WWE Royal Rumble 2015: Handicapping Latest Battle Royal Dark Horses
The Royal Rumble is at its most intriguing when anybody can win. While that doesn't seem to be the case this year, stranger things have happened.
Remember Vince McMahon in 1999? John Cena in 2008? Sheamus in 2012?
Predicting surprises and plot twists is half the fun. This is a field that doesn't stand a chance unless the WWE Superstar in question has a last name of Bryan or Reigns.
Still, there's always the hope of a dark horse.
WWE dark horses were either booked strongly and/or given some level of priority over their peers. Expected returns like Randy Orton and Dolph Ziggler loom large. The strong momentum of Seth Rollins and Rusev are also factors.
With multiple WWE Superstars looming in the distance, this pay-per-view may not be as open-and-shut as it seems.
5. Bray Wyatt
1 of 5
Why Wyatt is a dark horse
Wyatt isn't about winning championships or Royal Rumbles. There's a good chance he just signed up because it's the closest thing the promotion has to anarchy.
Why Wyatt has a chance
He doesn't, really. Much like his role in the Royal Rumble, he's just here to fill space. Wyatt's more of a unicorn than a dark horse because his chances of winning aren't real. But who else is even close to being a threat?
Bad News Barrett just lost to Sin Cara. Cesaro just lost to The New Day. Ambrose keeps losing his dignity.
There really aren't five WWE Superstars who can win the Royal Rumble in 2015. There are barely two. To this point, WWE has essentially hyped the Royal Rumble by daring fans not to tune in.
After all, it's the Royal Rumble. What are they going to do, not watch it?
As of this writing, only one other match is advertised. Roman Reigns is widely considered a favorite to win the event. However, even he has spent more time telling broham nursery rhymes to The Big Show than describing how and why he's going to win the Rumble.
Wyatt's recent string of victories over Ambrose makes him a somewhat intriguing choice, but that's about it. Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t WrestlingInc.com) reported tentative plans for Wyatt to face The Undertaker.
That feud sounds more awkward than a maniacal sociopath competing for a corporate brass ring. If these rumors turn out to be true, Wyatt's chances of winning the Royal Rumble are worse than they are right now.
Odds to win: 9-1
4. Dolph Ziggler
2 of 5
Why Ziggler is a dark horse
Per storyline, he's currently unemployed. Plus, Daniel Bryan's back, so the Internet Wrestling Community is done leasing him.
Why Ziggler has a chance
Per storyline, he's currently unemployed. By being away from WWE's underwhelming Royal Rumble build, Ziggler, Ryback and Erick Rowan will eventually return as even bigger conquering heroes.
Ziggler leads the pack of the three outlaws by way of seniority as well as popularity. Cena made it a point to distinguish Ziggler as more important than the other two. During the opening promo on Raw, Cena criticized The Authority's firings.
"Look at what happened last week: Erick Rowan, fired. Ryback, same thing, fired," Cena said. "And the so-called Authority, the same Authority that listens to the WWE Universe, had the gall to fire Dolph Ziggler."
Cena went on to ask fans if they like Ziggler as they cheered in response.
In Bryan's absence, Ziggler has waged such a war on The Authority, he messed around and got fired. The "Yes!" Movement doesn't have to happen again. There's a possibility Ziggler's storyline is better.
Odds to win: 15-2
3. Randy Orton
3 of 5
Why Orton is a dark horse
WWE is in a youth movement, and his last Royal Rumble win came in 2009.
Why Orton has a chance
Orton is in the midst of a much-needed break from WWE programming. After what seemed like decades as an uninspired heel, Orton is set to return as an antiestablishment babyface.
If Orton returns at the Royal Rumble, he'll be the only WWE Superstar outside of Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan with a serious chance of winning. He has a new lease on life, and his beef is with the biggest heel stable in the WWE.
Orton is an even bigger dark horse than Rusev or Rollins since there is no known date for his return. He could just as easily show up the night after the Royal Rumble as the event itself.
Odds to win: 11-2
2. Rusev
4 of 5
Why Rusev is a dark horse
Still only a United States champion, Rusev continues to stand pat in the upper midcard.
Why Rusev has a chance
A WrestleMania feud with John Cena is imminent. Rusev made mention of Cena during a recent promo on Raw, which seems like a foreshadowing of sorts.
Per Marc Raimondi of MMAFigthing.com, Brock Lesnar will be a free agent in 2015. There's a good chance Cena walks into WrestleMania as champion so that Lesnar is cooled off by the time his contract is up. That means more rubles for Rusev's pay-per-view paycheck—or what's left of it, per Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t WrestlingInc.com).
Rusev and Lana connect with fans through their anti-American sentiments. Cena is the biggest flag-waving, servicemen-saluting, cargo shorts-wearing patriot in the WWE. But somehow, a feud for Rusev's United States Championship seems beneath these two.
How's that for irony?
Winning the Royal Rumble gives Rusev a reason to forfeit the United States Championship without losing it. It's also great heat because, well, Rusev hates America.
Odds to win: 5-1
1. Seth Rollins
5 of 5
Why Rollins is a dark horse
Currently not scheduled for the Royal Rumble, Rollins also holds the Money in the Bank briefcase. He is already scheduled to compete in the WWE World Heavyweight Championship main event.
Why Rollins has a chance
Because The Authority says so. In fact, Rollins' entire singles career on the main roster has unfolded because The Authority said so.
He's just one special announcement away from a golden opportunity of his choosing. It doesn't even really have to be explained or earned because that's the character.
"Booking" wouldn't be the word to describe WWE's creative plans for Rollins. His storylines are likely calligraphed with a quill pen in a Bible. It's like WWE Creative bought a WWE GameShark and used all of its cheat codes on Rollins.
Who's to stop Triple H from introducing Rollins as entrant No. 31 after Daniel Bryan thinks he has won? Nobody.
Odds to win: 7-2
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