WWE Royal Rumble 2015: Power Ranking Likely Rumble Winners After Dec. 29 Raw
The Dec. 29 edition of Raw closed out the year with a resounding bang, bringing back Daniel Bryan just in time for WWE Royal Rumble 2015.
Setbacks in his recovery from neck surgery made it look like he might have to wait until WrestleMania or later to compete again. WWE fans, though, got a late Christmas present: Bryan is back.
That shakes up the field of potential Rumble winners.
WWE essentially had one legitimate choice and a few long-shot options beforehand. Now, it has a dilemma. Does it give Bryan another memorable WrestleMania moment, or does it crown Roman Reigns the company's next big thing?
Based on current momentum, how well each would fit as a WrestleMania headliner and how WWE has booked each one, the following is a look at the top candidates for the 2015 Rumble winner.
Dark Horses
1 of 6- Ryback
- Bray Wyatt
- Sheamus
If Sheamus recovers from his injuries in time, he's a long shot to win. He would make a great fit opposite Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania—his bruising style meshing perfectly with the champ's.
He has hovered near the main event scene for the majority of his career. There's just a lot of competition at the top, and being out of action means he's falling behind in terms of momentum.
WWE has kept Bray Wyatt looking strong as of late, and he's gotten the better of Dean Ambrose for the most part.
Neither he nor Ambrose competed on Monday's Raw. Instead, the two are booked for next week's show in an Ambulance match. Should The Eater of Worlds win that, it points to the company having big plans for him as we move closer to WrestleMania.
A Rumble win seems too far away, though. Other Superstars have more consistently been a part of the main event scene.
On Monday's Raw, Ryback collided with Rusev once again but more importantly got a chance to tell his story. WWE gave him a long stretch of airtime to discuss his journey to where he is today.
That's a clear signal that the company continues to be high on him.
His inevitable battle with Rusev is likely to happen at the next pay-per-view, however. That puts him on a different track than Roman Reigns and other potential Rumble winners.
5. Dolph Ziggler
2 of 6Months ago, Dolph Ziggler would have lost his Monday night clash with Rusev. He was often used as a means to prop up other stars.
Batista, Seth Rollins and Rusev himself all rolled over him in 2014. The Showoff, though, ends the year with a far better trajectory.
WWE didn't pin a loss on him this time. Instead, Rusev ignored the referee's warnings and was disqualified for attacking Ziggler in the corner.
As he and Rusev collided on Monday's Raw, the announcers talked up his resilience and how difficult it was to defeat him. They talked about 2014 being a career year, noting his Intercontinental Championship wins and his part in ousting The Authority at Survivor Series.
Something big appears to be in the works for Ziggler. But as long as that title is around his waist, don't bet on him to win the Rumble. No IC champ has ever accomplished that feat.
4. Dean Ambrose
3 of 6The company split the roster between Monday's Raw and a house show in Richmond, Virginia, leaving Dean Ambrose and his rival, Wyatt, off TV for the night.
It looks as if that feud is coming to an end next week. WWE announced on Raw that Wyatt and Ambrose would battle in an Ambulance match.
Should The Lunatic Fringe come out of that battle as the victor, he would be an intriguing option for winning the Royal Rumble. He's a fresh face, a reliable ring worker and a rising star.
Ambrose is popular enough to slide into the WrestleMania main event, but it's not clear if WWE truly views him as a headliner. He main evented Hell in a Cell and TLC but lost both times. And while John Cena, Rollins and Reigns were all showcased on the company's premier show, Ambrose wasn't around.
3. Randy Orton
4 of 6
WWE continues to keep Randy Orton in its holster.
Orton didn't appear on Raw until after the cameras went off, per PWInsider.com. Not being on TV certainly hurts his momentum, but his name power keeps him high on the list.
He's one of the few established main event talents on the roster, a man WWE can comfortably put in a huge match at WrestleMania. He would be a great matchup for Lesnar, one predator clashing with another.
As fun as that match promises to be, and as often as WWE has turned to Orton for a world champ role, it's the lack of novelty that has two Superstars ranked above him here. Orton has been a main event mainstay. Going to him again doesn't have the electricity that relying on a newer star would.
2. Daniel Bryan
5 of 6If WWE isn't sure that Reigns can carry the company banner yet, it can turn to Daniel Bryan. Bryan announced on Monday's Raw that he would be back in time for the Royal Rumble.
After struggling to recover from neck surgery, it wasn't clear if he could compete before WrestleMania, if ever again. He teased retirement before surprising fans with the news that he would join Reigns in the Rumble.
That gives WWE two distinct options.
It can go with Reigns and complete his push, crowning him the newest megastar. Or it can right the wrong that was last year's Rumble. Fans booed when Batista won, as it felt like Bryan's year and that he deserved a chance at the WrestleMania spotlight.
Bryan overcoming the odds again, this time against Lesnar, would be an unforgettable story. With Bryan's in-ring prowess, WWE also knows it would have a classic match to headline WrestleMania.
How confident is the company with Bryan's health, though? There are major questions surrounding whether he can return to his old self or if he will suffer another injury en route to WrestleMania.
That keeps Reigns as the favorite—at least for now.
1. Roman Reigns
6 of 6WWE is laying out the red carpet for Roman Reigns. The company keeps working to make him look good, and it keeps placing him in the spotlight and garnering momentum for him heading into the Royal Rumble.
He ended Friday's SmackDown by spearing Big Show and getting a win in a tag match. On Monday, he battled Rollins and looked poised to deliver a spear to his old ally before Big Show interfered.
The vicious attack that followed that match feels like a precursor for Reigns getting revenge. Reigns pounding the giant into the mat would be a sure sign of WWE prepping Reigns for a coronation.
Officials may have believability issues with someone like Ambrose or Bryan defeating Lesnar. Reigns, though, is plenty big and strong enough to match up with The Beast Incarnate.
Unless Reigns struggles mightily in the ring between now and Jan. 25, he will hold tight to his current spot, remaining the smart bet to win the Rumble.
