WWE Royal Rumble 2019: 5 reasons why Becky Lynch is facing Asuka

It's official. As of January 8th, Becky Lynch is the new #1 contender for the SmackDown Women's Championship. It seems like the days of mandatory rematch clauses are officially gone, as the former champion had to earn her way back to a title shot.

It wasn't an easy feat. She was in a SummerSlam 2018 rematch, taking on Charlotte Flair and Carmella. Last time, it was bitter memories for her, as she nearly won the title and lost the match to Charlotte Flair by the skin of her teeth.

That was her turning point, and she would win the title one month later. Now, we're finally going to see Asuka vs Becky Lynch for the first time on WWE television. They've wrestled at a live event in Japan before, but it's only recently that their paths really crossed.

Either way, it's now one of the most exciting match-ups on the Rumble card. You may be wondering why Becky was chosen to face The Empress, and here's why:

#5 Big match for a big PPV

Royal Rumble is the third, if not the second biggest PPV in the WWE calendar year. While the Royal Rumble match naturally sells itself, the PPV has a history of having iconic championship matches. Legends like The Rock, Mick Foley, Triple H, Bret Hart, Kurt Angle and more were a part of unforgettable championship matches at the Rumble.

Becky Lynch vs Asuka could easily be a marquee WrestleMania match, but from the look of things, that's clearly not the plan. Either way, Becky Lynch vs Asuka is one of those matches that's going to have a big fight feel to it, and we could very well be witnessing a match that will be looked upon later with the same nostalgia as Foley-Triple H, Foley-Rock, and Angle-Benoit.