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The Men's Royal Rumble Match has three decades of history behind it. But the female version of the 30-person battle royal has only existed for three years. In these three matches, WWE decided to pick experienced, established superstars as the winners of the Women's Royal Rumble Match.
The situation is a little different this time. Asuka, the winner from 2018, is the reigning WWE RAW Women's Champion. Becky Lynch, the 2019 Royal Rumble Winner, is currently on maternity leave. Plus, Sasha Banks, one of the most established stars on the roster, is enjoying her first reign as the WWE Smackdown's Women Champion.
Of course, Charlotte Flair, last year's winner, is always at the forefront. She will compete in the Royal Rumble this year. But it seems unlikely that WWE would have her win the match again.
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As a result, the field is wide open for the Women's Royal Rumble Match in 2021. There are a number of female superstars who will enter the Royal Rumble event with a legitimate chance of winning the women's battle royal.
WWE loves to have "The Queen" in the women's title picture, and Lynch is expected to make a return to the WWE at some point. So a victory by either of these stars can never be ruled out. But there are a few performers who should be considered as the favorites to win the match.
Here are the top five women who are the most likely contenders to win the Royal Rumble Match.
#5 Bayley could win the Women's Royal Rumble Match
After "The Role Model" spent almost two years at the top of SmackDown's women's division, Bayley has taken a backseat in recent months. Since she lost the Smackdown's Women Championship to Sasha Banks, Bayley has been relegated to non-title storylines.
But given her stature as one of the most reliable female performers on the roster, WWE can easily give the Royal Rumble win to Bayley. She's the first WWE Women's Grand Slam Champion, but she still hasn't accomplished this legendary feat.
Banks is still the Smackdown's Women Champion, and she's widely expected to keep the belt on the road to WrestleMania 37. For this reason, WWE might opt to reignite the heated rivalry between the former Golden Role Models.
A match between the friends-turned-enemies at WrestleMania has been rumored for three years now. "The Showcase of the Immortals" right around the corner, so it won't be a surprise if WWE decides to go with Bayley. The former champion could win the Women's Rumble Match and challenge Banks for the title in April.
#4 Rhea Ripley could make her debut and win the Women's Royal Rumble Match
WWE often uses the Royal Rumble match to bring NXT stars to the main roster. Rhea Ripley has done her time on the black-and-gold brand, and she should be featured on WWE RAW or WWE SmackDown sooner rather than later.
Ripley, along with Io Shirai, has been the flag-bearer of NXT's women's division for more than a year. She made history when she (unsuccessfully) defended the NXT Women's Championship at WrestleMania 36. Clearly, she has done it all.
When "The Nightmare" lost to Raquel González, WWE seemingly hinted at the end of Ripley's run on NXT. She's probably bound for the main roster, and this move could happen as early as the Royal Rumble pay-per-view.
"The Nightmare" is already one of WWE's most popular stars, so she should definitely be considered as one of the favorites to win the Royal Rumble Match. She had a solid performance a couple of years ago in her Royal Rumble debut, and a victory in her second appearance would let Ripley start her main roster run with a bang.
Ripley feuded with Charlotte Flair last year, so a dream rivalry with either Asuka or Sasha Banks could be an electric storyline this time around.
#3 Ronda Rousey could return and win the Women's Royal Rumble Match
Ronda Rousey made her WWE debut at Royal Rumble 2018, and the same event in 2021 could be the scene of her return .
It has been almost two years since Ronda Rousey made an appearance on a WWE show. Her defeat in the main event of WrestleMania 35 was her most recent match. But the Royal Rumble event seems like the perfect place to have Rousey return. In doing so, she could add a lot of star power to the road to WrestleMania.
If "The Rowdy One" returns in the Royal Rumble Match, she would automatically become the favorite to win the bout. From there, Rousey could go on to face either brand's women's champion.
Fans have already seen what Rousey can do in a match with Sasha Banks. The two stars clashed at WWE Royal Rumble 2019, so WWE could choose to reinvigorate this feud.
On the other hand, a program with Asuka would utilize a fresh pairing. Rousey and Asuka are two of WWE's top stars, so they could deliver a magnificent WrestleMania match. Either way, Rousey's victory in the Royal Rumble Match would open up many intriguing possibilties.
#2 Alexa Bliss could win the Women's Royal Rumble Match
Alexa Bliss' recent rivalry with Asuka has made the Women's Royal Rumble Match even more interesting. Bliss is now widely considered as one of the favorites to win the bout.
Since she joined forces with The Fiend, Bliss has been unstoppable. She could use her newfound powers to win the Royal Rumble Match. Then, she could continue her program with the WWE RAW Women's Champion.
Bliss certainly deserves to win the Royal Rumble Match. She hasn't been in the women's title picture in more than two years, but she's riding a lot of momentum right now. Bliss has been involved with one of the most prominent storylines on the red brand. A substantial feud between Asuka and Bliss could create some compelling programming.
Other than Charlotte Flair, Asuka is lacking credible challengers. So a Royal Rumble victory and an extended rivalry between "The Empress" and "The Twisted Goddess" could help WWE deliver a fresh match that could delight many fans.
#1 Bianca Belair could rocket to stardom by winning the Women's Royal Rumble Match
Exactly 1 year ago, Bianca Belair made her main roster debut in the Royal Rumble Match. She eliminated a record-tying 8 female competitors from the match. In 2021, "The EST of WWE" enters her second Royal Rumble match as the favorite to win it all.
Belair has been booked as a top prospect on WWE SmackDown since she arrived on the brand. Her ongoing feud with Bayley could be the ladder to her dream program with Sasha Banks.
Belair is a star in the making. She has the talent, the athleticism, and the personality that is needed in a top-tier superstar. All she needs is a big win to capitalize on her popularity. By winning the the Royal Rumble Match, she would prove that she can truly back up the hype that surrounds her.
A rivalry between Banks and Belair could be an amazing WrestleMania program. Both competitors are more than capable of keeping the fans invested, so a lengthy feud between the two could be WWE's best option. "The Boss" and "The EST" both ooze charisma, so they could have a match for the ages at WrestleMania 37.
