WWE Royal Rumble 2019: 10 Surprise Entrants We Could See
6. Rob Van Dam
Look down the list of potential returns and you'll find very few names that WWE haven't already pulled off in the past few years. Almost everyone of note has re-emerged at some point. There are still midcarders like Carlito and MVP, and both are certainly worth a shout for the Royal Rumble, but given that he's a former World Champion, Rob Van Dam is a sexier option.
RVD hasn't been seen in the company since August 2014, so enough time has passed to guarantee a good pop. Like Rey Mysterio last year, he could come down, run through his signature spots, get the audience fired up, perhaps score an elimination, then let a full-timer claim his scalp. Easy.
Van Dam's shock appearance in the 2009 Rumble generated a great reaction too, so why not do it again a decade later.
Another full-time run is probably out of the question for the 47-year-old, particularly when you consider RVD's wear and tear, but he was semi-active on the American and Australian indie circuits in 2018. This means he's probably in good enough shape for the Rumble, keeping him a realistic option.