2. Dolph Ziggler
Dolph Ziggler has had a tough time of it of late. After he won the Smackdown Money in the Back briefcase, it seemed like he would be on the fast track to the World Heavyweight Championship and the main event. That is yet to happen, and he has taken what seems an infinite amount of losses to the boot of Sheamus. He was then scheduled to face John Cena at Survivor Series, a match which could have escalated him into the main event conversation, but instead WWE Creative lost their nerve, put Cena into a match with Ryback and CM Punk, and put Dolph into the Surivor Series elimination match against Mick Foley for no particular reason. While he was the sole survivor, it still seemed like he was going nowhere. He has been feuding with Cena since, but is currently 3 - 1 down in win/loss terms. Though he beat Cena at TLC to retain his MITB briefcase, that was only due to interference by AJ. He was then paired with AJ and Big E. Langston from NXT, for no explicable reason, and has since been a side story to the one between AJ and Cena. On the last two Raws Dolph has faced Cena, and both times has probably produced the performance of the night. His in-ring skill is amongst the best, his selling is unrivalled, and his psychology has come on so much. Yet both times he has taken the loss. He has hit Cena with all of his finishers, been aided by outside interference, yet has still been pinned clean by one Cena finisher each time. He has been well and truly buried. It would be a surprise certainly if Dolph were to come out of all that and win the Rumble. But it would also be a huge moment similar to if Daniel Bryan won, and very interesting to see how it developed. Fans are very much behind him, and in some cities he has been getting pops normally only reserved for babyfaces. And of course he still has his MITB briefcase, which he can cash in for a World Heavyweight Title match at any time. If Dolph won the Rumble, he would have his title match at Wrestlemania. What if he were to perform as exceptionally as always, but lose, but then cash in his briefcase, and take the belt. It would be a first, and would make Dolph a huge talking point. The question is wheter WWE would have the nerve to finally back the talented Ziggler.