WWE Royal Rumble 2018: Full Card Predictions After Clash of Champions

After emerging from Sunday's Clash of Champions with their gold intact, SmackDown's titleholders must shift their focus toward WWE Royal Rumble 2018.

Charlotte Flair survived against Natalya at the pay-per-view to close out the year as champ. AJ Styles took down Jinder Mahal to keep the WWE Championship in his grasp. New foes now loom ahead of the Jan. 28 event.

But, of course, the Royal Rumble will be about more than the blue brand. Raw will play a big part in the show, as well, providing a Universal Championship match, a Roman Reigns exhibition and a fight for cruiserweight supremacy.

In addition to the 30-man Battle Royal the event is built around, what else will be on the card? The following is a look at how the PPV may shape up in the coming weeks.

Women's Royal Rumble Match

Credit: WWE.com

It's inevitable that the Women's Revolution will include an all-female Royal Rumble match at some point. Women have blazed trails by battling inside the Hell in a Cell match and in the Money in the Bank ladder match. The Rumble is the next logical step.

And the timing works for that to happen in 2018.

Raw added two new talents from NXT in Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville. Paige is back after missing over a year of action. The Riott Squad has stormed into and shaken up SmackDown.

The roster is deep. Throw in a few names from NXT and there's plenty of bodies to fill out a Royal Rumble match.

The chaotic nature of Charlotte Flair vs. Natalya pointed at a women's Rumble becoming a reality, too. The Riott Squad clashed with Flair. Naomi had issues with Lana, Tamina and the rest of the heels. There's animosity brewing that would be the perfect fit for a big Battle Royal.

Enzo Amore vs. Drew Gulak (Cruiserweight Championship)

Another alliance appears to be splintering. By the time the Royal Rumble rolls around, Drew Gulak is bound to be full-fledged enemies with Enzo Amore.

Gulak is a victory away from being the next No. 1 contender for the Cruiserweight Championship. He simply has to take down Cedric Alexander on Monday to win what has been a mini-tournament of sorts.

And while Amore is counting on the Zo-Train member's subservience, their recent tension suggests a babyface turn for the man who has rallied against high-flying wrestling.

Gulak is poised to push away from Amore. When he does, the apex of his feud is likely to arrive just in time for the first PPV of 2018. It's time for a change at the top of the division, and Gulak is the man for the job.

He is the right combo of compelling character and skilled grappler the cruiserweight title needs.

Charlotte Flair vs. Ruby Riott (SmackDown Women's Championship)

At Clash of Champions, Flair fought off a swarm of women at ringside and was able to conquer Natalya to remain champ.

The action outside the ring was a precursor to where The Queen is headed next. Each time Flair left the ring, Ruby Riott and her band of baddies clobbered her with strikes. The Riott Squad further made an enemy of the champion as a result.

It's easy to imagine an angry Flair responding to this with a challenge to Riott.

And by booking this match, WWE could keep this new faction in the spotlight, elevate Riott and give Flair some dramatic obstacles to overcome. That's a far better option than Flair facing Natalya yet again or clashing with the subpar Lana.

Roman Reigns vs. Samoa Joe (Intercontinental Championship)

Not long after Reigns claimed the Intercontinental Championship, Samoa Joe made it clear The Big Dog was in his sights. The heel ambushed Reigns and choked the breath out of him.

And while Jason Jordan, Elias and other have received title shots, Joe has not. That's not going to sit well with The Destroyer.

His bad blood with Reigns will assure Joe a crack at the championship soon, and WWE would be smart to save that marquee collision for the Royal Rumble. 

This bout could be the way WWE takes the IC title off Reigns, too. WrestleMania season will be in full effect, and all signs have pointed to him facing Lesnar for the universal crown. It will soon be time to start building toward that while Joe conquers other heroes with the championship in hand.

The Shield vs. The Revival (Raw Tag Team Championship)

Credit: WWE.com

Yes, Cesaro and Sheamus are the current Raw tag champs, but with as much as the red brand has showcased tag team wrestling of late, it wouldn't be surprising if The Shield reclaimed the gold before the Royal Rumble.

The story of The Shield's reunion has been a prominent one on the show. That's likely to continue and lead to Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose being titleholders alongside Reigns.

As for The Revival, they haven't been around in months thanks to injury. A broken jaw left Dash Wilder on the sidelines. A biceps injury halted Scott Dawson. But the band is about to get back together.

Ryan Satin of Pro Wrestling Sheet reported Dawson is on track to be ready to go at the end of December.

That should mean a rapid rise back up the tag ranks for the hard-hitting duo. They offer The Shield a fresh matchup after Ambrose and Rollins' long series with The Bar.

AJ Styles vs. Sami Zayn (WWE Championship)

Look for Sami Zayn to carry on the tradition of Royal Rumble unexpected world title contenders.

Styles fended off Mahal at Clash of Champions to seemingly put a bow on that rivalry. The Phenomenal One will need new challengers in the new year, and Zayn's steady presence in SmackDown's central storyline could be his key to claiming that role.

Daniel Bryan delivered a fast count on Sunday's PPV that assisted Zayn and Kevin Owens in their victory over Randy Orton and Shinsuke Nakamura. SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon looked incensed by what unfolded. There is clear tension between the authority figures, and Zayn and KO remain at the center of it.

That could easily be the entry point for Zayn to be a long shot contender at the Rumble, especially if Bryan turns on McMahon and puts his support behind the Canadian heels. 

And the process of elimination points to Zayn, too.

Mahal is likely to slide out of the title picture after his loss on Sunday. Baron Corbin will probably keep hunting for the U.S. title he lost at the PPV. Rusev is in the tag team division. The heel options aren't plentiful beyond that.

Brock Lesnar vs. Kane vs. Braun Strowman (Universal Championship)

The ring will fill with monsters for the Universal Championship bout.

Kane and Braun Strowman clashed on last week's Raw for the right to face Brock Lesnar for that prize. A double count-out, though, left that No. 1 contender status unanswered. 

It looks like Kane and Strowman's feud will bleed into their pursuit of the universal title.

A Triple Threat match makes booking easy for the company at the Royal Rumble. Strowman can provide a great spark in a rematch with The Beast Incarnate, but Kane's presence will allow him to not have to suffer another pinfall from Lesnar.

That way, Strowman can maintain momentum in theory while Lesnar's WrestleMania date with Reigns would remain intact. Plus, Kane getting the unexpected title shot here would be a salute to a veteran who has been around for ages and is likely hanging up his mask before long.