The Royal Rumble is one of the most exciting events of the year because it has a level of unpredictability no other pay-per-view can match. In one night, WWE can elevate someone to main event status with a win in the famous Battle Royal.
Careers have been launched during the Rumble, and the majority of winners end up winning the WWE Championship at WrestleMania as a result. This year's match is filled with all of the current top stars and several part-timers who could earn one last shot at the title.
Goldberg, Brock Lesnar and The Undertaker are making rare appearances, but Superstars like Braun Strowman, Sami Zayn, The Miz and Randy Orton will stand in their way. Only 22 names have been confirmed on WWE.com, so we could see some legends return for one night or some NXT Superstars make special appearances.
While there are always a few favourites, WWE could always pick someone unexpected to win the match in order to create some buzz heading into Mania season. This slideshow will look at some of the dark horse picks who would make great winners.
#5 Finn Balor
Rumours have been circulating for weeks regarding Finn Balor's injury status and whether he will be competing in the Royal Rumble match. WWE has kept quiet on the situation, which could be a good indicator that he will be a surprise entrant.
Balor was booked to become the first Universal champion, but a poorly timed shoulder injury forced him to relinquish the belt the night after he had won it. If WWE still plans to push The Demon as a top star on Raw, having him win the Rumble would be a great way to bring him back into the fold.
Also read: WWE Royal Rumble 2017 Matches: Analysis of the complete match card for the upcoming PPV
Nobody can deny Balor's value. He is exciting to watch, his merchandise is popular, his gimmick helps him appeal to every kind of fan and he has enough experience to already be considered a veteran of the business.
Balor's return would be a huge moment, and WWE loves its surprises during the Rumble, so if he is healthy enough to return, expect to see him Sunday night.
#4 The Undertaker
The Undertaker is always going to be a possible winner if he is involved in the Rumble, but with his part-time status, it's unlikely that the WWE would use this match as an excuse to give him a title shot when he has enough sway to just come in and demand one.
Every year, people talk about the possibility of Taker retiring, and every year he keeps coming back and performing at WrestleMania. Many questioned the decision to end his undefeated streak at the event, but now that a few years have passed, it doesn't seem like as big of a deal anymore.
Pitting him against the WWE or Universal champion would give someone a chance to face one of the greatest wrestlers of all time at the biggest PPV of the year. Even if they lose their title to him, anyone that the Deadman faces will get a boost.
Him winning would generate a lot of chatter, but The Undertaker is still a longshot to win, with there being so many better options out there.
However, if he is planning on hanging up his boots after this year, WWE may want to give him a proper sendoff with a Rumble win and a big match at WrestleMania.
#3 Dolph Ziggler
Dolph Ziggler's recent heel turn has given him a renewed focus, and one of the few accolades he doesn't have on his resume is a Royal Rumble victory. He isn't being talked about as one of the favourites to win, which is exactly why he would be a good choice.
The Showoff is always capable of stealing the show with opponents who are on his level and he is popular enough with the fans to justify giving him one of the main event spots at WrestleMania 33. He's been there before, so he wouldn't crack under the pressure.
If AJ Styles were to retain the WWE Championship against John Cena, The Phenomenal One and Ziggler would be able to tear the house down together. It doesn't even matter that both men are heels because the crowd usually cheers for them anyway.
Ziggler is one of the most reliable performers on the roster, and it's a shame that WWE hasn't given him a more prominent position over the years. If there was ever a time to give him another shot at being a main event player, it's at the Rumble.
#2 Samoa Joe
If anyone in NXT is ready to be brought up to the main roster, it's Samoa Joe. In fact, it's surprising that WWE even made him put in time with the developmental system at all, given his experience and popularity.
He helped bolster the roster with some great title matches, but it's time for him to move on.
The Rumble has always been a great way for someone to debut with the main roster, and Samoa Joe is someone who is worth booking to win the whole thing. The crowd loves him, he is a heavyweight who moves like a cruiserweight and his style meshes well with anyone.
It would be surreal to see him battle AJ Styles at WrestleMania for the WWE Championship after the two were the driving force behind TNA for so long. However, seeing him face a WWE original like John Cena or Randy Orton would be equally satisfying because those matches have been on people's wishlists for years.
WWE needs to take more risks, and having Samoa Joe win the Royal Rumble would be a great way to show the WWE Universe that the company still has a few tricks up its sleeve.
#1 Someone from the New Day
Xavier Woods, Kofi Kingston and Big E have been tag team specialists for a few years, but after losing the tag titles, they need something new to keep them occupied.
Having one of them win the Royal Rumble and begin a singles push would be a fresh direction for the group, and it would be a rare occurrence of WWE surprising everyone.
Kingston seems like the most obvious choice given his veteran status and history of incredible saves during the Rumble match. Every year, fans look forward to seeing what he comes up with to keep himself in the fight.
Woods and Big E, while outstanding talents in their own right, don't have the credibility that Kingston does when it comes to being a singles wrestler. With several U.S. and Intercontinental Championships to his name, the elder statesman of The New Day is the best choice to pursue a top title.
The most interesting outcome would be if all three men were the last competitors in the match and refused to eliminate each other. Having them face the WWE champion in a Fatal 4-Way would make for some interesting situations when it came time for one of them to go for the first pin.
Giving the victory to a part-time wrestler would take away an opportunity for WWE to build a young star into something greater, but knowing Vince McMahon, he will pick whoever he thinks will draw the most ticket sales for WrestleMania.
This year's event is harder to predict than most because of how many big names are participating. The last three winners were met with hostility from the crowd. Hopefully, WWE chooses someone who will get a positive reaction this year.
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