WWE Royal Rumble 2019: Full Confirmed Card and Match Predictions

Credit: WWE.com

SmackDown Women’s Championship Match: Asuka (c) vs. Becky Lynch

The final pay-per-view of 2018 was WWE’s annual Tables, Ladders, and Chairs event. In the night’s main event, Becky Lynch had to defend her SmackDown Women’s Championship in a TLC Match against Asuka and Charlotte Flair. It was one of the best matches we’ve seen all year, but there was a wrench thrown in near the end.

While all three women had fought hard and proven themselves worthy of walking out as champion, it was Raw Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey who interfered. By toppling over a ladder holding both Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair, Rousey essentially guaranteed Asuka’s eventual victory.

Despite losing her title, “The Man” Becky Lynch has remained one of the top stars on SmackDown Live. She went on to challenge Charlotte Flair and Carmella for a shot at Asuka at the Royal Rumble, and Becky walked out victorious to earn a shot at the title she’d never intended to lose.

In the weeks since the match was confirmed, we’ve seen some interesting interactions between champion and challenger. Becky’s piercing trash talk seems to have no effect on The Empress of Tomorrow, and both women tried to send a message to each other with wins this week over either half of The IIconics.

That makes this one of the harder matches to predict at the Royal Rumble, but there’s one thing that’s absolutely clear. This will be the first time we’ve seen Asuka vs. Lynch in one on one competition, and it’s going to be absolutely spectacular. Despite a strong effort, I see Lynch coming up short here but later entering the Women’s Royal Rumble.

Prediction: Asuka