Braun Strowman
Finn Balor will challenge WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar at the Royal Rumble although Braun Strowman may not be totally out of the picture. Braun Strowman reacts during to the WWE Live Duesseldorf event at ISS Dome on February 22, 2017 in Duesseldorf, Germany. Getty Images/Lukas Schulze/Bongarts

Thanks to some events that transpired during the Jan. 14 edition of WWE Raw, Finn Balor has now become the official opponent of Brock Lesnar for the Universal title. Originally, the stage was set between the Beast Incarnate and the Monster Among Men before CEO Vince McMahon made sudden changes due to an incident involving Baron Corbin.

WWE Raw kicked off with Braun Strowman all hyped up for his upcoming clash with Lesnar. Former general manager Corbin appeared out of nowhere, declaring that he would win the 2019 WWE Royal Rumble and take aim at the Universal title next. This was where mayhem broke loose, with the Lone Wolf and Strowman ending up in a heated chase, Ringside News reported.

Thanks to a tip from Elias, Strowman found Corbin hiding at a nearby limousine, which the Monster Among Men eventually smashed. Corbin was able to flee, but the whole thing did not sit well with the WWE CEO. Upset, McMahon told Strowman that the damages would reach $100,000,, something that did not sit well with the WWE star. McMahon eventually pulled out Strowman and set a Fatal Four-Way match to determine the new no. 1 contender.

Vying for that right were Corbin, Drew McIntyre, John Cena and Finn Balor. Of the four, Balor seemed to have the disadvantage, having to face Jinder Mahal first before the Fatal Four-Way. The Demon King had his share of criticism, with McMahon lacking the confidence in the first Universal champion. Balor bucked the odds and won it all in the end, WWE.com reported.

While the stage seems to be set, Strowman is likely still in play. But the question now is: will he still be vying for the Universal title or downgraded to a storyline feud? If it's the latter, he is likely to get embroiled in a feud with Corbin.

There is still one more episode of RAW next week, likely showcasing what lies ahead for Strowman. He is likely to make a case on his pullout. If nothing happens, he may get involved in the main event in some capacity. The question there is who he will target between Lesnar and Balor.

The final card for the WWE Universal title at the 2019 Royal Rumble remains up in the air, even if it has been announced as a Lesnar vs. Balor affair. Tune in to the Jan. 21 edition of WWE Raw and see what other bombshells will go down.

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