Andrade and Dark Horses Who Can Steal the Show at WWE Royal Rumble 2019

In addition to having served as WWE's kickoff for the road to WrestleMania since its inception in 1988, the Royal Rumble has also been a proving ground for many talented competitors looking to break through the company's proverbial glass ceiling.

The Rumble matches themselves are typically the most exciting part about the pay-per-view, but the rest of the show tends to be filled with surprises as well. There's no telling who will show up or what will happen, but the one constant is how everyone on the roster is anxious to make their mark ahead of WrestleMania.

It was three years ago at the Rumble that AJ Styles made his highly anticipated debut and lasted a whopping 29 minutes in the Rumble match. Of course, he then went on to attain superstardom in WWE, so a spectacular showing at the event can be a sign of success being on the horizon.

Speaking of Styles, stars such as he and Seth Rollins are expected to fare well in their respective matchups on Sunday. They've been known to contest classics, but it's the dark horses fans should be paying attention to at the pay-per-view.

With all eyes on this year's installment emanating from Chase Field in Phoenix, AZ, these six Superstars can start the road to WrestleMania with a bang.

Andrade

One year ago, Andrade arrived in WWE in spectacular style when he entered the 2018 Royal Rumble match unannounced. The then-NXT champion outlasted a majority of the other competitors and sent a message that he would be one to watch for upon his eventual main-roster debut.

Unfortunately, his run on SmackDown Live since last spring has left a lot to be desired. Although he has impressed every time he has stepped between the ropes, he has lacked direction and has lost much more often than he's won.

Only just recently has he gotten back on track with a pair of victories over Rey Mysterio. Their clash on the Jan. 15 edition of SmackDown in particular got fans talking, as it was the first time Almas was allowed to go all out and show the world what he's capable of.

It was easily Andrade's most memorable matchup on the main roster, so hopefully that was the wake-up call officials needed to start pushing him more prominently. In fact, there's no better time for him to be showcased than in the 2019 men's Rumble and continue this massive roll he's been on as of late.

El Idolo has flown under the radar in WWE for far too long, but the Rumble is as good of a stage as any for him to make a splash and fare better than the rest of the field in the annual Battle Royal.

Nikki Cross

Of all the recent call-ups from NXT, Nikki Cross appears to have the highest ceiling of success, if her memorable Raw debut last week was anything to go by.

Despite never once holding the NXT Women's Championship in NXT, Cross was a cornerstone of the brand's women's division and worked well with everyone she went up against. Whether it was Asuka, Shayna Baszler or Bianca Belair, the former SAnitY member could always be counted on for a quality performance.

Already she has proved herself to be a threat on the women's scene, and on Sunday, she will look to create chaos when she joins the women's Royal Rumble match. Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch lead the list of potential winners of the bout, but Cross deserves to have a strong showing even in defeat.

Fans first noticed Cross when she took Asuka to the limit for the NXT Women's Championship in a Last Woman Standing match two years ago. She needs a similar opportunity on the main roster to showcase her skills, and the Rumble is as good a time as any for her to leave a lasting impression.

As of now, Cross isn't officially assigned to either Raw or SmackDown Live, but if she can come close to winning the Rumble and put the entire division on notice, there's no doubt both brands would be clamoring to have her on their roster.

Buddy Murphy

Buddy Murphy has been one to watch since his stint on 205 Live began almost exactly one year ago, and after an eight-month chase, he finally became WWE Cruiserweight champion in October.

Elite athletes such as Cedric Alexander, Mustafa Ali and Humberto Carrillo have stepped up to challenge him, and not only has Murphy emerged victorious every time, he and his opponent have stolen the show.

Fans slept on Murphy's abilities during his time in NXT, but now that that he's finally been given the chance to break out, there's no denying his potential. All of his matches have been must-see, and his upcoming title defense at the Royal Rumble should be no exception.

Murphy will have his hands full when he defends against three worthy challengers in Akira Tozawa, Hideo Itami and Kalisto. Their Fatal 4-Way has since been bumped to the Rumble Kickoff show, where it will hopefully be given the time it deserves.

