4 NXT superstars we might see in the 2020 men's Royal Rumble match

We're now on Royal Rumble eve. Always one of the most fun matches on the WWE calendar (unless it turns into a fiasco like in 2014 and 2015), the mystery of who's about to show up next is one of the key selling points of the contest. Trying to guess is half the fun.

Last year, three NXT superstars (Johnny Gargano, Pete Dunne, and then-NXT man Aleister Black), joined the Royal Rumble match on the men's side.

I expect there to be four or more this time around, with WWE obviously wanting to promote the yellow brand on USA on Wednesdays. With AEW beating NXT in the ratings like clockwork again, expect the incentive to be that much more to make the yellow brand look good. Survivor Series didn't happen the way it did for nothing.

So which NXT superstars are likely to join the clash this time?

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#1 Keith Lee

We'll start with the obvious. There has arguably been no one with more momentum in the entire company over the last couple of months than the newly-minted NXT North American Champion.

His stellar performance at Survivor Series began a wave that saw him capture his first WWE gold. It would be foolish for WWE not to take advantage and feature the "Limitless" one on one of its biggest stages.

Keith Lee showing off his unique combination of speed, power, and flexibility in a 320 pound frame is just one of those things that wows you whenever you see it, and it's just the sort of thing you'd want to show off in a venue like Minute Maid park, in one of the most watched matches of the year.

You better look for Keith Lee to appear in the match tomorrow night.

#2 Tommaso Ciampa

The former NXT Champion appeared on the yellow brand's team at Survivor Series and had a brief stint on the main roster last year alongside Johnny Gargano, defeating the likes of Cesaro and Sheamus in the process.

As he will likely have a title match at TakeOver: Portland in another two weeks, and WWE put that event on that date to indirectly compete with AEW's February pay per view, Evolution, it would make sense to see Ciampa in the Rumble match.

It would be a good way to promote the TakeOver event (which now has to stand on its own, not coming before a major main roster show for the first time in several years) and its likely final match.

During the aforementioned match at Survivor Series, Tommaso Ciampa eliminated figures no less than Kevin Owens and Baron Corbin, so he has some formidable main roster history to go on. Look for him to show up tomorrow night. Besides, Tommaso Ciampa certainly deserves the spotlight after all the good work he's done.

#3 Matt Riddle

How could you not put Matt Riddle and Brock Lesnar in the ring for an exchange? With their mutual UFC backgrounds, it's the most natural thing in the world. Whether it would be left as a one off or a foreboding for something to come in the future, it should be a no brainer that Matt Riddle will enter the Royal Rumble match and take the WWE Champion for a scary ride.

Elsewhere, having Matt Riddle show up in the Royal Rumble match would be an acknowledgement of all the good work he's done over the past year and a half or so. Lest we forget that Matt Riddle was also on the NXT team at Survivor Series, where he eliminated no less a figure than Randy Orton.

Matt Riddle would add a lot to the Royal Rumble match. It would be foolish to not include him in it. Perhaps he could get revenge on Baron Corbin for eliminating him from Survivor Series along the way. There are limitless possibilities with him.

#4 WALTER

It would make sense for there to be a representative of the NXT UK brand in the Royal Rumble match and there's no more obvious choice for that role than the United Kingdom Champion, WALTER, who also saw action at Survivor Series, though he was, unfortunately, the first man eliminated.

WALTER vs. Brock Lesnar would be another impressive sight that would add a lot of fun to the Royal Rumble match, to say the least. It would be stupid not to give the fans that kind of a spot, or at least something similar to it. A showdown between WALTER and Roman Reigns or Braun Strowman would be interesting too, for example.

Although NXT UK doesn't have a live television show like its mainline counterpart on the USA Networ, the company would be foolish to not try and boost viewership of it, especially after Worlds Collide. This means that it's very likely that we'll see WALTER in the Royal Rumble match tomorrow night. Maybe he'll get an elimination under his belt as well.