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WWE's big Royal Rumble event is coming up on January 28 and will jumpstart the Road To WrestleMania. There are always certain to be more than a few surprises along the way as WWE hits the straight-stretch toward the Show Of Shows, and the Royal Rumble is a perfect place for all that to begin.
Let's take a look at 5 men who could win the 2018 Royal Rumble and explore some of the reasoning why it could work from a booking perspective.
#1 Roman Reigns
Let's start off with The Big Dog because he's certainly a favourite to win anyway. The Shield's comeback meant a huge babyface push for Reigns and it looks like he's well on his way to becoming the top babyface of the company just like Vince McMahon has dreamed about for years.
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WrestleMania 34 seems to be the place where it will all go down for Reigns and if he can pull off another Royal Rumble win here and go onto the Show Of Shows to be the first guy in forever to kick out of Lesnar's punishing F5, it could seal the deal on his babyface status.
#2 Samoa Joe
After being totally ready to wrestle at WrestleMania 33 and snubbed out of even a run-in role during the event, Samoa Joe needs to have something big coming to him. After all, few crowd chants are as certain as to when Samoa Joe makes his entrance and everyone shouts, "Joe" in unison.
If The Samoan Submission Machine pulled out a big win at the Royal Rumble to cement his spot in the main event of WrestleMania 34 it could be a big deal. WWE could strap a rocket to Joe's back and send him straight to the top of the roster.
After all, his battle against Brock Lesnar at Great Balls Of Fire was pretty excellent and many fans would love to see part two of that feud.
#3 Shinsuke Nakamura
Vince McMahon might have never seen the Wrestle Kingdom 10, therefore, he might not realize the kind of magic he could have on his hands by placing AJ Styles against Nakamura, but the fans certainly do. Although The Phenomenal One and The King Of Strong Style might be on the same side right now, things can always change if a title shot is put in the mix.
WWE could even play this off as a program built out of respect. But one thing's for sure, Shinsuke Nakamura winning the Royal Rumble would blow the roof off of the Wells Fargo Center.
#4 John Cena
No matter which team Cena is playing for, he's going to be a big draw. Super Cena has seen his share of the limelight at the Show Of Shows, but a Royal Rumble win at this stage in his career could prove a lot to the fans and his loyalty to the WWE. His return to TV is all but confirmed as per advertisements for next month and could make a splash at the Rumble.
Cena has been travelling around promoting everything under the sun that he's been a part of therefore, he hasn't been on WWE television as often. But one big run on the Road To WrestleMania could be a lot of fun to watch. Especially if he's squaring off against AJ Styles in the process.
How does a bout with Brock Lesnar sound? Cena and Lesnar have faced each other in some high-profile matches. Heck, both have even teamed up with each other in case you don't remember:
Lesnar vs. Cena may not pander to the smarks but is a WrestleMania worthy encounter nonetheless.
#5 Jason Jordan
This one is totally hypothetical (as is every entry in this list) but it looks like Jason Jordan could be shaping up to be a great heel. Vince McMahon might not be the best at creating a top babyface overnight, but he can do wonders with a heel champion. After all, he transformed Jinder Mahal into the Modern Day Maharaja seemingly overnight and at No Mercy, he swooped in and picked up Randy Orton's WWE Championship.
This might not result in a WWE Universal Championship win for Jordan. But he does have a boatload of wrestling ability and possesses the chops to scrap with a guy like Brock Lesnar and put on a great show. The program leading up to the big match might also be captivating to witness as Jason Jordan struggled to not only prove his worth to the fans but also, his father Kurt Angle who also has a history with The Beast Incarnate.
