Every WWE fan loves the unexpected.
There are still several entrant slots open for the 2018 Royal Rumble. And although most of those slots will be filled by Sunday afternoon, WWE always leaves a few open for surprise guests, which we have a few guesses on too. Thanks to social media, however, it's getting harder and harder to trick fans. All it takes is one guy with a camera outside the Sheraton, and the big surprise is ruined.
That's not what this gallery is about; none of the wrestlers on this list have been confirmed, neither officially nor unofficially. These are the rumored entrants that have been circulating the dirt sheets for the past couple of weeks. If you want to see all the confirmed entrants for this year's event, click here.
Have a happy Rumble weekend!
Kharma
Kharma has made it publicly known that she is available and hopeful about participating in the Rumble match. She also notes, however, that WWE hasn't contacted her. But WWE still has 12 slots available for the women's Rumble. Perhaps there's still room for her.
Kharma--more widely known as Awesome Kong, from her TNA days--never got her due in WWE. She was brought on board in 2011, and she participated in only one match: the 2012 Royal Rumble, where she eliminated Hunico before being eliminated herself. Most recently, she's been starring on Netflix's GLOW, but it would be a treat to see her squash the latest crop of women wrestlers this Sunday.
Batista
Even though he's now a Marvel superhero, Batista has publicly expressed his desire to return to WWE for one more run--not just to make a one-off appearance, but to work a full-time schedule. What better way to kick it off than entering the Royal Rumble?
The last time Batista was in WWE, he left with a genuine sense of disappointment. He thought he would be hailed as a returning hero, but instead, all the fans turned on him because he wasn't Daniel Bryan. If he returned to WWE, he might get the victory lap he deserves.
Ricochet
The NJPW superstar signed with WWE this year, and he is currently training at the WWE Performance Center. WWE has made it clear that going forward, any newly signed, full-time talent must go through the NXT system before moving to the main roster; AJ Styles was the final, notable exception.
But Ricochet is no rookie; he's been an active competitor in the business for over a decade. And since the Royal Rumble crowd usually has a high percentage of die-hard fans, he'll get a tremendous reaction if he so much as shows his face.
Ethan Carter III
The Top Man has been Heavyweight champion several times over on the indie circuit. And he almost made it to WWE's main roster years ago; he bounced from Ohio Valley Wrestling to Florida Championship Wrestling to NXT, but he was released from his developmental contract in 2013.
EC3 recently cancelled his scheduled appearance with Renegade Wrestling Revolution in Houston on January 28. The promotion states that it is due to a personal, family matter. But since the event is on the same day as the Rumble, it's caused some obvious speculation.
Michelle McCool
It's been confirmed that former Divas and Women's Champion Michelle McCool is in talks with WWE about a Royal Rumble appearance, but nothing has been agreed upon, one way or the other. But she did appear at the Raw 25th anniversary show. And because she's married to The Undertaker, WWE has a big incentive to keep her happy.
LayCool was one of the best heel acts in the pre-Women's Revolution era, and even though she won't win the whole Rumble, she'll create a perfect opportunity for a nostalgic confrontation. It's almost certain that Mickie James--or as Laycool once called her, 'Piggie James'--has some scores to settle.
Ronda Rousey
This has been speculated since at least 2015, when the former UFC champion made a cameo appearance at WrestleMania 31 and threatened to break Stephanie McMahon's arm. Recent Rousey appearances--at the Mae Young Women's Classic, and at dinner with Triple H in Los Angeles--have only increased the buzz.
Rousey threw some cold water on the rumor this week, noting that she's in Colombia to finish filming her role in Mile 22. Still, she could catch a red eye flight—WWE has done far more extreme things to surprise fans in the past.
Daniel Bryan
This is unlikely but nevertheless, has been discussed backstage as a possibility. Bryan retired in 2016 due to concussion-related issues, but Bryan has continually pushed back against those diagnoses, noting that non-WWE doctors have said that he is fit to compete, and that his reflexes, though diminished, still fall within the normal range.
Should Bryan enter the Rumble, he would almost certainly have to win it. He wouldn't even need to spend too long in the ring to win it, especially if he entered at No. 30.
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