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We are less than a week away from the official start of the Road to WrestleMania as Royal Rumble 2020 is set to take place this Sunday on January 26, 2020, at the Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas. Royal Rumble is one of the most important PPVs in WWE's yearly calendar as this is where feuds start taking shape for WrestleMania.
As has been the trend with the last two years, we again have two different Royal Rumble matches this year as well - one for the men and the other for the women. The male roster has been quick to take most of the Rumble spots, with as many as 22 Superstars already announcing themselves for the match. On the other hand, the women's Royal Rumble spots are mostly empty with only four names announced so far.
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Other than the two over-the-top-rope matches, the card for the show also has three championship matches, with the Universal, RAW Women's, and SmackDown Women's title set to be defended.
Without dragging the intro any further, let's get to the point and check my five bold predictions for the most unexpected show of the year. Be sure to comment below and let us know your list of bold predictions as well.
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#5 Booker T enters the Royal Rumble match
One of the running stories on WWE Backstage this past month was WWE Hall of Famer Booker T giving an ultimatum to the company to contact him for an appearance at the PPV. All this started after The Revival had a confrontation with him and challenged Harlem Heat for a match at Royal Rumble. Unfortunately, the storyline wasn't furthered on the FOX Network show or SmackDown.
The Royal Rumble match is arguably the most anticipated match of the year with the WWE Universe waiting to see whose music will hit after the clock counts down to zero. Surprise entrants are one of the best parts of these matches, and as far as this year is concerned, my prediction for a surprise entrant is Booker T. He surely looks "Rumble Ready", doesn't he?
#4 The Miz and John Morrison become new SmackDown Tag Champs
While WWE usually saves the big returns for the Royal Rumble, this year has been different as some of the major names returned to the scene a few weeks before the big-four PPV. The biggest one of them was former Intercontinental and Tag Team Champion, John Morrison.
Returning to WWE TV earlier this month, Morrison has reformed his popular tag team with The Miz, and the duo have straightaway gotten into a feud with the SmackDown Tag Team Champions, the New Day. With Morrison defeating Big E on the penultimate episode of the blue brand before Royal Rumble, there are high chances that WWE might end up booking the two teams in a championship match at the PPV.
While the match hasn't been confirmed yet, in my series of bold predictions, I predict The Miz and John Morrison to walk out of the PPV as the new SmackDown Tag Team Champions. New Day has been at the top of the division for far too long and these two could certainly shake things up.
#3 Firefly Funhouse Bray enters the Rumble
Now, this is a crazy bold prediction! We discussed the importance of surprise entrants in Royal Rumble matches in the first slide. These surprise entrants are usually Superstars and legends of the past, or a returning Superstar or a massive debutant. But what if it is just a regular Superstar who has been on WWE TV every single week, but no one expects him to enter the Rumble?
While we are used to The Fiend appearing and decimating his opponents inside the ring, WWE gave us an entirely new perspective of Wyatt's character at TLC when he appeared in his human form.
Imagine this scenario where the friendly Bray Wyatt enters the Rumble to everyone's shock, eliminates a few opponents. Just when he is starting to enjoy the destruction, he gets eliminated by Roman Reigns. This could be a perfect way to set-up a clash between the Big Dog and The Fiend at WrestleMania 36, without letting Reigns win the Royal Rumble match.
While he certainly is a frontrunner to end up with the victory, the chances of him getting a highly positive reaction from the WWE Universe is unlikely. So who wins the Royal Rumble, you may ask? Here comes my next bold prediction...
#2 Drew McIntyre wins the Royal Rumble
The 2020 Men's Royal Rumble match is already a star-studded affair with many of WWE's top Superstars announcing their entry into the match. One of them is former NXT and Intercontinental Champion, Drew McIntyre. After having a forgettable 2019, the Scottish Psychopath has started the new year on a high note, slowly turning into a massive babyface.
Having proven his worth as an in-ring competitor and impressive mic skills, McIntyre has all the prowess to become the face of the company. In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda's Gary Cassidy, WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle predicted McIntyre to become the WWE Champion by the end of 2020.
With the WWE Universe firmly behind him, this is a great opportunity for the company to build a new star for themselves. Imagine McIntyre eliminating the likes of Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns from the match and winning it all. He can then go on to challenge the Beast Incarnate for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 36. A clash between the two heavyweights would be a delight to watch and McIntyre does seem like someone who can believably defeat Lesnar.
To sum it up, Drew McIntyre winning the Royal Rumble is best for business!
#1 Ronda Rousey returns to help Shayna Baszler win
Enough talking about the men's Royal Rumble, let's move on to the women's match! Unlike their male counterparts, the women's division somehow hasn't shown the eagerness to announce themselves for the over-the-top-rope match, with only four Superstars declared so far.
With Charlotte Flair being one of the announced entrants, she is a favorite to win the match. But if rumors are to be believed, it is Shayna Baszler who looks all set to win the 2020 Women's Royal Rumble match and challenge Becky Lynch for the RAW Women's Championship at WrestleMania 36.
In my last bold prediction for the show, Charlotte and Baszler are the final two in the match. Just when the Queen looks set to throw Baszler over the top rope, Ronda Rousey returns and helps her fellow UFC-horsewomen win the match. Not just this sets up her WrestleMania clash with Lynch, it can also be used to start a proper feud between Charlotte and Rousey, leading to a marquee match at the Show of Shows.
