TLC is firmly in the rear mirror now, and we are fast approaching one of the most unpredictable nights on the WWE calendar at the Royal Rumble. However, while the January pay per view is known for the men’s and women’s Rumble’s, there is also extra interest in the title matches.
These could help shape the card for WrestleMania at an early stage, but who could we see defending their title at the Rumble? And, what chance do they have of holding onto the gold as the show comes to an end?
Bayley vs Lacey Evans (SmackDown Women’s Championship)
This match certainly feels like a bit of a filler for Bayley until the eventual turn by either her or Sasha Banks takes place. It was a little strange that it wasn’t included on the TLC show, but at least the women have longer to build up interest in this match.
It will probably be an entertaining match between the two, but it will likely be stuck in the middle of the card somewhere and forgotten about pretty quickly. Expect a screwy finish with Banks likely getting involved to help.
Becky Lynch vs Asuka (Raw Women’s Championship)
If the clash involving these two at TLC was anything to go by, then this could be an extremely physical affair. Asuka eventually claimed the win for her team in that match against Lynch and Charlotte Flair and that would presumably put her in line for a title opportunity. Especially considering the fact that there aren’t too many other superstars in the women’s division on Raw that could claim to beat Lynch.
It will be a re-match from 12 months ago, where Asuka came out victorious. However, Lynch would end the night by winning the Rumble. This will be a brilliant match between two wrestlers that always put on a show. The fans will be engaged and could be a solid match to open the night’s action.
The Fiend vs Daniel Bryan (WWE Universal Title)
One of the only positives to come out of the TLC PPV was the return of Daniel Bryan. He’s also sporting a new look, and we witnessed the rebirth of the ‘Yes’ movement. He came back to attack Bray Wyatt after he had beaten the Miz. He was about to unload on the A-lister before Bryan made the save.
This is one of the better storylines going on about the moment, but you would be hard-pressed to find anyone that really believes Bryan will win the title. However, the chemistry that the two superstars have means that this should be a good match. Bryan will come close to winning before the Fiend gets the win.