Brock Lesnar's Strange Royal Rumble Plan, Big Show Is Back, More WWE Raw Fallout

Sometimes strange can be good.

At least WWE hopes so.

The announcement that Brock Lesnar will enter the 2020 Royal Rumble, despite his status as WWE champion, headlined an explosive January 6 episode of Raw that also saw The Big Show's return to the squared circle. What does The Beast's earth-shaking proclamation mean for the Rumble match and why is Big Show's return of value to the red brand?

Those stars' involvement in the broadcast sparked the most buzz from the show, though they were not the only competitors to pique the interest of the WWE Universe.

Dive deeper into the episode and find out why Aleister Black, Buddy Murphy and Andrade are heating up at the start of a new decade.

Brock Lesnar's Entry Adds New, Unexpected Twist to Royal Rumble Match

The blockbuster announcement by Paul Heyman at the top of Monday's show, that WWE champion Brock Lesnar will enter the 2020 Royal Rumble at the No. 1 position, shook things up and stunned the WWE Universe.

After all, the WWE champion has not been apart of the annual Rumble since 2016, when Roman Reigns' title was up for grabs. In this case, it is an opportunity for The Beast to further display his dominance and add to his already impressive resume.

From a storytelling perspective, it creates a sense of intrigue surrounding this year's 30-man extravaganza.

What happens if Lesnar wins? Traditionally, the winner of the Rumble receives a championship opportunity at WrestleMania, but he is already the champion. Would he opt to challenge "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt on wrestling's grandest stage?

Perhaps his 'Mania opponent becomes clearer by eliminating him and instigating their rivalry.

Whatever the case may be, Lesnar's involvement in this year's Rumble match provides the match a spark after a few years of predictability and disappointment on the men's side of things.

Returning Big Show Provides Much-Needed Star Power to Raw, Royal Rumble

The Big Show's return to Raw injected the flagship with a jolt of energy, served as a nice surprise for fans who had not seen the giant in well over a year and provided the show with star power at the top of the card it was sorely lacking.

Show, Kevin Owens and Samoa Joe make up a nice nucleus of babyfaces atop the red brand but it is the future Hall of Famer that provides the star power to help further establish Owens and Joe as the lead heroes on the flagship show.

Furthermore, he adds a certain level of star power to a Royal Rumble match on January 26 that could use it. Say what you will about the big man's booking over the years but he typically tends to perform well in the annual bout, including 2004, when he was the runner-up and the most dominant force in that particular match.

The question is whether he is back for the long haul or just for WrestleMania season. He looked strong, fast and moved well between the ropes. While it may be best to utilize him more as a special attraction, do not be surprised if The World's Largest Athlete sticks around as long as his body holds up.

If so, Raw and the Superstars around him will benefit from his knowledge, experience and genuine star power.

Aleister Black and Buddy Murphy's Stock Rises with Intensification of Feud

Buddy Murphy's sneak attack on Aleister Black this week, just moments after the former NXT champion had defeated Shelton Benjamin, escalated their rivalry and elevated the Superstars' stock in the process.

Prior to Monday's show, the foes had engaged in verbal confrontations and two show-stealing matches, but the program lacked any real intensity beyond the squared circle. That changed this week with a brutal, unprovoked attack by Murphy that was the result of the Aussie's mounting frustration over his inability to defeat Black.

He brutalized the tattooed babyface, dropping him at ringside with an array of knee strikes, then adding in a steel chair for good measure. The manner in which he mocked Black, adding insult to injury, only added a new layer to the program and will inevitably result in Black seeking revenge.

The in-ring product has been so good that it only makes sense Paul Heyman and the creative team would look to expand the rivalry, booking angles to give fans something to sink their teeth into in an attempt to keep it going.

The reactions have been strong, social media has been buzzing about the performers' chemistry and the result is an expanded role for both Black and Murphy on the show, proving that sometimes, management is listening.

Feud with Rey Mysterio Gives Andrade Another Chance at Stardom

When Rey Mysterio and Andrade first crossed paths on WWE television in 2018, the latter hardly benefited from the program in the manner in which he should have, thanks to inconsistent booking and the writing team's inability to follow up his victories over The Master of the 619.

Now, over a year later, Andrade has a second chance to make the most of his work with Mysterio and thus far, the Raw creative team appears more equipped to handle El Idolo's rise than the previous regime.

Andrade capitalized on a bump taken by Zelina Vega, and Mysterio's remorse, to successfully retain his United States Championship. To add insult to injury, he stripped the legendary competitor of his mask. Then, during a celebratory backstage interview, Andrade talked trash before enduring the wrath of Mysterio, who attacked and retrieved his mask.

The match, the angle that followed and the backstage beatdown insinuated that the program will continue and that more-than benefits Andrade, who will immeasurably benefit from working with one of the best to ever lace a pair of boots.

That is, as long as Paul Heyman and his team can build on the momentum he has gained thus far and resist the urge to hot-shot the title or give up on the talented in-ring performer.