10 Potential WWE Royal Rumble 2018 Winners
5. Samoa Joe
![Samoa Joe Extreme Rules](https://cdn3.whatculture.com/images/2017/06/9d22c6d035a74a98-600x338.jpg)
The 'Samoan Submission Machine' was the popular outside bet to win the 2017 Royal Rumble. Samoa Joe hadn’t even made his main roster debut at that point, but critics and fans alike were hypothesising that the former NXT Champion was on his way to a WrestleMania showdown with John Cena. That belief stayed strong all the way up until a second after the countdown ended for number 30, when Roman Reigns strode out to the ring.
Is Joe in a stronger position now? Without a shadow of a doubt, yes. Despite his recent injury, Joe’s stock has risen exponentially in 2017. A summer feud with Brock Lesnar established him as a top guy, no matter how quickly their match ended. Joe isn’t a favourite for the 2018 Rumble, but he is definitely in the conversation.
The John Cena vs. Samoa Joe match that many predicted for WrestleMania 33 could well take place next year instead. Joe is a top tier performer in WWE, but a major accolade is yet to come his way. Royal Rumble 2018 is the place to change that.