Two Championships need to change hands at the 2020 Royal Rumble

If you are anything like me, you have become entrenched in the ongoing story between Becky Lynch and Asuka. With each passing week I have gotten more and more invested. Becky Lynch has done a masterful job of selling how important this match is to her and how shaken her confidence is heading into the Royal Rumble.

Asuka has played her part masterfully as well. She knows she owns The Man and has been oozing that confidence whenever the two are near one another.

Lynch has done everything she can to bill Asuka as the unstoppable force that she was back in her NXT days. Which is the right thing to do. Her booking on the main roster hasn't quite lived up to her talent level.

Case in point, Asuka dropping the SmackDown Women's Championship to Charlotte just before WrestleMania last year. Which was something Lynch spoke about this week on WWE Backstage (H/T Fightful):

"She's phenomenal with what she's done in the ring. Her character work, presently, is amazing. She had this phenomenal run in NXT, she was booked to win 90% of her matches. Then, last year at WrestleMania, she got the rug pulled from under her. I felt bad for her. I know what it's like to be in that position.

I want to make her a monster and I'm doing everything that I can because she is that person that I haven't beat yet. I love that story because it's the person that I haven't beat and going in with that doubt. That doubt that stopped me from wrestling seven years ago. Can I do this? Do I have that ability to beat this person? Am I going to fight it or am I going to walk/run away?"

Whatever the current plans are for Becky Lynch at WrestleMania 36 need to be put on hold. The Man has done an excellent job of laying the ground work for this fight with Asuka. The story simply cannot end now. WWE needs to follow Lynch's lead and have Asuka walk out of the Royal Rumble as the RAW Women's Champion.

It only helps make the story more believable. The hero doesn't always win, especially against their arch nemesis. When it comes to The Man, I want to see what another loss does to her. I want to see what deep dark place she goes to exact her revenge on the Empress of Tomorrow.

Lynch does her best work when she's chasing the Championship and when she has debts to collect. Asuka is her white whale. We'd be missing out on weeks of quality television if Lynch was able to exorcise her demons at the Royal Rumble.

Lynch should eventually beat Asuka, but a win that monumental should happen on the biggest stage of them all. That's why I'd love to see these two battle over the RAW Women's Championship one final time, at WrestleMania 36. The question becomes what does the company do with the Women's Tag Team Championships?

The Kabuki Warriors would likely have to drop the Titles along the road to WrestleMania. I'm sure The Man could get involved and ensure that happens.

---

Lacey Evans cannot lose another title match

Could both Women's Championships change hands?

The Sassy Southern Belle is riding an incredible wave of momentum heading into the Royal Rumble. Her transition from pompous heel to likable, relatable American hero has been seamless. I was skeptical at first, but Evans has quickly become the top babyface on Friday Night SmackDown.

As she beautifully demonstrated in her promo on Friday, she knows how to connect with the audience. More importantly, as we saw immediately following that promo, she knows to throw down when need be.

The amazing thing about her match Sunday, is that it's already her 4th Championship opportunity since coming to the main roster last year. She lost all three of her matches against Becky Lynch over the Summer, and I'm afraid going 0-4 could put a major halt to her momentum. At the very least, she cannot lose clean.

Outside interference from Sasha Banks is all but guaranteed, which could possibly lead to another Championship opportunity at Elimination Chamber. However, if reports are true that WWE wants Sasha vs. Bayley at WrestleMania, it's highly unlikely that Evans would walk away with the title in March. That would make her 0-5 in Championship matches.

Instead, I suggest having Lacey go ahead and win at the Royal Rumble and then drop the Championship 6 weeks later inside the Elimination Chamber. Losing in a brutal match like the Elimination Chamber would lighten the blow for Evans, and there would still be plenty of time to set up the desired Bayley vs. Banks match up for WrestleMania.

A short title run would do less damage to Evans' credibility than coming out on the losing end of another feud. Think of it this way - Edge's first world title run lasted roughly a month and he did just fine for himself.

Lacey Evans could do a lot worse in her first go as Champion than 6 weeks. Charlotte's last 4 Championship reigns barely lasted that long combined. Plus you never know, maybe Evans turns out to be a fantastic Champion and the company decides to keep it on her. I say give her a shot. What's the worst that could happen?