10 Wrestlers Who Deserve Big Push After WWE Royal Rumble 2017
Who were the Rumble's real winners, and where do they go from here?
2017, much like the year before it, will likely go down as one of the most divisive Royal Rumbles in recent memory. Built almost entirely around Braun Strowman's rampage, a trio of ageing part-timers, and Roman Reigns' entrance at number 30, this year's Rumble delighted and frustrated in equal measure, with the lack of major surprises proving particularly disappointing.
Whether you loved or hated the Rumble itself, however, it's hard to argue against the pay-per-view's all-round quality. AJ Styles vs. John Cena was fantastic, Roman Reigns vs. Kevin Owens wasn't far behind it, and the Cruiserweight and Raw Women's title bouts were very strong themselves. More importantly, each of the night's contests established a clear new direction for the performers involved, and set WWE on the long, winding road to WrestleMania.
The likes of AJ Styles and Roman Reigns may fall down the pecking order after losing their respective opportunities, but there are a number of wrestlers itching to reach out and grab their spots. The Rumble didn't produce a vast amount of star-making performances, but it gave a number of wrestlers the perfect springboard for 2017. Many wrestlers left San Antonio in a stronger position than when they'd walked in, and their careers are ready to take-off.
From slight nudges up the card to huge main event runs, here are 10 wrestlers ready for a bigger push after WWE Royal Rumble 2017.
10. Naomi
SmackDown’s writers have generally done a good job of utilising all of their female competitors since the 2016 draft, but Naomi is a notable exception. While the likes of Natalya, Carmella, and Alexa Bliss have slotted effortlessly into prominent new roles, Naomi hasn’t been given a single major storyline since the Brand Split, and is primarily used to fill-up the babyface side in listless tag matches.
That all changed at the Royal Rumble. Naomi pinned Bliss, the SmackDown Women’s Champion, during the Kickoff Show’s six-women tag match. It’s her second clean win over Bliss after pinning her at No Mercy 2016, and Naomi followed-up with another victory over the champ on this week’s SmackDown. The end result? A chance at becoming Women’s Champion at Elimination Chamber on February 12th.
Naomi is comfortably the most underused woman on SmackDown today. She doesn’t necessarily have as strong a personality as a Becky Lynch or Alexa Bliss, but she’s one of the most naturally athletic performers in the division, and an underrated wrestler. Elimination Chamber probably won’t see her win the title, but it should result in a push up the pecking order. SD could use another convincing female babyface at the moment, and Naomi is perfectly positioned to fill that void.