WWE Royal Rumble 2020 will take place on Jan. 26 at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT live on the WWE Network with the kickoff show beginning at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT. The following will discern and explicate five eliminations that need to happen in the Men’s and Women’s Royal Rumble Matches one week away from a PPV that kickstarts the road to WrestleMania 36.
In professional basketball (NBA), a player is eliminated from the game when one accumulates six fouls within the four quarters of playing time. Clearly, basketball is not all about shooting three-pointers and dunking at will.
In professional soccer (MLS), a player is eliminated from the game when one accumulates two yellow cards and/or one red card within the two halves of playing time. Clearly, soccer is not all about scoring goals and getting free kick opportunities.
In professional wrestling (WWE), a wrestler is eliminated from the Royal Rumble match when one is hurled over the top rope and both feet land on the floor outside the ring. Clearly, wrestling is not all about obtaining pinfalls and submissions.
As opposed to other sports, Royal Rumble eliminations in the WWE should not be considered violations of conduct. Instead, they should be considered either as the spark for new rivalries to form or the propellant for current rivalries to thrive on the road to WrestleMania 36.
With that being said, the following will identify and explain five eliminations that need to happen in the Men’s and Women’s Royal Rumble Matches, starting with Buddy Murphy eliminating Aleister Black and Sarah Logan eliminating Charlotte Flair.
5.) Buddy Murphy Eliminates Aleister Black
After losing three straight matches to Aleister Black, Buddy Murphy is now obligated to eliminate him from the Men’s Royal Rumble Match. It is quite lucid that he is still obsessed with defeating Black and a Royal Rumble Elimination could do him a huge favor.
His new alliance with Seth Rollins and Authors of Pain could help him accomplish this task on the road to WWE WrestleMania 36. Now that Murphy is a disciple of Cross Fit Jesus, he has the ministration of Seth Rollins to help him eliminate Black from the Men’s Royal Rumble.
4.) Sarah Logan Eliminates Charlotte Flair
Sarah Logan does not just want a piece of Charlotte Flair inside the squared circle. She also wants the Queen’s robe, crown, and scepter. One may think she wants these things because she wants to be Charlotte Flair but it’s actually because she wants to expunge Charlotte Flair.
As indicated by her backstage promo, she orates that Charlotte Flair will go home, remove her makeup, and see Sarah Logan in the mirror. Not only is that statement deep but it also shows how adept Logan is at making a statement with the little TV time she is given and still looking like a winner even though she clearly lost to Charlotte in a match last week on Raw.
Eliminating Charlotte Flair from the Women’s Royal Rumble match would be a career-making moment for her and could lead to a stupendous rivalry on the road to WrestleMania 36. Just like Liv Morgan became real after losing to Charlotte Flair in July, Sarah Logan could become minacious after losing to Charlotte Flair this month.
3.) Kevin Owens Eliminates Seth Rollins
While Seth Rollins is busy helping Buddy Murphy eliminate Aleister Black, he also needs to be aware of Kevin Owens. The faction war amongst Kevin Owens, Samoa Joe, Big Show, Seth Rollins, Buddy Murphy, and Authors of Pain commenced due to the Town Hall Meeting interaction between Owens and Rollins in November of 2019.
Many may not take the time to appreciate this, but that Town Hall Meeting post-Survivor Series set the tone and pace for Monday Night Raw on the road to WrestleMania 36. It led to a pivotal Rollins heel turn, a new heel faction, and further solidified Owens as the top babyface on Raw.
Originally, the top babyface on Raw was Seth Rollins, so this was an inadvertent passing of the torch in every sense of the word. If Owens eliminates Rollins from the Men’s Royal Rumble match, that torch will indelibly be in the hands of Kevin Owens on the road to KO-Mania 36.
2.) Sasha Banks Eliminates Lacey Evans
Although Lacey Evans is scheduled to battle Bayley for the SmackDown Women’s Championship at WWE Royal Rumble 2020, she still has issues with Bayley’s best friend, Sasha Banks. If Evans foreseeably loses in her championship match with Bayley, it is evident that both she and Banks will be in the Women’s Royal Rumble Match.
In the weeks leading up to this PPV, Banks has continually insulted Evans for her substandard motherhood. Evans had enough of Banks’ insults and attacked Banks in the backstage area before their scheduled match last week on Friday Night SmackDown.
This attack led to Banks’ ankle injury, which could or could not be implemented for storyline purposes. If this injury is played out for storyline purposes and was intending to protect Banks from a loss to Evans on SmackDown, it is likely that Banks is picking up something from the great Eddie Guerrero’s playbook and is attempting to lie, cheat, and steal her way into eliminating Evans from the Royal Rumble.
1.) Drew McIntyre Eliminates Brock Lesnar
Drew McIntyre? What? Why? Shouldn’t the almighty Cain Velasquez eliminate Brock Lesnar to avenge the quick loss at WWE Crown Jewel? Shouldn’t the fervid Rey Mysterio eliminate Brock Lesnar to avenge what Lesnar did to his son, Dominick? Shouldn’t the befallen Kofi Kingston eliminate Brock Lesnar to avenge his very memorable eight-second WWE Championship loss?
Yes, they should but that’s past news and the WWE does not partake in long-term storytelling well enough to recall these occurrences and capitalize on them. Although this company has trouble remembering the past, they should not have any qualms with noticing the future: the Scottish Psychopath Drew McIntyre.
By popular demand, it is clear that McIntyre has the ‘It’ factor and knows how to flip the switch when necessary. This superstar was heel ever since joining the main roster, and he effortlessly turned babyface without any build up of charisma or rapport with the fans.
However, he immediately got the crowd on his side when he started counting down (3..2…1) to his Claymore Kick and cracked some fatuous jokes on superstars like Curt Hawkins, Zack Ryder, and No Way Jose. Although building up a good babyface run usually takes some time, it looks like McIntyre does not need that much time to even spark rumors of him battling the heel Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 36 for the WWE Championship.
By popular demand, the most important elimination that needs to happen at WWE Royal Rumble 2020 is Drew McIntyre eliminating Brock Lesnar. Since they have not interacted at all as of late, this would be the most opportune moment for McIntyre to launch a rivalry that the WWE fans crave on the road to WWE WrestleMania 36.