Royal Rumble Contestants 2012: 4 Surprise Appearances We'd Love to See

Of all the WWE pay-per-views, the structure of the Royal Rumble best facilitates surprises. The mystery behind the countdown and the shear volume of wrestlers in the event can create some intriguing scenarios and platform to shock and excite fans.

Here is a list of four superstar appearances that would surprise and excite most WWE fans:

Scott Hall

Be it as Scott Hall or Razor Ramon, this troubled-but-talented legend would raise more than a few eyebrows and intrigue quite a few fans. We saw Kevin Nash get a moment in the sun at Tables, Ladders and Chairs—would it be so bad to see Hall slowly make his way to the ring?

Recently, WrestlingInc.com published an article about Hall's progress in rehab as he battles addiction. It specifically states that the WWE is monitoring his progress. Hopefully he's doing better than he was in this video of him in a return to the ring about a year ago.

Anytime there is a basketball hoop hanging in the background, that tells you, this isn't exactly a major arena. Still, he is wrestling royalty and a part of the greatest wrestling angle in history, the NWO. That deserves some pop.

Great Khali

Big guys are always great for the Rumble. It is the one type of match that their lack of athleticism doesn't drastically slow the action. Khali is one of the biggest of all-time. Khali was last seen on the September 30th episode of Smackdown. He suffered a serious leg injury, his contract expired and he did not return to the WWE.

A return at the Rumble would be surprising and exciting. The sight of the giant ambling to the ring would be memorable, and he could play a pivotal role in the result.

Batista

Yes, I know he dissed the WWE just a short time ago, but we all know that doesn't mean much. Batista was a great in-ring presence and he is great for the rumble. He could get plugged-in to just about any short-term story angle, or even considered for something longer, if he's interested.

He is a long shot, as all of these possibilities, but probably the most likely of anyone here.

Goldberg

TMZ.com reported late last year that Goldberg was returning to the ring for a charity event. Goldberg has hinted at ring returns consistently over the years—is it possible that he'll finally pull the trigger and show up? Probably not, but its nice to dream. 

Goldberg was the single most exciting wrestling presence I've ever seen. Far-fetched or not, the crowd would lose its mind if he appeared.

Follow Brian Mazique on Twitter