WWE Royal Rumble 2023: Predicting All 15 Wrestlers Not Yet Announced
The Rock might not be there, but these guys probably will be...
At time of writing, the announced list of entrants in the men's Royal Rumble match is rather strong - as opposed to the announced list of entrants in the women's Royal Rumble match, which wouldn't even make up a six-pack challenge.
Cody Rhodes, the expected favourite, is the man around whom the match has been built - to terrific effect. His painstaking road to recovery has been captured perfectly via intimate video packages that haven't remotely scanned as self-pity. Cody isn't a martyr begging for your sympathy. He is, and apologies for the wordplay, simply doing the work.
Ricochet, Santos Escobar, Kofi Kingston, Austin Theory, Seth 'Freakin'' Rollins, Bobby Lashley, Baron Corbin, Rey Mysterio, GUNTHER, Omos, Drew McIntyre, Sheamus, Braun Strowman and Karrion Kross round out the field.
Of that 14, there's a strong mix of workrate iron men and big lads who will take some eliminating (and Karrion Kross). Even if GUNTHER isn't winning, his presence will create drama.
Several more names are certain to be announced on SmackDown, and slots will be left open for the customary surprise appearances - but who is most likely to draw from the tumbler...?
15. Dominik Mysterio
Dominik and Rey Mysterio must interact, will interact, and Dom must wear his obnoxious, deluded grin when they interact.
Rey doesn't want to fight or even hurt Dom, but they're working a WrestleMania match, so that story must be advanced. The Rumble, with its many moving parts, is the ideal vehicle with which to achieve that. Rey can (and should) eliminate Dom by accident, and - this doesn't write itself, Triple H has elegantly driven the story to this point - he has the ideal move with which to do it.
Rey hits somebody or other with the 619, they stumble back, and knock a gloating tw*t Dom off the apron.
Rey is crushed, Dom is incensed, and the match will be set after the Judgment Day use the elimination as motivation to beat Rey down so hard that he'll have no choice.
Damian Priest will have to do most of the work there, obviously.