Biggest WrestleMania 39 Implications of WWE Royal Rumble 2023 Match Card

Despite a largely lackluster build in recent weeks, there's a lot to look forward to at the WWE Royal Rumble 2023 and a handful of intriguing storylines worth tracking.

The classic Rumble matches not only crown new championship contenders in time for WrestleMania but also jump-start feuds and give the audience a small taste of what The Show of Shows will have in store.

Based on who has already declared for the men's and women's contests, it's safe to assume this year will be no exception. Expect significant storyline development in both bouts.

Beyond that, the rest of the card will have high stakes as well when Kevin Owens challenges Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. Bray Wyatt is also set to return to the ring against LA Knight in the first-ever Pitch Black match.

Each of these outings and their respective results are bound to have major WrestleMania 39 implications, making everything that transpires on January 28 all the more fun to follow.

Cody Rhodes or The Rock Winning Men's Rumble Match

There are a handful of Superstars who could realistically win the men's Royal Rumble match, but Cody Rhodes and The Rock are undoubtedly the two top choices.

On Monday's Raw, Rhodes confirmed his entry into the men's contest following a long layoff due to injury. It will mark his first taste of in-ring action since beating Seth Rollins in a grueling Hell in a Cell match in June.

As for The Rock, he has been eyeing a WrestleMania match with Roman Reigns for years. With Hollywood hosting The Granddaddy of Them All this spring, it would make total sense for this clash to be one of the main event matches.

WWE must make a decision as to which marquee match it would prefer to see headline WrestleMania 39, and we'll have an answer come January 28. The winner of the men's Rumble should determine Reigns' opponent on April 1-2 and what direction the title picture is headed in.

Specifically, if Rock did win the Rumble and go on to face Reigns, where that would leave Rhodes is unknown.

The Identity of Uncle Howdy

The mystery surrounding Uncle Howdy's identity and his purpose for playing mind games with Bray Wyatt has gone on long enough.

When Wyatt battles LA Knight in the Pitch Black match at the Royal Rumble, regardless of the result, WWE must finally take a sizable step forward with this storyline in order to maintain and regain fan interest.

Wyatt has been haunted by Howdy since his return to the company in October. Despite the cryptic messages he has received, there hasn't been a strong indication of who could be behind the unsettling mask.

All signs point to Wyatt's WrestleMania opponent being whoever Howdy turns out to be. The audience won't be able to stomach too many more segments that don't amount to anything until there is a notable development in the angle, which must happen at the Rumble.

Uncle Howdy costing Wyatt his match against Knight could be what sets that up, though having him lose his first bout back would be questionable.

Regardless, the Rumble will mark a crucial chapter in the ongoing Wyatt saga.

Charlotte Flair and Bianca Belair's WrestleMania Opponents

Roman Reigns won't be the only person whose WrestleMania opponent will likely be revealed come the Royal Rumble, as Charlotte Flair and Bianca Belair will both be anxiously awaiting the result of the women's Rumble match as well.

Belair has found herself embroiled in a personal program with Alexa Bliss over the Raw Women's Championship recently. As a result of their last match not having a proper conclusion, they will meet again with the gold up for grabs at the Rumble pay-per-view.

Flair doesn't currently have a match scheduled at the Alamodome in San Antonio but could end up defending against Sonya Deville again following their backstage brawl last week on SmackDown. Ronda Rousey returning for a rematch with The Queen is also a possibility.

Rhea Ripley appears to be the heavy favorite to emerge victorious in the women's Rumble, and if she does that, the history she has with Flair and Belair will make either of those potential 'Mania matches must-see.

WrestleMania plans for Belair and Flair are up in the air right now, but the women's Rumble contest should give one of them a better idea of who will be waiting on The Grandest Stage of Them All.

Brock Lesnar Exacting Revenge on Bobby Lashley

Bobby Lashley resurfaced on the Jan. 9 edition of Raw following a month-long hiatus. Adam Pearce had previously "fired" The All Mighty from the roster, only to reinstate him soon after.

We found out last week that MVP played a part in Lashley being brought back so quickly and has expressed interest in reuniting The Hurt Business. Although they're all far from being back on the same page, things seem to be headed in that direction.

The All Mighty will challenge Austin Theory for the United States Championship on Raw's 30th anniversary episode before entering the men's Rumble match the following Saturday. He'd be considered a front-runner to win the whole thing if he didn't have unresolved issues with Brock Lesnar from a few months ago.

The last we saw of The Beast Incarnate was at Crown Jewel on November 5 when he eked out a win against Lashley, only for The All Mighty to snap afterward and attack Lesnar.

It would stand to reason that Lesnar will return to exact revenge on Lashley, first by costing him an opportunity at the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship in the men's Rumble.

A brawl between these two at the PPV would allow them to rekindle their rivalry and build toward a blowoff bout at WrestleMania 39, potentially within the confines of a cage.

Sami Zayn's Allegiance to Roman Reigns and Kevin Owens

Roman Reigns has already battled and beaten Kevin Owens three times since becoming universal champion in 2020, including at Royal Rumble 2021, but Sami Zayn's involvement has breathed new life into the storyline.

Zayn seemingly proved his allegiance to The Bloodline when he delivered a low-blow to Owens at Survivor Series WarGames in November to secure the win for the group.

However, tension has been teased since then with The Honorary Uce getting pinned by KO on SmackDown late last month and then The Usos getting him disqualified against his longtime friend two weeks later.

Fans have always expected The Bloodline to be the ones to oust Zayn from their ranks, but it may make more sense at this point for the roles to be reversed with The Master Strategist turning on them instead.

The Rumble could be where we get our answer regarding where his allegiance truly lies. It's unlikely it leads to Reigns losing the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship, but Zayn's actions should set up whatever happens with him and The Tribal Chief next.

Owens and Zayn are virtually guaranteed to reunite by WrestleMania so they can challenge The Usos for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship, but whether they bury the hatchet at the Rumble or at a later date remains to be seen.

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Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.