Brock Lesnar Should Face John Cena at WWE TLC

Brock Lesnar's return to pay-per-view is not without its share of ambiguity.

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t WrestlingInc) recently reported that Lesnar was booked for the Royal Rumble, indicating this could be the date when he faces John Cena.

Of course, a more recent report by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t WrestlingInc) indicated that "plans can change."

Lesnar is currently advertised for the December 8 episode of Raw, which will serve as the go-home show for WWE TLC.

If this is an indication that Lesnar will be booked on TLC opposite Cena, not only would it capitalize on a hot feud in the wake of disappointing WWE Network numbers (courtesy of PWTorch.com's James Caldwell), it would free up Cena to compete in the Royal Rumble should he lose.

With Royal Rumble set to feature 40 participants for the second time in its storied history, WWE will need all hands on deck in order to make the anticipated Battle Royal watchable.

WWE has been hit hard with roster depth issues as of late, with big names like CM Punk, Daniel Bryan,  Roman Reigns and Wade Barrett currently out of the picture. Recent cost-cutting measures have also led to the release of several talents.

WWE NXT talents figure to be part of the Royal Rumble, but none will be taken seriously as a contender and WWE cannot rely on developmental talents to carry one of its most valuable pay-per-view franchises—even if it is just $9.99.

Because of the fanfare of the Royal Rumble, where each WWE Superstar (or Diva) is given their own entrance and nobody can be hidden, the event has a way of exposing WWE in years when its roster is thin.

The 2012 Royal Rumble was a great example of this problem, as WWE used the entire announcing team—Michael Cole, Jerry Lawler and Booker T—as entrants. This was in addition to surprise appearances by Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Mick Foley, Kharma and the Road Dogg.

With 40 entrants advertised, WWE may consider booking the Spanish announcing team to compete in the Rumble if Cena is tied up with Lesnar.

The third match between Cena and Lesnar in 2014 should come sooner rather than later. If the Royal Rumble disappoints, it will set a negative tone for WrestleMania, which is WWE's best shot at pumping life into a lackluster domestic subscription count of just 3,000 in the past three months.

Moving forward, Cena and Lesnar will be two very important cogs in WWE's machine.

Their involvement in both TLC and Royal Rumble will be instrumental to both the short- and long-term success of the WWE Network.

Follow @ThisIsNasty