WWE NXT Stars Who Would Make the Most Sense as Surprise Royal Rumble Entrants

NXT needs to continue bleeding into WWE at the Royal Rumble. That 30-man battle is an ideal way to further showcase men like Sami Zayn.

Starting with Bo Dallas in 2013, the Rumble has been home to at least one NXT talent. That's a pattern that should become tradition, especially with how much WWE's developmental brand has grown recently.

Company officials appear to be extending the run of NXTers in the Rumble to this year's match at least. PWInsider's Mike Johnson reports that there was backstage talk at Monday's Raw "that one-to-two spots in the Royal Rumble match this Sunday could end up being filled by current NXT talents."

With NXT's talent stockpile growing, there are a number of options to fill those spots.

The prospects who would most thrive if given that opportunity have an in-ring style that would work well in the Rumble match. Strong fanbases and their being close to a call-up help as well. 

Tyler Breeze may well have an excellent career after moving to the main roster, but this isn't the right stage for him. His outlandish gimmick looks silly out of context. Fans should be introduced to him through vignettes and his self-absorbed interview style.

Hideo Itami and Finn Balor would be fun to see join the fray on Sunday. The diehard fans know and love those two, but they haven't yet established themselves at NXT. The 2016 Royal Rumble would be a better time to bring them aboard.

The following are the NXT stars WWE should consider for this year's clash, in alphabetical order. 

Adrian Neville

Adrian Neville's electric approach to wrestling needs no introduction.

Even if this is the first time fans see him in action, they will marvel at his work. He cartwheels, spins, flips and darts like no one else at NXT. Seeing him buzz around the crowded ring at the Royal Rumble would be mighty fun. 

Having held on to the NXT Championship longer than anyone in that title's history, Neville is one of the most recognizable faces of the brand.

After a successful title reign that saw him put together a long list of standout matches, he appears to be close to a call-up. He has worked a number of main-roster house shows and dark matches, as seen on his CageMatch.net profile.

If WWE is going to bring him aboard in the near future, letting him shine for a few moments at the Rumble is a wise move, a precursor to what he will do post-promotion.

Baron Corbin

Of those on this list, Baron Corbin is the least for the main roster.

While he has a lot of work to do to go from raw athlete to polished Superstar, throwing him in the mix at the Royal Rumble is smart. Consider it a seed planted in fans' minds when he does make his way out of NXT.

For now, his presence and size would make him stand out amid the Rumble field.

As when announcers gawked over The Undertaker during his debut, Michael Cole and Company can rattle on about how intimidating Corbin is and paint him as a larger-than-life badass.

His brawl-centric style fits in perfectly with this type of match. He can just pound away on WWE's lesser stars, his fists moving from chin to chin.

Give him an impressive number of eliminations, and then let him stomp back into the shadows. When it's time for his call-up, WWE can pull up the footage of him tearing it up at the Rumble. 

Kalisto

The trouble with Bo Dallas when he entered the 2013 Royal Rumble was that he wasn't distinct enough to avoid blending into the background. With a colorful, eye-catching look and an in-ring style to match, Kalisto won't have that problem.

He will first capture fans' attention with his elaborate mask and ring gear. Then his swiftness will do the talking.

Like Adrian Neville, he can make up for not being well-known by impressing with speed and high-flying moves.

Have him springboard onto this foes, stun them with a barrage of rapid-fire kicks and dazzle the audience in the process. There's also the option of letting him and his tag partner Sin Cara work together mid-Rumble. 

With WWE being able to plug him into that team on the main roster and the company in need of some Latino stars, promotion feels just moments away. It would be a good move to let him gather momentum for the main roster by playing a Rey Mysterio-like underdog on Sunday's pay-per-view.

Kevin Owens

The argument against putting Kevin Owens in the Royal Rumble is that he has only just dipped his toes in the NXT pool.

His gimmick and style, though, beg for him to go into that crowded, chaotic fight. Owens' angle is that he is willing to fight anyone; he's an ornery bruiser looking to dish out pain. There's no better place to do that to a variety of victims than the Rumble.

If Sami Zayn took up one spot, having Owens follow him would allow their escalating feud to continue on a bigger stage. 

Even though he is just getting started at NXT, he's one of the most popular and well-known talents at WWE developmental thanks to his work at Ring of Honor and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. Plugging in Owens on Sunday would make the diehard fans out there scream for joy. 

While the 2016 Rumble is a more realistic option for him, WWE has to at least consider carrying his feud with Zayn over to this arena.

Sami Zayn

Sami Zayn is ready to flourish on the main roster whenever WWE makes that call.

He has been putting on stellar matches for the past year-plus. His mic work has gotten far better of late, and his connection to the crowd is tremendous.

As NXT champ, an indy favorite and one of the most showcased stars at Full Sail University, he is the most recognizable wrestler from that brand. That's especially true because he appeared on Raw and Main Event several times last year.

His gutsy hero routine would work extremely well in the Royal Rumble environment. Have him shake off right hands and superkicks, creating empathy as he survives against bigger men. Throw in his speed and some springboard moves, and a Zayn trip to the Rumble sounds must-see.

There's also a certain logic about letting the NXT titleholder get a crack at the WrestleMania main event.

Regardless if it's Zayn who gets the nod come Sunday, NXT should be represented. The more exposure that show gets, the better. Developing a fanbase for those warriors early on will make their transitions to the main roster easier.

The Royal Rumble is a simple way to aid that process, to have WWE's two worlds overlap for one night.