WWE Royal Rumble 2015: Analyzing the Possibility of Rumored Returns at PPV

Spoiler Alert: The following contains reports on rumored surprise returns for the 2015 Royal Rumble.

It's Royal Rumble season and, more importantly, WrestleMania season. This is WWE's largest viewing audience of any time frame.

Legends of the past and dormant current WWE Superstars want a piece of the pie. Furthermore, WWE wants the right amount of nostalgia and surprise to make the Royal Rumble live past its annual hype.

WWE has been known to take advantage of area-specific surprise returns that will result in bigger pops. Rob Van Dam was a surprise entrant in his home state of Michigan in 2009. The year before featured Madison Square Garden mainstays Rowdy Roddy Piper and Superfly Jimmy Snuka.

With the Royal Rumble in Philadelphia this year, expect ECW to take center stage for a moment or two. Back in November, PWInsider (h/t WrestlingInc.com) reported WWE was considering an ECW original or two for the event.

Since then, The Dudley Boyz emerged as the two leading candidates. The Dudley Boyz are reportedly in talks to return, per PWInsider (from WrestlingInc.com). The return would not only be welcomed in Philadelphia, but in the WWE as well.

The Dudleyz have not competed in WWE since 2005. Among the greatest tag teams of all time, The Dudleyz are long overdue for a return.

Should they compete past the Royal Rumble, The Dudley Boyz make the perfect opponents for The Ascension. The Ascension has found modest success trolling legends of yesteryear while disposing of enhancement talent.

After a likely victory over The New Age Outlaws on Sunday, The Dudley Boyz present a potential WrestleMania feud.

Bo Dallas may have a tough time fitting in the WrestleMania picture, but he is expected to return as well. Dallas was last seen getting squashed by Ryback on Raw back in October.

According to PWInsider (h/t WrestlingInc.com), Dallas suffered a foot injury days later on Nov. 3rd, but is expected back by the Rumble. 

Dallas' brand of try-hard babyface villainy still has potential to go as far as WWE allows.

Apparently, WWE has been trying hard to book another Dallas, as Diamond Dallas Page's name recently hit the rumor mill. Although a native of neighboring state New Jersey, Page makes little sense as a surprise entrant past the basic nostalgia.

Page could have a fun exchange with fellow potential surprise Randy Orton. Orton is advertised to compete in next week's live event, per Mike Johnson of PWInsider. Should he return on Sunday, it'll be interesting to see if one of them takes the others' finisher.

Would an Ascension-Dudleyz feud work? Does the Yes Movement deserve a second chance? Click here for more!

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