Five individuals who came out the Royal Rumble with momentum

The 2023 Royal Rumble was a showcase that put the spotlight on more names than just the big winners. 

There were a lot of expectations heading into the 2023 edition of the Royal Rumble. As concerns about issues with Vince McMahon outside the ring rage, WWE had to find a way to build momentum heading into WrestleMania season. What was delivered were two well-received Rumble matches that helped build the stock of many names involved. These five individuals didn’t win but came out of the Rumble in what should lead to much better positions.

Roxanne Perez

Roxanne Perez performed in trunks with the word “prodigy” across the back and she proved her point during the Royal Rumble. She did not have any eliminations, but her time in the ring was maximized to the fullest. She got a strong reaction from the hometown crowd, and commentary made it a point to let fans know they could catch her as the current WWE NXT Champion. At only 21 years of age, Perez is one of the names that WWE should truly invest in as she can be the future of the entire division.

Piper Niven

When the music hit, fans thought they were getting a big return in Doudrop, but they actually received much more as she returned to her original name, Piper Niven. While this may seem like a small touch, it is important as it reestablishes not only all she did in WWE NXT UK, but throughout her run on the independent scene. Niven is a talented performer, who would be an excellent opponent for any woman on the WWE roster. In fact, Becky Lynch could use someone to help her against Damage CTRL and Piper Niven would be an excellent addition to that feud.

Bobby Lashley

Coming into the Rumble, Lesnar, and Lashley are clearly headed for a rubber match. They entered positions 12 and 13 respectively. Lesnar began to do his thing and run wild in the group, but that was all halted with Lashley entering the match. A typical spot for these types of matches is for multiple competitors to band together to get the big person out, but Lashley eliminated Lesnar with ease, on his own. The two men staring each other down was a powerful moment and it is one that helps elevate Lashley to the level of Lesnar, setting up what should be a big match heading into WrestleMania season.

GUNTHER

GUNTHER got all of the shine in the Men’s Royal Rumble. He started out as the first participant and was the final man eliminated, falling to Cody Rhodes. Along the way, he stood toe to toe with some of the top names in the promotion, including Bobby Lashley, Brock Lesnar, and Drew McIntyre, and reigniting his feud with Sheamus. He didn’t get the victory, but GUNTHER looked like a main-event threat and he should soon be in the running for a run with either the Universal or WWE Championship.

Asuka

WWE viewers may not be familiar with Kana, but she’s something that fans should get to know rather quickly. Asuka made her big return to the WWE at the Royal Rumble, after being away from the promotion for a month. She did so while returning to the look of a previous character she performed as, Kana. Early in her career, Asuka terrorized Stardom and other Japanese promotions with this gimmick. Fans have long wanted a refresh of her character in WWE and it looks like that time has come.

If the Royal Rumble was any type of indicator, these five individuals should be heading in the right direction when it comes to their booking within the WWE product.