Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch Poised to Steal the Show at WWE Royal Rumble 2016

Swelling enmity and surging stars make Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch the most intriguing match on the WWE Royal Rumble 2016 card.

The 30-man Battle Royal will be the headlining act and the center of the hype leading up to the pay-per-view, but the fight for the Divas Championship's narrative has it ready to flourish. Lynch challenging Charlotte promises to be a battle that leaves WWE fans talking.

As expected, WWE made the match official on Monday night.

Lynch vs. Charlotte is the kind of matchup the audience was demanding when #GiveDivasAChance trended last year. This isn't the throwaway filler bout the women's division has so often been relegated to. This is the product of a well-constructed climax and two talented wrestlers making the most of their position under the spotlight.

WWE has gone back to basics for this friends-turned-foes tale, and it's worked to perfection. Former WWE Creative member Alex Greenfield remarked on how simple and effective the Charlotte-Lynch story has been:

It's a narrative the company has unfolded patiently.

Shortly after Charlotte won the title, she began to shift toward a darker side of herself. She was willing to bend the rules, and even break them, if the referee didn't catch her. The champion started valuing victory over morals.

She was slowly becoming more and more like her Hall of Fame father, Ric Flair—The Dirtiest Player in the Game.

So often, heel turns are sudden and random, and as a result, they have minimal impact. Characters morphing overnight can't beat the kind of slow-burn transformation that Charlotte experienced over the past few months.

Eventually, her incendiary relationship with the more rule-abiding Lynch caught fire.

Charlotte betrayed her friend. Lynch charged back with retaliation on her mind. And it's all been beautiful to watch.

The Divas champ has shown that her best fit is as an indignant, overconfident heel. The enraged-babyface role has fit Lynch like a tailored suit. Their chemistry as enemies is scorching.

Lynch's mic work has been the best in the division. She's found her voice during this angle, coming off as a sympathetic warrior with plenty of spark. The WWE production team will have plenty of choice lines to use when crafting the promo video for this match.

And both women have proved their chemistry extends to the ring.

Their last title match was one of the best matches of 2016 so far. The collision on SmackDown from earlier this month was the ideal blend of action and emotion. Lynch made it easy to invest in her journey, to root for her to emerge from the battlefield with gold in hand.

That is set to happen once more, but now on a bigger stage.

With as well as both women have performed to this point, it's no surprise the kind of acclaim they are receiving. 

Mick Foley wrote of it on his Facebook page, "This is a storyline people can get emotionally invested in." Pro wrestling writer Kevin Berge is among those who have called it WWE's current best feud:

The only other feud in that discussion is Dean Ambrose vs. Kevin Owens. As tremendously violent as their Last Man Standing match at the Royal Rumble is sure to be, that clash doesn't have the depth that Lynch vs. Charlotte does. The Divas title feud has been better paced, more personal and has the added bonus of a daughter potentially turning on her father.

On Monday's Raw, Lynch goaded Flair into accepting a title match for Charlotte. The champ looked miffed. The flash of rage in her eyes suggested she's capable of beating down her own dad if necessary.

Credit: WWE.com

If Charlotte becomes cold-blooded enough to leave her own father face down on the floor, the match will be boosted by that unsettling moment. 

It's a match that feels like Lynch's last shot at the belt for a while. She's already failed to capture the title before. Another loss will likely see her step aside for new challengers.

That adds pressure and high stakes that bolster the bout. The Royal Rumble will either be where Lynch rises to the peak of her career or suffers a gut punch of a defeat.

All that adds up to a match brimming with potential. It's the Rumble contest that former WWE tag team champ Lance Storm is most intrigued by:

He's not the only one.

Charlotte vs. Lynch is hitting all the right notes. At the Royal Rumble, that feud will crescendo, stealing the show in the process.