WWE Royal Rumble 2017: Ranking 10 Most Likely Winners
5. Kevin Owens
It's been a wild year and a half for Kevin Owens. When the reigning NXT Champion made his main roster debut in 2015 with a clean victory over John Cena, many fans thought that the wrestling paradigm had changed and the new top heel in the sport had emerged. Cena subsequently scored two victories over Owens and proved that it wasn't true.
Still, Owens hung in there with great performances, experiencing highs (like a pair of Intercontinental Title victories) and lows (clean losses to the underpushed Neville on TV). Finally, he settled into a spot as a strong heel who wasn't quite pushed hard enough, but Seth Rollins's injury opened up a door. Owens took that opportunity to become the Universal Champion.
Less than four months out from the Rumble, Owens is the champion, but a lot can change between now and then. He probably should retain the championship until WrestleMania, but if he loses it before January, he has to be considered a major contender to pick up victory in the Royal Rumble. After all, it looks like he's finally made it.