WWE Royal Rumble 2016: Full Card Predictions After TLC

Even amid the cloud of chaos that TLC created with broken ladders and bruised bodies, the path to WWE Royal Rumble 2016 is quite clear.

On the final pay-per-view of the year, WWE let its audience know that Roman Reigns will be too busy battling The Authority to take on Sheamus for the world title. It shone a light on Charlotte's growing dark side, something that will have her collide with her own ally. It showcased two powerful teams likely to eventually face each other.

Reigns is among those destined to battle in the Royal Rumble's 30-man match. To figure out what else the card will hold, TLC's results and the arc of current storylines provide clues aplenty.

A number of title bouts and pair of rematches await fans on 2016's first major show.

Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch (Divas Championship)

With her father in her corner, Charlotte has learned to embrace the art of the underhanded tactic, to value victory no matter the means.

She took down Paige at TLC by removing the padding from a turnbuckle and bashing the challenger's head into the exposed steel. That further cemented Charlotte's shifting status toward villainy.

Backstage, Becky Lynch wasn't happy. She said she didn't like what was happening to her friend and who she was becoming.

It's clear that a split between the two allies is looming. That would give Charlotte an obvious babyface opponent to take on at the Royal Rumble.

Many fans will be pining for a Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte matchup, but WWE is likely to save that for WrestleMania. It's the biggest match it has available in the women's division right now. Lynch is poised to serve as the appetizer to that entree. 

Alberto Del Rio vs. John Cena (United States Championship)

The last time WWE fans saw John Cena in a ring, he was seeing cartoon birds around his head after a kick the head courtesy of Alberto Del Rio. That was Cena's last moment as United States champ.

Expect him to come charging back into WWE before the year is done now that his hiatus is almost done. As Nick Paglino noted on Wrestle Zone, Cena is advertised to appear at a house show on Dec. 26. 

Once he's back, expect him to at least begin his return with a focus on the U.S. title he has held so dear. 

And with Del Rio crushing Jack Swagger in such definitive fashion at TLC, it certainly appears that their feud is already done with. Cena is owed a rematch. Del Rio needs a new enemy.  

That all adds up to a Cena-Del Rio showdown come Jan. 24. 

The New Day vs. The Wyatt Family (Tag Team Championship)

At TLC, The New Day outlasted two babyface teams to retain the tag team titles. The Wyatt Family overwhelmed a quartet of former ECW stars en route to a big win of their own. No other members of the tag team division have the kind of momentum that these two squads have.

Using a bit of imagination, one can foresee a collision between them at the Royal Rumble.

In terms of momentum, it makes plenty of sense for The Wyatt Family to make their way to title contention. They just beat four guys WWE played up as legends. The Usos and The Lucha Dragons, meanwhile, came out of TLC bruised and beaten.

The only issue is that this battle would require someone to turn.

The New Day are so popular as heels that WWE may be tempted to market them as babyfaces. The Wyatt Family earned a loud reaction on Raw when they stepped up to The League of Nations. That response suggested that the crowd is ready for the grizzled group to be fan favorites.

Either way, look for these teams to pile on the wins in the coming weeks, setting up a clash for the gold. 

Dean Ambrose vs. Kevin Owens (Intercontinental Championship)

Dean Ambrose came away with TLC's most surprising win—a title victory over Kevin Owens. Unlike Alberto Del Rio's emphatic beatdown of Jack Swagger, this didn't feel like the end of a story; instead, it seemed like an early chapter.

Count on it continuing on into the Royal Rumble.

If WWE wants to build up Owens for a major match at WrestleMania, it can still have him enter the Rumble and tear things up there. Owens could get distracted at that point by his next opponent, giving him a reason to abandon his pursuit of Ambrose.

WWE had to like these two wrestlers' chemistry together at TLC. That makes it more likely we see at least one more PPV bout between the two. 

And it's not as if there is a long line of viable contenders in front of The Lunatic Fringe. Owens vs. Ambrose II is the obvious choice here.

Sheamus vs. Brock Lesnar (WWE World Heavyweight Championship)

Prepare for a lot of Brock Lesnar in the coming months. In the last few years, it's been the stretch between January and WrestleMania where WWE most showcases The Beast Incarnate. It's where the company puts great effort into building momentum for the powerhouse.

The company should have him compete for the WWE title at the Royal Rumble, to either walk into The Show of Shows as champ or have his eventual opponent derail his title hopes.

Roman Reigns isn't likely to be getting another crack at Sheamus. His assault on Triple H at the end of TLC is a clear sign that he's set to face Triple H down the road. The Authority isn't going to give Reigns a title chance after putting the COO in the hospital.

With him out of the picture, the No. 1 contender's spot makes most sense to go to a guy who was last seen beating Undertaker into the mat and would still be champ had it not been for Seth Rollins cashing in his Money in the Bank contract.

A hard-hitting brawl is on its way, one where few will be putting money on The Celtic Warrior to keep his gold.