WWE Royal Rumble 2016: Analyzing Possible Returns at PPV
The Royal Rumble has long been one of the biggest pay-per-views on the WWE calendar, with a traditional main event that's become a must-see step on the Road to WrestleMania.
Given that the world title is on the line in this year's Battle Royal, there's even more reason for fans to tune in to the event. However, it's not all about the winner, as the Royal Rumble has often been the setting for some shocking returns.
From John Cena's early recovery in 2008 to Diesel's memorable return in 2011, it's not unusual to see some familiar faces back in a WWE ring on the night of the Rumble. The question is: Who's likely to come back on Sunday?
John Cena
Just a few weeks ago, many were pointing to John Cena vs. Roman Reigns as a potential main event for this year's WrestleMania—until an injury caused The Doctor of Thuganomics to be removed from the active roster.
While it's possible that this was an act of misdirection, it seems unlikely that Cena would be dropped from television at this time unless it was completely necessary. Given the current injury crisis, a worked wound wouldn't seem to be the most sensible strategy.
However, Cena would certainly be met with a particularly feverish reception if he did enter the Rumble after apparently being ruled out.
Consider this one an outside possibility, if only for the fact that the 15-time champion is no stranger to overcoming the odds.
Chance of a return at Royal Rumble 2016: 10%
Daniel Bryan
If you've been following Daniel Bryan's social media presence recently, you'll be well aware that the Yes man feels that he's ready to return to competition, even if WWE is more reticent to give him the green light.
In 2014 and 2015, fans were desperate to see Bryan win the Rumble and head straight to WrestleMania, with a faceoff with Brock Lesnar in the main even proving particularly appealing. It would be easy to set up that main event over the next few weeks, but it remains to be seen whether WWE is interested in promoting the match.
Lesnar's physical style doesn't seem to be a good fit for someone returning from inactivity, and Bryan's history of injuries will certainly make management think twice about putting him in a major program so soon. However, with a depleted roster, Bryan would add considerable star power to the Rumble and WrestleMania, whatever his role.
That being said, the fact that Bryan has been making so much noise on social media might mean that he's still a way off from making his return. If he was going to be a surprise Rumble entrant, he'd most likely be under a gagging order to uphold the suspense.
Chance of a return: 20%
AJ Styles
In the wake of New Japan Pro Wrestling's annual Tokyo Dome show—the company's equivalent to WrestleMania—news broke that WWE had snatched away four of the promotion's premier talents, according to F4WOnline.com (via WrestleZone's Nick Paglino). Among that number was Bullet Club leader AJ Styles.
Technically, an appearance at the Royal Rumble would count as a return for Styles—even though he's better known for his TNA tenure, he has wrestled in a WWE ring a handful of times. Heading into the Royal Rumble, even stars like John Cena have been dropping hints about The Phenomenal One.
Ring of Honor has already announced that Styles' last date with the company is this Saturday, so there's certainly a possibility of him arriving in Florida on Sunday. Whether or not it comes to pass really depends whether WWE expects to be able to introduce him properly on the road to WrestleMania.
Plenty of people would love to see AJ turn up at the Rumble, but it's far from a safe bet at this point. It seems unlikely that he would win the bout outright, and being eliminated on his de facto debut would be a tough start for one of the biggest talent acquisitions in recent years.
Chance of a return: 50%
Cesaro
On balance, 2015 wasn't a great year for The Swiss Superman—an injury to Tyson Kidd ended the pair's excellent tag team run unceremoniously, then he was relegated to the inactive list in November due to a shoulder issue.
At that time, Cesaro noted in an interview with WWE.com that he would be out for four-to-six months. However, he also said that this timescale could change depending on how surgery and rehab played out.
Cesaro is a real question mark ahead of the Royal Rumble, as we just don't know how his recovery has been progressing. It seems that Cesaro has been spending some time in his native Switzerland of late—but an Instagram post from earlier today seemed to suggest that he was at the airport and about to leave:
Could this suggest a return to the United States ahead of the Royal Rumble? It's certainly a possibility, but there's always the possibility that he's crossing the Atlantic to continue his rehab, or that his trip was unrelated to his recovery.
However, if Cesaro is indeed healthy, there would be few better choices for a Rumble return guaranteed to please hardcore fans. If he's back on Sunday, expect to see an elated response from the Cesaro Section as he makes his entrance.
Chance of a return: 40%
Triple H
We haven't seen Triple H in active competition since last year's WrestleMania, but his recent absence from weekly television certainly seemed to be building to something. He's a lock for this year's WrestleMania card—and the Royal Rumble could neatly set up that match.
The Game has a big problem with Roman Reigns, and he's not above using his executive position to fix that kind of issue. If the COO were to insert himself into the Rumble in the coveted No. 30 position, he could snatch the WWE World Heavyweight Championship away from his current nemesis.
Of course, this would likely set up Reigns' journey to reclaim the title at WrestleMania, providing him with a completely fresh matchup against a clearly defined villain—something that the telegraphed match against Brock Lesnar simply couldn't offer up.
It seems very likely that Triple H will be present at the Royal Rumble; it's simply a matter of whether he's in the match itself or just meddling from ringside. At this point, the smart money would be on him being an official entrant, which we haven't seen since 2010.
Chance of a return: 80%
Who do you expect to return at the Royal Rumble? Let us know in the comments section below.
