5 superstars who could have won the 2022 men's Royal Rumble instead of Brock Lesnar

#4. Kevin Owens could have won the Royal Rumble to receive an overdue WrestleMania main event

A victory for Kevin Owens would have turned many heads in the right direction. Despite being one of WWE's most decorated superstars, Owens has yet to achieve a milestone on the level of winning a Royal Rumble match and main eventing WrestleMania.

Since re-signing with WWE in December, Owens not only seems more invigorated but has seen himself propelled back up into the main event and WWE title scene.

Over the past few weeks, Owens has teased the possibility of wanting to main event WrestleMania for the Universal Championship alongside new ally Seth Rollins. Unfortunately, after tonight, such hopes seem rather conclusively dashed.

Owens winning the Rumble would have arguably been a genuine surprise to the viewers who would at the same time receive him positively as a formidable candidate for the WWE or Universal Championship.

A WrestleMania main event is long overdue for the Prizefighter, and he is more deserving of another run at the very top of WWE.

When put in the top spot, Owens does not disappoint, and a Royal Rumble win for him would have been a well-deserved achievement.

Although a chance at the top may have passed Owens by this time, it is quite likely that another fruitful opportunity will soon present itself.

#3. AJ Styles could have won the Royal Rumble for one last run at the top

AJ Styles is without a doubt one of the greatest professional wrestlers of this generation, if not of all time.

The Phenomenal One made his debut in a Royal Rumble match. He joined the WWE fairly late in his career. Despite that, he has gone on to become one of the company's most accomplished wrestlers.

However, at the age of 44 and with a career lasting over two decades, The Phenomenal One's days at the top are numbered.

Having recently turned back into a face and having shown his ability and willingness to work on getting newer talent over, Styles is more than deserving of one last big run at the top before winding it down slightly.

Having entered at #1 in this year's match, Styles could have easily put on a valiant "ironman" performance and would have undoubtedly been received very well should he have won the match.

The beauty of an AJ Styles victory would be the fact that he would not even have to win his title match at WrestleMania. Just with him there in a main event match of that caliber, the fans are basically guaranteed an instant classic that would make both Styles and whoever his opponent is, look amazing.

However, considering the fact that he is now in the latter stages of his career, a Rumble win for Styles would be best used to propel him to the very top of WWE one final time.

Although Styles won't hang up his boots for good yet, it is more than likely that he will be used more to get younger superstars over.

A Royal Rumble win and a subsequent main event run for Styles would not only be a fitting reward for an accomplished veteran but also an instant credibility booster for anyone he fights after.