WWE Royal Rumble 2018: Biggest Dark Horses to Watch for in Battle Royal

As WWE Royal Rumble 2018 draws closer, fans continue to speculate about which Superstar will emerge victorious in the men's and women's Royal Rumble matches and punch their tickets to WrestleMania 34 for championship contests of their choosing.

The inaugural women's Rumble is bound to be won by the undefeated Asuka, but the outcome of the men's Battle Royal isn't as obvious this year as it has been in the past. Sure, names such as Shinsuke Nakamura, Roman Reigns and John Cena are among the favorites, but nothing is set in stone when it comes to the Rumble.

There are many more wrestlers from both brands who could defy the odds and win the 2018 Royal Rumble. These men should be considered the dark horses of the bout, as they may not be the most likely choices to come out on top but should not be counted out.

The Royal Rumble pay-per-view, which will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2018, is known to be one of the most unpredictable events on the WWE calendar. This year's installment will be no exception, so it would be wise of fans to expect the unexpected when it comes to the men's namesake Battle Royal.

Nakamura, Reigns and Cena are all logical choices for potential Rumble winners, but who else has a fighting chance of etching their names into the record books and eliminating the competition en route to WrestleMania?

Finn Balor

Credit: WWE.com

Around this time one year ago, Finn Balor was on the sidelines with an injury and hadn't been spotted on WWE programming for several months. Despite that, he was still considered a heavy favorite to win the 2017 Royal Rumble match because it would have made all the sense in the world.

As a result of getting hurt in August 2016, Balor was forced to relinquish the Universal Championship, so it was logical to think he would want that belt back immediately upon returning from his absence. Unfortunately, he wasn't cleared to compete by the Rumble, and he was moved to a midcard role once he did resurface on Raw in the spring of 2017.

Balor could have contended for the universal title he never technically lost, but he has never received a rematch for the strap. It was quite a while before Balor finally found direction by reuniting with Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows, making him more of a threat than ever before to win the 2018 Royal Rumble match.

Lesnar vs. Balor was scrapped as the co-main event of the Royal Rumble, according to Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t Marc Middleton of Wrestling Inc).

If The Demon can be built back up between now and WrestleMania 34, he could get his match with The Beast Incarnate at long last. Then again, fans likely wouldn't complain about Balor jumping ship to SmackDown Live and targeting familiar foe WWE champion AJ Styles, either.

Regardless of which world championship he chooses to go after if he wins the Rumble, it's safe to say seeing Balor outlast 29 other Superstars in the annual Battle Royal with the help of his Balor Club buddies would be too sweet.

Randy Orton

Credit: WWE.com

While we have been down this road before with Randy Orton—as recently as last year—it's important to never count out The Viper, especially when he could make sense as a viable challenger to the WWE Championship again at WrestleMania 34.

Orton's 2017 peaked when he won the Royal Rumble. He went on to beat Bray Wyatt for the WWE title on the grand stage, but everything that followed his Rumble triumph (including the horrid 'Mania match with Wyatt) was underwhelming, to say the least.

The two-time Royal Rumble winner has basically been coasting through the past few months, bouncing around from one random rivalry to the next. He is in some desperate need of direction, and a record-tying third Rumble victory could provide that for him.

This isn't the most desirable outcome for fans considering we have had repeat winners for the better part of the past five years, but WWE might want to reboot Randy Orton yet again by having him return to the main event scene with a bang. It could also include a heel turn, which he has needed for some time.

AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura for the WWE title is the biggest money match on SmackDown Live, but Styles vs. Orton would be a fresh feud for WrestleMania. Expect to see The Apex Predator as part of the final four in this year's Rumble whether he wins it or not.

The Miz

Credit: WWE.com

The Miz may have his sights set on regaining the Intercontinental Championship from Roman Reigns on the special to celebrate Monday Night Raw's 25th year, but don't think for a second he wouldn't re-enter the main event scene if given the chance.

Since 2007, Miz has participated in 10 Royal Rumble matches and has yet to win one. That could well change this year, especially considering the major roll he has been on since joining the red brand in April 2017.

Miz recently resurfaced on Raw and announced his intention to get "his" intercontinental title back, but he should be in the world championship picture. That will be virtually impossible as long as he is a part of the flagship show, but a Rumble win could give him an excuse to return to SmackDown Live.

Whether it's against AJ Styles or another Superstar, The Awesome One would hold his own in a marquee match at WrestleMania for the WWE Championship. After all, he headlined the Show of Shows in 2011 and did walk out that night with the title in tow.

There is no denying the good he has done for the Intercontinental Championship, but it's time for him to hold a more prestigious prize and get back to where he belongs: the main event spotlight. His road to reclaiming that top spot could start with a Rumble victory.

Seth Rollins

Credit: WWE.com

Interestingly enough, Seth Rollins' sole Royal Rumble match appearance was in 2014. At the 2015 installment of the event, he vied for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship before missing out the next year because of injury and then losing his spot to Sami Zayn in 2017.

That should change this year, however, even if he has yet to officially announce his entry into the matchup. He may be involved in a tag team with Jason Jordan, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have his sights set on re-entering the world title picture.

A match pitting Rollins against Dean Ambrose seemed fairly likely for the Show of Shows this year, but any potential plans for that bout were scrapped when Ambrose got hurt. A Rollins vs. Jordan match at 'Mania doesn't have the same appeal, and thus officials should be considering something much bigger for Rollins instead.

Brock Lesnar will likely walk out of the Royal Rumble pay-per-view still the Universal champion, and although the spot opposite him at WrestleMania is all but confirmed to be reserved for Roman Reigns, Rollins would make sense as an opponent for the champion at the Showcase of the Immortals. After all, they have unfinished business from their 2015 rivalry, during which they worked incredibly well together.

It's usually those who don't find themselves in the main event mix around Rumble time who emerge victorious, and given he hasn't contended for Raw's top prize in well over a year, there's no reason to think Seth Rollins can't come out on top in the annual Battle Royal.

Samoa Joe

Credit: WWE.com

Samoa Joe has left quite the path of destruction since arriving on WWE's main roster at the onset of 2017, and thus a Royal Rumble win isn't out of the question.

In the year he has been a part of Monday Night Raw, Joe has come close to clinching world title gold on several occasions. Additionally, he dominated Brock Lesnar more than anyone other than Goldberg has in several years and emerged from that feud with plenty of credibility.

Unfortunately, credibility doesn't win gold, something Joe has been hungry for during his time on the flagship show. Although he recently fell short of unseating Roman Reigns as intercontinental champion, he made it clear he will do whatever it takes to have his hand raised after the Royal Rumble match.

A Joe vs. Lesnar rematch would be a spectacle worthy of WrestleMania. However, it's much likelier he moves over to SmackDown Live and vies for AJ Styles' WWE Championship, rekindling an epic rivalry from their TNA days in the process.

It's more a matter of when than if Joe will break back into the main event scene, and assuming he is cleared to compete by the Rumble, a win in the men's Battle Royal would further establish him as WWE's most intimidating one-man wrecking crew in time for WrestleMania.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, is an Endicott College alumnus and aspiring journalist. Visit his website, Next Era Wrestling, and "like" his official Facebook page to continue the conversation on all things wrestling.