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The Road to WrestleMania is about to begin and the first stop o is the Royal Rumble on January 28.
The Royal Rumble is one of the most anticipated events in WWE with its unpredictable titular match taking precedence. After all, you never know who can show up once the countdown reaches 0.
The winner of the Royal Rumble match gets the opportunity to face his brand's champion during the main event of WrestleMania 34 which is a great prize. There are quite a few people getting their first crack at a Royal Rumble contest this year to add even more excitement and unpredictability to the event.
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Let's take a look at 5 men who might be making their Royal Rumble match debut this year and the reason why each superstar deserves to win.
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5: Finn Balor
Finn Balor scored a clean pinfall victory over Roman Reigns in a singles match during his first night on Raw. This was the mindset WWE's creative team had when the longest reigning NXT champion first arrived on the main roster. He became the inaugural Universal Champion defeating Seth Rollins at Summerslam 2016, but he suffered a shoulder injury and was out of action for 9 months following that.
Balor possesses the charisma and the in-ring talent to do great things in WWE. He is also yet to receive a one-on-one rematch for the title which he never really lost.
Imagine The Demon King's entrance at WrestleMania 34 and it's hard not to get excited. Balor could bring out the best in Brock Lesnar just like AJ Styles and the match might just steal the show.
4: Bobby Roode
Roode was one of the best heels of NXT but on Smackdown Live he has worked as a babyface since his debut. If WWE really wants to use Roode to his full potential, they might need to consider turning him heel once again.
The Glorious One is veteran when it comes to wrestling and can pull off a clutch performance. Throughout his career, he was a wicked heel who outsmarted his opponents with heel tactics. AJ Styles' agility against Roode's methodical moveset would create magic inside the squared circle. Also, Roode's Glorious theme song in a WrestleMania atmosphere could be a moment worthy of many highlight reels.
Both men have a long history from their TNA days so they know how to bring the house down with each other. The question is if Vince McMahon allow two of TNA's top guys to headline The Showcase of the Immortals.
3: Aleister Black
The man formally known as Tommy End is probably the least expected and most shocking of all on this list because he's still in NXT. But WWE has introduced NXT superstars in the Royal Rumble match before like Rusev in 2014 Rumble and Tye Dillinger in 2017 and if they do it again this year, Black is more than ready to make his main roster debut.
Black's match with The Velveteen Dream at NXT TakeOver: War Games was Match Of The Year worthy. Aleister Black is already a force to reckoned with and still undefeated in NXT singles competition, so why not carry that record to the main roster?
If Black won the Royal Rumble match and faced Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship there could be a big story there. Black's martial arts style against Lesnar's MMA style would be a treat to watch. Both Superstars were highly protected in 2017 and Black's undefeated streak vs Brock's Universal Title could make a pretty good storyline.
2: Samoa Joe
WWE has always booked Samoa Joe strong whether he's in a feud with Brock Lesnar for the Universal Title or he's facing anyone else just for the fun of administering some punishment. Joe has the presence of a monster and is lethal in promos. He is extremely agile for a man his size and can produce a great match when paired with the proper opponent.
Since debuting on the main roster, Joe is yet to taste any gold. Therefore, what better way than to win the big one at WrestleMania?
Very few guys can look menacing in the presence of Brock Lesnar and Joe is certainly one of them. If WWE booked Samoa Joe to win the Royal Rumble match it could create a captivating storyline as the Road To WrestleMania continues to a rematch between the Beast Incarnate and the Samoan Submission Machine.
1: Shinsuke Nakamura
The Phenomenal One vs The King of Strong Style at the grandest stage of them all would be pretty outstanding. If you have no idea what I am talking about, just watch their match at New Japan's Wrestle Kingdom 10 and imagine how epic it would be to put on that kind of showcase at WrestleMania.
The WWE Universe desperately wants the full movie for the trailer shown during Money In The Bank match when these two teased a confrontation as they met eyes in the middle of the ring.
It is hard to find something to complain about when booking a match like Styles vs Nakamura. Although Shinsuke Nakamura's main roster run has been disappointing so far, things can always change.
A Royal Rumble win could erase all those lacklustre memories and help Nakamura cement his legacy. Just the thought of 75 thousand or more people singing Nakamura's theme song inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome could be enough to book that WrestleMania moment into becoming a reality.
