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WWE Hall of Famer Pat Patterson was the mastermind behind the annual Royal Rumble event. The first Rumble was held in 1988 and has since become a yearly tradition. The Royal Rumble is one of WWE's "Big Four" events, along with WrestleMania, Survivor Series, and SummerSlam.
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Each year's Royal Rumble is highlighted by the Royal Rumble Match, which is typically a 30-man battle royal where the winner gets a title match, typically at WrestleMania. One of the most exciting components of this match is the surprises that often occur in the Rumble match.
Here is a look at five non-WWE stars who might show up at this year's Royal Rumble.
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#5 - 5-time WWE Tag Team Champion Heath Slater
After nearly 15 years with the company, Heath Slater fell victim to the 2020 COVID-19 budget cut releases, which led to the departures of numerous superstars.
During Heath's WWE run, he was known primarily as a tag team specialist, with five tag title reigns to his credit. Slater made his main roster debut in 2010 as a member of The Nexus, a heel stable consisting primarily of unheard-of talent from the developmental system.
After honoring his no-compete clause, Heath made his IMPACT Wrestling debut at the 2020 Slammiversary pay-per-view. During his time with IMPACT, Heath reunited with his old partner, Rhino, and the duo went on to win the IMPACT Tag Team titles in 2022.
Heath's IMPACT contract expired in October 2023, which has led to speculation that he could make a WWE return. While he was never a main event caliber star, Heath's Royal Rumble appearance would be a welcome sight for the fans.
#4 - Former MLW World Heavyweight Champion Jacob Fatu
The legendary Anoa'i wrestling family has been in the spotlight in recent years, primarily thanks to Roman Reigns and The Bloodline's saga. This storyline has been one of the most captivating angles in recent memory, especially considering the real-life family connection.
With that said, there is one non-WWE star who is looking for an opportunity and might fit in perfectly with his family. That person is Jacob Fatu from MLW.
Jacob is the son of the legend known as The Tonga Kid, Sam Fatu. He was trained by his uncle, Rikishi, and has established himself as one of the top stars in Major League Wrestling. In fact, Jacob is the longest-reigning MLW World Heavyweight Champion in the company's history at 819 days.
Fatu is a true member of The Bloodline. There have been rumors in the past about Jacob possibly signing with WWE. The Talent is there, and the time has never been better than now. Jacob Fatu could make a huge impact as a surprise entrant in the Royal Rumble match.
#3 - AAA Mega Champion El Hijo del Vikingo
One of the most underrated stars of 2023 was Mexican megastar El Hijo del Vikingo. When the 2023 PWI 500 was released, Vikingo was ranked as the #5 wrestler in the world. He had a stellar year, which also included an instant classic bout on AEW Dynamite, where he defeated Kenny Omega.
Vikingo carried AAA Wrestling for the past couple of years as the top star in the company. At the 2021 Triplemania Regia pay-per-view, he defeated Bobby Fish, Bandido, Jay Lethal, and Samuray del Sol in a 5-way match to become the AAA Mega Champion.
For nearly 800 days now, Vikingo has carried and defended that very title. It may be a long shot, but the Mexican star would be a huge acquisition for WWE if the company can land him.
#2 - Former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada
The top prize in Japanese professional wrestling has long been the IWGP Heavyweight Championship (now the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship). This title has been held by many legends throughout the years, including Vader, Shinsuke Nakamura, AJ Styles, Kenny Omega, and Brock Lesnar, just to name a few.
However, the star who has held this title for more days than anyone is Kazuchika Okada.
Okada is globally recognized as one of the best professional wrestlers today. After a huge win over Bryan Danielson at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 18, The Rainmaker is set to make an appearance at the upcoming TNA "Snake Eyes" TV tapings in Las Vegas.
With that in mind, considering Okada will already be in the United States, it makes the thought of him showing up at The Royal Rumble even more possible.
#1. Former WWE Intercontinental Champion Matt Cardona
When WWE unveiled its list of superstars who had been released due to COVID-19 budget cuts, many were shocked to hear that Zack Ryder was among the names. After 15 years of loyalty to WWE, Ryder was a free agent.
During his time with the company, he was not necessarily known for being a main event caliber star. However, he did have moments of greatness, such as winning the Intercontinental title at WrestleMania 32. But even that WrestleMania moment was tarnished as he lost the title to The Miz the very next night. This was typical of how WWE booked Cardona throughout his career.
Since his departure, Matt Cardona has lived the main event lifestyle that he was not privy to while with WWE. The self-proclaimed Death Match King has ignited fan excitement everywhere with his antics and shocking title wins.
Cardona nearly started a riot when he defeated Nick Gage to win the GCW World Championship. It's also worth noting that he won the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship at the PowerrrTrip pay-per-view in 2022.
Who would you like to see show up at Royal Rumble 2024? Let us know in the comments section below!
