WWE Royal Rumble 2016: Booking Decisions That Must Be Made at PPV

The upcoming Royal Rumble pay-per-view on Jan. 24 is one of WWE's biggest of the entire year, and it's vital that the company gets some crucial decisions right to set itself up for WrestleMania season.

The marquee Royal Rumble match is the most crucial match of the entire night in terms of key booking decisions, but the rest of the card also needs to be set up correctly to ensure a successful night. In particular, Roman Reigns' future needs to be decided over the coming weeks, with the Royal Rumble being a likely focal point.

Here's what WWE has to do to ensure that it gets one of its biggest shows to go off with a bang.

Roman Reigns Has to Drop the WWE World Heavyweight Championship

In 2014, Batista's win disappointed WWE fans. The following year, Reigns became the winner of the Royal Rumble whom WWE fans did not want. That streak cannot go into a third consecutive year in 2016.

With WWE taking a novel approach and putting the WWE World Heavyweight Championship on the line in the Royal Rumble match, it opens up the possibility of Reigns' dropping the title in a few weeks.

There's a way for Reigns to navigate his way out of the match, win it and retain the title, but that cannot be allowed to happen.

Whether he gets it back or not in time for WrestleMania 32 is a whole other issue that can be addressed after the Royal Rumble. The priority here is that fans are left satisfied by the winner of the Rumble, something which feels like it last happened years ago.

And that brings us nicely into the next crucial decision that must be made at the Rumble.

The Winner Needs to Be a Brave Pick by WWE

Reigns would be a poor, safe and uninspiring choice from WWE in this instance.

It would also feel a bit lazy to push the title and Rumble victory on someone like Brock Lesnar, despite the fact that he'd be a good world heavyweight champion right now.

WWE needs something new and fresh to ensure that fans are hooked for WrestleMania season.

Too often, it feels like the company has played the safe card, especially since Seth Rollins' injury. Sheamus' cashing in the Money in the Bank briefcase was predictable, as was the outcome of his feud with Reigns.

It's time to trust one of the younger talents with a run holding the heavyweight title, and two immediately spring to mind.

One is Dean Ambrose, although you suspect he might have to drop the Intercontinental Championship before he claims the big prize after months and months of trying in the past. That could easily be done on the night, though, with Ambrose pulling double duty in the Rumble match.

But instead of that, why not have the WWE finally make good on all its months of promise from Bray Wyatt and give him a monumental victory?

With the help of The Wyatt Family, Bray can emerge through the pack and see off the field to win the Rumble and the heavyweight title. Reigns can be screwed by Triple H to set up a match between those two at WrestleMania, which leaves Ambrose free to step up and have a world title feud with Wyatt.

It's bold and brave, and fans would love it. And as for Lesnar...

Kevin Owens Should Screw Brock Lesnar

WrestleMania is all about headline matches, ones we wouldn't usually see at any other time of the year, or at least bouts that feel worthy of the biggest show of the year.

Kevin Owens vs. Brock Lesnar would fit the bill and be a huge match in so many ways—especially in the way WWE could set it up.

The background can happen in the Rumble match itself, with Owens eliminated midway through. He can argue about it but eventually make his way to the back, at which point Lesnar can emerge to take his spot in the match.

Lesnar and Paul Heyman could cast a disconcerting look in Owens' direction as they make their way to the ring, which would set the scene for what would happen at the end of the pay-per-view. Lesnar can be one of a handful of stars left, including the eventual winner, Wyatt. It could look like Lesnar is getting the upper hand on everyone around him before Owens suddenly emerges and him knocks down.

He won't eliminate him, but the damage will be done. Owens, cast as the cunning, crafty heel, would have a rivalry befitting him.