There have been instances in the past where the cruiserweights have set the bar so high on the pay-per-view pre-show that no one on the main card has been able to top them. With such a loaded lineup, that likely won't be the case with the Rumble, but the 205 Live competitors will still be determined to blow everyone in attendance away with their awe-inspiring aerial abilities.

More specifically, look for Murphy to put forth his best effort and deliver the goods the same way he did at Super Show-Down, Survivor Series and TLC.

Asuka

At last year's Royal Rumble event, Asuka made history by becoming the first woman ever to win a Rumble match, earning herself a championship opportunity at WrestleMania 34.

Unfortunately, she fell short of winning the gold on the grand stage and spent the remainder of the year climbing back up the SmackDown Live ladder to the title picture. It wasn't until December's TLC pay-per-view that she finally captured the SmackDown Women's Championship.

However, there's no guarantees Asuka will be walking out of this year's Royal Rumble still champion, as she's set to do battle with Becky Lynch at the event. They have never collided one-on-one on WWE TV before, so it's bound to be an incredibly physical, highly entertaining affair.

Although Lynch is the talk of the town in WWE right now, fans shouldn't be underestimating the Empress of Tomorrow. She has churned out several phenomenal performances in her short time on the main roster, and she'll be extra motivated to steal the show on Sunday alongside such a popular act as Lynch.

Regardless of whether she wins or loses, Asuka can follow up on her impressive TLC win with another outstanding display at the Rumble. In the process, she can prove her championship reign isn't a fluke and remind those who may have forgotten why she was undefeated for two-and-a-half years.

Mustafa Ali

It didn't take Mustafa Ali long to earn his spot on the SmackDown Live roster. He pinned WWE champion Daniel Bryan in shocking fashion in December in just his second SmackDown appearance, and he's been ripping it up on Tuesday nights ever since.

Ali has been one of WWE's best babyfaces over the past year and has made the most of every opportunity he's been afforded. He has lost far more often than he's won, but it's how he has looked in defeat that has forced fans to take notice of him.

His most recent war with Samoa Joe on the Jan. 22 edition of SmackDown was proof of that. Despite coming up short, Ali proved he could hang with Joe in one of the best bouts of the night.

He'll have the chance to keep building momentum in Sunday's men's Royal Rumble, a match that has seen underdogs prevail in the past. Granted, the odds of Ali winning the whole thing are slim to none, but it will exciting to see him mix it up with so many fresh faces. 

Any interaction Ali has with elite athletes such as Seth Rollins, Rey Mysterio and Jeff Hardy will certainly result in a "This is awesome!" chant from the crowd and everyone else having to step up their game in response.

Sasha Banks

It's been a great while since Sasha Banks was last afforded an opportunity to steal the show, but come Royal Rumble 2019, all eyes will be on her to bring the fight to Raw women's champion Ronda Rousey.

Banks earned a reputation during her NXT days for elevating everyone she stepped in the ring with. Whether it was Charlotte Flair, Bayley or Becky Lynch, she could always be counted on for a top-notch performance.

That was also during the case during her stellar series of matches with Charlotte on the main roster in 2016, but over the past two years, she has been tucked away in the undercard of Raw's women's division. As entertaining as her tandem with Bayley has been, she deserves to be battling the best the brand has to offer on a more consistent basis, including Rousey.

Their upcoming clash for the Raw Women's Championship will mark their first one-one-one encounter ever, so expectations are undoubtedly high. Rousey has proved time and time again that she thrives under the bright lights on the pay-per-view stage, whereas the WWE Universe might need a bit of a refresher from The Boss as to how talented she truly is.

The chances of Banks taking the title from Rousey are low, but there's no reason she can't come close to beating the champion. A strong showing on Sunday would certainly put Banks on the right trajectory as we enter WrestleMania season.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, is an Endicott College alumnus and aspiring journalist. Visit his website, Next Era Wrestling, and "like" his official Facebook page to continue the conversation on all things wrestling.