10 Wrestlers That Could Win the 2011 Royal Rumble

We are only days away from the Royal Rumble and for the first time in what seems like years, there appears to be a number of ways that the WWE Creative could decide who will win this year's popular event.  Mainly due to the injuries of Triple H and the Undertaker and the departures of Shawn Michaels, Chris Jericho and Batista, the WWE has had to go through its own version of a youth movement in the past year.

Instead of the future Hall of Famers that are sidelined or out of the company, you now have guys like The Miz, Wade Barrett, Dolph Ziggler, Sheamus and Alberto Del Rio taking starring roles.  Other veterans, such as Kane, have finally been given a chance to shine.

While ratings might have taken a hit and casual fans may not know the roster as well, the company is starting to reap the benefits of pushing new stars and the 2011 Royal Rumble best exemplifies that.

With 40 wrestlers entering the ring for the first time ever, it is literally anyone's best guess as to who will emerge victorious.  But let's take a look at 10 wrestlers most likely to end Sunday night with a guaranteed title shot at WrestleMania. 

Who Does Not Have a Chance?

Here are a few guys that could main event, but won't win this year.

CM Punk:  The guy is absolute money and is possibly the best heel the company has right now.  But I cannot envision any way they could give him a title shot.  It wouldn't make any sense to feud him with any title holder or contender right now and his most likely opponents at WrestleMania will be Cena and or Barret.

Jack Swagger:  Though he won a title last year, he's gone back down to only a midcard wrestler that really wouldn't shine at the main event.

Rey Mysterio:  A previous winner of the Rumble, there's really no reason for Mysterio to main event WrestleMania, as he will draw a ton of fan interest no matter who he is facing. 

Daniel Bryan:  A horribly misused wrestler thus far that hasn't really had a single feud since returning from what was essentially a suspension.  Despite holding one of the four big titles, there's really no place for him in the main event scene.

Kane:  Many feel it was long overdue that Kane earned a legitimate title run, seeing he has been a loyal solider to the WWE for almost 14 years.  However, there is no real main event feud right now and the odds are we'll see yet another Kane/Undertaker gimmick match this year. 

10) Kofi Kingston

Why he can win:  A very popular wrestler amongst the fans, Kingston seemed primed to breakout in late 2009, only to be knocked down a peg through most of 2010.  However, in the final months of the year, Kingston began another winning streak, winning the Intercontinental Title and is now competing with the likes of Alberto Del Rio and Kane.  A surprise win at the Rumble can cement his status as a Main Event star.

Why he won't:  Though he's a fan favorite, and likely to win a title in the next few years, the Rumble is probably not the spot where his huge push starts.

Most likely outcome:  While he probably will not win, I could see Kingston being the wrestler that lasts for 45 minutes, knocks out seven wrestlers and is one of the last three or four remaining superstars.

9) John Morrison

Why he can win:  One of the hottest superstars on Raw right now, he just had a match of the year candidate against the Miz earlier this month in his first Heavyweight title shot.  Having defeated most of the stars in the WWE, the Rumble can help him get a possible re-match against his former Dirtsheet sidekick, the Miz.

Why he won't:  Many people feel that his mic work is holding him back from being a bona fide superstar.  The WWE creative people might be too afraid that he can't carry the pressure of being a main attraction at WrestleMania and might be better served as winning the Money in the Bank match.

Most likely outcome:  Morrison is on the very short list of guys who can win.  If he does though, he probably would end up in a triple threat match, since I don't believe he can carry a program yet, especially at the biggest event of the year.

8) The Big Show

Why he can win:  The Big Show has been with the company for well over a decade and has been a great solider to the company. He has not missed a ton of time to injuries, has been involved in all sorts of feuds and won several titles.  It can be argued that if there were ever a year for the Big Show to win, this would be it.  He's also due to win another title.

Why he won't:  The Big Show has toiled around the upper midcard area for a long time and there's no real sign that it's going to end.  There is a new feud that appears to be brewing with Wade Barrett as well. 

Most likely outcome:  The Big Show always has a flash of dominance and I could see him bouncing both Justin Gabriel and Heath Slater at the same time, but only to have Ezekiel Jackson clothesline him out with so much force that they both end up out of the ring. 

7) Dolph Ziggler

Why he can win:  The WWE writers seem to be in love with Ziggler right now, having just elevated him to a title shot against Edge at the Rumble.  With the shadiness of Vickie Guerrero, it's not impossible to see him be the 40th entrant of the Rumble and get the shocking last minute win over someone like John Cena. 

Why he won't:  He has a title shot against Edge, and the odds are the WWE isn't quite ready to have this guy spotlight WrestleMania.

Most likely outcome:  He doesn't even compete at the Rumble, but with Vickie as his companion, nothing is for certain. 

