5 Surprise Stars We'd Like To See Enter The Royal Rumble

The Royal Rumble is notable for a few reasons, but one of the most exciting aspects of it is the opportunity for surprises throughout the 30 man battle royale.

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Whether it’s a returning WWE legend, a newcomer from another promotion, or a call-up from NXT, the possibilities are part of what make the Royal Rumble more of an experience as opposed to just another match on the card.

2017’s Royal Rumble looks to be no different, as rumors have been swirling for months about who might show up, join the company, or make their main roster debut. In that spirit, here are 5 surprise entrants that WWE fans would love to see in this year’s Royal Rumble!

Samoa Joe

Samoa Joe’s entertaining championship feud with Shinsuke Nakamura seems to have reached its natural conclusion, with Shinsuke claiming victory once again in their last meeting. Now that Shinsuke has moved on to a feud with Bobby Roode, it seems like the right time to move Samoa Joe to the main roster, where he can be in fresh new feuds on Monday Night RAW or Smackdown.

Hopefully, it’s Monday Night RAW, as a Braun Strowman vs Samoa Joe matchup has a great ring to it.

Finn Balor

Finn Balor, unfortunately, had to give up his Universal Championship a few days after he won it, but the superstar is nearing the end of his rehabilitation for his injured shoulder, so there is always the possibility he ends up surprising everyone at the Royal Rumble.

On the record, he has said this won’t happen, but as John Cena has proven time and time again, sometimes superstars can come back much sooner than they claim. It would definitely be a welcome addition to the RAW roster if he started his comeback on Sunday night.

Kenny Omega

As with Balor, Kenny Omega has also said he isn’t showing up at the Royal Rumble. The thing is, Omega has made a name for himself in part because he’s so unorthodox and unpredictable, so it would exactly surprise anyone if he did sign with WWE and debut at one of the biggest shows of the year.

The New Japan superstar would make a great addition to any roster, and if he was given the same treatment that AJ has enjoyed, it would definitely rank as a memorable moment.

Broken Matt Hardy

Unlike some of the others on this list, Matt Hardy hasn’t said anything either way about making a return to WWE. Some expect him to re-sign with Impact Wrestling now that it’s under new management, but what a homecoming it would be if Matt Hardy happened to walk down the ramp after a raucous countdown.

Important to note here that this is for Broken Matt Hardy. While Matt Hardy returning to the WWE would be noteworthy in itself, the character he has successfully created in TNA is the reason he’s earned so much goodwill lately, and fans want to see that interpretation in WWE.

WWE-TNA-Broken-Matt-Hardy — (Photo: TNA)

Kurt Angle

The good news is that Kurt Angle is definitely coming back to the WWE, but as of now, it is only to accept his nomination into the WWE Hall of Fame. There are many though who don’t want to see it end with that, however, and would love to see him in a WWE ring a few more times before he retires.

Seeing him come in at the Royal Rumble would be spectacular, and would be a great way to start a feud with any number of superstars on the roster. You can expect the crowd to lose their minds the minute his music hits and isn’t that what the Royal Rumble is all about?