4. The Eliminator
Someone in the Rumble is going to come in and clear out the dead wood, like a lumberjack on coke. Historically no one did more damage than Kane with his 11 eliminations in 2001, and since then no one has even got into double figures. If WWE wants to make a superstar look truly dangerous then giving them a load of jobbers to throw about is a great way to go in my book.
What Must Happen: Big E Langston. Big E seems to have improved massively since he moved over from NXT. Yes, he is still a bit green, and I wouldn't want to watch him go for an hour against Ricky Steamboat, but he is definitely a talent they should keep strong. One thing you can't argue about with this young man is his power. There can be no doubt that he could use his physicality to have a real impact on this Rumble. Like Reigns, I don't think this is Big E's time to win the whole event, that would be too much too soon, but letting him tear through the roster like a man possessed would show some real momentum for the coming year. There are some big guys in the mid-card (Ryback or Khali come to mind) and Big E shoving these behemoths aside could be the perfect way to keep his ascent looking strong. And if he launched Heath Slater like a javelin over the top rope you wouldn't hear me complaining, in fact you'd probably hear me clapping like a drunken seal.
What Could Happen: Big Show The Big Show has not competed on Raw since December 16th, and when he returns he is often in a foul mood. This doesn't bode well for opponents of the World's Largest Athlete, as his returns are often emphatic. No one would be surprised at the Big Show returning and causing a huge mess of everyone in the Royal Rumble. Over the last few years Show has flopped from heel to face like a fresh fish. That being said I'd think that he's going to maintain his role as the immovable object against the Authority. Show's days for main eventing the greatest stage of them all are probably gone, but smashing through the Shield, or the Wyatts doesn't seem beyond the realms of possibility. Show's largest haul was 6 eliminations in 2009, so don't be surprised if a returning Show gets near to this figure again. There's always the possibility of some scary looking ejections from Big Show, and as long as he can find some lunatic willing to take the bumps (Seth Rollins, I'm looking at you) then all will be good.