5 things we need to see in WWE's Royal Rumble match

The Royal Rumble match is a highlight of the WWE pay-per-view calendar each year.The Royal Rumble is one of WWE’s signature events and for good reason. No other event gets as many Superstars – both past and present – involved in a meaningful match and allows for as many guys to get a little momentum without having to actually win the match.On top of that, there usually seem to be moments within each Rumble that get the WWE fanbase talking, and the match has even helped build Superstars' careers. Here are five things we need to see from this year's Royal Rumble match, scheduled for Jan. 24 in Orlando, Florida.

#1 Full-time winner

Kevin Owens has had a huge year since debuting on the main roster against John Cena.

There will be plenty of past legends and part-time workers who will get involved in the Royal Rumble match.

But in the past, WWE has been tempted to have one of these men win the match due to their star power, like when Batista won it all in 2014 to set up a Wrestlemania main event against Randy Orton.

That would be a mistake, at this point. The WWE full-time roster is loaded with guys like Kevin Owens, Bray Wyatt, Rusev, Dolph Ziggler, Alberto Del Rio and Dean Ambrose who need to be given the chance to take a main-event role.

Doing that would be best for the WWE’s long-term future.

#2 Spots from Kalisto

Kalisto has shown his ability to wow the crowd in tag action.

In every generation, there seems to be a guy who finds new ways to entertain the crowd come Royal Rumble time. From Shawn Michaels to Kofi Kingston, some performers seem to know what the fans are looking for in the 30-man battle royale.

Kalisto of the Lucha Dragons could be that man for the foreseeable future. With Sin Cara injured in a recent match on Raw, it doesn’t seem likely that Kalisto will be needed for a tag title run, so now is the perfect time to launch him into the stratosphere as a higlight-reel Rumble performer.

#3 Build the mid-card

Curtis Axel has mostly fallen off the radar in the WWE in 2015.

Right now, the WWE has done a good job of building up the top half of its full-time roster. Probably due to the tournaments for No. 1 World Heavyweight Championship Contender and then the world title itself, there are half-dozen or so superstars who would be believable for the promotion’s top belt.

Throw in the injured Seth Rollins, Randy Orton and the returning Brock Lesnar, and the main-event scene is set.

But the depth behind that is lacking, for the most part. Beyond Kevin Owens and Dolph Ziggler, no one seems ready to contend for Dean Ambrose’s Intercontinental title, and the same could be said for the U.S. title currently held by Alberto Del Rio.

The Rumble match would be a good time to elevate guys like Curtis Axel, Damien Sandow and Stardust into logical contenders for those second-tier belts.

#4 Fun surprises

WCW and WWE Superstar Diamond Dallas Page was a surprise entrant in last year’s Royal Rumble.

Perhaps one of the best traditions of the Royal Rumble are the surprise entrants.

Whether it’s a superstar of the past like Diamond Dallas Page, Boogeyman or a mainstream celebrity like Drew Carey, these surprises add to the fun of the evening each time the countdown starts.

Due to the wide array of wrestlers who would still be young enough to jump in the ring for a couple signature moves and a trip over the top rope, the choices are endless here. And who wouldn’t like to see someone like Shaquille O’Neal or Jon Stewart get in on the action?

#5 Legitimate final four

The Final Four is a highlight of seemingly each Royal Rumble.

Every year, no matter what the circumstances, it seems like the Royal Rumble action slows to an excited halt when the competitors have been whittled down to the Final Four. For many, this moment helps define the event.

That’s what made the 2015 Final Four such a bad idea. Fans were already in a surly mood after Daniel Bryan was unceremoniously dumped from the ring and it seemed obviously staged for Roman Reigns to win.

Then when Reigns, Ambrose, the Big Show and Kane were the apparent Final Four, any intrigue was gone as the eventual winner was clear. Throw in a false finish where Rusev was actually still in but hiding beside the ring, and the booking created an undesirable situation.

WWE writers should take heed of that this year. A Final Four including guys like Lesnar, Owens, Ziggler and Wyatt, for example, would provide multiple finishing scenarios and keep the crowd interested.