Royal Rumble 2022 - 7 Potential finishes for Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley: Unexpected squash, Potential distractions, & More

While the Royal Rumble event is famous for its 30-person battles, this year's show also features a long-awaited dream match. WWE Champion Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley will go one-on-one for the first time in history on January 29.

The buildup to their Royal Rumble showdown has certainly been exciting. Even though the matchup had been teased for several years, it was the Day 1 event where it finally seemed plausible.

Now that the bout is official, many fans are eager to find out who will emerge victoriously from their upcoming contest. Let's take a look at seven possible outcomes for Lesnar vs. Lashley at Royal Rumble. Also, feel free to mention your predictions for this match in the comments section below.

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#7. Bobby Lashley wins the WWE Championship after a grueling battle

Despite both veterans' equally impressive physical prowess, booking trends favor Brock Lesnar's winning chances at Royal Rumble. After all, it wasn't until recently that Lashley received a monster push, while Lesnar has been a megastar for years.

WWE holds the opportunity to push The All Mighty as the superior competitor over his opponent — a decision that would seem somewhat out of the norm.

However, Lashley's victory after a competitive battle would not be a thoroughly unrealistic outcome, given how strong he appears compared to most stars on the current roster.

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#6. Brock Lesnar gets embarrassed with a squash loss at the Royal Rumble

One of the most apparent aspects of their feud is how Lesnar does not seem to take his upcoming opponent too seriously. This development is primarily due to how The Beast Incarnate has showcased a more humorous side to his personality lately.

Thus, WWE might have set the stage for Lashley's dominant win, which would also serve as his fitting response to Lesnar's "Bobby who?" joke.

The squash outcome at Royal Rumble does not come across as unrealistic either. At Survivor Series 2016, the current WWE Champion was taken aback when he lost to Goldberg in under two minutes.

#5. A grueling Royal Rumble clash sees Brock Lesnar retain his WWE Championship

Perhaps the most straightforward outcome to this Royal Rumble match is a successful title defense from Brock Lesnar at the end of a competitive clash.

While this may not sound like the most groundbreaking development, The Beast Incarnate's triumph over Bobby Lashley is a safe booking decision on the Road to WrestleMania 38.

Lesnar's laidback version of his character has struck a chord with the WWE Universe, so it would not be the worst idea to keep the world title on him for a while.

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#4. Everyone witnesses yet another squash match in Brock Lesnar's favor

Even though the WWE Champion has suffered a squash loss in recent history, he is the one who does the squashing on most occasions.

Kofi Kingston and Ricochet have been on the receiving end of such finishes against Lesnar. Of course, Lashley is on a whole different level as far as size and strength are concerned. But his upcoming opponent has also made quick work of someone like Cain Velasquez, a two-time UFC Heavyweight Champion.

As a result, there is always a chance that The Beast Incarnate's next title defense — which seems to be competitive on the surface — could end in a few seconds or minutes for the challenger.

While such an outcome at Royal Rumble would likely lead to intense negative feedback, it is a WWE booking trend that fans have grown quite familiar with over the years.

#3. A distraction from MVP ensures Bobby Lashley's victory at the Royal Rumble

MVP cannot be overlooked as a potential factor during the WWE Championship match at Royal Rumble 2022. The 48-year-old has acted as Bobby Lashley's manager since 2020, and many credit him with bringing out The All Mighty's best side on television.

Lashley might not have won his first WWE Championship last year if his alliance with MVP never happened in the first place. Now the latter can ensure that Royal Rumble features a significant title change.

In a scenario where Lesnar holds the upper hand during the contest, a distraction from MVP could drastically turn the tables. While not a clean finish, Lashley would nonetheless leave the event a two-time WWE Champion.

Also, if the distraction turns into blatant interference, it might cause a disqualification outcome. But let's be honest, it would only come across as a lousy result to a match that fans have been waiting to see for years.

Either way, Lesnar comes across as even more of a babyface if he gets cheated out of his current reign on January 29.

#2. Paul Heyman's tricks allow his client to leave Royal Rumble as WWE Champion

If both Paul Heyman and Montel Vontavious Porter get involved in this world championship contest at the Royal Rumble, the result may very well boil down to which man can outsmart the other first.

MVP and Bobby Lashley's association began relatively recently compared to Heyman and Brock Lesnar's advocate-client relationship. However, before their reunion in early January, the latter duo had been apart for some time due to the former ECW owner's stint as Roman Reigns' special counsel.

As things are back to how they were for Lesnar and Heyman, the on-screen advocate will likely do whatever it takes at Royal Rumble to ensure that his client does not ditch him anytime soon.

Heyman's ringside presence means he could prove to be a distraction — if necessary — in The Beast Incarnate's favor. Like the previous finish, a disqualification, in this case, would also lead to disappointment.

However, what makes matters worse is that cheating to win at the upcoming premium live event might not contribute to Lesnar's growing appeal as a comedic character.

#1. A no-contest for Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley's Royal Rumble match leads to polarizing reactions

A no-contest outcome for Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley could benefit or derail the bout's momentum at Royal Rumble 2022. WWE will likely rely on this finish if higher-ups wish to extend their feud. It might also come into play if the people in charge do not want either superstar to look weak following the match.

In a scenario where Lesnar and Lashley go all out to a point where neither man can compete further, a no-contest would create more anticipation for their subsequent encounter. Not only does this satisfy viewers who specifically tuned in to witness complete chaos, but it also leaves them wanting more.

However, a sudden no-contest to a highly-anticipated dream match sounds like the perfect recipe for some intense criticism from the WWE Universe.

While it would certainly be a bold decision both ways, the outcome could negatively impact the event's overall quality to a large extent — indeed not a promising start to this year's Road to WrestleMania.

With just several hours remaining before the Royal Rumble event, one can only hope that WWE higher-ups stay on the right path while booking Lesnar vs. Lashley, which on paper seems to be a dream clash with enormous box-office potential.