WWE Royal Rumble 2015: Midcard Talents Who Will Shine in Battle Royal

The 2015 Royal Rumble pay-per-view is scheduled for Sunday, January 25 in Philadelphia, and while many fans are focused on the Triple Threat championship match, the majority of the WWE Universe has turned its attention to the 30-man Battle Royal.

There is a case to be made for top stars like Daniel Bryan, Roman Reigns, Bray Wyatt and others to be victorious in the Royal Rumble, but there will also be several midcard wrestlers who will shine despite failing to win the match.

Here are the Superstars flying under the radar before the Royal Rumble who could play major roles in the way this year’s match is remembered.

Cesaro

One of the most underrated performers in the WWE today is Cesaro. With incredible in-ring awareness, raw strength and the ability to put on a great match with almost anyone, Cesaro has become one of the company’s most versatile performers.

Unfortunately, Vince McMahon claimed in his interview with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin on the WWE Network (subscription required) that Cesaro hasn’t connected with the fans yet. While he is not the best on the mic, the company has not put him in a position to succeed.

Cesaro’s porous booking must stop at the Royal Rumble. Even Dolph Ziggler is pulling for Cesaro:

Utilizing his giant swing and his incredible strength, Cesaro should be one of the first entrants into this year’s Battle Royal and one of the last to be eliminated. He will not win the match, but WWE could make him look incredibly strong by booking him to eliminate several of the top stars in the company.

There are few fans who believe Cesaro will be able to beat the 12-man elimination record Roman Reigns set last year. If the Swiss Superman was able to eliminate double-digit competitors, though, he would look incredibly strong heading into WrestleMania and could conceivably be booked into a high-profile matchup for the biggest show of the year.

As seen from the lackluster booking decisions for Cesaro in the past, he could just as easily be the latest entrant to get eliminated as soon as he enters the match, but he deserves so much better.

The majority of the WWE Universe will be rooting for Cesaro to shine at the Royal Rumble.

Kofi Kingston

Another talented performer who hasn’t been given the proper opportunity to shine throughout his career is Kofi Kingston. The New Day stable is fun for now, but Kingston is too talented in the ring to not shine once again in the Royal Rumble match.

Every year, Kingston pulls out an incredible move to keep himself from being eliminated. Whether its walking on his hands on the outside to avoid his feet touching the floor or using JBL’s chair to move from the announce table back to the ring, what Kingston will do to save himself has become a staple of the event.

When asked last year about how he develops the ideas for the Royal Rumble, Kingston told Mike Chiari of Bleacher Report:

"

I get inspired from all different kinds of places—cartoons, comic books, movies and things like that. And if I see it then I'll try to emulate it in the ring, and oftentimes you figure out why these moves are comic-books and movie-style moves because they can't be done. Most of the time I've thought of something I've found a way to make it work, and luckily it's actually worked out.

"

It is not feasible to think Kingston will win the Royal Rumble and go on to main event WrestleMania, but there are few fans who aren’t excited to see what he has planned for January's PPV. With his recent alignment with the New Day stable, the hope is that Big E and Xavier Woods will play a role in this year’s unforgettable moment.

It’s hard to imagine what the acrobatic star has up his sleeve, but the idea of Kingston being thrown out of the ring and landing on his New Day teammates without touching the ground would be an interesting concept.

Regardless of how it happens, the inevitable spot from Kingston will be one of the most anticipated moments in the match.

Bo Dallas

Considering the way Bo Dallas has been booked in the WWE since his debut, there are few fans who believe the former NXT champion will be a legitimate contender to win the Royal Rumble, but he could have a different memorable moment.

Each year, one Superstar is eliminated almost immediately from the match, and the 2015 edition would be the perfect opportunity to let Dallas tie Santino Marella’s record of just one second in the Royal Rumble.

It was reported by WWE.com in early November that Dallas had injured his left foot and was expected to miss six-to-eight weeks of action. Unless there was a setback, he should be ready for a return immediately, but the impact of coming back at the Royal Rumble would be even more exciting.

As the timer hits double zeros and Dallas’ music hits, the fans in Philadelphia will give him one of the biggest ovations he has ever received as he walks down the ramp. After soaking in the atmosphere, the inspirational star should enter the match and be eliminated right away.

Dallas won’t make a big impact if he is in the match for a long time due to the star power around him, but at least being eliminated quickly would create a memorable moment fans can look back on and WWE can use for storyline progression.

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