'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
WWE TLC is in the history books, and after a rollercoaster year, the WWE Universe will begin to turn their attention towards 2019 and, more importantly, the road to WrestleMania.
The Royal Rumble event is traditionally the first stop on the road to the big event, and this year's event is already shaping up to be great.
Three matches have already been confirmed for the event: Brock Lesnar Vs Braun Strowman and the two Royal Rumble matches.
With that in mind, let's take a look at what other matches we could see taking place on next month's Royal Rumble card.
Drew McIntyre vs Finn Balor and Dolph Ziggler
Drew McIntyre's recent defeats at the hands of Dolph Ziggler and Finn Balor have come as quite the surprise to the WWE audience, but hopefully, the company has bigger plans in store as a result of them.
McIntyre is clearly being billed as the next big thing in the WWE, and the company need to tread carefully over the next few months if they are going to capitalise on that.
The most logical way to bring this all to a conclusion then is to have McIntyre defeat both men in one match. Sure, it may damage Balor and Ziggler a little, but McIntyre needs to look as strong as possible heading into Mania season, and having him exact revenge against the two men who have beaten him will certainly achieve that.
Shinsuke Nakamura vs Rusev - US Championship
Shinsuke Nakamura has been largely absent from WWE programming as of late, and a big reason for that may be his contract, which is reportedly set to run out at the end of January.
If that is the case, and he doesn't re-sign with the company, then you can expect him to be dropping the belt sometime before then.
The best opportunity for him to do so would be at Royal Rumble, with the most viable candidate for the gold right now being Rusev.
Despite a lack of development in recent months, Rusev is still one of the most over faces on SmackDown and the Bulgarian Brute has an impeccable record as US Champion.
The US belt has become anonymous since Nakamura won it this Summer, and Rusev could be the perfect man to help make it relevant again.
Ronda Rousey vs Charlotte Flair
Ronda Rousey grabbed the headlines at TLC when she cost Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch in the night's main event, and it has become increasingly apparent that 'the baddest woman on the planet' is a certainty for the main event of WrestleMania 35.
Logic suggests that Becky Lynch will be her opponent and the only other question then is whether or not Charlotte Flair will also be involved.
Flair and Rousey have a lot of unfinished business, but if Flair is not going to be in the main event of Mania, then the Royal Rumble is the most logical time for those two women to settle their score.
If, of course, it is going to be a triple threat at Mania, then Flair and Lynch could end up as joint winners of the Rumble, Lex Luger/Bret Hart style, but I suspect they may want to have Flair and Rousey settle their score here instead.
Rey Mysterio vs Daniel Bryan - WWE Championship
Daniel Bryan is on fire as WWE Champion right now, and the WWE should do all that they can to keep him looking strong into WrestleMania 35.
While a rematch between Bryan and Styles could certainly be on the cards, it would be nice to see Styles spend some time in the Rumble this year, and it would also be refreshing to see somebody else involved in the WWE title picture. Also, another defeat at the hands of Daniel Bryan doesn't exactly do him any favours.
Instead, Bryan could just flat out refuse to give Styles another match, arguing that he beat him fair and square and that Styles shouldn't be so entitled. It would enrage the fanbase and really establish Bryan as the top heel in the WWE.
Given the lack of faces on SmackDown right now and the fact that the only other real competitor for Bryan, Jeff Hardy, is wrapped up in a feud with Samoa Joe, Rey Mysterio is the best option for number 1 contender.
They could always make this a triple threat with Randy Orton, given that he and Mysterio have been involved in a feud as of late, but given that Mysterio defeated him at TLC, it makes sense for him to step up for a match with Bryan at the Rumble.
