Who would we like to see enter the Royal Rumble?
This week’s WWE TV has got us at Gorilla Position in the Royal Rumble spirit, so much so our minds have started to wonder on what names we may see enter the thirty-man over the top extravaganza.
Over the years the Royal Rumble has made a habit of having entrants ranging from famous names from the past, current NXT roster members and those returning from lengthy periods on the sidelines. Brock Lesnar and Goldberg have already put their names in the hat for what promises to be a standout Rumble in 2017, but what other surprise entrants would we like to see?
The NXT call-up
Tye Dillinger
Before you utter the name Shinsuke Nakamura or Samoa Joe, of course we want them promoted to the main roster. However, they are perhaps more deserving of a more impactful debut than part of the Rumble conglomerate. Therefore is anyone more apt to appear at a certain number in proceedings than ‘Perfect 10’ Tye Dillinger? Those ten chants almost hijacked Survivor Series weekend and it would make perfect numerical sense to have him make his main roster bow as the Rumble’s tenth entrant. And with Tye being much more than just a number, he’d make an ideal addition to the SmackDown brand going forward.
The returning star
Finn Bálor
The little tease has been at it again on social media, recently posting 'December 30' to his timeline, putting fans into a spin and speculating if that means a return in time for the Rumble for the first ever Universal Champion. As Finn told us at #GP100 the plan has always been WrestleMania for his return from the shoulder injury sustained at last year’s SummerSlam, however it could all be work from the Demon King. Many on our Twitter page are expecting to see Bálor in San Antonio later this month, with a number of you suggesting that the Irishman may actually be one of the favourites to win the whole match. Excited? You should be.
The blast from the past
Razor Ramon
The Rumble has a tradition of seeing famous WWE gimmicks from the past and over the years we’ve seen DDP, Tatanka and Diesel make one-night nostalgic appearances. One we’d love to see in 2017 is the ‘Bad Guy’ himself Razor Ramon. We’ve seen sprinklings of Scott Hall in the last few years - most notably at the past two WrestleMania’s - but it’s been too long since Hall has donned the vest and chains of one the mid-nineties most popular characters. He doesn’t need to go for long and it would be all about the pop upon his entrance music hitting, but the 2017 Rumble could definitely do with some machismo and for us once again saying hello to the Bad Guy.
The legendry appearance
Kurt Angle
He’s perhaps the last remaining legit WWE future Hall of Famer yet to make that memorable comeback to the company and since his departure from TNA last year, fans have been chomping at the bit to see Angle back in a WWE ring. However, questions remain over the former Olympic Champion’s medical condition and whether he could sustain another full WWE run, so maybe the compromise is a place in the 2017 Rumble. There’s no doubt the roof would come off the Alamodome if we heard the first few bars of his entrance music and we know Kurt can still go, so he could have a nice say in the storyline of the match. It’s true, it’s dam true.
The one-off deal
Rey Mysterio
The Royal Rumble match often opens the doors to former WWE stars that are still on the wrestling circuit to make a one-off returns. In the past we’ve seen it from Bubba-Ray Dudley, RVD and even Mr. Perfect and it seems like the perfect opportunity for another slice of the 619. Rey Mysterio hasn’t been seen in WWE since February 2015, but remains one wrestling’s most famous masked men. Seeing the Rumble winner from 2006 flying through the air once again would certainly add that little more colour to this year’s event.
The nod to nostalgia
Ric Flair
Believe or not it’s been twenty-five years since arguably the best or certainly most fondly remembered Royal Rumble, when Ric Flair saw off the cream of the 90s crop to win the WWE Title. Now a recent tweet from The Nature Boy showing the sixty-seven year-old deadlifting a 400lbs dumbbell has sparked rumours of a return to the ring for the sixteen-time world champion. That tweet also included the mystic hashtag of #17, suggesting it could his entrant number to this year’s event, where he could celebrate his famous win in 1992 with one last roll of the dice from the dirtiest player in the game.
The curve ball
Daniel Bryan
If we are still discussing the possibility of Daniel Bryan having one more match in the culmination of his rivalry with The Miz on SmackDown, why not set those WrestleMania wheels in motion by having Bryan abuse his power by entering somewhat sheepishly at number 30 and going on to eliminate The Miz? Yes, it’s a massive punt and yes it wreaks more of the behavior of a heel authority figure, but could it be that Miz just pushes Bryan to his limit and this is the SmackDown GM’s revenge? Fantasy booking it maybe, but it wouldn’t be a modern Rumble without some Daniel Bryan controversy.
Make sure you keep glued to Gorilla Position in the 2017 for the latest WWE news, views and interviews. Subscribe for free and download the 100th episode of the show, which features guests Finn Bálor and Bayley, recorded live from London’s indigo at the O2. Don’t forget to follow GP too