5 Superstars WWE could have big plans for at The Royal Rumble

The Royal Rumble pay-per-view is right around the corner and while not everything is set in stone, the company has seemingly showed their hand in some regards. Not only is that evident by the winning streak that several Superstars are on right now, but also by how some of the other Superstars are being protected in defeat.

If nothing else, WWE seems to have big plans for these Superstars and it is going to be interesting to watch things play out at the event. Whether that turns out to be winning The Royal Rumble, starting a feud that goes all the way to WrestleMania 36, or something brand new remains to be seen, but WWE very likely has something up their sleeve for many Superstars.

With that being said and The Royal Rumble pay-per-view just over one week away, here are five Superstars WWE seems to have big plans for at the upcoming mega-event.. As always, let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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#5 Andrade

WWE is really going out of their way to protect Andrade.

It's no secret that Andrade was supposed to be WWE's next big thing in the midcard and, but the way the company is protecting him hints at something more. Maybe not a shot at the WWE Championship quite yet, or even a top marquee matchup at this year's WrestleMania, but with how many wins he has racked up over the winter months, one has to imagine that there are big things planned.

Why else would he defeat Rey Mysterio for The United States Title at a house show in Madison Square Garden and defeat him again during an episode of Monday Night RAW while looking like an absolute destroyer throughout? Something big is in the works for Andrade heading into WrestleMania season.

In the end, this is a spot that Andrade has deserved all along. He has proved time and time again that he has a moveset capable of captivating fans throughout any match. He has the perfect mouth piece in Zelina Vega and he is starting to show the charisma that could carry him to the top of the mountain eventually.

#4 Aleister Black

Aleister Black could very well be the most dangerous man in WWE

Aleister Black has defeated Buddy Murphy on three separate occasions and while they were all barnburners, they fulfilled another purpose as well. In fact, between how much Black was able to get the audience behind him and how dominantly he has been booked, one can imagine that he will be a force to be reckoned with in the immediate future.

As if that wasn't enough to prove how WWE is trying to protect him right now, Cagesideseats.com's rumor roundup claims that the company has something big for Black planned and that it could come sooner rather than later. What exactly that is remains to be seen, but it's worth noting that his feud with Murphy is probably done.

With that being said and Black building up quite the winning streak right now, expect him to parlay that into a memorable run in the Royal Rumble match. Heck, with WWE originally wanting to put Ali in WrestleMania title picture last year and the company eventually picking Kofi Kingston to do it, Black could end up going very far here.

#3 Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns may be the most important figure going into the Royal Rumble PPV.

Roman Reigns may have taken two key losses at the hands of Baron Corbin recently, but with the dominant figure Reigns has been painted to be over the years, the wins are a big deal for Corbin but aren't detrimental at all for Reigns.

With that being said, Roman Reigns lost both times to King Corbin by interference, which is a sign that the company wanted to protect The Big Dog in defeat, even though he didn't necessarily need protecting. The two men are set to collide and settle the score at the Royal Rumble PPV, which would be an interesting thing to watch. Will Corbin take another one from Reigns? How would that affect Roman's chances of winning the Rumble match at the end of the night?

In the end, Roman has gained a lot of sympathy from his defeats at the hands of Corbin, but they were scripted in such a way as to protect him. Whether that leads to WWE giving him the win in the Royal Rumble remains to be seen, but WWE is surely planning something big for Reigns on the road to this year's WrestleMania.

#2 King Corbin

King Corbin could play spoiler at The Royal Rumble

King Corbin might indeed be the most hated Superstar in WWE right now, and he also has one of the best win-loss records in the entire company over the last few months. In fact, between defeating Roman Reigns on two occasions, winning King of the Ring and retiring Kurt Angle at WrestleMania 35, Corbin may very well be WWE's best-booked heel right now.

With that being said, one has to imagine that the company has big plans for King Corbin at the upcoming pay-per-view. Why would the company give Corbin two big wins over Roman Reigns at TLC and on SmackDown if they weren't planning on graduating him up to a higher level in the WWE pecking order?

If nothing else, the writing is on the wall and whether it turns out to be good or bad, something big is going to happen with King Corbin at Royal Rumble, be it in his match against Roman Reigns, in the eponymous match, or both.

#1 The Fiend

WWE is going out of its way to protect The Fiend

It's beyond obvious that this point that WWE has a vested interest protecting The Fiend, but the way they are going about it seems to point to something big happening soon. For example, WWE has used The Fiend sparingly since the TLC event in December and more focus has been placed on Wyatt's Firefly Fun House persona.

This has been a welcomed treat for the WWE Universe, especially since the company is starting to poke into the lore of what gives The Fiend his powers, but it is also a way protect the dark side of Wyatt's character. It's difficult to see what WWE has in store for Bray and The Fiend, but the current Universal Champion is likely to continue his streak of dominance as we make our way out of the first month of the new year.

If nothing else, The Fiend is WWE's most popular new entity in a long time and they are going to do everything they can to protect him between now and WrestleMania. The question, however, is how and what exactly do they have planned between now and WrestleMania? Beyond that, will there be an earth-shattering revelation that could become the basis of the biggest storyline leading into WrestleMania?