Asuka's Streak and the Top Stories to Watch in Historic Women's WWE Royal Rumble

WWE Royal Rumble 2018 is one of the rare times an Asuka win doesn't seem all but certain.

The last time Asuka lost a match, she was still a month out from her WWE debut. She still wrestled as Kana. The Chicago Cubs hadn't yet broken their World Series curse. AJ Styles was still the leader of The Bullet Club.

Since then, The Empress of Tomorrow has won 244 consecutive WWE matches, per CageMatch.net. 

She enters Sunday's pay-pay-view more vulnerable than normal, though. She will have to outlast 29 adversaries to pull out the win this time. For the first time in the event's history, 30 women will collide in its signature Battle Royal.

And when WWE maps out how that battle will unfold, it will have to consider how to folds Asuka's streak into that story.

The audience will be watching a number of other elements in the historic Rumble match closely too. Who will show up as surprises in Philadelphia? How will alliances play into the match? And could a McMahon win the marquee match for the second time in WWE history?

Read on for a look at the subplots and swerves that are poised to make their mark on the first women's Royal Rumble.

Stephanie McMahon's Role

Stephanie McMahon tweeted that she will be on commentary for the bout, but will she make a mark on the action beyond that?

The McMahon family regularly shares the spotlight with the wrestlers. That's been especially true with Stephanie, who was the center of the Raw segment where the company revealed that the women would enter their first Rumble. WWE has made her a figurehead of sorts for the women's revolution.

A Royal Rumble victory for The Billion Dollar Princess would generate nuclear heat but more the 2014 Rumble kind than I-hate-that-heel stuff. McMahon vs. Charlotte Flair is one of the biggest potential WrestleMania women's matches WWE has at its disposal, like it or not.

We've seen announcers leave the desk mid-match and enter the Battle Royal before, from Michael Cole to John "Bradshaw" Layfield.

Fans will also have to look at how McMahon calls the bout. She could easily overshadow the talent with too much talk of herself or else be the supportive, passionate force the match could use. 

Outsiders Invade

Unless Ronda Rousey is a pulling a Chris Jericho-level trick on us, she won't be at the Royal Rumble.

The former UFC star told TMZ Sports that she will be out of the country when the PPV goes down. She noted too that she and WWE haven't come to an official deal as of yet.

With or without Rousey, the Rumble will be in need of bodies.

As of this writing, 18 women are official entrants in the match. That leaves 12 vacant slots to fill. 

How many of those will go to stars of the NXT brand? How many will be returning names? Will we see anyone from the Mae Young Classic pop up? Whoever WWE brings into this bout will greatly shape how it is perceived.

Layla El won't have nearly the same impact as Trish Stratus would. How big and prestigious this match feels will depend largely on the folks who show up unannounced in Philly. 

Early Records Set

Be it Bob Backlund or CM Punk, the Royal Rumble has long had one wrestler survive an impressive amount of time in the match: the "Iron Man." They don't always win but instead provide a subplot. They are the gutsy warrior who impressed in defeat.

It's the women's turn to have someone play that role.

WWE could go with the fiery babyface Becky Lynch to get her some of her title contender mojo back. It could be the way the company introduces an NXT star like Nikki Cross. 

And because of this being the first time around for the division, whoever is the Iron Woman will set the record for longest time spent in the women's Royal Rumble.

Fans will also see someone become set the bar for most eliminations, and one unlucky Superstar will be the female Santino Marella, the entrant who last the least amount of time.

WWE has a number of traditional elements to play with here while working with a fresh historical slate.

Factions and Alliances

Credit: WWE.com

If Liv Morgan, Ruby Riott and Sarah Logan enter at similar times during the match, The Riott Squad is sure to overwhelm the competition. Will WWE look to elevate this faction by letting it dominate? Who will have to align in order to counter the group?

One could have asked the same questions about Absolution before Paige's neck injury took her out of the bout.

Even with Absolution not at full strength, though, WWE may still present a faction-against-faction showdown during the Royal Rumble match. That's one of the images waiting to be created. 

Sasha Banks and Bayley's friendship will be something to watch as well. Those two have been the best of buds in recent years, but their NXT rivalry and their great chemistry as rivals make one believe a backstabbing is on the way eventually.

The Royal Rumble would be the ideal place to at least hint at that if not show the full-on betrayal as the contest forces everyone to fight everyone.

Asuka's Streak

The easiest path for WWE is to simply let Asuka win the Rumble. Her undefeated streak would remain intact. Her dominant, historic roll would continue. 

She would be buzzing with momentum en route to WrestleMania.

But is that too obvious? Does the company have its heart set on someone else being the last woman standing? In that case, the booking game will grow a bit more difficult.

A Battle Royal loss would be an underwhelming way to script Asuka's first WWE defeat. The Empress of Tomorrow's eventual fall is a money moment that should be handled with care.

WWE could always sell it as not a true loss and continue to proclaim that the former NXT champ has yet to be pinned or made to submit. Another option is to prevent her from actually entering the match. Should Nia Jax ambush her on the entrance ramp, the streak would stay alive. But that takes one of the Rumble's biggest stars out of the picture.

Whatever WWE has in mind, Asuka will be a key figure in out the big event shakes out.