6) Ted DiBiase Jr.

Why he could win: Want a winner that comes out of left field that could instantly elevate a wrestler that many once saw as a threat?  Look no further than Ted DiBiase Jr.  Lost in numerous lower card feuds, his surprise fall seems to have no floor.  However, many people once saw him as a guy bound to be a main eventer, and to me, there are few wrestlers in the past few years that could pull off a shocker like this, and still have some sort of credibility. 

Why he won't:  Let's face facts, the guy has lost out in feuds against Goldust!  For whatever reason, DiBiase has not caught on, something many felt would have happened with Cody Rhodes, his former tag partner. 

Most likely outcome:  He doesn't win, however, they could do well by having DiBiase have a fairly impressive run and perhaps he could have a U.S. Title feud with Daniel Bryan.  I personally would love to see the guy snap during the Rumble. 

5) John Cena

Why he can win:  Because he is Superman!  Face it, would anyone be shocked if he wins?  There is a feud to be had with The Miz and the fans will either love it or hate it, but in the end they'll watch it.

Why he won't: There are two heel stables that want a piece of Cena in The New Nexus and The Corre, so Cena would have to navigate a minefield in order to win.  Also, Cena doesn't need to win in order to stay relevant.

Most likely outcome:  While a Cena/Miz feud is something that could easily main event WrestleMania, I think they're just starting to scratch the surface of Punk/Cena and having Cena take on someone totally different wouldn't do the feud any favors. 

4) Sheamus

Why he can win:  Has any wrestler done so much in so little time as Sheamus?  I personally saw him earn his first title shot in Hershey in late 2009 going from an ECW nobody to a title contender in a three-hour episode.  Since then, he's won two titles, defeated John Cena, Randy Orton and  Triple H and won the King of the Ring.  Is it that unreasonable to believe he can't win the Rumble?  Sheamus could either take on Edge, Randy Orton or even the Miz, whom they have shared a frosty relationship for months.

Why he won't:  Sheamus seems to be in a holding pattern until Triple H comes back.  They're not putting him in title matches, but they're keeping him right on the cusp to keep him looking threatening.

Most likely outcome:  Sheamus could have a deep run in the Rumble, and look primed to victory, but I expect to hear the famous lyrics of "Time to play the game!" hit the loudspeakers to foil a potential Sheamus victory. 

3) Wade Barret

Why he can win:  Wade Barrett has gone from NXT contestant to arguably the best heel on Raw in less than a year.  There is perhaps no other superstar that's benefited more from the youth movement.  Still, he looked pretty weak being booted out of Nexus, so a Rumble win would do wonders to repair his image.  A Barrett/Edge World Title feud has the potential to be extremely entertaining

Why he won't:  New Nexus members may very well target Barett more so than trying to win the Rumble themselves.

Most likely outcome:  With so much potential of Nexus and the Corre feuding with John Cena mixed in, the odds are he will not win and go on to feud with some or all of those people. 

2) Alberto Del Rio

Why he can win:  Another superstar that greatly benefited from the youth movement is none other than Alberto Del Riiiiiiiiiiiiiio.  In less than a year, he's gone from small feuds to being the favorite to win the Royal Rumble.  Few wrestlers have been as entertaining and easy to hate as Del Rio and has already had the honor of being superkicked by Shawn Michaels.  While that may sound like a joke, it was a clear sign that the WWE has this man groomed to be an absolute superstar for years to come.  An Edge/Del Rio feud has the potential to be a classic.

Why he won't:  Simply put, he hasn't earned his stripes yet.  Having not won a single title yet, many will argue he hasn't done enough to earn the right to headline WrestleMania.

Most likely outcome:  The smart money is on Del Rio to win the Rumble, so what is most likely to happen?  Del Rio will be taking on Edge, or Randy Orton, (if he beats Miz) at WrestleMania this year. 

1) Triple H

Why he can win:  It's been done before so why not a second time?  Triple H tore his quad nearly 10 years ago, but upon his return he won the Royal Rumble.  Triple H has been out since the spring and he is due back from his injury any time now.  The Royal Rumble is a perfect time for injured stars to come back (see Edge last year) and if HHH is involved in the Rumble, he'll always be a favorite to win.

Why he won't:  Too many possible feuds that don't involve the title, most notably gaining his revenge on Sheamus.  If not him, superstars like the Miz, CM Punk or even Wade Barrett could be around for a non-title feud.

Most likely outcome:  HHH's music hits regardless of him being involved in the Rumble.   Whether it's coming to participate, or entering through the crowd, HHH will get in the ring with one thing in mind, to destroy Sheamus.   For once in his career, HHH is putting beating someone down ahead of winning a belt, signifying how important it is he gets his revenge on the Celtic Warrior, culminating in some sort of gimmick match at WrestleMania.