Becky Lynch could be set to headline Wrestlemania against former UFC star Ronda Rousey after the Dubliner was the big winner at WWE’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view in the early hours of this morning.

Lynch, real name Rebecca Quin, started off her night in Arizona on a sour note when failing in her bid to regain the WWE Smackdown Women’s Championship with a tapout defeat to reigning champion Asuka.

I’m going to Wrestlemania with an army behind me. Last year I was on the pre-show; this year I am the main event. pic.twitter.com/hqPCDQtUkl — The Man (@BeckyLynchWWE) January 28, 2019

The 31-year-old would make a surprise appearance later during the women’s Royal Rumble though where she eliminated old foe Charlotte Flair to book her ticket for a title match at Wrestlemania in April.

Having sparred verbally with Rousey - who defeated Sasha Banks to retain her WWE RAW Women’s Championship - over Twitter in recent months, Lynch (best known by her moniker of The Man) is now likely to meet her in a box office clash.

The pair were slated to meet at Survivor Series last November in a grudge match before a broken nose and a concussion forced Lynch to the sidelines but she will get her chance for redemption on April 7 and their bout could close out the extravaganza in front of 82,500 fans at the Metlife Stadium in New Jersey.

It wasn’t such a good night for two other Irish superstars with Finn Balor failing in his bid to dethrone WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar while Dubliner Seamus relinquished the Smackdown Tag Team titles (along with partner Cesaro) to Shane McMahon and The Miz.

It wasn’t quite the one-sided clash many predicted with Balor stunning The Beast and almost causing a seismic shock when hitting his finisher, the Coup De Grace, but the former UFC Heavyweight champion locked him in the Kimura Lock soon after for the submission victory.

Lesnar wasn’t finished there, however, as he punished the Bray superstar after the final bell with a series of punishing suplexes to stand tall and book his place in at Wrestlemania, WWE’s biggest show of the year.

There he will meet Seth Rollins, who curb-stomped his way to Royal Rumble victory with the elimation of Braun Strowman having entered early in the contest at number ten.

Online Editors