WWE Royal Rumble 2018 Match Card: Predicting Results That Will Anger Fans

Whether it's the annual 30-man marquee match or other bouts on the card, recent editions of WWE Royal Rumble have often left fans with more questions than answers.

Traditionally the starting point on the road to WrestleMania, the winner of the main event bout has recently angered fans, with popular talent overlooked in preference of more established stars or, more frustratingly, part-time talent looking for another big match at Mania.

With the abundance of talent WWE has on its books, this year's Rumble on January 28 should be different.

But don't bank on that being the case. Here's a look at the most likely matches that will leave fans feeling angry about the direction the company takes on the road to WrestleMania.

The Usos vs. Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable

Right now, it's difficult to gauge the public's perception of Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable. The same cannot be said for the reigning SmackDown tag champions, The Usos, however.

Jimmy and Jey are arguably the biggest success story of the brand split, with their heel turn allowing them to dominate SmackDown's tag scene for well over a year now.

They're the undisputed best side in the division and deservedly hold the belts. Logic should dictate they hold them through to at least WrestleMania.

But will WWE see it the same way?

Fans were teased about the possibility of Benjamin and Gable winning the belts earlier this month when they'd seemingly won the titles before their match against The Usos was controversially restarted.

This weekend, they look a good bet to win them for real. That would unfortunately mean The Usos taking a step back, something that wouldn't be all that popular.

It's not that Benjamin and Gable would be the wrong choice to be champions. Their time will come. But right now, The Usos deserve to be champions.

Brock Lesnar vs. Braun Stroman vs. Kane

WWE has a ready-made champion in Braun Strowman.

While doubts may have lingered over his ability to belong in the main event scene in the past, this is now a golden opportunity for Strowman to win his first major title and begin a reign of terror across Raw in 2018.

Unfortunately, don't bank on WWE officials seeing it that way.

Putting Kane in the match even allows the company to protect reigning champion Brock Lesnar, with him not needing to be pinned to lose the title he has held since WrestleMania last year.

It sets things up for a blockbuster feud between the two later in the year, perhaps at WrestleMania or SummerSlam.

But instead, with constant talk that Lesnar is bound for a match with Roman Reigns, this will be another missed opportunity when it comes to Strowman's booking.

And don't bank on WWE fans being happy about it.

Men's Royal Rumble Match

The men's Royal Rumble match has a recent track record in terms of the final outcome angering fans, and it's likely the same thing will happen this weekend.

In truth, the last four winners have all left fans feeling let down.

Randy Orton last year was underwhelming. Triple H in 2016 was an oversight on the company's behalf, while wins before that for Batista and Roman Reigns left fans looking at alternative options and feeling disappointed.

So this year, with the likes of Finn Balor and Shinsuke Nakamura overwhelmingly popular choices to win, who are the stars that could instead emerge victorious and anger fans?

Reigns himself is a strong contender, given how he seems destined for the Universal Championship at WrestleMania and has dropped the Intercontinental Championship. Logic would dictate there is a way for him to get there without the need to win the Rumble match, but WWE has avoided all sense of logic in the past when it comes to the marquee bout.

Hopefully this won't be the fifth occasion in a row the result has been underwhelming and the company instead looks to the future.