The 2016 edition of the "Royal Rumble" match will be different, mainly because the winner of this year's headlining bout will actually walk away with the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) World Heavyweight Championship as opposed to just earning a shot at the title.
With the stakes seemingly higher than ever, fans are now eager to find out who could actually outlast the 29 other wrestlers and stand victorious at the end.
The first name that warrants mentioning as a possible "Rumble" winner is the defending champion himself Roman Reigns. Reigns won the title just last month, so it's hardly his time to relinquish his spot atop the ladder.
Still, Reigns emerging victorious from this year's "Royal Rumble" would mean that he would have won the prestigious match two years in a row, and fans will likely not take too kindly to a show of such overwhelming force from a wrestler who, not so long ago, was despised by a significant portion of the WWE fanbase.
If not Reigns, then another probable candidate to win the "Royal Rumble" is none other than one of his current foes Triple H. Rumors of a Triple H–Roman Reigns match have been circulating for a while now, according to the International Business Times, and the former doing something dastardly to thwart the current champion would provide a solid setup for a main event feud that could possibly culminate at "Wrestlemania."
One reason not to buy into Triple H winning the "Royal Rumble" is the fact that he has largely been held out of in-ring competition in recent years. Putting the WWE World Heavyweight Championship on Triple H now would likely mean that he will be a frequent in-ring competitor for a few months at the very least, and that could be a problem considering he has a front office position with the company.
One more wrestler who could very likely emerge from the "Royal Rumble" as the WWE World Heavyweight Champion is Brock Lesnar.
As WhatCulture notes, rumors of a Lesnar–Reigns rematch at this year's "Wrestlemania" have been circulating constantly, and the "Royal Rumble" could provide the ideal platform to setup that very match.
Lesnar is also one of the biggest draws in the WWE and it's easy to imagine him adding yet another monumental triumph to his list of already impressive accomplishments.
One reason not to believe Lesnar could win the "Royal Rumble" is the fact that he operates on a limited schedule when compared to the rest of the roster. If the WWE wants the World Heavyweight Championship to be defended quite frequently, then Lesnar might not be the best choice.
"Royal Rumble 2016" will take place at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida on Jan. 24.
