2020 is just around the corner and with that comes the start of WWE's build towards the road to WrestleMania 36 in Tampa Bay on April 5.

The road to WrestleMania begins at the Royal Rumble on January 27, where Brock Lesnar is expected to defend the WWE Championship.

This will be Lesnar's first WWE Title defense since he defeated Rey Mysterio at Survivor Series last month.

WWE is yet to tease exactly who could be facing The Beast for the WWE Championship next month at the Royal Rumble, but they could start the build for that match as soon as TLC: Tables, Ladders, and Chairs concludes.

With 2020 approaching, here are five superstars WWE should prepare to book against Brock Lesnar for the WWE Title at the Royal Rumble.

Randy Orton

Randy Orton is currently scheduled to face AJ Styles in a singles match on Monday Night Raw this week, a match that was supposed to take place at TLC.

It would be surprising to see Orton lose this match since WWE is pushing him as a top face on the red brand, but he may do just that if WWE wants to extend his feud with Styles.

However, if they don't do this, his win vs The Phenomenal One could be used in a way to groom him for a match vs Lesnar for the WWE title at the Royal Rumble.

The Viper hasn't really been given the opportunity to strike down The Beast since their clash at SummerSlam 2016, where Lesnar won via TKO after bashing in the skull of Orton repeatedly.

WWE could add further intrigue by throwing Styles into the mix and making it a triple threat, but a simple singles match between Orton and Lesnar would be just as exciting.

Rusev

Rusev is another top babyface on the Raw brand who could be in line to face Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble next month.

The Bulgarian Brute has currently been tangled in a storyline with Bobby Lashley and Lana on the red brand which has received a mixed reception from fans. Rusev and Lashley will face each other in a Tables match at TLC.

While there will be some debate over the storyline booking, one thing that isn't up for debate is just how over Rusev currently is as a face in WWE.

While it might not be ideal for some fans to see Rusev be essentially fed to Lesnar, it would be a great spot for The Bulgarian Brute as he looks to prove he belongs in WWE's top title picture.

WWE could mix things up further by adding Lashley into the match to make it a triple threat, which would also mean Rusev wouldn't have to eat the pin in the clash. A singles match of Lesnar vs Rusev though still has a lot of potential.

Bobby Lashley

Bobby Lashley could be another possible opponent for Brock Lesnar at the Royal Rumble in 2020.

It has long been teased that Lashley will eventually face Lesnar inside the squared circle, and it would be even better if the WWE Championship was on the line. It's a match many fans want to see as well.

It's clear that WWE wants to push Lashley and Lana together as a couple on Raw despite the backlash they receive by some fans for their current storyline with Rusev.

However, we know Paul Heyman would bring Lana crashing down to earth in any promo battle, so this would be a true battle of brutal strength between The Beast and The Almighty, which should be thrilling to watch given the strong wrestling background of both stars.

A match vs Lesnar could be exactly what Lashley needs in order to be propelled back into a title picture on Raw entering WrestleMania season, whether it be for the WWE title or possibly the United States Championship.

Drew McIntyre

Another possible opponent that could challenge Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble is Drew McIntyre.

McIntyre has been taking down midcarders on Raw ever since Survivor Series concluded. It, therefore, wouldn't be far-fetched to think WWE is protecting him ahead of a clash with The Beast in the near future.

WWE has always been high on The Scottish Psychopath, and he's hardly been booked in any top title picture over the past 12 months except for a few number one contenders match here and there.

Paul Heyman gave high praise to McIntyre during a promo on Raw at the start of the year, so it wouldn't be surprising to see him churn out another great promo to hype up a match between the two behemoths of WWE.

Just like Lashley, a match vs The Beast for the WWE title could be exactly what The Scottish Psychopath needs to send him into a title picture with strong momentum ahead of WrestleMania season.

John Cena

A bit of a long shot, but John Cena would be the perfect opponent to challenge Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble.

Cena and Lesnar have always put on great matches in the past, and with the WWE title on the line, more would be at stake than just pride.

The possibility of Cena passing Ric Flair and becoming the only 17-time world champion means the storyline writes itself, and the man for Cena to take down to achieve that goal couldn't be more daunting in The Beast.

The 16-time world champion hasn't been seen in WWE for months, but we all know he can walk into the ring at a moment's notice and put on a show, and it would be a welcomed return to the company too.

A Lesnar vs Cena match could be booked in two beneficial ways. Either boosting Lesnar's stock ahead of WrestleMania by taking down a legend, or promoting Cena as one of the GOATs before he is defeated by a new superstar rising to the top in 2020.

All five superstars can be booked to face Lesnar at the Royal Rumble on paper, but we'll have to wait and see to find out exactly what direction the company wants to take the WWE Championship in entering the new year.