10 Reasons Why The 2019 Royal Rumble Will Be The Best Ever
2. From An Inauspicious Start...
Last year's Women's Royal Rumble - the first of its kind, if you recall! - took an age to get rolling.
Marred by hesitation and confusion in the opening phase, with rusty veterans and ring-ready full-timers alike overawed by the occasion, it eventually settled into something that matched the relentless hype. Trish Stratus and Asuka stole a match that the sequel should trounce in every respect. Evolution's Battle Royal accomplished more with less; the women of WWE had adjusted quickly to an unfamiliar match type, and the omens for Sunday are therefore promising.
The field, which for unfathomable reasons WWE announced ahead of time, supports this optimism. Charlotte Flair should anchor the match, to ensure a consistent level of quality - but even if she doesn't, a backdoor win provides ammunition for Becky Lynch's sharp shooting. Nia Jax remains deeply unpopular, which WWE can mine to create a strain of anxiety-driven heat. A repeat of Ember Moon's excellent Evolution showing should provide a contrast, adding to both the din and the drama, and there exists scope to create a layered story emphasising athleticism (Naomi), comedy (Carmella) and old-fashioned, cruel Rumble hope (Bayley).
WWE didn't announce every entrant, so expect some faces from yesteryear - faces that unlike their male counterparts have not weakened the currency of nostalgia.