WWE Royal Rumble 2019 Predictions: Asuka vs Becky Lynch 

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Asuka comes full circle at the 2019 Royal Rumble. The Japanese star won the inaugural all-female Royal Rumble match back in 2018 and now returns to the 'Rumble as the Smackdown Women's Champion.

It was a storied path to that title after Asuka tasted defeat in her Wrestlemania challenge versus then-champion, Charlotte Flair. It seemed nonsensical at the time for Asuka's 900+ day undefeated streak to end with defeat in her first major title bout.

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However, after months mired in the mid-card, Asuka returned to prominence late last year Her renewed vigour led her to become Smackdown Women's Champion for the first time, at the expense of reigning champion, Becky Lynch.

Lynch had been the hottest star in all of WWE and continues to be so, with her attitude adjustment post-Summerslam placing her firmly in the main event picture.

WWE has big plans for Lynch and the temptation would be to pick her to regain the title here. However, WWE must have had a reason to take the belt off of her at TLC; a bigger reason than simply to give Asuka a one-month caretaker reign.

Although she is not advertised for it, it is impossible to believe that Lynch's ultra-tough "The Man" character will not play a big part in who wins the Women's Royal Rumble match. There is a massive amount of money riding on a title bout between her and Raw Women's Champion, Ronda Rousey.

That is a Wrestlemania-level programme and one that surely is going to happen. To win the Smackdown Women's Championship again would complicate the route to that feud and also harm Asuka.

Therefore, I am picking Asuka to retain, possibly due to Rousey related shenanigans, and for Lynch to enter the 'Rumble later in the night as she seeks to get her hands on Rousey at Wrestlemania.

Prediction: Asuka