Way-Too-Early Rankings for the Top 2022 WWE Royal Rumble Contenders

Edge and Bianca Belair are through as the big winners of the 2021 Royal Rumble ahead of WrestleMania 37.

The scaled-down nature of this year's Show of Shows should mean WWE puts the spotlight on building new stars and steering away from part-time talent in prominent positions. 

But the 2022 Royal Rumble and WrestleMania 38 are a whole different story. 

Should things get back to normal from a fans-in-arenas standpoint by then, WWE figures to unleash a whole host of part-time talent for big reactions from live crowds after a few years of using the audience-less era to build up the next generation of main event stars. 

And by then, the return of some of these names will be a welcome sight. With WrestleMania 38 set to take place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas and WrestleMania 39 slated for Los Angeles, major part-time names figure to once again feature starting in 2022. 

A few rising stars, plus those part-timers, headline the early 2022 Rumble rankings. 

6. Rhea Ripley

It's clear Belair and Rhea Ripley are the future, right? 

If one had to guess, Ripley is the next woman up as a big Rumble winner and future main event star. WWE will, of course, still feature names like Charlotte Flair at the top of its cards, but if we're talking long-term outlook, these two project the highest. 

While The EST of WWE escaped as the big winner in the women's Rumble this year, Ripley was last in the ring with her and oh-so-close to flipping this conversation. 

Throw the Australian into some major programs over the course of the next year to get her more familiar with non-NXT fans, and watch her blossom into something special as well as a big-time contender to claim a Rumble triumph of her own. 

5. Big E

Of the non-part-timer talents set to feature in the 2022 men's Rumble match, Big E feels like the best with a chance to win it all. 

The landscape of WWE says it all. Drew McIntyre should still be plenty occupied with Edge and others on Raw for the better part of a year, and the company can't afford to actually take a title off the refreshingly heel Roman Reigns just yet. 

That leaves Big E as intercontinental champion working interesting feuds now that he's a solo act somewhat separate from The New Day. 

He is also just 34 years old and the rarest blend of size and speed in the ring, never mind better than most on the mic. He's a natural to be the next top guy built as a long-term foil to Reigns. 

4. John Cena

It's just a matter of time for John Cena, right? 

Fans haven't seen the veteran in action since WrestleMania 36, where he put on a memorable show in a pre-taped match with Bray Wyatt's The Fiend character. Maybe he takes a break from non-wrestling things to show up at this year's WrestleMania, but the days of him being a full-time guy seem long past. 

Even if Cena does show up at WrestleMania 37, the 2022 Rumble is one of those sweet spots where even fans who were tired of him would pop to hear his music hit. 

Sure, the 43-year-old winning the men's Rumble match in 2022 isn't the most appealing thing for the company's long-term outlook. But it would make for a fun story, especially if he's only coming back storyline-wise because he thinks he's the only one capable of stopping a final-boss type like Reigns. 

3. Ronda Rousey

It didn't take too long for the Ronda Rousey speculation to ramp up again. 

Even after this year's Royal Rumble pay-per-view, someone like Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t Cageside Seat's Randall Ortman) suggested she could be back for WrestleMania 37. That said, he also admitted WWE could stall on that front and wait for a bigger venue such as Arlington or Los Angeles. 

And that should be the play. 

This year's Show of Shows should be all about long-term names like Belair. Rousey's music hitting again in 2022 during the women's Rumble match in front of a live crowd, much to the shock of a talented division of stars in the ring when it happens, would be downright incredible. 

There are too many fun factors about a shocking Rousey return to list, but her incredible in-ring performances—despite being new to it—would only fuel epic feuds with mainstays and the next generation alike. 

2. The Rock

This is a big reason why it's nearly impossible to see WWE taking a title off Reigns anytime soon. 

The Tribal Chief's heel work has been superb, a long-requested thing by fans that has managed to exceed expectations. And the minute WWE let him run with the tribal/family slant, The Rock was the first thing to come to mind. 

But it's clear with this year's Royal Rumble in the rearview mirror that the company is just fine taking that angle slowly and not trotting out The Great One just yet. 

No, that should be earmarked for 2022. A (preferably unannounced) Rock return during the men's Rumble match and a big win would lead to a historic encounter even the best fantasy-bookers wouldn't dare predict.

And fittingly in line with Reigns' amazing run as a heel, it would exceed expectations, especially with The Rock verbally jabbing with Paul Heyman before a stunner of a match. 

1. Brock Lesnar

Brock Lesnar is the Thanos of the WWE Universe: inevitable. 

Rock and Reigns is a fun, once-in-a-lifetime match given the current characters and storyline. But if it can't happen, The Beast Incarnate is the next best thing, no matter how many times fans have seen it in the past.

Think of the new dynamic now: Reigns is the alpha running roughshod on the roster. He's the big bad with Paul Heyman in his corner, the guy who is still technically an advocate for Lesnar, too. 

And if that wouldn't work, The Beast winning the men's Rumble match to get a crack of revenge at McIntyre could work, too. 

Really, anything Lesnar touches turns to gold if fans look at things without blinders. He worked some unexpected classics out of Goldberg, of all things, and his performance a year ago while working to anoint McIntyre as the next top guy is one of the best Rumble matches of the last 20 years. 

Lesnar will be at the 2022 Royal Rumble if things are normal again. And given his track record, plus the storyline opportunities, it's easy to see him winning the whole thing.