WWE Royal Rumble 2015: Power Ranking Likely Rumble Winners After Jan. 19 Raw

The January 19 edition of WWE Raw was the company's last major chance to foreshadow who will win the 2015 Royal Rumble.

WWE planted many seeds on Monday night, some to throw fans off track and some to set up the eventual winner. Daniel Bryan has a Hall of Famer believing in him despite a loss to Bray Wyatt. Dean Ambrose has Ric Flair's vote.

Roman Reigns, meanwhile, remains the front-runner. He spent Monday's Raw saving Ric Flair, confronting Big Show and inching closer to a Rumble victory.

The following is a look at who is most likely to claim the prize awaiting the survivor of the 30-man match on Sunday. Rankings are based on the Superstars' current momentum, how WWE has booked them and how much sense it makes for them to be in the main event in the year's biggest show.

Dark Horses

• Bray Wyatt
• Rusev
• Ryback
• Sheamus

WWE continued to repair Wyatt's record on Monday's Raw. The Eater of Worlds scored a big win over Daniel Bryan, giving him 10 victories in his last 11 bouts, per CageMatch.net.

That's certainly a push in the works, possibly one that includes a Royal Rumble win. To at least get fans to think that way, Shawn Michaels named Wyatt as the man he thought would win on Sunday.

It seems too soon to elevate Wyatt to that level, though. He has yet to win any titles with WWE and hasn't been as consistent a part of the main event as Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan have.

It's even more premature to crown Rusev. Still, he remains undefeated, dominating R-Truth on Monday night.

Being United States champ lessens his chances, though. No midcard titleholder has won the Rumble. 

He also has a date with Ryback on the horizon. Being fired has kept The Big Guy from challenging Rusev. That's likely to happen after the Rumble, meaning those two powerhouses will collide on Sunday but won't likely be the last men standing.

Sheamus needs to be mentioned as a possibility as well. 

WWE hasn't given a timetable for his return from injury, but he did appear backstage on Monday's Raw, saying he was itching to get back into the ring. If he's healthy, he is a long shot to win the Rumble.

He has been a main eventer in the past, and a change in character could propel him there again.

A pair of absentee Superstars, however, are safer bets. Dolph Ziggler and Randy Orton have WrestleMania-centered stories WWE could plug them into.

5. Dolph Ziggler

Credit: WWE.com

Thanks to Sting and John Cena, Dolph Ziggler has his day job back. The Showoff can now get back to wrestling, putting his stand-up gigs aside for now. 

Not being around the last few weeks hurt his momentum, but Ziggler was on the rise before his storyline sacking.

He was the hero of Survivor Series' main event and has been one of the men most resistant to The Authority. WWE could have Ziggler take on Seth Rollins at WrestleMania in a continuation of that storyline. However, it doesn't feel as much like a main event as Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns does. 

Ziggler would most certainly thrive if given the opportunity, but WWE hasn't quite pulled the trigger on his ascension to top-tier status. 

4. Randy Orton

Credit: WWE.com

Randy Orton fans should be happy that WWE has waited to bring The Viper back. At this point, he seems to be a lock as a surprise entrant in the Royal Rumble.

That match has a history of Superstars making comebacks in dramatic fashion by winning the 30-man match. John Cena, Edge and Triple H have all done it in the past, and a returning Orton is a strong possibility to follow their lead.

He's an established main eventer who never got a one-on-one rematch for the world title he lost last year. His issues with Seth Rollins and The Authority put him on an obvious path to collide with them at WrestleMania. He would make for an intriguing option against Brock Lesnar as well. 

WWE hasn't mentioned him much of late, and he of course hasn't had a chance to build momentum. That could be the company's way of surprising fans with Orton's arrival.

Orton's peers, though, have been the recipients of heavy foreshadowing. WWE continues to hint that Roman Reigns or Daniel Bryan will win on Sunday. Dean Ambrose got a sliver of that kind of treatment on Monday's Raw.

3. Dean Ambrose

Dean Ambrose got two boosts of momentum on Monday night.

He began his evening with a gutsy win over Bad News Barrett, aching leg and all. Later on, Ric Flair picked The Lunatic Fringe as the man he thought would win the Royal Rumble. That endorsement is no guarantee, but it does feel like WWE is planting a narrative seed.

The story of late has been that Ambrose has battled through a leg injury, looking resilient and fearless in the process. Those are often the kinds of traits Rumble winners have.

His popularity means that a spot in WrestleMania's main event makes sense, but WWE hasn't quite treated him as that level of star. He lost out to Bray Wyatt in their recent feud and has been more of an entertaining sideshow rather than the man on the marquee.

Both Daniel Bryan and Roman Reigns have been placed more in the center of the spotlight of late.

2. Daniel Bryan

To keep Bray Wyatt looking strong, WWE gave him a victory over Daniel Bryan. There's no rule that a wrestler has to win every bout before the Royal Rumble, but Bryan fans have to be worried that he's not on a hot streak heading into Sunday.

However, the argument for Bryan to win the Rumble doesn't change.

It would be WWE's chance to restart what he began at last year's WrestleMania. Bryan remains one of the most popular stars on the roster. He assures WWE a great match regardless if it's against John Cena, Seth Rollins or Brock Lesnar.

There's an appealing underdog narrative to tell with Bryan vs. Lesnar, while Bryan vs. Cena would be a rematch of their excellent clash at SummerSlam 2013.

Does WWE trust that Bryan is truly healthy, though? Does it want a repeat of last year's moment, or does it want to go with a new headliner?

The hints have piled up that WWE does want a shift at the top. Roman Reigns' momentum has not slowed.

1. Roman Reigns

After Shawn Michaels, Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair made their Royal Rumble picks, WWE provided a strong visual hint that Roman Reigns will emerge as the winner.

It was Reigns who stepped in after Big Show attacked Flair. It was Reigns who sent the giant flying over the top rope.

Is that a preview of what will happen on Sunday?

It would make a lot of sense. Reigns is a hot new commodity, a man who looks like the kind of star Vince McMahon has coveted in the past. He's on the rise, a fresh face to plug into the top spot.

A battle against Seth Rollins would be a natural end to their rivalry. Beating John Cena would propel him forward. Reigns is also someone WWE can sell as capable of holding his own in a slugfest with Brock Lesnar.

WWE has spent the last few weeks feeding him momentum. Per CageMatch.net, Reigns has won nine-straight bouts since returning from injury. He's also been a key part of Raw and SmackDown each week; the spotlight never strays far from him.

The company may decide to throw a curveball, but the audience will be expecting a fastball down the middle in the form of Reigns' charge toward his first Rumble win.