10 potential Royal Rumble participants (5 Male & 5 Female)

WWE will want to make the 2018 Royal Rumble event memorable. With news that the first-ever women's Royal Rumble will take place this January, it means the company will want to pull out all the stops to ensure it is a success.

For WWE to make sure the 2018 Royal Rumble is remembered as one of the greatest events in Rumble history, they will have to bring back some names from the past. The "Surprise Royal Rumble Entrant" has become something of a tradition in WWE and 2018 should feature several such surprises.

The first-ever women's Royal Rumble match provides a particularly intriguing opportunity for many past women champions to return to the company as well.

In this article, we take a look at 10 potential surprise entrants in the 2018 Royal Rumbles (both of them).

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#10 Trish Stratus

It's entirely possible we see Trish Stratus in the 1st ever women's Royal Rumble. In fact, not long after Stephanie McMahon announced the match on Raw, Trish posted a message of congratulations and also indicated she was interested in being in the match. Few can argue she has earned the right to be there.

Trish Stratus is arguably the most well-respected women's wrestler of all-time. Unfortunately, a full-time return is not likely in the cards for the 42-year-old mother of 2. It would be great to get her back for one more big pop, however, and the 2018 Royal Rumble would be a great place for that.

#9 Bobby Lashley

Rumors are, Bobby Lashley will not be returning to Impact Wrestling. Now under new management, the promotion is believed to be ridding themselves of big money contracts, especially those signed by the Dixie Carter regime.

That leaves him free to re-sign with WWE and according to a report from PWInsider, WWE is interested. The Dominator would be the perfect surprise entrant, which could plant the seeds for the dream match between Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 34 if WWE wishes to go down that route.

Lashley had a successful run in WWE but decided to walk away from the promotion in 2008 largely because he was interested in starting a career in MMA.

#8 Kaitlyn

Former WWE Divas champion, Kaitlyn, abruptly retired in 2014 despite being one of the most talented female wrestlers on the roster at the time.

The fitness buff instead dedicated herself to various business ventures, including her own line of fitness clothes.

Last fall, Kaitlyn was spotted training inside a wrestling ring, leading to speculation she might be training for a return. She is still only 31-years-old and in an excellent position to make a return.

#7 Rey Mysterio Jr.

Rey Mysterio Jr. was recently featured on an episode of WWE's "List This" as someone WWE fans want to see back in a WWE ring. Mysterio is currently sitting out a no-compete clause in his Lucha Underground contract, but that will be past due by the time Royal Rumble rolls around.

The 43-year-old has always been a big hit with fans, especially kids and Lucha Libre fans. His masks also make for profitable merchandise. WWE knows his worth and would love to bring him back into the fold, although his chronic knee problems will prevent a full-time return.

#6 Nikki and/or Brie Bella

Either or both of the Bellas will return at the Royal Rumble. It has been rumoured for some time that both twins would like to return to the ring, and it is unlikely the 1st ever women's Royal Rumble is an opportunity they are willing to pass by.

If they do return soon, it will be interesting to see how they fit in the evolved women's divisions. The majority of the Bellas careers were spent in the "Divas" era of women's wrestling. They certainly won't be ready for Asuka...

#5 Neville

Neville will very likely be in the Royal Rumble. While it is believed Neville asked for his release from WWE in November, it is now believed the two sides have come to an agreement on his return to the company.

Neville was frustrated at his position in the company and his storyline with Enzo Amore. Apparently, however, they have come to some understanding which will allow Neville to return. Whether he remains in the cruiserweight division is not currently known.

The Royal Rumble would provide a great opportunity for him to return.

#4 Michelle McCool

Michelle McCool recently made an online challenge to Charlotte Flair to a match. She only did so because she had just finished reading Charlotte's book, but McCool has said she would like to return to WWE one day. The Royal Rumble would be quite a day to return.

McCool retired from WWE in 2011 in order to start a family with her new husband, the Undertaker. They had their first child the next year. The 37-year-old was the first ever Divas champion and would make for a quite a surprise entrant in the Royal Rumble.

#3 Goldberg

There is no reason whatsoever that Goldberg doesn't end up in the Royal Rumble. His popularity was a big surprise to the company in 2016 and continued all the way up to his WrestleMania match with Brock Lesnar. He would make a big-time surprise at the 2018 Royal Rumble.

It would also provide an excellent opportunity for him to start a rivalry with someone else in the Rumble. This would then provide an opportunity to bring Goldberg back for a match at WrestleMania again this year.

#2 Ronda Rousey

It's entirely possible Ronda Rousey will be in the 1st ever women's Royal Rumble match. It would create an awesome spectacle too.

Unfortunately, it's also possible WWE would want to hold off Rousey's WWE debut until an event where they can advertise her as opposed to making her a surprise Royal Rumble entrant.

Perhaps Rousey herself will insist she be in the match. Rousey is a huge WWE fan and it wouldn't surprise anyone if she was so pumped up about there being an all-woman Royal Rumble that she simply put her foot down and said she wanted to be in it.

#1 Daniel Bryan

The biggest possible surprise entrant in the 2018 Royal Rumble would be Daniel Bryan. WWE will have to make a decision regarding whether or not to clear Bryan for an in-ring return by September when his contract is up or else he'll be leaving and going elsewhere.

From the sounds of it, however, WWE doctors are open-minded to the idea. Bryan's own doctors have cleared him and he has been undergoing new treatments that have shown progress in other brain trauma cases. It sounds as though Bryan and his doctors believe there is no reason he can't return, it's just a matter of convincing WWE's top doctor.

If WWE is going to clear Bryan to return, the Royal Rumble is the perfect time and place for the fans to find out.