WWE Royal Rumble 2014: Power Ranking Likely Rumble Winners After Dec. 30 Raw
With the final Raw of 2013 now in the bag, there are just three more tapings of the show before the opening pay-per-view of 2014—the Royal Rumble.
The final show of the year certainly caused a few twists in terms of who will be heading into the 30-man extravaganza feuding with who. However, there is still a clear pack of Superstars leading the way in terms of potentially winning the event when it comes around.
Those include stars who are set to return and currently active Superstars who are enjoying a wave of momentum behind them.
With that said, let's take a look at the most likely winners of the Rumble following the final Raw of 2013.
8. Dean Ambrose
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OK, we're starting with an outsider—but it wouldn't be the first time there has been a surprise winner of the Royal Rumble.
Ambrose is currently embroiled in a big storyline with The Shield as the Rumble approaches, and that could quite easily come to a head at the pay-per-view in January.
If that is the case, it is not entirely impossible that one of the trio manages to turn the tables on the others by causing shock eliminations.
Ambrose will certainly have a big future when The Shield splits. And whilst a victory at the Royal Rumble in 2014 is unlikely, it certainly isn't impossible.
7. Brock Lesnar
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Lesnar returned to Raw in explosive fashion on Monday night, completely dismantling Mark Henry in a vicious assault.
So why is Lesnar ranked so low on this list? Well, the promo he and Paul Heyman cut certainly suggests that Lesnar has no interest in entering the Royal Rumble—he will likely step in as the No. 1 contender for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship after the pay-per-view.
His actions regarding Henry and the attack do seem to suggest that the two will be heading for a one-on-one showdown at the pay-per-view on the undercard.
Of course, there is still the possibility Lesnar could enter the Rumble, too, but it does seem unlikely.
6. Chris Jericho
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Jericho looks likely to return at the Royal Rumble, after it was confirmed that Y2J is attending a convention in Pittsburgh, Pa. the day before the Rumble.
His last big return came at the event in 2013, after he entered as one of the surprise entrants in the main event.
The 2014 edition seems like the destination for Jericho's return once more—but could he perhaps return to win the event?
That could well be a possibility, but the championship picture seems crowded enough without the inclusion of Chris Jericho.
His star appeal would be much better served somewhere else on the card at WrestleMania 30, leaving a full-time Superstar with the opportunity to be the last man standing at the Royal Rumble.
5. Batista
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Another big return in the coming weeks is, of course, Batista. He is set to return in advance of the Royal Rumble, on the final Raw before the show.
It is unclear as to what The Animal's schedule will be with the WWE when he returns—that is, whether he will be full-time or part-time.
Could he be returning to launch a rivalry with Randy Orton and the WWE World Heavyweight Championship? Or could he have other targets in his sights?
The reason Batista is in the middle of this list is largely due to his plans being unclear at this stage. As the Rumble approaches, we may get a clearer idea as to whether Batista could actually win the event.
4. Sheamus
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Completing our trio of returning Superstars in the middle of this list is Sheamus. He, like Chris Jericho further down the list, is confirmed to be attending the convention in Pittsburgh on the weekend of the Royal Rumble.
After such a lengthy layoff due to injury, it almost feels like Sheamus is destined to return at the Rumble and get close to winning it.
However, it would perhaps be a touch premature to put the Irishman back in the spotlight so soon after his return. Creative would be smart to restore Sheamus as a heel character, a role he excelled in during his early days with the WWE.
Having Sheamus eliminate a fan favourite in the Rumble would be a good start toward rebuilding the Sheamus character.
He could win it, of course, but there are others who have a better chance.
3. Roman Reigns
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Right at the beginning of this list, I said Dean Ambrose was in the mix to potentially win the Royal Rumble due to his storyline with The Shield.
Well, if Ambrose has a chance, then Roman Reigns has an absolutely huge chance. He is the guy who seems to have all the momentum in the group at the moment, as perfectly illustrated on Raw this week.
He is the guy who is going to have the biggest push following the inevitable demise of The Shield, and, per WrestlingInc.com, the plans for Reigns are huge:
"We've noted before how WWE has big plans for Roman Reigns in the 2014 Royal Rumble match. It's said that those plans right now are even bigger than anyone would have thought."
If those plans are indeed huge, could it be impossible that Reigns could win the event? One thing going against him is that he doesn't have any rivalries set in stone ahead of WrestleMania—but that could change following the Rumble.
If there is to be a surprise winner of the Royal Rumble in 2014, you can bet it will be Roman Reigns.
2. Daniel Bryan
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If this list had been written before Monday's edition of Raw, then Daniel Bryan would probably have been at top of the list.
The events that led Bryan joining Bray Wyatt and his family have thrown his Royal Rumble chances up in the air. There are now a huge plethora of options that could happen if Bryan is indeed a Wyatt at the Royal Rumble.
Could he sacrifice himself for Bray in the Royal Rumble match? Could he do a double-turn and turn his back on the Wyatts during the match?
Or—and this seems like a pretty big option—could the Wyatts help Daniel Bryan actually win the Royal Rumble?
He has momentum, and he is now truly embroiled in an incredibly interesting storyline. Daniel Bryan could well win the Royal Rumble in 2014.
1. CM Punk
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For the last few months, CM Punk has been tangled in a variety of rivalries with a variety of Superstars.
From Paul Heyman and Ryback all the way through to The Shield, Punk has been in the mix with a whole host of Superstars in 2013.
He started the year as the WWE champion, before he lost it at the Royal Rumble to The Rock. Could the 2014 edition be the moment Punk gets back on the gold trail at last?
I'm saying yes. I think Punk is the best-placed Superstar on the roster to actually win the event, as he has been out of the title picture for so long.
Whether I'm right, of course, is anyone's guess. However, off the back of the final Raw of 2013, my money is on CM Punk.
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