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In a few weeks time, the WWE will air their 'Greatest Royal Rumble' event live on the WWE network from Saudi Arabia.
The event, first announced last month, is being billed as a big deal by the company, and it is seen by many as their opportunity to break into a brand new, very lucrative, market.
On the show, every title will be defended, John Cena will face Triple H, The Undertaker will wrestle Chris Jericho, and a 50 man Royal Rumble match will take place, featuring major stars from the current rosters and several legends of the business.
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While the company has not yet announced a prize for the winner of the match, it seems unlikely that the whole thing will just be for nothing, and the winner will, at the very least, probably receive a title shot of some sort.
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The winner of the match will be the first ever superstar to win a match this big, and their character will get plenty of bragging rights going forward. So, who will the WWE choose to win such a match? Let's take a look at the 10 best candidates to the win the Greatest Royal Rumble.
#10 Braun Strowman
Braun Strowman finds himself in a strange situation at the moment. Having just won the tag team titles, with a 10-year-old boy, he has vacated the belts and has no feud on the table.
This has been the case for Braun since the turn of the year, when it became apparent that he would not be competing for the Universal Title at WrestleMania, despite what fans wanted.
While there is no clear prize on the table for the winner of this match yet, if the company decides to award the winner a title shot at a later date, then having Braun Strowman walk away victorious may help him build him back up, and could also be seen as a goodwill gesture to the fans.
Plus, it's a Royal Rumble, and we all know how much the company love to push the idea of a big man being unstoppable in such an event.
#9 John Cena
John Cena's recent feud and defeat to The Undertaker may go down as one of the most bizarre of his career, and taking a look back at Cena's time with the company, that is quite the statement to make.
Cena is the most established star in the business, so defeat to The Undertaker doesn't do him any damage, but a victory here would certainly help remind fans that Cena is still considered a massive star, and a potential title threat by the WWE.
While there is certainly an argument to be made that Cena doesn't need it, this one might simply come to business and name recognition. Cena is a worldwide star, and a victory for him would no doubt grab the headlines and seriously help the company crack their desired market.
#8 Finn Balor
Fans are desperate to finally see Finn Balor break through the glass ceiling in the WWE, and they may have no better opportunity to do that than here.
While this is being billed as a big event, it is worth remembering that it is not THE Royal Rumble, and therefore the WWE might see it as an opportunity to take a little bit more of a risk. Balor is closer than he has ever been to earning his way back into the main event scene in the WWE, and this could be the perfect opportunity for him to do so.
There is also a very strong chance Balor will be competing on Smackdown by the time this event rolls around, and if that is the case, a future title shot against AJ Styles would be a very attractive prospect.
#7 Shinsuke Nakamura
Shinsuke Nakamura's heel turn at WrestleMania 34 may just be the best thing that could have happened to him in the WWE.
Whether fans like to admit it or not, Shinsuke's run in the WWE thus far has been underwhelming, and the former NXT champion was in need of a change.
A newly heel Nakamura winning the match would be a smart move. He would be the first ever superstar to win two royal rumble matches in one year, and he could use this as part of his new gimmick, constantly reminding fans how much better he is than the rest of the roster.
If there is a title shot on the line here, then this could also be used to set up a rematch between Shinsuke and AJ later down the line.
#6 Bobby Lashley
Bobby Lashley may have only just returned to the WWE, but given the impact he has made elsewhere (pun intended), it seems likely that they will want to give him more of a shot at the main event than they did during his original run.
Lashley will be booked to look dominant from the word go this time around, and given that he is already an established face in the industry, giving him the victory here wouldn't be the biggest risk the company could take.
There are plenty of 'dream match' scenarios for Lashley in the WWE right now, and this victory would instantly put him on the same platform as the likes of Roman Reigns, Brock Lesnar, and Braun Strowman.
#5 Andrade 'Cien' Almas
A left-field choice for this one. Andrade 'Cien' Almas is one of the hottest young talents in the WWE right now, and a victory here would instantly establish him as a future star for the company.
Almas is currently in NXT, but speculation is high that he will be making his in-ring debut on the main roster very soon. Especially considering his absence from recent NXT tapings.
This would no doubt be a bold move on behalf of the WWE, especially considering the fact that they would probably rather have a more established name take the victory in a newer market, but having Almas win would create a new star overnight, and establish him as one of the biggest, and most exciting heels on the main roster.
It would also establish Almas as the biggest Mexican star in the WWE, something Vince McMahon has been desperate to have for some time now.
#4 Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe's return on Raw this week was one of the best moments on an excellent show, and the reaction he gets from the fans shows that he is more than worthy of such a big victory.
Joe is one of the most consistent workers in the world today, and while he has been involved in some great matches during his main roster run, he is yet to have that decisive victory which really establishes him as a major player in the company.
Joe is currently involved in a feud with Roman Reigns, and if this match was used to guarantee the victor a title shot, it would be a nice way to inject him into the Universal title picture. Perhaps more than any other superstar right now, Samoa Joe is ready for a run with the main title, and this could be the launching pad for his eventual coronation.
#3 Roman Reigns
Roman Reigns is currently scheduled to challenge Brock Lesnar in a cage match at this event, but if he is not victorious, it seems likely that the company will want to put him in this match, especially considering the sheer amount of superstars they will need to fill the bout.
If Reigns is set to lose clean to Lesnar again at the event, then he will need a big victory to gain some sort of momentum back, and there are fewer bigger victories than a royal rumble win.
Reigns also holds the record for the most rumble eliminations, so don't be surprised to see him beat that on his way to victory here.
#2 Brock Lesnar
If Reigns should be considered a candidate, then it also stands to reason that his opponent, and current Universal champion, Brock Lesnar should be considered as well.
If Lesnar loses his title at the show, and given the circumstances that is a real possibility, then he will be out for revenge, and seeing him arrive as the 50th entrant into the match and destroy everything in his path would no doubt be a thing of beauty.
Like Cena, Lesnar is a household name, and if the company are serious about wanting to break this market, which it certainly looks like they are, then having Lesnar win would certainly help them do that.
Lesnar pulling double duty seems highly unlikely, but if he does enter this match, then he has to be considered a favourite to win.
#1 Daniel Bryan
Daniel Bryan's return to a WWE ring has to be the feel-good story of 2018. After two years of being sat on the sidelines, Daniel Bryan is ready to start firing on all cylinders again, and a victory for him would certainly provide the live crowd, and the fans at home, a feel-good moment to close the show.
Bryan is the most popular star in the WWE right now, and a victory here would go a long way to establishing him as one of the faces of the company.
If this match is given a stipulation, potentially a guaranteed title shot, then this would be a sure fire way to get invested in Bryan's story once again and would create massive excitement for a potential showdown between Daniel Bryan and AJ Styles later down the line. Summerslam, anyone?
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