10 Surprise Returns We Could See at Royal Rumble 

The Royal Rumble is one of the pay-per-views that the WWE Universe looks forward to the most and we are almost at the 2019 edition of the event.

In this match, 30 of the greatest superstars in all of WWE compete in an over the top rope battle royale match with the winner going to WrestleMania to challenge the champion of their choosing.

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The Rumble match has had some huge surprises over the years be it the debut of AJ Styles or the shockingly early return of John Cena, you can be sure there will be some huge pops in the arena no matter what the creative team draws up. In this list, we look at the potential surprises that could occur when the buzzer rings and the next superstar makes their way to the ring in both the women and men's matchups.

I will not be including any of the surprise entrants from the women's Rumble last year as these would not really be a surprise!

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#10 Jason Jordan

The story-line son of WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle has been on the injured list for the best part of 2018 but many reports have alluded that he may soon be cleared to compete.

Although he did not set the world on fire in his first year as a soloist, there is no doubting Jordan's ability in the ring.

When his music hits expect him to hit the ring with animosity, suplexing every superstar in site much like his 'daddy' did before him.

This might not be the most exciting return that creative could hit us with but it is a safe bet. Perhaps he could enter close to Chad Gable and American Alpha could reunite. Let's face it, they should not have parted ways in the first place.

#9 Kharma

Kharma was a real force to be reckoned with during her original tenure with WWE and fans have long since hoped for her return. Could this year's edition of the Royal Rumble be the time she makes her way down the ramp-way?

Due to her success on the Netflix drama 'GLOW,' it is doubtful she would stick around, but, her and the cast of GLOW did make an appearance on Smackdown LIVE recently so this means she is still on good terms with the company.

Imagine the scene... Nia Jax is on a tear and empties the ring. She is waiting for the next entrant when Kharma storms down the ramp-way and the titans go to battle.

Perhaps she could even return using her GLOW gimmick to really surprise fans and bring more of the show's audience to the real product.

You know what they say... Anything can happen in the WWE!

#8 Carlito Caribbean Cool

It's been a while since we have seen Carlito in a WWE ring but one thing is for sure, he always likes to make an entrance. And who can forget that he's the man who beat John Cena for the United States Championship on his debut!

Around this time of the year, he is one of the names that always pop up and I think if 'I spit in the face of people who do not want to be cool' was to blare through the speakers he would get a sizeable pop. Not a potential winner but a great throwback for sure.

He is still an active superstar throughout the Indy scene and his in-ring work is second to none so he could enter and go on a tear.

Also, a superstar like Carlito could be a great fit for the mid-card scene on either Smackdown or Raw so this could be a chance for him to prove his metal and get a new full-time contract.

#7 Chris Jericho

One person you can always count on to make a surprise entrance is the Ayatollah of Rock and Rolla Chris Jericho. So much so would it even be a surprise any more?

Jericho has found a new lease of life on the Indy scene with a much more gritty, hardcore character that is less concerned with technical wrestling and more so with humiliating his opponents.

This kind of cutthroat attitude is what the WWE is desperately missing at the moment and we all know Vince will welcome him back with open arms on any given day.

Jericho may be dabbling in the indie scene at the moment but the WWE is always his home and I doubt that Vince would hold his voyage against him.

Even if his surprise returns are somewhat expected nowadays one thing is for sure. When 'Break the walls down' hits the speakers the WWE universe will become unglued!

#6 Batista

Let's face it, Batista's last run did not go nearly as it was expected to. In fact, it can probably be called a massive failure mainly due to the WWE creative team.

In a time where the WWE Universe was so behind Daniel Bryan, they tried to push Batista immediately into a world title run with a Royal Rumble win on his first night back.

There was a backlash so massive that they had no choice but to turn The Animal heel and eventually have him reunite with Evolution before he ran back to Hollywood.

