Projecting the Top Headlines of the 2020 WWE Royal Rumble Match Card

The Road to WrestleMania 36 in Tampa begins Sunday night in Houston with the Royal Rumble, an event that traditionally generates excitement for The Showcase of the Immortals and a fair share of its own headlines.

Expect that to be the case again in 2020, as returning mainstream athletes, conquering NXT badasses and a Big Dog excel in front of a worldwide audience on WWE Network.

In the wake of the spectacle, which Superstars will fans be buzzing about, why and what will their contributions to the event mean for WWE as a whole as it approaches its most important period of the year?

Find out in this preview of the annual January extravaganza.

Cain Velasquez Returns, Sets Up Rematch with Brock Lesnar

Conspicuous by his absence since a humiliating defeat at Crown Jewel in October, Cain Velasquez is undoubtedly looking to avenge his loss to Brock Lesnar. And what better way for his story to unfold than by showing up at Royal Rumble, eliminating The Beast and setting up a high-profile rematch between the two?

Some believe such a thing would require the former UFC heavyweight champion to win the Royal Rumble match, but that is not necessarily true. There is plenty of time in between Rumble and WrestleMania for the rivals to settle their differences, including a rumored return to Saudi Arabia.

Velasquez could easily eliminate Lesnar and, in doing so, inadvertently eliminate himself. Their intense rivalry could lead to a rematch in the same country that played host to the two-time heavyweight champion's greatest disgrace, which would be more apropos than expecting him to headline a WrestleMania event that would almost assuredly see him greeted with jeers by a fanbase disenfranchised by the idea of another part-time star capturing the top prize on Monday nights.

Even if his return does set up the 'Mania headliner, Cain's involvement in the Rumble to take out Lesnar appears to be the surest surprise of them all.

Roman Reigns Cashes Ticket for WrestleMania Championship Match

It has been a roller-coaster year for Roman Reigns, who returned from time off in February 2019 following a leukemia diagnosis to compete at WrestleMania. But since then, he has not received a single world title opportunity. Instead, he has been saddled with rivalries that pitted him against Drew McIntyre, Shane McMahon and King Corbin, all aimed at limiting his overexposure at the top of the card.

As WrestleMania season approaches, he is poised to make his return to the main event of The Showcase of the Immortals. To do so, he must win the Royal Rumble match. He will and, as a result, will set up a showdown with the diabolical Fiend for the Universal Championship in Tampa, Florida.

Reigns has been the quiet constant on SmackDown, the centerpiece of its booking and the main attraction for a show that has steadily performed on broadcast television. After putting over McMahon and Corbin in an attempt to earn those heels more heat during their feuds, it is time to reward him with a shot at the title he never really lost.

Reigns gave up the Universal Championship when his leukemia returned in October 2018. Battling his way back into contention for that title is a story that writes itself, and the latest chapter includes a Rumble win.

Daniel Bryan vs. Bray Wyatt Steals the Show in Houston

In 2014, Daniel Bryan and Bray Wyatt kicked off the Royal Rumble pay-per-view with one of the low-key best matches of the entire year. At Survivor Series in November, they reminded fans of their incredible in-ring chemistry with a sprint of a match that provided Wyatt's The Fiend character his first quality title defense.

Expect more of the same from the performers Sunday night as they steal the show out from underneath the Rumble matches and prove theirs is a rivalry WWE officials should consider revisiting after The Showcase of the Immortals.

The strap match stipulation that accompanies the bout will allow for some barbarism that will allow Bryan to unleash his frustration and fury on his opponent, repaying The Fiend for a brutal and violent assault that concluded Friday's episode of SmackDown.

It will also freshen things up and add a new wrinkle to the bout, evening the odds ever so slightly.

To this point, The Fiend has been an unstoppable force of nature, bowling over the competition. Expect a more even match that threatens his reign, keeps the fans invested and captivated and allows Bryan to tease a victory before Wyatt pulls out the win and continues his unexpectedly great run in this latest incarnation of his persona.

Shayna Baszler Remains Undefeated in 2nd Main-Roster PPV Appearance

Shayna Baszler made her main-roster pay-per-view debut at Survivor Series, where she defeated SmackDown women's champion Bayley and Raw women's champion Becky Lynch in the main event. Do not be surprised when she returns to the spotlight by entering—and winning—the 2020 women's Royal Rumble match Sunday night.

WWE teased a showdown between The Queen of Spades and Lynch, going as far as to have The Man answer her defeat at the November event by driving Baszler through a table. The former NXT women's champion will move one step closer to avenging that attack by earning a shot at the Raw title on wrestling's grandest stage.

And rightfully so.

There is nothing left for Baszler to accomplish in NXT. She has defeated everyone who has set foot in the ring with her and dominated that brand's women's division. It is time for her to move on to bigger, better and more competitive things, beginning with another signature victory in what is still a relatively fledgling career.