On Monday Night Raw, General Manager Kurt Angle announced that the highly-anticipated
women’s Royal Rumble wouldn’t have the previously rumoured 15 or 20 entrants and
instead be a 30-woman Rumble.
The current women’s roster across both brands has 22 wrestlers according to the most reliable
of sources Wikipedia.
However that does include nowhere to be seen Nikki Bella, and you can remove champions
Alexa Bliss and Charlotte to brings that number to 19.
This leaves 11 spots open for surprises, returns and shock entrants into this historic match.
That may seem like a lot, but it adds a lot of mystery and intrigue around the match – which
will only make it more enjoyable.
Especially on a show with two Royal Rumble matches.
So here are a few surprises, debuts and returns we here at WrestleTalk would like to see in
this first-ever women’s Royal Rumble.
1.
Beth Phoenix The 2017 WWE Hall of Famer has been involved
in a couple of projects with the company since her induction.
She provided commentary for a 6-woman tag match during the Mae Young Classic, and was
recently announced as a commentator for WWE’s Mixed Match Challenge.
It wouldn’t be surprising if Phoenix was a part of the Royal Rumble, and she would
be the first – and only person – who will have entered both the men’s and women’s
rumbles.
Unless of course, we get…
2.
Kharma More of an outside chance is the return of
Kharma, the former Awesome Kong in TNA.
Kharma was last seen in WWE in the 2012 Royal Rumble [9], entering in as number 21 to eliminate
Hunico and Michael Cole via intimidation.
She went back to TNA for a year in 2015, and was most recently seen in the brilliant Glow
series on Netflix.
But a quick power role in the Rumble would be great fun for the show.
3.
Nikki Bella Nikki Bella hasn’t been seen on WWE TV since
WrestleMania last year, where her boyfriend John Cena proposed to her after winning their
match against Miz and Maryse.
Bella would make for a great surprise entrant.
Her theme music – horrible as it is – would pop the crowd, and given her hard work to
promote women’s wrestling pre-revolution, it would be nice to see her in this historic
match.
4.
Ivory Speaking of people in the company at the wrong
time, Ivory was a really talented wrestler who was stuck in The Attitude Era where women
were treated like sideshow attractions.
A quick showing in the Royal Rumble as a surprise entrant would be fun, but it would be even
better if she came in her Right to Censor gimmick.
5.
Trish Status Stratus recently teased that she might lace
up her boots – or dem boots – to enter into the Royal Rumble.
As easily one of the most popular female wrestlers of the last two decades, Trish making a surprise
return would earn a great pop from the crowd – and would be a better swansong than her
lacklustre run with John Morrison and the next name on our list.
6.
Snooki Oh come on – are you telling me you wouldn’t
pop for another Snooki WWE moment?
Let’s be honest, she was better than we all thought she would be at WrestleMania.
7.
Gail Kim Gail Kim recently announced her retirement
from the professional wrestling world after another long stint in TNA/Impact Wrestling.
Kim is a fantastic wrestler but never got the recognition she deserved in WWE –because
of the Divas branding.
Let’s not forget she seemingly hated her time there so much she eliminated herself
from a battle royal.
If she was to step out of retirement for one last moment, this Royal Rumble should be it.
8.
AJ Lee Okay, so this one really isn’t likely.
But AJ Lee was one of the wrestlers who really pushed for female performers to be given a
chance in WWE.
It would be worth it just for her to have another stare down with Paige.
But that’s enough Nostalgia Acts, what about a real surprising entrant.
9.
Renee Young No really, I’m serious.
Rumour had it last year that Renee Young was training for an in-ring match during Dean
Ambrose’s never-ending feud with The Miz – suggesting an Ambrose/Young vs. Miz/Maryse
match was in the works.
Instead of course we got John Cena and Nikki Bella in their position, but you may as well
put that Renee Young training to some use.
After all, Michael Cole has been in the Rumble – why not Renee?
10.
Eva Marie Just for that entrance gimmick to actually
have some payoff.
11.
Emma Because she deserved better.
12.
Peyton Royce/Billy Kay Onto some possible NXT surprises now and the
most obvious choices – for me at least – are the Iconic Duo of Peyton Royce and Billy Kay.
The two have incredible chemistry together, and coming into the Royal Rumble one after
the other would be a great moment for storytelling.
Whether this should be a main roster debut is another question, as I personally feel
they have something great going on with our next choice.
13.
Ember Moon The current NXT Women’s Champion making
a surprise entrant into the Royal Rumble would be cool, but it does mean that she would have
to be eliminated and lose.
So this might not be the best option.
Still, it would be cool.
Do you know who else would be cool?
14.
Shayna Baszler One of the heavily reported matches for WrestleMania
is the UFC Horsewomen vs. WWE Horsewomen match, and what better place to kick this off than
in the Royal Rumble.
Especially if we get…
15.
Ronda Rousey Rousey, as a heel, would be a great surprise
debut like AJ Styles was a couple of years ago.
You don’t have to have Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir in the match to kickstart the
feud wither, just Baszler and Rousey to kickstart a program with Bayley, Sasha Banks, Becky
Lynch and Charlotte Flair.
There are of course other names not on this list like Kaitlyn, Kelly Kelly, Kairi Sane,
Bianca Belair or Lita – but who would you like to see show up?
After all, this is just my opinion.
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