5 Superstars who nearly won the WWE Royal Rumble

#4 Shayna Baszler almost won the 2020 Women's Royal Rumble match

The Queen of Spades was set to win the 2020 Women's Royal Rumble match, but these plans changed.

Shayna Baszler eventually earned a title shot the following month at the Elimination Chamber event. She went onto face then-RAW Women's Champion Becky Lynch at WrestleMania 36. But in hindsight, winning the Rumble could have been an even bigger moment for the rising superstar.

At the time, Dave Meltzer suggested the change was made on January 14 that year, as betting odds shifted in Charlotte Flair's favor that day. Charlotte, of course, went on to win the match. The reason for the change remains a mystery, but it shows that things in WWE are extremely fluid, especially during WrestleMania season.

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#3 John Cena almost won the 2012 Royal Rumble match

In 2012, John Cena was seemingly meant to face a remarkable dilemma on the road to WrestleMania, according to Wrestling Inc.

The report suggested that Vince McMahon pitched having John Cena be torn between challenging for the WWE Championship or facing The Rock at The Show of Shows. The company wanted this dilemma to play out on television each week until Cena finally made a decision.

Eventually, these plans were scrapped. Sheamus was ultimately chosen to win the Rumble match, and Cena didn't enter the contest at all.