In this new series, we assess the chances that superstars have of winning the 2019 Royal Rumble match.
Last time, we looked at the chances of The Rock.
This time, we assess the chances of another superstar who was born into this business, the daughter of the legendary, two time WWE Hall of Famer and sixteen time World Champion, Ric Flair. I speak of course of 'The Nature Girl', Charlotte Flair.
Charlotte Flair has been one of the premier superstars in all of the WWE since her debut. She is a seven-time women's champion. She was the first woman to main event a WWE pay-per-view. She was in the first-ever women's Hell in a Cell match and emerged victorious. She was in the first ever WWE main roster Last Woman Standing match. She has been a part of three consecutive Women's Championship matches at WrestleMania, and emerged victorious on two occasions. She has been a sole survivor at Survivor Series. She participated in the first-ever women's TLC match. She ended Asuka's five hundred day plus undefeated streak.
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To say that she is a decorated superstar is a massive, massive understatement.
Charlotte Flair did not compete in the inaugural women's Royal Rumble match, so there is no past precedent to guide us.
The question is, how will she do this time?
Case for Charlotte Flair winning 2019 Women's Royal Rumble match
Charlotte Flair is one of the most accomplished superstars on the entire WWE roster, and she is well on her way to becoming one of the greatest of all time. There is a very simple reason for that. Charlotte Flair has always delivered.
She is perhaps the best pure athlete in all of the WWE. She regularly has matches that range from good to excellent. She commands the audience's attention when she is in the ring. There is an aura about her. It is called star-power, and Charlotte Flair has oodles of it.
She has already proven that she can deliver in a high profile match at WrestleMania; she has done it for the past three years after all. Her match against Asuka at WrestleMania 35 was arguably one of the best matches on the entire card.
Her accomplishments alone make a very very strong case for her winning this match.
The WWE trusts Charlotte Flair to deliver in high profile moments and to carry high profile stories. It doesn't get more high profile than a Royal Rumble victory.
Case against Charlotte Flair winning 2019 Women's Royal Rumble match
Charlotte Flair might be 'The Woman' but the greatest obstacle to her winning this match comes in the form of 'The Man', Becky Lynch. As discussed, this appears to be Becky Lynch's moment to shine.
Moreover, it may be argued that due to her immense star power, Charlotte Flair does not need a Royal Rumble victory to be a featured part of WrestleMania. She can simply demand a match because she is Charlotte Flair.
Furthermore, with Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch not being a part of this match, Charlotte Flair must be considered a strong candidate for the role of iron-woman. That would require her to either start the match, or come in at number 3 or 4, and last till the final four. The problem with an iron-woman victory is that it is very much an underdog babyface move, and Charlotte Flair is anything but that.
Who would she challenge at WrestleMania 35?
If Charlotte Flair wins the 2019 women's Royal Rumble match, she is going to challenge 'Rowdy' Ronda Rousey for the RAW Women's Championship at WrestleMania 35.
These two have a storied history. Even before Ronda Rousey signed with the WWE, the one match that everybody spoke about was Charlotte Flair versus Ronda Rousey. It was arguably the plan for this year's WrestleMania ever since Ronda Rousey debuted. However, Becky Lynch was injured, and Charlotte Flair faced Ronda Rousey at Survivor Series in her stead.
After an incredibly physical, even match-up, Charlotte Flair snapped, and attacked Ronda Rousey with a steel chair multiple times. To take revenge, Ronda Rousey cost Charlotte Flair the Smackdown Women's Championship at TLC.
It is inevitable that these two will face each other once again.
It is a match that sells itself; a clash between two of the premier athletes in all of the WWE, in a quest to prove once and for all who the true alpha female is.
The Verdict: Charlotte Flair is one of the favourites to win this match. Of the women who have thus far been announced as participating, she is the clear front-runner.
Agree? Disagree? Let us know in the comments.