WWE Royal Rumble 2020 Predictions: Final four in the men's Rumble match

The Royal Rumble is one of the most anticipated events on the wrestling calendar. It sets the tone for the first half of the year and gives us a glimpse of at least one big match that will be taking place at that year's WrestleMania.

Men like John Cena, Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock were always favorites to win any Rumble match they took part in. Even if they didn't win in a given year, they often made it to the final four. Brock Lesnar will start this year's match as the first participant. He and Paul Heyman didn't feel that there was any worthy competition on RAW to challenge him alone, so The Beast Incarnate decided to face any and all challengers.

Last year's final four included winner Seth Rollins, Braun Strowman, Dolph Ziggler and Andrade. In 2018, the field included John Cena, Finn Balor, Roman Reigns and winner Shinsuke Nakamura. As we can see from both sets of performers, there was not any repetition. That might change this year because Reigns didn't participate in last year's match due to taking time off to deal with Leukemia.

A lot of participants have already been announced for the show including Reigns, Lesnar, Ricochet, Drew McIntyre, AJ Styles, King Corbin, Dolph Ziggler and Erick Rowan. That's just a portion of the men who'll be vying for a chance at a title in April. So who will comprise the final four of this year's Royal Rumble? Here are my four predictions.

#4 King Corbin

One of the main things that a Rumble final four needs is a villain to root against. King Corbin is the best at getting heat from the crowd and is already positioned as one of the top heels on SmackDown. He's still embroiled in a feud with Roman Reigns and that will likely spill over into the Rumble match.

Lesnar was one of the other names I was considering, but since he's entering first, I don't see him lasting until the end. They can set up his potential 'Mania match at any time during the match and should focus on the rest of the men.

His involvement in the contest is him knocking the rest of the roster and if he lasted until the end, it would somewhat justify his claim of no one being a worthy challenger.

I don't see Corbin winning due to heel Champs currently ruling over both RAW and SmackDown. But he's crafted a lot of momentum since the WWE Draft in October. He'll sneak his way until the end and get some cheap eliminations. I think he also lasts until the last four men so that whomever wins can throw Corbin over the top rope last and get cheered. It might be his current rival.

#3 Kofi Kingston

Ever since Kofi Kingston lost the WWE Championship in eight seconds to Brock Lesnar, fans have clamored for him to get another shot at the title he fought so long to hold. He's brushed it off whenever someone asks him about it and maybe he's truly moved on. But the fans have not.

He's been treated like Daniel Bryan was during his ascent to the top of the company. Anything less than Bryan in a major title match at WrestleMania 30 would have cause riots in the aisles and streets around the building. Fans aren't as raucous regarding Kingston's involvement in a title match because he had his moment at 'Mania last year. They do, however, desperately want him to get another shot at one of the major belts in the WWE.

Kingston is always relied on to stave off eliminations in extremely creative ways in the Rumble matches. After winning the title for the first time in his career, however, those moments where he saves himself this year will be even more important.

Fans really want him to get a shot at the title after losing it so quickly to Lesnar. For that reason, I think he makes the last four in this year's match. Seth Rollins would likely be a pick again this year but he's a heel now and won the whole thing last year.

#2 Drew McIntyre

Drew McIntyre is one of the few men left in the company who can reasonably give Lesnar a run for his money in a one on one match. He's routinely mentioned that he's never received a major title shot and that none of the Champions have offered him one since he's been back.

We're seeing him go through a slow face turn as he asks the crowd's opinions on things each week. That's not something that heels do. The crowd has responded favorably to the Scottish Psycopath and the matches he's had as a guy turning to the side of good.

A lot of fans and analysts have wondered why he hasn't already had title shots or at least a title run since he's come back to the WWE. McIntyre is a complete performer and has the "never had a title shot" fact in his favor. Depending on the Superstar, fans will usually root for someone they feel is deserving of a push or a title shot. It's why Cesaro is viewed differently by the management and by the fans. The fans love him and he's immensely talented but for some reason, those facts have never amounted to huge pushes or title opportunities.

McIntyre has been ready to break through as a legit main-event star but the direction hasn't been there for him. This could be his year to finally get a title shot. The Royal Rumble should be used to help turn performers into stars rather than give people who have already won titles more opportunities at titles. If WWE wants to catapult someone into stardom, they could give McIntyre a win in this year's match.

#1 Roman Reigns

To the surprise of almost no one, Roman Reigns is the favorite to win the 2020 Royal Rumble. He's been kept in the mid-card so as not to get the fans to turn against him with his constant pushes and title shots. It has worked to a degree as the crowd has cheered for him more since his return from illness than they did prior to his journeys to the WWE and Universal Championships.

It's helped that he's feuded with one of the most despised people in the whole company in King Corbin over the last four months. It's easy to cheer anyone who opposes the King and it's helped Reigns regain some momentum with portions of the WWE Universe.

The Big Dog has been in the final four in 2016, 2017 and 2018, so there's no reason for him not to be in it this year. WWE might think that the entire crowd will accept him if he wins, but if he eliminates someone like Kingston or another fan favorite, it might backfire for them. That's a big reason why he'll likely be joined by King Corbin at the end of the match. When Randy Orton won in 2017, his win was met more favorably because he eliminated the golden boy in Reigns. For the same thing to happen, someone the crowd doesn't like needs to be a part of the final four if the Big Dog is going to win again.

Conclusion

There are several other Superstars that could feasibly be a part of the final four. Lesnar could last until the end but it would be better for him to get eliminated at least half-way through so that other stars can get focus throughout the match.

Rollins could make it to the final four again because he's one of the biggest Superstars in the company and now one of its top heels. He's quickly getting the crowd to hate him even more and more each week. It's amazing to think that he's the guy who many wanted to win the whole thing last year.

Others like Orton, Styles, Braun Strowman and Kevin Owens would also make sense as men who could come close due to their places on the roster of either RAW or SmackDown. One other thing to consider is that we don't completely know the entire field of the match until it actually happens. While I personally don't believe that CM Punk will be a part of the match, it would be a pleasant surprise if he was. We can't know the entire game because if we did, it would be boring and predictable.

Several Superstars from NXT could also be a part of the match even if each brand isn't getting 10 spots each as previously rumored. A lot can still happen in the time between now and next weekend. There are some bread crumbs to follow as things aren't as secret today as they have been in the past.