WWE Royal Rumble 2017: Most Intriguing Storylines to Track on Road to PPV

WWE Royal Rumble 2017 will give fans their first glimpse into the company's plans for WrestleMania 33, the premier event in the industry. 

The namesake Battle Royal is always full of excitement and surprises—from the unannounced entrants to the huge spots that make the match one of the most unexpected and entertaining programs on the company's calendar. 

The 2017 edition should be no exception. Brock Lesnar and Goldberg are already announced participants following their Survivor Series battle, giving the event some high-octane star power. Not to mention that, with the brand split, Raw and SmackDown will be battling for which brand gets to headline WrestleMania, a storyline that WWE is sure to play up in the coming weeks. 

This will also be the first pay-per-view since Survivor Series where both brands are on the same show. That means the Royal Rumble is sure to be a four-hour event, as the company has extended other dual-branded shows. 

So what are the major stories to track during the build to the Royal Rumble? Read on to see what fans should keep their eyes on as WWE counts down to its first pay-per-view event of 2017.

1. Will Brock Lesnar or Goldberg Get the Nod for WrestleMania 33's Main Event?

Since their match at Survivor Series, logic dictated that Lesnar and Goldberg would do battle one more time on the biggest stage of all, WrestleMania. 

However, with both men announced as participants in next month's Royal Rumble, it's difficult to see how WWE would be able to avoid the temptation of having either man win the chance to headline the company's most prestigious event. 

Depending on who you ask, the honor could go to either. Hall of Famer Ric Flair believes Goldberg is the choice, saying on his podcast that Goldberg's momentum is so great that it makes too much sense to have him win the Royal Rumble match (h/t Peter Bahi of Wrestlezone).

"With the momentum he has; I mean, Brock did him the biggest favor I have seen in this business in a long time," Flair said. "I mean, really, think about it. He just beat Brock Lesnar in a minute and 26 seconds, and convincingly."

Tom Fordy of The Sun wrote that Lesnar should be the one to eliminate Goldberg, if only to get a valuable "win" and set up a rematch at WrestleMania 33. 

Forbes writer and B/R contributor Alfred Konuwa set up what is the most unlikely of scenarios: Goldberg winning the Royal Rumble match, followed by Lesnar claiming the WWE Universal Championship, making WrestleMania's main event Lesnar vs. Goldberg for the universal title. 

While unrealistic, it would be something to make WWE CEO Vince McMahon salivate—two of his biggest draws headlining the company's biggest show for a prestigious title. Would fans accept it? Many might, but the fear with such a booking is backlash over having two aging, part-time stars fighting to be the standard-bearer of a company with such outstanding young talent. 

2. Can The Demon King Return for the Royal Rumble Match?

Is WWE holding a wild card in its hand for the Royal Rumble match in Finn Balor? The Demon King himself threw a little gasoline on the fire in an interview with the Gorilla Position podcast earlier this month (h/t Gene Mrosko of Cageside Seats) with comments on his possible return.

"I really believe in the power of positive thinking and the collective power of people’s thoughts spawning something into becoming reality," Balor said. "So if everyone does believe I can win the Royal Rumble, then I guess it’s not impossible."

Balor has since scaled back those comments, saying in an interview with Nicolas Atkin of ESPN.com that "the target was to be back for WrestleMania. Everything's on plan, everything's on schedule."

Still, Balor couldn't help once again fanning the flames of an early return, adding, "You know, that's obviously a huge rumor, and I would never be one to fuel the rumor mills. But to be a surprise entrant in the Rumble would be a huge moment for me. I'm sure it would create quite a buzz."

Stay tuned for more on this one because it doesn't sound like Balor is giving up hope for returning to the ring in San Antonio. 

3. Where Has The Undertaker Been?

The last time WWE fans saw The Undertaker was on the 900th episode of SmackDown, with The Deadman proclaiming that he was back and that WrestleMania wouldn't define his legacy. 

That was more than a month ago, and since then, there's been no word about his return to action. 

So where has The Undertaker been, and are there any concrete plans for him heading into the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania season? Steve Carrier of RingsideNews.com reported that, with the long layoff between the SmackDown-branded TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs pay-per-view and the Royal Rumble, WWE decided it best to hold off on a return. 

That return, according to Jason Brown of Wresting News World, will involve The Undertaker facing WWE champion AJ Styles at the Royal Rumble, which has long been speculated since The Deadman's appearance on SmackDown last month. 

Blake Oestriecher of Forbes wrote that such a scenario could set up the long-rumored Undertaker-John Cena WrestleMania match, which could potentially be for the WWE Championship: "At this point, it feels like a virtual inevitability that Styles will face both The Undertaker and Cena sometime soon, though the specifics of that are still up in the air."

With about a month until the Royal Rumble, expect The Undertaker to be more prominent on WWE programming in 2017. 

Who Will Be the Biggest Surprise Entrants in the Royal Rumble Match?

For the Superstars involved, the Royal Rumble is all about the chance to headline WrestleMania. For the fans, the most exciting moment is seeing just who shows up for that chance.

It's always fun to see long-ago Superstars return for a moment in the sun—such as Diamond Dallas Page in 2015 or Roddy Piper in 2008. In addition, Superstars returning from injury (John Cena in 2008 and Edge in 2010) always make for huge pops.

So who is likely to get the nod at WWE Royal Rumble 2017?

Among the legends whose names have been rumored, the biggest may be former WWE champion Kurt Angle. The former Olympian has been on the rumor radar for more than a year, and with no contractual obligations to other promotions, a return for Angle seems more likely than ever. 

Adding to the speculation is the fact that 2K is reportedly attempting to sign Angle to a deal, which would allow the former champion to be part of WWE 2K18 (h/t Oli Davis of Flickering Myth). Every other Superstar who's signed such a deal (Sting, Goldberg, The Ultimate Warrior) has found his way back into WWE's good graces. 

Another highly rumored Rumble entrant is former NXT champion Samoa Joe. Following Joe's defeat to Shinsuke Nakamura earlier this month in Osaka, Japan, the rampant speculation has been that the former Ring of Honor champion would be called up to the main roster.

One of the latest rumors hitting the internet, per PWInsider.com's Mike Johnson (h/t Chris Morgan of WrestlingRumors.net), has Joe entering the Rumble match and claiming the WrestleMania 33 headline match, where he would face off against AJ Styles.  

Such a match would captivate the WWE Universe, but it's unclear whether WWE would consider a Styles-Joe feud a headlining event. Joe's inclusion on the main roster is more than deserved, and a feud with Styles would be entertaining. WWE, however, is more likely to book Brock Lesnar vs. Goldberg or John Cena vs. Styles or The Undertaker in its premier spot at The Show of Shows.