WWE Royal Rumble 2018 Feuds with Biggest WrestleMania 34 Implications
Two important events take place in WWE on Sunday.
The first is obviously the Royal Rumble. It's one of the company's biggest nights of the year and one of the most anticipated, with the winner of the men's Rumble match earning a shot at either the WWE or the Universal Championship.
The same is true this year of the women's division as well. The winner of the first-ever women's Royal Rumble Match will get an opportunity at either the Raw or SmackDown Women's Championship.
But January 28 also marks the beginning of the Road to WrestleMania.
Storylines that have been building will likely see another crucial chapter written at the Royal Rumble. Other storylines will likely reach an end on that night as new angles will be born. But despite what happens, the path to WWE's grandest night of the year will become just a little clearer.
So just how much work has the company already done to prepare for WrestleMania 34? Is the groundwork being laid in front of unsuspecting fans, or has the real work yet to begin?
The time is right for the WWE faithful to take a closer look at the top feuds that are already happening. Maybe the answers are indeed just around the corner.
John Cena vs. Elias
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John Cena versus Elias is a curious feud.
Cena has not overtly taken the role of the accommodating veteran since he stepped back from WWE. That's the role that Chris Jericho has taken in recent years, as every comeback usually ends with Y2J doing the honors to a younger talent.
Is this who Cena will become?
Fans are asking that question now because of Elias. Elias is young, he has potential and he seems to be in the company's favor. He's grown since he came to the main roster and seems fully capable of doing anything the company has asked of him.
But he will not go any further without getting big wins against top names. Chances are the two will cross paths in the Royal Rumble, and if they do, Elias may eliminate Cena. This could lead to a showdown at WrestleMania 34.
If that happens, could Elias actually leave The Grandest Stage of Them All with a win over the man who carried the WWE for over a decade? Or is all of this somehow leading to Cena versus The Undertaker at 'Mania?
Perhaps Cena will eliminate Elias in the Royal Rumble and on the following Monday Night Raw, Elias will call Cena out to the ring. But instead of Cena, Elias will get The Deadman. Taker could destroy Elias and then make it known that he will be the man to take on Cena at WrestleMania 34.
Or maybe Cena will come face to face with The Phenom much sooner. Either way, Cena is not finished with WWE yet.
AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn
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Many fans believe Shinsuke Nakamura will win the Royal Rumble match and go on to face AJ Styles at WrestleMania 34. But before that happens, Styles' feud with Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn must begin winding down.
That's not to say it has to completely end on January 28, but it does have to take a step in that direction. Styles must defeat both men at Royal Rumble, which would open the door for Nakamura.
But if WWE chooses to take another road, the entire situation could become very sticky very quickly.
A good number of fans have grown tired of feuds that overstay their welcome. Styles, Owens and Zayn are all fully capable in the ring and on the mic; a feud between the three works in many ways. But after they reach a certain point, how much story is really left to be told?
Styles must be the clear-cut winner on January 28 if WWE is to move forward with his path to WrestleMania. He can continue to have issues with Owens and Zayn, but fans must see who the true alpha male of the trio is.
Of course, if Styles were to lose the WWE Championship at Royal Rumble, Owens and Zayn could turn on each other and face off for the title at 'Mania. If that happens, Styles would still be able to work Nakamura at WWE's biggest event of the year.
But that means Nakamura will not walk away with the win at Royal Rumble. Is WWE willing to bypass him in favor of another direction altogether?
Daniel Bryan vs. Shane McMahon
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When Daniel Bryan became general manager of SmackDown Live, fans likely did not expect his new role could end in chaos.
But that is exactly what may happen now. He and Commissioner Shane McMahon have had immense heat of late, leading many to believe the end result will be a match between the two. WWE has yet to medically clear Bryan to perform in the ring again, though that may have already happened in secret.
Could it be that the company has changed its mind and will allow Bryan to lace up the boots once again?
The entire scenario could only go a couple of different ways. Bryan and McMahon will probably come to an understanding at some point, convincing fans that the heat between them is over. But in true McMahon fashion, Shane could then betray Bryan and leave him lying in the middle of the ring.
That would ultimately lead Bryan back into the squared circle at WrestleMania 34. The match between he and Shane could be unsanctioned by WWE, with Bryan being advised on the air that the company will not be held responsible for what could happen to him.
The line between fiction and reality will become blurred once again, as Bryan will fight to restore his honor and get revenge on the man that turned his back on him. The process may begin on January 28, as the two men could have yet another altercation during the WWE Championship match.
But what if WWE has other plans for Bryan?
Many believe Bryan will be the man to enter at No. 30 and win the Royal Rumble match. Bryan may even eliminate Roman Reigns in the end, which would of course be a sweet victory for many of the WWE faithful. That win could lead to Bryan versus AJ Styles on The Grandest Stage of Them All.
Despite what happens at Royal Rumble, it appears as though Bryan may not remain on the sidelines much longer.
Braun Strowman vs. Brock Lesnar vs. Kane
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This may be the most unwanted match at Royal Rumble.
That's because the hype leading up to Brock Lesnar versus Braun Strowman versus Kane has just not been enough to convince fans to care. Lesnar is still the dominant beast, but his dominance has become old news. Kane is the respected veteran but perhaps shouldn't have been involved.
The only positive seems to be Strowman, who is definitely the future of WWE.
But in order for Strowman to become the top big man in the company, he must take down the two guys who have laid claim to that title. Lesnar will probably only drop another clean pin when the time is right, meaning his next loss will be to the next top guy.
That guy may be Roman Reigns, though the two have not crossed paths in some time.
Kane could be involved in this match only so Lesnar will indeed not have to get pinned to lose the title. But if Strowman does emerge victorious, what happens at WrestleMania?
Would fans pay to see Strowman defend the Universal Championship against Reigns at 'Mania? Or would fans rather see Lesnar come in as the champ and face off against Reigns? Is either match even on the fans' radar right now?
Despite which direction WWE takes, it's clear Strowman was built for big things. If he is overlooked for the Universal title in favor of Lesnar and Reigns, fans will surely be unhappy. If that does happen, who would Strowman face at WrestleMania?
What if The Undertaker comes back for Strowman, setting up Taker's last match at Mania? Fans may be much quicker to accept that end versus the one that came at the hands of Reigns at WrestleMania 33.
The company has moved toward Lesnar versus Reigns, and Strowman has been inching ever closer to top status. There are options for all three men heading into WrestleMania, but fans may not be happy with any of them.
Tom Clark can regularly be seen on Bleacher Report. His podcast, Tom Clark's Main Event, is available on iTunes, Google Play, iHeart Radio, Amazon Android, Windows Phone and online at boinkstudios.com
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