The Animal appeared on Smackdown 1000 and during a promo segment the seeds were planted for a showdown with Triple H. Batista said the only thing The Game has never done is beat him so expect him to try at Mania this year.

What better way to initiate this than for the Animal to come back at the Rumble, and this time as a surprise entrant. He could even be on the cusp of winning before The Game turns up to set up their clash.

#5 Alberto Del Rio

I admit it, this one is a massive long shot but would shock the WWE Universe to its absolute core. Despite having some choice words about Triple H on his drunken Twitter rampages it is no secret that Vince Mcmahon has always been very high on Alberto Del Rio, once even referring to him as his favourite heel in the business today.

It would also not be the first time the WWE has overlooked personal issues to bring someone back and seem to be very forgiving when they need to be. This is especially true if it is best for business, something that Triple H knows only too well from his days in authority

We know based on his Impact run that Alberto can still go in the ring like the best of them and also bringing Ricardo Rodriguez along to introduce him could be a cool Royal Rumble moment!

#4 Melina

With all the surprise entrants that came through the curtain last year, there were a couple names that while expected, never came to be. In the 2019 Royal Rumble, it would be a nice surprise for Melina’s music to blare throughout the arena.

After all, she is a two-time Divas Championship, a three-time Women’s Champion and was one of the shining stars when she was a member of the roster. There is no doubt that she should be a part of the 2019 contest even if it just a one-night affair.

As someone who was part of the company for nearly seven years, she should get another chance to take her talents to a WWE ring. It would certainly bring the crowd to their feet and would make for one of the more uplifting surprises of the night.

Seeing her tangle with the likes of Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair would be a cool sight.

Do you think this could happen?

#3 The Hurricane

Stand back, there could well be a Hurricane coming through, and it could be going straight through the 30-man Rumble match!

Now I know the man formerly known as Gregory 'The Hurricane' Helms made an appearance last year but even still, The Hurricanes music is always a nice surprise and would still be unexpected and well received by the audience.

After receiving a sizable pop last year it would be great if The Hurricane became a yearly edition just to see him tangle with today's crop of superstars.

Seeing him try to chokeslam giants will never get old and it is good old fashioned fun, a thing that many think is missing from today's landscape.

We know based on his appearances on the House Hardy Halloween specials that he is still involved with the WWE so this is a safe bet to happen and something this writer looks forward to seeing!

#2 Victoria

Like Melina (Slide 4) earlier, Victoria is one of the women we expected to see in the first women’s Royal Rumble match.

The former two-time Women’s Champion, Victoria is known for her feud with Trish Stratus and her exceptional in-ring ability

Even after her departure from the WWE, she continued to wrestle all over, including in TNA where she wrestled for five years and is still going to this day.

She recently announced that she would be retiring from in-ring competition, what better way to do so than by treading the boards one last time in the place that made her a star.

After she was left out last year it would be a nice moment for Victoria and I don’t think anyone would be shocked if she picked up a couple of eliminations along the way.

Also much like with Melina, it would just be a cool sight to see her competing with today's generation, a generation where her character would have once again thrived!

#1 Kenny Omega

Let's be honest, was anyone else really ever going to top this list? Considered by many to the genuine best wrestler in the world, surely the time has come for 'The Terminator' to prove himself at the highest possible level. Omega revealed in a press conference that he is, in fact, leaving NJPW saying:

"I take full responsibility for the loss. There is no real place for me to fit, so it's best for me not to be in (NJPW). I can't be there working under Tanahashi. I don't think he's surpassed me, don't think he's better. If we can, I want to face him again. But I need time away, and not just from New Japan."

We do not know yet if this is for the purpose of the story-line or if he is being genuine. Dave Meltzer, however, has reported recently that WWE has been made Omega an amazing offer, could it be that he has accepted and is on his way.

Might like his fellow NJPW Alumni AJ Styles, Kenny is a superstar the WWE universe wants to see but thinks they perhaps never will. Perhaps just like his AJ Styles we just might, and it could be in the same place!