Chris Pizzello/Associated Press
The Royal Rumble pay-per-view is one of the most exciting nights in wrestling each year, and the 2020 edition is setting up to be an unforgettable spectacle.
While eyes are focused on the men’s and women’s 30-person Battle Royals and who will go on to main event WrestleMania 35, there is an undercard that features several marquee title matches and secondary storylines.
Here is the full match card, latest news and rumors surrounding the 2020 edition of the Royal Rumble.
Royal Rumble 2020 Match Card and Predicted Winners
Men’s Royal Rumble Match: Roman Reigns
Women’s Royal Rumble Match: Ronda Rousey
Universal Championship: “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt (c) vs. Daniel Bryan
Raw Women’s Championship: Becky Lynch (c) vs. Asuka
SmackDown Women’s Championship: Bayley (c) vs. Lacey Evans
United States Championship: Andrade (c) vs. Humberto Carrillo
Falls Count Anywhere Match: Roman Reigns vs. King Corbin
Shorty G vs. Sheamus
*Predicted winners italicized.
News and Rumors
Nia Jax Possibly Returning?
The Raw and SmackDown women’s rosters could use a shot in the arm on the road to WrestleMania, and one possible return that would turn each division on its ear would be former champion Nia Jax.
Jax has been on the shelf since April after undergoing double knee surgery, but Dave Meltzer reported (h/t WrestlingInc.com) that she “could still be back in time” to participate in the 30-women Battle Royal.
Jax is one of the most dominant forces in the women’s division, but she proved at last year’s event that she could stand toe-to-toe with the boys as well. This year, the hope is that she returns, dominates the match and builds a marquee feud for the road to WrestleMania.
CM Punk Picks Keith Lee to Win
Keith Lee is one of the brightest stars in NXT right now, but not too many fans are picking him to make his main roster impact by winning the Royal Rumble.
One person who is picking Lee is former WWE champion CM Punk.
On the latest episode of WWE Backstage, Punk said, “Keith Lee from NXT should win the Royal Rumble. He had a tremendous showing at Survivor Series and, to me is a big fish in a little pond right now. Not to say that NXT is little by any means. I think you need to follow up on things like this. You strike when the iron is hot. You saw the little moment that he had with Roman Reigns [at Survivor Series]. I think you need to follow up with it here. I think he needs to chuck Brock over the top rope and win that whole thing.”
While Punk has been away from the business for several years, he knows the industry inside and out. Everything the former champion said about Lee is 100 percent correct, but WWE doesn’t understand the concept of striking while the iron is hot.
Lee would be a worthy Royal Rumble winner, but the WWE Universe should be preparing for another Roman Reigns victory.
Io Shirai Debuting on Main Roster Sunday?
Wrestling fans have grown to love Io Shirai since she made the jump from Japan to NXT, but there are reports that suggest she could be frustrated by her position with WWE’s developmental brand.
According to Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t WrestlingInc.com), Shirai’s NXT pay is “nothing special,” especially when considering she was making more money and working fewer dates with Stardom in Japan.
WWE should be looking to do everything in its power to keep Shirai under contract. As a result, the company must let her debut on the main roster at the Royal Rumble and prove to the international Superstar there is a future outside the walls of Full Sail University.
For more wrestling talk, listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot topics or catch the latest episode in the player above (some language NSFW).
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