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We all knew that Brock Lesnar would be returning to WWE RAW to kickstart the new year, but none of us saw Paul Heyman's big announcement coming. While the rest of us were wondering who the next challenger for Lesnar would be, the genius mind of Paul Heyman would swerve us all.
It was announced that the WWE Champion Brock Lesnar would enter the Royal Rumble match in the No. 1 spot. This is a very shocking move indeed and the world has been buzzing about why such is the case.
I will try and answer the question in this article, and I do hope you'll let me know your thoughts as well in the comment section below. Bear in mind that I do not know how Paul Heyman's mind works or indeed Vince McMahon's does, so I'm just speculating at best.
So, here's why I think this big angle is happening on RAW.
#4 To have whoever eliminates him face him at WrestleMania
Even though it is difficult to imagine anyone at all eliminating Brock Lesnar from the match, I'm pretty certain that Brock Lesnar will not win the Royal Rumble. And this will not hurt him at all either, because he will be entering at the No. 1 spot.
In my personal opinion, Brock Lesnar may look dominant all the way through and may even make it to the Final 4. But it's at the point that someone ends up eliminating Brock Lesnar, and that could lead to a huge match at WrestleMania 36. I'm certain that someone who's as confident and as cocky as Brock Lesnar will not take the idea of an elimination too well, leading to a feud.
Who do you think will end up eliminating him, reader?
#3 Teasing a variety of dream matches with Brock Lesnar
If someone were to step up this week at RAW, it would be from a usual pool of suspects. But with Brock Lesnar entering the Royal Rumble, the field opens up to SmackDown and NXT stars too.
Maybe someone from NXT UK or even 205 Live could come in. I mean Keith Lee from NXT is getting the biggest push ever and who wouldn't want him to hopefully square off with Brock Lesnar?
Similarly, someone from SmackDown could potentially square off with Brock Lesnar like Braun Strowman, or maybe some story will be brought full circle with Cain Velasquez returning for an elimination spot. Tyson Fury could make a shocking return, only to eliminate Brock Lesnar.
Brock Lesnar entering the Royal Rumble may be a decision that causes us to scratch our heads but if you think about it, it can lead to a variety of amazing moments.
#2 Not having yet another predictable Brock Lesnar match with an obvious result
Let's assume that someone like Ricochet was to take on Brock Lesnar at the Royal Rumble. Anyone who's been watching WWE for any length of time would be able to predict how the match would go, in my personal opinion. Ricochet would go to suplex city, mount a valiant comeback and then ultimately succumb to the might of The Beast Incarnate.
I mean we all know that Brock Lesnar will carry the WWE Championship all the way to WrestleMania. It would essentially be a repeat of the Rey Mysterio match and the crowd may not necessarily be as invested as they are, at this point in time. Even the most seasoned WWE fan may not necessarily be certain as to who will be the man to eventually eliminate Brock Lesnar.
I think Brock Lesnar in the Royal Rumble is a more exciting prospect than Ricochet vs. Lesnar.
#1 The winner may choose to face The Fiend
Do check out this podcast with Gary Cassidy and Tom Colohue from Sportskeeda where they name their picks for the Royal Rumble pay-per-view. Also kudos to Daniel Wood for suggesting this possibility in our official writer chat.
One of the men who's likely to win the Royal Rumble is Roman Reigns and if he does win, it is very likely that he will choose to go after The Fiend. Yet another possibility that I can foresee is NXT getting a push with Finn Balor winning the Rumble and choosing to come after The Fiend, as the Demon King.
But in this case, WWE can tell a whole bunch of stories through this match. So, now that the segment has happened, ladies and gentlemen, are you happy with how this angle played out?
Who do you think is the likeliest contender to win the Royal Rumble match?
