WWE Royal Rumble 2012: The Top 5 Dark-Horse Participants

WWE's Royal Rumble is nearly upon us, and fans are likely preparing for what could well be another exciting, historic pay per view.

The Rumble match itself has been the showcase for some very cool moments over the years, from WWE legends making special appearances, to surprise Superstars returning from injury.

With any luck, this year will be no exception.

A few names have been thrown around in recent weeks, guys who many fans feel will be the one to walk away with the victory and a title shot at this year's Wrestlemania. Wade Barrett, Chris Jerich, and Randy Orton are just three Superstars who could fit the bill.

But this is WWE, where anything can happen, right?  What are the chances that a dark horse could emerge and be the victor in this all-important contest?

These dark horses are wrestlers who are true surprises, Superstars that you may have forgotten about, or ones that you may very well be convinced have virtually no real shot at getting their arm raised at the end of the match.

While we don't yet have a full list of participants, I have a few suggestions as to who some of these dark horses may be.

This is my own Fave Five.  

5- Brodus Clay

The Funkasarus Brodus Clay, decked out in his red track suit, has been movin' and groovin' since his WWE debut back on January 9th.

Nothing about that sentence makes sense, yet in a weird way, everything about it makes sense.

This is WWE we're talking about, where we have been hit with every crazy, colorful gimmick known to man over the years. A good number of them never work and eventually end up on a worst-character-of -all- time list.  

Some, however, are a home run. Brodus Clay is a definite home run.

But what chance does he have of actually winning the Royal Rumble?

Before you say zero, think about the man's size and strength. If Brodus had returned in a power monster role similar to Mark Henry, he could very well be considered a real threat to win this event.

Don't let the silly gimmick fool you, because Brodus Clay may be the man who wins the Rumble and goes on to Wrestlemania to win the world championship.

Okay, that's probably not going to happen. There's dark horse, then there's just plain crazy.

But, hey, it will be fun to see him try.

4- R-Truth

R-Truth is another Superstar who will likely participate in the Rumble, and much like Brodus, the chances of him winning are pretty slim.

Right? We have been down this road before, specifically last year, when he was in a program with John Cena for the WWE Championship. He didn't go over then, and was criticized by many fans because they did not consider him strong enough to be on the main event level.

Same deal now, correct?  Maybe not.  

There's no doubt he was strengthened by his association with the Miz in Awesome Truth, and was seen in a much brighter spotlight than before.

Since his return, his baby-face run has received a good reception from fans, as he is starting to get over. He's still a paranoid schizophrenic, but now he's a paranoid schizophrenic who has made peace with the crowd and is doing nothing but entertaining them every time he's in the ring.

If Truth is ever to truly have a straight-up opportunity at proving he's main-event caliber, that time could be now, as there seems to be a real focus on him.

But is Truth really on the way up?

3- Christian

Christian is another guy who just last year was on the main event scene, feuding with Randy Orton over the world heavyweight championship. Since then, his career has been up and down, and now he is on the shelf with an ankle injury.

But for how long?

Again, the Royal Rumble is a great time for wrestlers to return, to make a surprising appearance, and hopefully, a real impact. Could this year's Rumble see Christian return to WWE?

With Daniel Bryan's recent heel turn on SmackDown, Christian could turn face and begin a program with him. leading to Wrestlemania. Both of these guys are very good in the ring, and they could no doubt have a great match.

Christian has proven he can rise to the occasion and be the man to wear the gold.

Could he possibly get another chance this year?

2- Cody Rhodes

Cody Rhodes seems primed and ready.

He has the ability, he has the mic skills, and he has the look. He has evolved into an all-around great WWE Superstar, and when the time comes for him to take the next step, fans will likely be prepared for it.

Will the Royal Rumble signal the beginning of Cody Rhodes' ascension in WWE?

The question of who he would face is a little up in the air, as CM Punk versus Chris Jericho is a dream match that has been swirling around for a while now.  

And, unless Daniel Bryan drops the world title before Mania, or there is a character change for him or Rhodes, Cody will probably not win. The chances of heel versus heel are slim to none.

But there is no denying that Cody's star is burning brightly and will likely only get brighter. Eventually, that star will rise to the top.

Could the Rumble be the starting point?

1- the Undertaker

He's the last outlaw, the dead-man, the phenom. He is The Undertaker, and he has not been seen since Wrestlemania 27 in Atlanta.

With Wrestlemania 28 just around the corner, "Takerwatch" has begun, as the streak will almost certainly be challenged by another wrestler. Only this time, Taker may choose to be the one doing the challenging.

If he is indeed going to be on the grandest stage of them all this year, the road has to begin now. Enough time has to be taken in order to properly set the match up, and begin, or renew, a rivalry. And, of course, there has to be ample time for WWE to advertise and push the match.

There's also the fact that an appearance by Undertaker in the Royal Rumble would be huge for the company and provide a much-needed lift for WWE in terms of ratings.

This is a win-win for WWE. As long as he is physically up for it and the proper storyline is in place, an Undertaker victory at the Royal Rumble would propel him back to the top of the company and provide some much needed star power for them.

So, is Taker the one dark horse who will win the Rumble?  Perhaps.  But, a lot can change between now and the actual match. Even more can change between now and Wrestlemania.

But if we have learned anything as pro wrestling fans, we have learned to never bet against the dead-man. He's on a serious roll.