Sports
Feuds Most Likely to End Up on WWE Royal Rumble 2020 Match Card
0 of 7Seth Rollins delivering a Stomp to Kevin Owens.Credit: WWE.comThe 2020 WWE Royal Rumble is still over four weeks away on January 26 but we can already see which storylines are going to take priority at the pay-per-view.The Rumble is one of the longer events WWE holds every year. If last year’s event is…
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Seth Rollins delivering a Stomp to Kevin Owens.Credit: WWE.com
The 2020 WWE Royal Rumble is still over four weeks away on January 26 but we can already see which storylines are going to take priority at the pay-per-view.
The Rumble is one of the longer events WWE holds every year. If last year's event is a template to go by, we will likely see seven bouts in addition to the men's and women's Rumble matches, with three of those other contests going on the two-hour Kickoff.
The only confirmed match after Friday's SmackDown is Bray Wyatt vs. Daniel Bryan for the Universal Championship. This leaves us with six slots on the card.
Certain feuds will be addressed during the titular bouts while others will have their own separate contests. Let's look at which storylines will most likely fill up the Royal Rumble card.
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Roman Reigns and Baron Corbin just competed in a brutal TLC match at Tables, Ladders & Chairs on December 16 but their feud doesn't appear to be anywhere close to being done.
During Friday's SmackDown, The Big Dog attacked Corbin during his entrance for his showdown Bryan and The Miz, and then he attacked Corbin again during the match to take him out of contention.
The King has been using a team of security personnel recently but they do not appear to be any match for the power and determination of Reigns.
Having Dolph Ziggler and The Revival as allies is what allowed Corbin to defeat the former world champion at TLC but with all three men probably competing in the Royal Rumble match, The King might be on his own for this one.
If The New Day does not defend the SmackDown tag titles at the PPV, it's possible Kofi Kingston and Big E end up teaming with Reigns to face Corbin and The Revival in a six-man contest. However, we will likely see that combo on an upcoming SmackDown.
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Braun Strowman pinning Shinsuke Nakamura on Friday's SmackDown is a good sign The Monster Among Men will be getting a shot at the Intercontinental Championship at The Royal Rumble.
When Sami Zayn revealed he was Strowman's secret Santa last week, the giant told him he wanted an IC title match. Zayn did not want to comply but he may have no choice now that Strowman holds a pinfall victory over the champ.
This is Strowman's first real feud in months and it could lead to his first singles title in WWE. It's hard to believe he has been carving a path of destruction on Raw and SmackDown for over four years and never held anything other than tag team gold.
Nakamura will have Zayn and Cesaro in his corner so it won't be an easy fight for The Monster Among Men. He has overcome worse odds in the past. He can do it again.
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Lacey Evans is officially a babyface and her first feud as a heroine is with two of the biggest stars on SmackDown, Bayley and Sasha Banks.
It's hard to tell if this will lead to a match against Banks or Bayley but the odds of The Sassy Southern Belle ending up in the ring with one of them at The Rumble are good.
Evans teamed with Dana Brooke on Friday's SmackDown so it's possible they reunite to face the former women's tag team champions again. The better option is a singles bout but if WWE also wants to push Brooke, the tag team contest is a good alternative.
Using Evans' daughter as part of the storyline has helped her connect with the WWE Universe, especially mothers and young girls. This is WWE's chance to turn her into one of its biggest babyfaces.
If she does not end up facing one of them next month, it's possible the former Marine will win the women's Royal Rumble to earn a shot at Bayley's title at WrestleMania 36.
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As of right now, the biggest feud on Raw is between Kevin Owens and Seth Rollins. Until Brock Lesnar returns for his next WWE title defense, this storyline is going to take priority over everything else.
The recent heel turn by Rollins has breathed new life into his character and given the WWE Universe a chance to remember how good he can be when he is the bad guy.
Aligning with AOP was a smart move because it allows The Architect to keep his hands clean while Akam and Rezar do most of the dirty work.
Even with friends like Rey Mysterio, Owens is at a disadvantage and he is at his best when he has his back against the wall. KO is the most dangerous when he is desperate.
This is going to be a contender for Match of the Night at The Royal Rumble. If the winner of the Rumble is from SmackDown, the victor of Owens vs. Rollins should earn the right to challenge Lesnar for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 36.
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Out of all the feuds listed in this article, Buddy Murphy vs. Aleister Black is the most likely to end up being addressed during the Rumble match itself.
Then again, WWE officials had to be impressed with their showing at TLC and might be looking to continue building momentum before putting them back in the ring for a singles match.
They had a small game of one-upmanship on Raw when both men defeated enhancement talents in less than a minute, but when Murphy refused to show Black respect by shaking his hand, The Dutch Destroyer put him down with a swift kick to the head.
These are two of the brightest young stars on Raw right now. Even if they don't end up having their own spot at the PPV, Black and Murphy will end up having standout performances during the Royal Rumble bout.
This storyline is old school because it's about nothing more than two guys who want to beat each other up. Let's hope they get the chance to do just that on January 26.
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Becky Lynch came to the ring on Raw and offered Asuka a match for the Raw Women's Championship. Nothing has been made official yet but they are a lock to have their showdown at The Royal Rumble.
This feud has been building for over a year. Asuka, with a little help from Ronda Rousey, was the one who dethroned Becky Lynch as SmackDown women's champion at TLC 2018.
She also beat Lynch at TLC 2019 in a tag team match. The Empress of Tomorrow is the one woman The Man has never been able to overcome and she does not want that blemish on her record anymore.
Kairi Sane may be at ringside to support her partner, so Lynch will have to grow a pair of eyes in the back of her head to prevent Asuka 2 Belts from becoming a reality.
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Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson are the only duo being featured enough on Raw to deserve a title shot against The Viking Raiders.
This feud has been building for the past few weeks with Randy Orton and AJ Styles having their own storyline running parallel. We have already seen them compete in a six-man match with The OC coming out on top.
This gives Anderson and Gallows the leverage they will need to request a title shot from whatever invisible authority figure is running Raw these days. The best place for this to happen is The Royal Rumble.
Until The Usos return and AOP is ready to enter the hunt for tag team gold, The Street Profits are the only other team WWE could add to this match to shake things up.
Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins have quickly become one of the most popular acts on Raw and management should capitalize on their momentum while it can. They don't have to walk away with the belts to have a memorable performance.
What do you think we will see featured on the Royal Rumble card? Follow me on Twitter @BR_DOctor.
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