WWE’s Potential Plans for Brock Lesnar and the Royal Rumble

As of this past Monday’s episode of RAW, the current card for WWE’s Royal Rumble 2020 event features a Men’s Royal Rumble match, a Women’s Royal Rumble match, “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt defending his Universal Championship against the winner of Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz vs. King Corbin match, and Becky Lynch defending her RAW Women’s Championship against Asuka.

Dave Meltzer reported in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter that WWE currently has plans for Brock Lesnar to wrestle at the event although his sources did not mention that he would be defending his WWE Championship. Meltzer speculated that the company might be considering the idea of having Lesnar enter the Rumble but feels it would not make much sense due to the winner getting a title shot. In regards to potential contenders for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 36, Meltzer reported that his sources stated it currently will not be Tyson Fury, Cain Velasquez, nor Edge, who has been rumored to be a potential surprise entrant in the Rumble match.

It was also reported that if Lesnar does defend his WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble, Erick Rowan could be a potential choice due to Vince McMahon being very high on his current push. Others who could be potential opponents based on their current big pushes on RAW are Drew McIntyre and Aleister Black.

Meltzer also reported that other potential matches for the card are Braun Strowman vs. Shinsuke Nakamura for the Intercontinental Championship and Lacey Evans vs. Bayley for the SmackDown Women’s Championship. Both matches reportedly were originally planned to happen at WWE’s TLC event earlier this month but were pushed back due to injury reasons (I.C. Championship) or held off for a later date (SmackDown Women’s Championship).

Meltzer also reported that ticket sales for the event are currently at around 33,000 with about 30,000 as paid tickets. The host venue, Minute Maid Park, has a capacity of 36,000 for wrestling events and the secondary market demand for tickets is well below the average for Royal Rumble events in recent years.