Mojo Rawley, Big Show, Rusev and Newest WWE Royal Rumble Entrants Predictions

The WWE Royal Rumble 2017 field continued to round out this week with the additions of Mojo Rawley, Big Show and others.

But will these new entrants be filler or have actual impacts on Sunday's namesake Battle Royal? The stories of their inclusions in the match and their positions within WWE provide a hint of what's to come.

Rawley won a 10-man Battle Royal on Tuesday's SmackDown. Sami Zayn earned his spot by outlasting Seth Rollins in a hard-fought match on Monday's Raw. Big Show, Big Cass and Rusev continued the tradition of simply announcing themselves as entrants.

Goldberg, Undertaker and the top-tier Superstars of the Rumble remain the favorites to win. Still, there are opportunities to be had outside of victory.

Read on for a projection of what Rawley and his peers will accomplish at the Royal Rumble in San Antonio on Sunday. 

Big Cass

Big Cass is going to clean house in the Alamodome.

The big man is set to eliminate several Superstars. His size and popularity will inspire WWE to highlight him here en route to a push up the company ladder.

Plus, he'll have Enzo Amore, who is likely to assist with at least one forced departure from the Rumble match.

Rusev is sure to be on Big Cass' list of victims. The two rivals are bound to clash in the Battle Royal. The babyface has had his foe's number for much of this story. 

Count on that continuing on Sunday when Big Cass sends Rusev and likely his buddy, Jinder Mahal, packing.

Big Show

Big Show's purpose at the Royal Rumble will be to further boost Braun Strowman.

The two giants stared each other down on Monday's Raw in a preview of what's to come on Sunday. The scene juxtaposed the top big man of the past with the top big man of the future.

After that brief encounter, Big Show will have his sights set on Strowman. The World's Largest Athlete said in a backstage interview (video above), "He's not going to be the biggest fish in the tank at the Rumble. So we'll see what happens."

Big Show is not going to win the Rumble—or even be a major factor in the match—at this stage of his career. A showdown with Shaquille O'Neal likely awaits him at WrestleMania.

On Sunday, his contribution to the Royal Rumble will be a passing-of-the-torch moment as Strowman overwhelms him. 

Mojo Rawley

Zack Ryder's injury has forced Mojo Rawley to go it alone of late. This solo stint will give the hyped powerhouse a temporary stay in the spotlight.

Rawley will come charging into the Rumble, bowling over opponents with his trademark high-energy style.

His act is built for that kind of moment. But after that brief flurry, count on a quick exit for the muscle of The Hype Bros. This year's Rumble is too filled with major names and rising stars to focus too much time on someone at Rawley's level.

After eliminating two or three Superstars, Rawley will have to give way to the likes of Undertaker, Baron Corbin and others. 

Rusev

Rusev should be one of the favorites to win the Royal Rumble. He should be hovering around the Universal Championship picture as one of Raw's top young talents.

WWE has relegated him to middling-midcarder status, though. When the company pairs you with Jinder Mahal, it's a sign you're not going anywhere.

His position on the roster suggests he will be a non-factor at the Rumble. Aside from a run-in with Big Cass, he may not have another moment to speak of during the bout.

Still, he could well be the beast who ousts the Battle Royal's ultimate underdog. Justin Henry, co-author of Titan Screwed, tweeted that he believes Rusev will be the one to eliminate James Ellsworth.

That won't come close to Rusev's peak of finishing second in the 2015 Rumble, but it will have to do for now.

Sami Zayn

Sami Zayn is the perfect fit as the next iron man of the Royal Rumble.

He's a well-liked dark horse with a never-say-die attitude, and he's at a size disadvantage in a field of behemoths. Expect WWE to exploit that, allowing Zayn to survive for a long stretch during the bout.

After entering early, he's bound to fight off elimination for 40-plus minutes.

Nick Irving of ESPN.com explored the possibility of Zayn actually pulling off the victory. He wrote, "If they [WWE] are in search of a true underdog story, Sami Zayn should win the Royal Rumble match and go on to face the WWE universal champion at WrestleMania 33."

That's a thrilling scenario, but it's unlikely to happen. WWE will show faith in Zayn, but not to that extent.

His best bet is to be one of the final four men left standing—a feat that by itself will earn him momentum.