WWE Royal Rumble 2020: Predicting all 30 women before Survivor Series 2019
By Amelia N
20. Liv Morgan
Liv Morgan has been missing from WWE programming for the past four months, and wasn’t presented as a particularly high priority when she was the last of the televised picks in the 2019 Draft. Interestingly, though, she’s been teasing a complete gimmick reboot on social media; if the expected change of look/attitude/direction has the desired effect, Liv could be on her way to finally being taken seriously by WWE management.
Where better to announce her big comeback than during the Royal Rumble? Even if it was her first on-screen appearance under a new gimmick she’d be an unlikely winner, though.
19. Natalya
Natalya is one of WWE’s most trusted go-to competitors in the women’s division. When a main push prospect gets injured or violates the Wellness Policy, just call Natalya, she’ll work until we can re-write things! Unfortunately, although she’s gained the occasional title run during her time in WWE, Natalya is at the time of her career where she’s primarily used to put over young and upcoming prospects, rather than being viewed as a main event player herself. Don’t rule her out entirely, but don’t put your money on her either.
18. Carmella
Creative are obviously high on Carmella, and have been ever since her main roster debut in 2016. She was the first ever Miss Money In the Bank, she’s won the WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal, and she’s been routinely placed in high profile feuds with the likes of Charlotte Flair and Nikki Bella.
The reason she’s rated this unlikely is that in recent months, Carmella has been used primarily as a comedy prop, regularly teaming with R-Truth as the centerpieces of the 24/7 Championship “division”. Since the alliance with Truth was ended rather pointlessly by the Draft, Carmella has yet to show any flicker of being taken as seriously as she was two years ago. You can never fully write Carmella off, and unless she’s hotshotted back into a title match she’ll almost certainly enter the Royal Rumble match, but right now she’s not likely to win at all.
17. Paige
Paige winning the Royal Rumble would be one of WWE’s biggest feel good stories in years. Hell, Paige even entering the Royal Rumble would be monumental; officially retired from in-ring competition since an injury in December 2017, Paige has been kept on WWE television first as General Manager of Smackdown, then as the manager of the Kabuki Warriors.
Since said managerial job ended, as so many do, by her getting acidic green mist spat in her face, all has gone quiet on the Paige front. There are, however, some rumors that her recent neck surgery has seen her quietly cleared for in-ring competition again; massively unlikely, but the precise sort of surprise WWE would work overtime to keep secret until the second her music were to hit. Consider this entry more heart than head, but wouldn’t it be great?
16. Candice LeRae
During her stint in NXT so far, Candice LeRae has quietly progressed into the main event scene, failing to take the NXT title from Shayna Baszler and engaging in a high profile feud with Io Shirai.
She’s also no stranger to the Royal Rumble match, having entered last time out. She’s very popular with the fans and there’s always a chance that WWE pull a swerve with an unexpected Rumble winner; LeRae would be both that surprise and a high profile babyface winner for a heel champion to run scared of in the buildup to WrestleMania (Hi, Bayley).
As one of the biggest names in NXT’s womens division, Candice Wrestling is fairly likely to enter the Rumble again this year.