WWE Royal Rumble 2015: Superstars Who Gained the Most in Defeat

It seems safe to say that Roman Reigns' Royal Rumble win wasn't quite the moment of glory that WWE expected it be. A raucous Philadelphia crowd flatly rejected the hand-picked future of the WWE, but perhaps his loss will be another Superstar's gain.

We've seen this before, with Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus at WrestleMania 28 being one recent example. When a crowd doesn't like the talent it's being told to, it will soon find someone else to rally behind.

Here are the Superstars best placed to benefit from a hard-fought loss in the fallout of the Royal Rumble.

Bray Wyatt

Credit: WWE.com

Having meandered through the past several months in an entertaining but aimless feud with Dean Ambrose, Bray Wyatt was back with a vengeance at the Royal Rumble. Lasting more than 45 minutes and racking up six eliminations, Wyatt seemed re-energized and ready to make good on his potential.

Like several other competitors, Wyatt was unceremoniously dumped out of the ring by Kane and Big Show—and he deserved much better.

However, looking at what he actually accomplished in the match, it was still a very strong showing for the Eater of Worlds.

Wyatt looked like a real threat, and it would be great to see him carry this momentum through to WrestleMania. Other than the unlikely prospect of a faceoff with The Undertaker, his plans for the Showcase of the Immortals are unclear—but given his performance on Sunday, he certainly deserves a spot on the card.

With a look, character and in-ring style that are unique across the roster, Wyatt has all the potential to be a huge star—if he's allowed to be.

At the Rumble, he seemed renewed and ready to attack 2015 with some vigour, and that's an exciting prospect for any fan.

Whether he'll succeed will depend on whom he's paired with and whether he's presented with a feud that plays to his strengths. A dominant Wyatt is something we've never really had chance to see, but his showing in the Rumble gave us a peek at what it might be like.

Damien Mizdow

Credit: WWE.com

With a losing effort in the tag team championship match and a short stint in the Rumble match itself, there's plenty of reason to think that Mizdow got the short end of the stick over the weekend.

However, the way the crowd responded to his appearances should be very reassuring indeed.

The rising tension between the Stunt Double and The Miz seemed like it was going to pay off during both of the pair's appearances on Sunday—but it didn't either time. Nevertheless, it was clear that people were hungry to see it finally unravel and for Mizdow to take a shot at Miz's million-dollar mug.

Perhaps having that play out on Sunday would have left too much time for the pair to head toward a WrestleMania showdown.

The important thing is that the storyline has been left to play out on the grandest stage of them all—as it's sure to get a huge reaction.

The partnership of the one-time Intellectual Saviour and The Miz has been far more fruitful than anyone would have expected when they were thrown together, and as it comes to an end, it's important that Mizdow gets the platform he's deserved for so long.

That will only happen if his inevitable breaking point leads to a WrestleMania conclusion. It's a great way to flesh out the undercard, and a potential career-maker for Mizdow.

The Rumble showed that the crowd is hungry to see it unfold, but will WWE take the hint?

Seth Rollins

Credit: WWE.com

While both Wyatt and Mizdow came out of the Rumble making the best of a bad situation, Rollins may well have cemented himself as the future of the WWE.

Reigns may be the company's pick, but as he falters, Rollins shines ever brighter.

The Architect was a breath of fresh air in the Triple Threat match, and I dare say that the match wouldn't have been anywhere near as good as it was without him.

After the shock of SummerSlam 2014, the rematch between Lesnar and Cena at Night of Champions was disappointing, so it was clear an extra wrinkle was needed here. Rollins supplied just that, using his superior conditioning to keep things moving throughout.

While Cena didn't quite bring the fire he sometimes has in store for his biggest matches, Lesnar and Rollins were both excellent and made a match we'll still be talking about when 2015 comes to a close.

The sight of Rollins pulling off a Phoenix Splash in the dying moments of the bout should tell you all you need to know about his future: He has enormous potential as a fan favorite somewhere down the line. In fact, it's not difficult to see him being cheered over Reigns in the event of a WrestleMania Money in the Bank cash-in.

The problem with Reigns is that his ascent has come off as forced, which isn't a problem for Rollins. The Architect paid his dues on the indies and in NXT, and he has continued to develop and flourish continuously during his time on the main roster.

In the end, we did see a rising star take another step closer to the highest echelons of the industry on Sunday night—it just wasn't the man who came out on top in the Royal Rumble.

Who do you think gained the most in defeat at the Royal Rumble? Let us know in the comments section below.