20 competitors who should be in the first women’s Royal Rumble

Women’s wrestling has been evolving for a few years now, with the NXT movement creating a ripple effect which has led to several new stars making a name for themselves on the main roster. As a result, the female superstars have been awarded more and more opportunities with every passing week, with the first-ever women’s Money in the Bank & Hell in a Cell matches taking place on pay per view.

But, as you’d expect, they’re always looking for more – and current rumours are suggesting that there may well be a women’s Royal Rumble coming up next month at the annual January event. This is something that’s been hinted at in the past, but for once reason or another, it’s never come to fruition.

We, personally, are hoping to see it play out before our very eyes, and if that happens then these are the 20 competitors that we feel should be involved in making history once again.

#1 Paige

Paige could be a title contender sooner rather than later

Since returning to the main roster a few weeks back, Paige has been on fire – and there are no two ways about it. The English star has bounced back from what has been an extremely difficult year for her personally, and as the leader of Absolution on Monday Night Raw, she is already producing some of the best work of her career.

With that in mind, we can see a scenario where she annoys Raw GM Kurt Angle one too many times, which leads to her being positioned as the first entrant in the first-ever women’s Royal Rumble. It would obviously put her at a disadvantage, but a long run in the match could do wonders for her in terms of her in-ring credibility.

#2 Bayley

Every good Rumble match needs a strong babyface to lead from the start, and in this case, it’s everyone’s favourite hugger Bayley. The former NXT women’s champion has been stagnant on the main roster for quite some time now, and while that may seem like a harsh thing to say, nobody can deny that it’s the absolute truth.

Using something like the Rumble to build her back up would be a great idea in many ways, as she could go on a long run throughout the contest before being valiantly thrown over the top rope as we get towards the business end of things. Some may not think that’s necessarily in her character, but when you really think about it, she’s always been the underdog.

#3 Sonya Deville

Sonya Deville’s introduction to life in the big time was something that caught many fans off guard, and to be honest, they’re well within their rights to feel that way. Deville seemed to finally be building a touch of momentum down in NXT, and the whole process of putting her alongside Paige feels very rushed.

Still, you can only analyse what is put in front of you, and so far Sonya has been able to slot into the female main event scene quite nicely. As such, putting her into the match early in order to help out her pal Paige seems like the most logical move given the nature of her persona. Sure, she may not make it very far, but at least she can make an impact during her short tenure.

#4 Alicia Fox

Is Alicia the most underrated member of the roster?

You won’t find many other women on this list who have been a part of the WWE family as long as Alicia Fox has, and that’s a testament to just how hard she’s worked to get better over the years. Obviously, she isn’t going to be a main event player anytime soon, but the fact that she’s utilised on a week to week basis shows how much the company values her.

Of course, she isn’t going to go on and win this match, but her move set is perfect for a match like the Rumble. She can come in and hit a few scissor kicks early doors, which will take the pressure off of Bayley who would’ve been beaten down by Deville and Paige by this point.

Who knows, many she’ll even get a future title shot out of it based on her performance.

#5 Dana Brooke

Nobody can deny that Dana works extremely hard

Nobody has been misused quite as badly as Dana Brooke has over the last 12 months, which is a shame given how much potential she has. Brooke was thrust into the spotlight when she probably wasn’t ready for such a big role, and while she spent the majority of her time on the sidelines as Charlotte’s valet, that’s not the role that she deserves.

But we aren’t here to talk about that – we’re here to talk about this match. Dana would be more than capable of further evening the odds in the face vs heel dynamic at this early stage, and while she may not get an actual elimination, her raw power and overall strength should be enough to garner a few pops from the Philadelphia crowd.

#6 Mandy Rose

From Total Divas to being featured on Raw, Mandy Rose’s journey to the big leagues has certainly been an interesting one. A few years back she was seen as nothing more than a blonde bimbo who had a great look, and yet in the present day, she’s being talked about as a future face of the women’s division.

That’s no accident, either, as Mandy has worked incredibly hard in order to get to this point in her career. Thankfully she hasn’t been exposed too much in the early stages of her main roster stint, and the same should happen in this match. As long as she sticks to the basics and focuses on helping her Absolution allies, then she’ll be just fine.

