WWE Royal Rumble 2018: Predicting All 30 Entrants

2. Shinsuke Nakamura

Royal Rumble 2018
WWE.com

Main roster life hasn't been kind to Shinsuke Nakamura. No longer the attention-grabbing special attraction of old, he has become part of the furniture on SmackDown, with 50/50 booking, overexposure, and lacklusture bouts draining his aura. Nonetheless, his popularity endures, and an impressive Royal Rumble showing would be one hell of a repair job.

WWE have already burned first-time bouts with John Cena and Randy Orton on free television, but one dream opponent remains: AJ Styles.

This is the 'Mania bout people want to see, and Shinsuke winning the Rumble is the easiest way to get there. It'd be a tremendous title fight, with Styles, the consensus best wrestler in the company, sure to draw a lively performance from the inconsistent Nakamura.

Their NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 10 clash is a stone cold classic. They'd have to contend with WWE's hefty in-ring restrictions this time, but there's little reason to believe they wouldn't deliver another Match Of The Year candidate at 2018's biggest show.

Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.