of Elias, Shane McMahon and Drew McIntyre. Over the Summer, he was embroiled in a story-line with Erick Rowan, Daniel Bryan and Buddy Murphy. Later, towards the end of 2019, Reigns engaged in a rivalry with Baron Corbin. Noticeably, he hasn't pursued the Universal Championship. Until he doesn't win the title, his comeback tour isn't complete.
Could this be a sign for bigger and better things for the Samoan Powerhouse? He is bound to have a high-profile match at WrestleMania and it doesn't get bigger than a Universal Championship match at the aforementioned pay-per-view. It would be the perfect end to an inspirational comeback story.
#1 The fans are finally behind Roman Reigns
As I previously noted, Reigns won the Royal Rumble match in 2015. However, it wasn't as euphoric and gleeful as Reigns might have preferred. The monumental win came at a time when Daniel Bryan's popularity was at its peak and fans wanted to see him come out on top. The crowd in Philadelphia, already notorious for their raucous behavior, was displeased with the outcome of the match. They showered the winner with thunderous boos and jeers, and even an appearance by The Rock couldn't turn them around. The Big Dog was relatively inexperienced at the time and WWE was forcing him into the spotlight.
The story didn't get much better for him, as the fan resentment continued all the way to October 2018. Reigns' battle with leukemia, while very difficult for him, family, and friends, did aid him in his career, as it won the hearts of the WWE Universe. The miraculous return of Big Dog was a real-life inspiration to us all. Roman is now revered and adored by fans all over the globe, more than ever before.
Right now might be the most opportune time to right the wrongs and re-write history. A Royal Rumble victory will bring Reigns back to the spotlight, which he deserves now more than ever. The fans will very likely embrace it with open arms.
