Ronda Rousey is winning the Royal Rumble, isn’t she?

Ho-boy. Here we go.

Now, this is just speculative, but follow along with me, here.

Up to and including last night (Jan. 22) at Raw 25, WWE has presented Asuka as an unstoppable force and therefore a favorite to win the first ever Women’s Royal Rumble match this weekend. But we know battle royals are kind of her kryptonite (and don’t count against her winning streak).

And, The Empress of Tomorrow cleared the ring during the red brand’s ‘go home’ segment for the women heading into pay-per-view (PPV). Reverse momentum isn’t close to a dead giveaway, but especially when it comes to the Royal Rumble, it’s unusual to see the eventual winner standing tall on the Monday prior.

Then there’s the looming shadow of Ronda Rousey.

While there’s been no official announcement the former UFC champion has joined WWE, and reports have even indicated there’s no deal in place, the company has done whatever they can to remind fans Rousey is on her way eventually. Including allegedly tipping off TMZ about Triple H’s recent dinner meeting with her in Southern California.

Yesterday, Hunter couldn’t keep the grin off his face when asked about Ronda while atop the Empire State Building for an appearance promoting Raw 25 and WWE’s partnership with Make-A-Wish. His short answer to website The Blast, “I will tell you this - stay tuned,” is designed to make us read between the lines.

So we shall.

If you wanted to create buzz out of signing a crossover star (and make no mistake, while Rousey’s career in the Octagon didn’t end well, she’s still a major name that non-MMA fans likely think of as a bad ass, not a knockout victim) AND set-up her first WrestleMania match as a money bout with the biggest name on your roster, Charlotte Flair, wouldn’t you have her debut at #30 and win the historic, inaugural Women’s Rumble?

Like it or not, it absolutely makes sense from a promotional perspective. Which is why we’re bracing ourselves for a media blitz and internet fan backlash, because...

Ronda Rousey is winning the Royal Rumble, isn’t she?