#7 Lita

We come to the first ‘surprise entrant’ on the list, and it’s a big one – Lita. The multi-time women’s champion is arguably one of the reasons why half of these women got into the business in the first place, and her impact in terms of altering the perception of women’s wrestling as a whole cannot be understated.

Her appearance at Raw 1000 a few years back highlighted that she can still go in the ring and while she may not have been continually training since then, we’re confident that she can still pull off one hell of a moonsault in order to get a big-time reaction from the crowd. It’d be fun, it’d be different, and it would have people talking for weeks and weeks.

#8 Kharma

Fans won’t be anticipating another surprise entrant so soon after the first, and that’s what will make the re-introduction of Kharma so special. Some fans may know her as Awesome Kong from Impact Wrestling, but she’s actually got a history in the WWE which stems from her short run with the company back in 2011.

Sure, things didn’t go to plan, and sure she’s already made a Rumble appearance before, but this would be different. The overwhelming power that this woman possesses will be enough to intimidate every single woman that’s left standing in the ring, and a few highlight reel eliminations will be more than enough to warrant her position in the match.

#9 Carmella

She may have the Money in the Bank briefcase, but the Princess of Staten Island will still be eager to cement her place in one of the women’s main events at WrestleMania. The valet turned in-ring performer is one of the more well-rounded characters on either Raw or SmackDown Live, and she can really flaunt that in this bout.

Obviously, she isn’t going to go all that far and there are limitations to what she can do in comparison to some of the other girls, but that’s not what ‘Mella is about. Sure, she’s more than capable of putting on a great match, but getting inside the head of her opposition is her strong point and she can use all the heel tactics in the book in order to help her cause.

#10 Liv Morgan

Liv Morgan could be something special one day

This is where things get really interesting, because for a long time now Liv Morgan has been seen as nothing more than Carmella 2.0 down in NXT. She’s slowly been improving, sure, but when you stack her up against some of the female stars that have come from developmental, there really is no comparison.

So why not have her square off against the very person that she’s always been measured up against? It may not exactly be a Rock-Hogan kind of standoff but it would definitely cause a reaction, especially considering that they’ve likely spent quite a lot of time together given their respective relationships with Enzo & Cass.

#11 Ruby Riott

Get ready for Riott — Get ready for a Riott

The big names keep on coming with Ruby Riott up next, and she’ll certainly have a point to prove. After the three women from Absolution had their say it’ll be time for the blue brand’s newest trio to hit back, and Riott will be more than capable of assisting fellow teammate Liv Morgan in disposing of one or two other competitors.

She’d likely fall out of contention relatively soon after entering, but as long as she keeps that ‘pitbull’ like mentality throughout the match then she’ll be fine. After all, many of us have always been told since childhood that it’s not about the size of the dog in the fight, but instead, that it’s about the size of the fight in the dog.

#12 Asuka

Game changer. Over halfway through the match, things really start to heat up with the introduction of The Empress of Tomorrow – Asuka. The Japanese sensation has been on fire ever since walking through the doors of the Performance Center, and this would be the perfect showcase in order to ‘wow’ the WWE Universe.

Asuka has been protected for quite some time now in regards to her unbeaten record, and this is a perfect opportunity for the WWE to really highlight the gap between herself and the rest of the roster. We’d have her eliminate four or five other women, before going on to actually win the match and face Alexa Bliss for the strap at Mania.

#13 Nia Jax

Nia Jax is an absolute machine in that ring

She’s not like most girls, and that’s a fact. Nia Jax has been grossly mishandled on the main roster and she’ll be the first person to admit that because as we’ve seen on social media, she isn’t someone who likes to bite her tongue. Jax has run through several of the women in this match beforehand in singles competition, and the Rumble will be no different.

Nia could even have a showdown with Kharma (if she’s still in the match), which would ultimately lead to Nia single-handedly eliminating her. That could end up leading to a Mania showdown in its own right, but in terms of the Rumble, we want to see Nia make it to the final two before being eliminated by Asuka in a similar fashion to Chris Benoit & Big Show.

