WWE Royal Rumble 2016: Top 5 swerves that could happen at the pay-per-view

Let us get ready to Rumble!!WWE Royal Rumble takes place on 24 January in Orlando, Florida and this year’s edition has seemed a bit subdued from the get go.All the attention at this year’s Rumble has been focused on Roman Reigns – he has a beef with the McMahons, he is getting screwed over every single week on Raw and he will be the number one entrant in the Rumble where he will be defending his WWE World Heavyweight championship.Almost everyone who has had issues with the McMahons going into the Rumble over the years has won the whole damn thing; examples being Stone Cold and Randy Orton.But the Rumble is also the perfect opportunity for the WWE to bamboozle the fans with that all important swerve – a scenario that the fans would never have seen coming. This list takes a look at the top 5 swerves that could happen at the Rumble.

#5 Triple H returns and aligns with the new champion

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Something that has been pretty much guaranteed in the build up to the Rumble is that Triple H will be making some sort of an impact at the Rumble.

While it is highly likely that he would enter the Rumble, his winning the same is a little too fantastic to believe. He might last till the final three, before getting eliminated by Reigns himself, but could cause some sort of a distraction allowing another heel to eliminate Reigns.

One of the candidates to make that final man is Kevin Owens. He is a tremendous heel, the fans respect him for his indie roots and it would bring a lot of freshness to the WWE with Owens stepping into the title picture.

Dean Ambrose can have a spot there too. He could become the second member of the Shield to sell out to the Authority by accepting Triple H’s help to eliminate Reigns. By hook or crook, expect the Game to have the final say at the end of the Rumble.

#4 Finn Balor makes an impact

Rumours have been going about recently about how WWE is going to hire Finn Balor’s old NJPW teammates in the Bullet Club – Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows, into the WWE. NXT Champion Balor, who worked as a heel during his Bullet Club days actually worked an untelevised event as a heel the past week.

While it is hasty to expect that Vince McMahon would book the NXT Champion to win the World title, Balor might just make an impact in the match.

One swerve might be for Balor – with the Bullet Club or alone – to eliminate Roman Reigns from the Rumble early. This could set up a match between the two at Wrestlemania, by the time Balor’s heel stable would be well established in the main roster.

This could also lead to the intrigue of a new champion getting crowned lingering with the fans for most of the match.

Don’t expect his replacement in the Bullet Club – AJ Styles – to make a Rumble splash too. We all know how Vince treats superstars from other promotions!

#3 The Undertaker to make an appearance

The Deadman might not actually win the Rumble, but he might make an appearance in the Rumble match. What supports this claim is a video posted recently about the Undertaker working out pretty seriously.

Wrestlemania season is coming near and the Deadman is surely going to have his customary match on the card. The WWE Creative might just start planting the seeds at the Rumble itself.

The angle will not be with the Wyatt family, considering the fact that Taker has already beaten Bray at Wrestlemania and the same applies to Brock Lesnar as well.

He might just have an interaction with Roman Reigns, though. If Reigns does retain the title, Taker can make his appearance after the Rumble and deliver his patent Tombstone to the WWE World Heavyweight Champion.

This could set up a match at Wrestlemania, or more likely at Fastlane where the seeds of another rivalry can be planted such that a part timer like Taker is not burdened with selling a title match at ‘Mania.

#2 Daniel Bryan returns to win the Rumble

This might not be as farfetched as it sounds.

Daniel Bryan has been cleared by a top sports doctor at the UCLA to return to the ring. However, the WWE needs him to be cleared by a WWE doctor and the company has been unsure about letting a man with Bryan’s concussion issues compete.

But all that can change in a matter of minutes and Bryan would not have been subjected to a test with the UCLA doctor this close to the Rumble without a reason. A Bryan return and victory could also mean that after two years of fans booing the Rumble winner out of the arena, WWE might have a welcome change this time around.

WWE.com also mentioned Bryan’s name in the list of surprise entrants that might make their appearance this year – although the list contains names such as Stone Cold Steve Austin and two injured wrestlers in Sting and Seth Rollins.

#1 Roman Reigns to turn heel

Who are the viable candidates to dethrone Roman Reigns?

None of the pretenders have been booked realistically enough to win the Rumble – Bray Wyatt closed out Raw and Smackdown this week, but the person who stands tall at the go home show rarely wins the big one at the Rumble.

Brock Lesnar is a possibility, but the WWE wouldn’t want another part time run with the title which could threaten the Wrestlemania main event into insignificance. Same applies to a Triple H victory.

There is more chance of Hornswoggle winning the Rumble than Chris Jericho, and the League of Nations are not worthy contenders either.

Due to the sheer lack of credible challengers, Roman Reigns might still be in the hot seat to win the Rumble. However, if it happens, it will be the second time that baby face Reigns wins the title – only Shawn Michaels, Steve Austin, Hulk Hogan, Batista and John Cena have won multiple Rumbles.

Reigns is certainly not even close to their levels.

More importantly, it will not only be the second time that Reigns gets to win, but the second time in a row. Everyone heard the chorus of boos that greeted Reigns after his first Rumble win. So the WWE needs something radical for this year.

The one thing that the fans will never expect is a Reigns heel turn. The WWE can have a loved baby face like Dean Ambrose in the ring for the closing stages and Reigns can use a steel chair on him for the elimination – a la Stone Cold vs Rock at Wrestlemania 17.

He could also try the same on Lesnar. A returning Triple H can help him in his dastardly deeds before getting eliminated himself by some babyface. A heel Reigns winning the Rumble will be too shocking to pass up.

Edited by Staff Editor