This year’s Royal Rumble was supposed to be one to remember. It ended up being decidedly average, partly due to a lack of surprise entrants.
The tagline for the 2017 Royal Rumble PPV was ‘remember the Rumble’. WWE was hyping this Rumble event as one for the history books. It was supposed to be so grandiose and spectacular that fans would be talking about it for years to come.
Given what actually happened, fans will be talking about the 2017 Rumble for years, though not for the reasons WWE would want them to.
The best thing about the 2017 Royal Rumble PPV was the match between John Cena and A.J. Styles. That was a truly spectacular contest that was a true Match of the Year contender that showed why both men get such praise from fans and commentators alike. But the 2017 Rumble match itself left a lot to be desired.
A major part of the Rumble match being disappointing was its genuine lack of surprises or intrigue. Of the 30 men to participate in it, 22 had announced their participation beforehand. That left only eight spots to be filled out by surprise entrants, and needless to say, WWE didn’t do a good job in this respect.
The only ‘surprise’ entrant was Tye Dillinger, who entered at No. 10 (because that number is his entire gimmick, you see). It’s likely that decision was made solely because WWE were afraid the audience would revolt if he didn’t appear with that number.
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But apart from Dillinger, there weren’t any major surprises. The actual remaining entrants were either lower-card guys no one cared about or veterans in the twilight of their respective careers. This was one of the few Royal Rumble matches that didn’t feature any one-time appearances or genuine shocks.
Had they introduced some true surprise entrants, it would’ve been a vastly superior Rumble match. Here are five people that WWE should’ve tried to get into the 2017 Royal Rumble match.
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5. Kurt Angle
On Jan, 16, 2017, it was announced that Kurt Angle would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. This announcement was met with resounding praise, as Angle is still considered one of the best pro wrestlers ever. He’s also still considered an active athlete, which would’ve made him a perfect candidate for a surprise Rumble appearance.
Angle could’ve had a simple spot in the Rumble match: appear, Suplex a few lower-card guys, hit an Angle Slam or two, have a brief staredown with Brock Lesnar, and then get eliminated by one of the current WWE regulars. It would’ve been an excellent moment, given Angle’s continued popularity and the loud crowd in attendance that night.
Even if his Rumble appearance would’ve been limited, Angle would’ve been a fantastic addition to it as a part-timer.
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4. ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin
This entry’s a major stretch, especially given Austin’s health issues. But the 2017 Royal Rumble took place in San Antonio, Texas, and ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin is one of the most recognizable wrestlers to ever come from that state.
Like the Angle entry before him, Austin’s Rumble participation could’ve been one devoted solely to nostalgia. He could’ve come down to the ring, his a few Stunners, and then gotten thrown out by someone shortly afterward. It wouldn’t be much, but it would still be much more memorable than the participation of half the guys that did appear in this match.
Also, Austin’s reaction would’ve been absolutely thunderous. The sound of glass shattering would’ve sent the San Antonio crowd into a frenzy, and social media would’ve erupted out of shock at his surprise appearance. That would’ve given the Rumble some much-needed attention, and would’ve done a lot more to fit into the ‘remember the Rumble’ tagline.
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3. Shinsuke Nakamura
The 2016 Royal Rumble match marked the WWE debut of A.J. Styles. His appearance was met with universal approval, and he got arguably the loudest pop of the evening. This year, no one debuted, especially since No. 10 Tye Dillinger lasted only a few minutes.
But WWE should’ve used this opportunity to debut another NXT star: Shinsuke Nakamura.
It was the perfect opportunity for him to make an appearance. He had already reached the top of NXT and was clearly destined for big things in WWE. Yet for some strange reason, WWE kept him away from the main roster despite his explosive popularity.
Had he appeared at the Rumble, he would’ve gotten another enormous reaction and would’ve been a much-needed surprise in an otherwise underwhelming match.
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2. Finn Balor
This entry was centered on hopes that Balor would’ve been medically cleared to compete before the Rumble. But since he wasn’t’ that made for a disappointing lack of appearance.
But imagine how awesome it would’ve been if he did appear.
Picture the following scenario. The 2017 Royal Rumble match is underway. The ring is filling up with more and more superstars. Kevin Owens is sitting at commentary, gloating about his victory earlier that evening, and how no one in the ring could beat him.
Then the clock his ‘0’, and the lights go out. Fans think it’s the Undertaker but it isn’t. Instead, you hear the sound of a heartbeat. A red glow fills the arena as the fans noise begins to build. Then, out of the smoke comes Demon Balor, fully healed and ready to Rumble.
That moment would’ve been absolutely perfect in every sense. It would’ve made for an excellent surprise appearance for the Rumble, and would’ve led to the start of a feud centered on Balor regaining the title he never lost. It’s simple, easy booking for a feud that people would want to see.
1. Kenny Omega
When John Cena posted pictures of A.J. Styles on his social media accounts last year, the speculation was that Styles would appear at the Rumble, and he did. This year, Cena did the same with pictures of Kenny Omega, leading to incredible speculation over the same thing happening this year…but it didn’t.
It’s easy to understand why Omega would be hesitant to sign with WWE. His time in Deep South Wrestling, one of WWE’s former developmental affiliates, was miserable. His style doesn’t fit WWE’s idea of a wrestling match.
But most importantly, Omega’s a gimmick-centric wrestler, and if he were to sign with WWE, they’d have to have full control over that gimmick and his character, which is certain to damage it in a big way.
All that said, Omega making one single appearance for WWE would’ve been a monumental moment truly worth remembering. Hearing his video-game-boss-like entrance music and the Bullet Club logo appearing on the TitanTron would’ve sent the crowd into a bigger frenzy than for any other entry on this list.
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Even if he lasted five minutes in the Rumble match, it would’ve been completely worth it just to see Kenny Omega in a WWE ring fresh off his excellent match at Wrestle Kingdom 11.