What if The Rock wins the WWE Royal Rumble 2019?

Back in the summer and fall, one of the biggest rumors around the world of professional wrestling suggested that The Rock was planning to return to WWE for WrestleMania 35. More specifically, rumors indicated that he might be coming back to work a Universal Championship match with Roman Reigns.

Things have changed. Reigns is out of action battling leukemia. Without that budding top star in the company to help build, let alone someone from Rock’s own family in that position, it’s less clear the Great One would want to work a match, or might save such an appearance for a future year. Other rumors have indicated that WWE pitched the idea of the Brahma Bull challenging Brock Lesnar instead, but that he balked at that idea, in part wanting to avoid the physical punishment that tends to result from Lesnar’s ring style.

The rumor mill has cooled off about The Rock working a match at WrestleMania. But what if that’s exactly the calm that WWE was aiming for in order to maximize the surprise when he not only works ‘Mania, but wins the Royal Rumble on his way there?

The Rock winning the Rumble would turn the main event scene on its head. For the purposes of star power, him wrestling Brock Lesnar would be the most obvious box office draw. But then, what if Finn Balor emerges from the Rumble PPV as Universal Champion? Rock vs. Balor isn’t a conventional dream match, but if WWE starts building this month, it could be an interesting showdown between a defining establishment star and an up and come trying to prove himself as champion. As we all know, it’s also not too late for the title picture to further change in the months in between with someone like Braun Strowman to get inserted.

On the flip side, SmackDown could present its own interesting set of opponents for The Rock, like Daniel Bryan, AJ Styles, or The Miz. Bryan or Styles, in particular, might hit the sweet spot of big-name stars who could also probably give Rock the best pure wrestling match possible at WrestleMania.