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The Royal Rumble is possibly the most exciting match format in all of professional wrestling. The rising excitement in the crowd whenever the 10-second countdown begins is palpable.
The explosion of cheers and boos that follow when the next entrant is revealed can be matched by few. Winning the match makes instant main eventers who could potentially headline WrestleMania.
Though any superstar on the roster would love to add a Rumble win to their resume, there are a few superstars stuck in limbo who would gain a lot more from it than most.
Here are 5 WWE Superstars who need to win the 2022 Royal Rumble the most:
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#5: Big E needs a Royal Rumble win to avoid sliding down the card
Coming off a hot-and-cold 110-day WWE Championship reign which ended at Day 1, Big E is in danger of sliding down the totem pole and out of the main event picture on RAW.
Wrestling fans, former WWE commentator Renee Paquette, and the former New Day powerhouse himself have expressed concern about his post-championship reign booking. Many fear he will follow the same path former New Day stablemate Kofi Kingston did after losing the WWE title to Brock Lesnar.
That E didn't even receive a rematch or at least a face-to-face confrontation with The Beast Incarnate despite being the one to take the pin is a worrying sign.
A Rumble win would once again establish him as the top babyface in the company, recapturing the magic of his Money In The Bank cash-in. Additionally, it would give him a chance to have a much-improved second reign, kicked off by winning a world title on The Grandest Stage Of Them All.
#4: Naomi needs a Royal Rumble win
Human Royal Rumble highlight reel and former Smackdown women's champion Naomi has fallen down the pecking order in recent years. Since her return from injury, she has been involved in a directionless feud with Sonya DeVille.
Winning the Rumble would inject instant heat into her feud with Smackdown women's champion Charlotte Flair, whose reign has been lukewarm at best. With Deville's interference woven into the story, this could be a perfect WrestleMania underdog story.
The story could set up a huge reaction when The Glow Queen finally wins the title against all odds on The Grandest Stage of Them All. Simultaneously, such a story would serve up a great potential first feud for her as champion against the former Fire And Desire member.
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#3: The buzz around Kevin Owens' contract needs to be capitalised upon with a Royal Rumble win
Former Universal Champion Kevin Owens has never won the Royal Rumble. Having been in and out of the main event scene ever since powerbombing John Cena on his main roster debut, The Prize Fighter floated into the upper mid-card since losing his title to Goldberg in 22 seconds at Fastlane 2017.
Having just re-signed a five-year contract, Owens needs a big title win to capitalize on his character's huge potential and make him a top draw in the industry. A Rumble win would be just the thing to set him on that path.
#2. Liv Morgan needs a Royal Rumble win
Of all the WWE Superstars entering the 2022 Royal Rumble, nobody holds as much goodwill with the WWE Universe as Liv Morgan. The former Riott squad member has come agonizingly close to dethroning Becky Lynch as Raw Women's champion twice, the second being more agonizing than the first.
The momentum she is riding should propel her to superstardom if she wins the 30-woman brawl and goes on to capture the title at the biggest Premium Live Event of the year.
Adding a "last-chance" stipulation, wherein she cannot challenge Big Time Becks again (who should retain her title against Doudrop barring a miracle) should she lose at Mania, could raise the stakes higher and drive the anticipation through the roof.
The story writes itself.
#1. Cesaro has waited for his Royal Rumble win for 11 years
Of all the underutilized potential world champions in WWE, seven-time Royal Rumble entrant and inaugural Andre The Giant Battle Royal winner Cesaro has been waiting longest for his turn.
At WrestleMania 37, he defeated Seth Rollins in his first singles WrestleMania match and embarked on a run that ended with him ultimately falling short against Roman Reigns at Wrestlemania Backlash.
Capturing the title at Mania in a high-stakes rematch with Rollins or Reigns, or in an amazing dream match against Brock Lesnar or Bobby Lashley would give him and the entire WWE Universe an unforgettable moment.
More importantly, it would finally make Cesaro the bonafide main-eventer we have always known him to be, especially since it feels like time is running out on him.
