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The Royal Rumble match is based on a few concepts that allow working smoothly, and one of those key concepts is the element of surprise, as returning star, a debuting star or an NXT call up are some of the usual surprises one could expect in the Royal Rumble. And this year it feels like WWE is pulling out all the stops to make the Royal Rumble match extra special, as the declining nature of the WWE product has forced WWE to wake up and start to rebuild their product.
And it is no surprise that the Royal Rumble would be the ideal place for them to start, as the marquee pay-per-view is one of the highlights of WWE year, so by making changes on this night to their product they could ensure a successful year, and that starts with getting the Royal Rumble right. And what better way to book a successful Royal Rumble than to have unexpected stars show up for the match.
#1 Batista
Batista's last Royal Rumble win was the total opposite of his 2005 triumph, as fans decided to turn on the once white-hot babyface due to him getting a push over the then popular Daniel Bryan. But it seems like the WWE Universe has put the events of the past behind them, as the Animal's return to WWE at SmackDown 1000 was clearly a hit with the fans, and that couldn't be any better for WWE, as they intend on using Batista going forward.
It's no secret that Batista wants to end his wrestling career soon, as he wants to focus on his career in Hollywood, and the former WWE Champion has also stated that he wants his last opponent to be none other than Triple H. WWE implied at SmackDown 1000 that these two men could, in fact, face off in the future, but the question is when? With Triple H facing an injury and Batista busy in Hollywood, could this dream match be called off?
Well, when it comes to wrestling nothing is for sure, and if WWE wants this match to be on the cards for WrestleMania, then the Royal Rumble is the perfect starting point to build this feud. As getting Batista back in action would be the best bet to actually booking this match for WrestleMania.
#2 The Undertaker
The Undertaker's supposed retirement at WrestleMania 33 was a tearful experience for wrestling fans, as they had to come to terms that one of the most iconic wrestlers of all time has to retire. It was a bittersweet moment seeing Undertaker lay down his ring gear, walk down the ramp and disappear into the darkness.
That could have been the perfect scenes for The Undertaker's retirement, but WWE had to mess with that perfect moment up when they called back the Undertaker from retirement for another match with John Cena and then with Triple H.
Some may like that Undertaker is still doing his stuff in the ring, but we all know that this WrestleMania might be his last as an active wrestler, and the question is, who will be the man to put the legend down?
Could it be his longtime rival Shwan Micheals or could it be a newcomer like Braun Strowman, whoever it is, WWE needs to start building a narrative to send "the phenom" off with a bang, and the Royal Rumble match is a perfect way to start these programmes.
#3 The Rock
The Rock in the Royal Rumble is a rumour so well known, it's almost stale at this point, but if it does prove to be true, the question is, why would the Rock return to the WWE? The Rock is without a doubt one of the best draws WWE has ever had, and now that he is one of the highest paid actors in the world there is some truth to the fact that he could bring back a ton of viewers back into the product.
Now that the financial answer to that question is answered, let's look at the booking side of things, and you might know by now that The Rock's return to WWE was to put over Roman Reigns at this year's WrestleMania, but since Roman is sadly out of action for some time, that leaves Rocky without a worthy adversary. Well, one such worthy adversary exists in the company, and his name is Brock Lesnar.
Fans hate Lesnar, and they have reason to, and on the other hand, fans love The Rock, it's simple math people WWE putting two of their biggest draws in one of the biggest rematches of all time in the main event would be huge for the company. Furthermore, Rocky is currently an odds on favourite to the match, so could we see him at the event?
#4 Shawn Micheals
Shawn Micheals was probably the best wrestler in the world during his prime, as no one put on a brilliantly crafted match like HBK, and when he retired in 2011 at Wrestlemania 26, many were truly surprised, as HBK had so much more to give to the wrestling industry. But people respected his decision, as he wanted to go out in the prime of his life, and he did.
But last year something unexpected happened, Micheals returned to in-ring action to take on The Undertaker and Kane, it was a move no one saw coming, as the legion of fans screaming at HBK for one more match, were truly surprised when he really did. Should HBK have come out fo retriment to face past their prime legends?
Well, the logical answer is he shouldn't have, but it is his choice at the end of the day, and Micheals chose the joy of wrestling again, and a big fat pay cheque from WWE apparently. That is why it is almost certain that HBK could be in the Royal Rumble match, as many rumours indicate that he could face Daniel Bryan or AJ Styles at WrestleMania in a dream match for the WWE Title, Now could that be the case? Maybe, maybe not, only time will.
#5 Kenny Omega
Kenny Omega is currently the hottest free agent in wrestling, as he lost his IWGP Heavyweight Title at Wrestle Kingdom 13, and he has since announced that he will be leaving NJPW, where will Omega go?
There is two talked about options for "the cleaner", the possibility of joining AEW is intriguing, as Cody Rhodes promotion could offer him the creative freedom he so dearly wants, while an offer from WWE could tempting enough to attract him.
If Omega does decide to go to the WWE could we see him in the Royal Rumble? Well, that might not be possible as his contract with NJPW only expires on the 31st of January while the Royal Rumble takes place on the 27th of this month. While it seems unlikely we also didn't expect AJ freaking Styles to be the third entrant in the 2016 Royal Rumble match, so in wrestling anything possible.
