WWE Royal Rumble 2022: 10 Surprise Entrants We Could See

3. Rhino

Rhino Impact
Impact Wrestling

News that WWE were open to the idea of finding a "Forbidden Door" entrant from another promotion for the men's Royal Rumble drove fantasy bookers around the bend. Names from AEW, IMPACT Wrestling, and almost every other corner of the wrestling universe immediately entered the conversation, though betting on a huge, internet-breaking name showing up would be wasted money.

It won't be an AEW wrestler. After the colossal own-goal (for WWE) that was Chris Jericho's Broken Skull Sessions appearance last year, which helped spike Google searches and Dynamite's viewership, Vince McMahon isn't going to attract further attention to the rival promotion by featuring one of their guys. Similarly, hell will freeze over before lifelong wrestling fan Tony Khan looks at WWE's decades-long history of anti-competitive practices and says "yes, that's a company I need to collaborate with."

As with Mickie James, if it happens, it'll probably be somebody from IMPACT Wrestling.

Somebody WWE audiences are already familiar with, who fits the mould as a nostalgic midcard popper a la Carlito and Hurricane Helms.

Rhino.

Somebody's getting Gored. That'd be fun.

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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.