This year’s Royal Rumble match is stacked with marquee names, and for the first time in many years, the outcome of the match is far from certain. While the betting odds indicate that Undertaker, Goldberg, and Lesnar are favourites to win, the nature of the Rumble means that there is every possibility that an underdog can come out on top.
In fact, the last time WWE went to the Alamodome – Steve Austin won his first Royal Rumble match in a huge upset.
Here are five talented performers, flying under the radar, who could shock the world and triumph:
#5 Samoa Joe:
It has been rumoured for a long time that Joe is set to debut at the Royal Rumble, and with Roman Reigns set to enter Wrestlemania as Universal Champion, the stage is seemingly set for the dream match between these two leviathans.
The Joe-Reigns dynamic is so appealing, because of the dichotomy of their backgrounds. Although both of them are of Samoan lineage, Reigns hails from the legendary Anoa`i wrestling family, which has produced numerous WWE Superstars.
This combined with his look and College football background meant that he was always destined for stardom in the WWE. Joe, on the other hand, honed his craft at various underground promotions in Japan and then spent 15 years as a main eventer for ROH and TNA, before he was even considered for a spot on the WWE roster.
In other words, he is cut from the same cloth as Daniel Bryan and CM Punk.
There is enough material between these two Superstars to tell a captivating story, and this rivalry has to begin with the Samoan submission machine winning the Royal Rumble on his debut.
#4 Finn Balor:
The debut of Balor on the main roster and his subsequent Universal Championship win at Summerslam were two of WWE’s best moments in 2016. However, he sustained a shoulder injury in the process which meant that he had to vacate the title. This left the audience unfulfilled and dreaming about the return of the demon king.
There are very few scenarios which will mean as much to the fans, as Balor winning the Rumble and getting redemption in the main event of Wrestlemania. The very thought of Balor’s demon entrance on a Wrestlemania scale has one frothing at the mouth, and it has the potential to be remembered as one of the more iconic moments of the modern era.
Add to this equation the fact that Balor is not only one of WWE’s most beloved babyfaces but also one of it’s best workers, and there is almost no limit to the amount of drama you can extract from one of his main events. Let’s also not forget about the added element of him returning to Orlando for Wrestlemania, the site of many of his great NXT performances.
#3 The Miz:
The Miz had a career-defining year in 2016 which saw him embark on the WWE’s best Intercontinental title reign of the last 20 years. The catalyst that sparked this incredible run was the addition of his wife Maryse, who was arguably the best non-wrestling performer in the WWE last year.
John Cena looks set to win the WWE championship and tie Ric Flair’s record at the Royal Rumble this year. This almost certainly means that he will be defending the title at Wrestlemania, and he will need a heel to challenge him. This opens the door for the Miz to return to the main event of Wrestlemania.
A Cena-Miz feud is certain to be packed with memorable promos and lots of drama. While some might be sceptical about the prospect of a match between the two; their experience, psychology, and Maryse’s interference should be more than enough to put on an exciting match with multiple near falls.
#2 Shinsuke Nakamura:
Nakamura is the reigning NXT champion, but he could potentially drop the strap to Bobby Roode this weekend. This would mean that he would be free to move up to the main roster and win the Royal Rumble match.
However, when you put all these technicalities to one side, Nakamura has multiple Tokyo Dome classics under his belt and should be considered a no-brainer for a big match on the Wrestlemania card. His immense charisma can project to tens of thousands in a stadium, and he can almost certainly put on a classic with just about anybody under a WWE contract.
Without any shadow of a doubt, Nakamura is the consummate showman, and he is in some ways, as close to the perfect professional wrestler as there is. This has resulted in several people calling for him to be positioned as WWE’s lead babyface for the next 2-3 years.
#1 Kenny Omega:
Kenny Omega isn’t even a contracted WWE performer, but he finds himself on this list because he has been the best professional wrestler in the world over the last 15 months.
Omega has done some tremendous work in New Japan as the leader of the Bullet Club, but he has gained a lot of notoriety because of his antics with the Young Bucks. The trio has attempted to stretch the boundaries of professional wrestling by breaking the fourth wall and incorporating Meta-humour into their performances.
This has earned them the ire of salty veterans and the love of hardcore fans.
While Omega’s popularity has been bubbling away underground, he has become a sensation, ever since his G-1 victory and his critically acclaimed match with Okada. While there is a lot of confusion about his contract status, there is some optimism about his arrival in the WWE.
If Vince Mcmahon pulls off a coup and gets Omega to win the Rumble, he will create a Superstar in one night, who has the talent to succeed John Cena as the face of the WWE.
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