#14 Sasha Banks

The Boss was always going to be involved in this match, and if her interviews are to be believed, then she may well be the one pushing for it more than any other woman on the roster. For that reason, she may have wanted to be put into the match a lot earlier than #14, but in our eyes, she’s better suited to making a late run in the contest.

Banks would likely be targeted right from the word go which would instantly put her under pressure, and that’s exactly the position she should be put in. Aside from Charlotte, she’s probably one of the most well-rounded performers in all of WWE, and the rest of the field knows that. We’d have her overcome some adversity before eventually being dumped out in the final four.

#15 Becky Lynch

Becky has been the female face of SD Live for some time now

Up next we’d have The Lasskicker herself Becky Lynch, in what would likely be something of a surprise return. After all, Becky has gone off to film a movie and will be gone for a few weeks, and upon returning we all know exactly who she’s going to be targeting – Ruby Riott and Liv Morgan.

The duo put her on the shelf and Becky will be out for revenge, which will make for a fascinating little sub-plot in the match. There’s a chance that it could be the catalyst for the whole thing descending into chaos, but come on, who doesn’t love that from time to time?

#16 Naomi

We’re into the final five and we’re kicking things off in style, with the queen of the glow – Naomi. The former SmackDown Live women’s champion is often overlooked in the discussion of ‘who’s the best’ when in reality, her athleticism alone is enough to warrant a place in that conversation.

Sure, Naomi may not be the best talker in the world, but that’s not where her strengths lie. Unfortunately, in this scenario, we’d have to cut her entrance down ever so slightly, but we’d still want to ensure that it plays a role in the match itself. Perhaps it could be used by an already eliminated Absolution as a chance to gain revenge on whoever dumped them over the top rope.

#17 Mickie James

Mickie James is one of the best to ever do it

Mickie James has always been known for being one of the greatest of all time, and that’s a deserved reputation. While many fans don’t respect her work as much as they should, when you analyse her performances over the last decade or so, it becomes crystal clear that there are very few women who can hold a candle to her abilities.

That’s why she has earned a place in this match and despite coming in so late, she’ll certainly be able to make a strong impression. We’ve seen her thrive under these kinds of scenarios before and she’ll do so again here, and given how many women she’s feuded with on the main roster, there are a plethora of stories that you could tell with her.

#18 Tamina

Tamina is critiqued more than most — Tamina is criticised more than most

Many fans will sigh and moan at the appearance of Tamina on this list, but you can’t fault her work ethic. Despite never being positioned as a top player on either Raw or SmackDown Live, Tamina has been a consistent member of the roster who has been more than capable of living up to her historic family name.

An appearance in the Royal Rumble would also give fans a chance to see Lana, which is something that’s never going to be considered a bad thing. After all, she’s probably one of the most over members of the entire roster, and whether you like her in-ring work or you don’t we all know that she’s better suited to being a valet.

#19 Peyton Royce

For our final shock entrance of the evening we’re going to turn towards NXT – and more specifically, we’re turning towards the Iconic Duo. Peyton Royce, alongside Billie Kay, has been able to completely transform her character over the last twelve months and she’s now one of the biggest stars on the women’s roster at Full Sail.

Having her weasel her way into the match so late in the day would be perfectly suited to her character, and most importantly, it doesn’t need to be a full-time thing. Royce will be just fine with returning to NXT for a few months after this, and in a lot of ways, this can be seen as a test drive before she joins the many other women who have graduated from the yellow ropes academy.

#20 Natalya

The final entrant needs to be someone who is going to get a big reaction from the crowd, and in our minds, it needs to be a heel. Natalya fits that description more so than most, and while she isn’t exactly drawing great heat right now, having her publically reveal where she’s going to enter for weeks beforehand could make for great television.

Her cockiness would obviously be her eventual undoing, but she’s about as dedicated as they come in terms of her work with the company and she has earned the right to make it to the bitter end. Asuka will likely eliminate her in the final four or five, but make no mistake about it, Nattie still has a great deal of upside.

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Edited by anirudh.b