5 AEW stars who would be perfect surprise entrants in the 2022 WWE men's Royal Rumble

WWE's annual Royal Rumble is nearly here, and there has been heavy speculation about potential AEW talents who might appear at the premium live event. The world of wrestling was recently shocked as WWE recently teased the opening of the Forbidden Door with other promotions.

The announcement was made that current Impact Knockouts World Champion, Mickie James, would compete in the women's Royal Rumble. Since then, there have been rumors about potential surprise entrants for this year's men's Royal Rumble. Specifically, fans have been wondering whether All Elite talent might make a surprise appearance in WWE.

Here are a few All Elite wrestlers who would be perfect entrants into this year's men's Royal Rumble match.

#5. AEW fans see Miro's redemption

Rusev's first introduction to the mainstream WWE Universe was through the Royal Rumble. Entering the Rumble back in 2014, Rusev was the sole NXT performer to appear in the match. Though he lasted less than 10 minutes, his debut made an immediate impact.

Since leaving WWE, Miro has found a loyal fan following in All Elite Wrestling. Under his Redeemer gimmick, he has greatly improved his in-ring work and become far more grizzled than he had been in WWE. Should Miro return to the company, it would only make sense for him to reappear in the match that he made his main roster debut on.

#4. AEW's American Dragon, Bryan Danielson

AEW's Bryan Danielson is easily one of the most talented wrestlers in the world today. In 2013, Danielson received the major push he deserved and headlined WrestleMania XXX. His popularity was evident in numerous WWE matches, including the incessant booing upon his early elimination in the 2015 Royal Rumble.

The company mismanaged Danielson's Royal Rumble outings and having the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion appear in the Rumble would do well in making up for the past. The AEW star has been vocal about wanting to appear in other promotions while in WWE (specifically, NJPW). That longtime goal would end up being fulfilled should he compete in the Royal Rumble while under contract with Tony Khan's promotion.

#3. Christian Cage

Christian Cage made his triumphant wrestling return after a six-year hiatus at the 2021 Royal Rumble. At the same event, he came face to face with a recently returned Edge, who also seemed to have retired for good. Seeing the brief reformation of their legendary tag team remains a major highlight of the event.

Christian Cage has proven that he still has the same in-ring talent and ability that he used to make a name for himself. Having a seasoned icon like the Instant Classic once again step foot in a WWE ring would be enough to delight fans. Cage briefly appeared on Impact back in 2011, making him a unique performer who appeared on his company's rival promotion despite being signed to WWE.

#2. AEW's Demo God, Chris Jericho, arrives in St. Louis

Out of every AEW roster member, Chris Jericho seems the most likely to enter the men's Royal Rumble. Jericho has a long professional relationship with Vince McMahon, having worked in WWE for 20 years. If McMahon were to reach out to any wrestler from a rival promotion, it's likely that wrestler would be Jericho.

Jericho's first pro wrestling appearances outside WWE came with the permission of McMahon. While still signed to WWE, Jericho was allowed to travel to NJPW, which led to a match with Kenny Omega. Jericho would later end up leaving WWE for NJPW and later sign with Tony Khan's promotion. However, the potential for him to appear in WWE in a similar capacity to his initial return matches in New Japan could certainly happen.

#1. Free agent Cody Rhodes returns to WWE

It's incredibly unlikely that Cody Rhodes will ever return to WWE. This makes him the surprising potential entrant there could be for the Royal Rumble. Having left the company over creative differences, Rhodes would go on to achieve major success in various international promotions. His wrestling journey would eventually culminate with the formation of AEW, which Rhodes helped establish.

All that being said, why would Rhodes ever go back to WWE and leave his creation behind? As recent news has confirmed, Cody Rhodes is without an official contract with Tony Khan's promotion for the time being. Hypothetically, he could appear in any promotion he so chooses. It's unlikely, yes, but his entry in the Royal Rumble would certainly be a shocking one.

If the Forbidden Door really is open now, what better way to signify a potential partnership than having AEW's founder compete in a WWE's premium live event.