The annual Royal Rumble event is this weekend and will kick Wrestlemania season into gear. This year’s rumble match has extra intrigue as Roman Reigns’ WWE World Heavyweight Championship will be up for grabs.
What is interesting is that the event will air from Orlando, home of the NXT Performance Center. The NXT roster are set to be in attendance, but will any NXT superstars be featured in the Royal Rumble match?
Bo Dallas and Rusev have both appeared in recent rumble matches before permanently stepping up to the main roster.
And while there wasn’t any NXT involvement in last year’s disappointing rumble, with it being in Orlando, it would seem plausible for some NXT stars to enter the fray.
Here are five NXT stars who would be a good choice to appear in the Royal Rumble match.
Sami Zayn
Sami Zayn only recently returned to NXT having been on the sidelines for a considerable period because of a shoulder injury. That injury was suffered upon his entrance to the ring when he faced John Cena on Raw for the United States Championship. Despite the injury, Zayn looked like a star and went toe-to-toe with the face of the company – so much so that Cena held Zayn’s arm up high after the match.
The reaction he got was incredible too. Granted it was in his hometown of Montreal, but the crowd really did go berserk when Bret Hart introduced him.
He could get a similar level of reaction should he e]nter the Royal Rumble on Sunday. Speaking on Breaking Ground, Zayn himself was unsure whether he would be on the main roster or not upon his return for injury.
He has been in NXT for the past few weeks and has made it clear that he wants to become the first two-time NXT Champion. But it would be great to see him mix it with the big boys in the rumble – especially if long-time foe Kevin Owens is in there.
Hideo Itami
Like Zayn, Hideo Itami has also already made his WWE debut – appearing in the Andre the Giant Battle Royal at last year’s Wrestlemania and he got a fairly big reaction on the big stage too.
Itami was on a real roll in NXT before suffering an unfortunate injury that has caused him to miss much of NXT’s rise – including both takeovers in Brooklyn and London. Before he was injured, he was placed in a No.1 contenders match for the NXT Championship which was eventually won by Finn Balor in Japan. Many believe that spot was for Itami and he was to win the gold at the Beast in the East show.
Tye Dillinger
In contrast, Tye Dillinger has had a different path in NXT. He has had two separate stints in WWE, notably wrestling under the name Gavin Spears in the relaunched ECW in 2008 and 2009. But he was released and found himself back on the independent circuits before re-joining the developmental system again in 2013. For a while though, Dillinger was rather directionless until he reinvented himself with ‘the Perfect 10’ gimmick which has been a hit with the NXT audience.
Tyler Breeze has a similar character type and his main roster run hasn’t been memorable so far. But if any, the best time to debut Dillinger would be on Sunday and it would even better if he entered as No.10.
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Apollo Crews
Apollo Crews hasn’t been in NXT that long after making his debut in August’s NXT Takeover in Brooklyn. But he has been a prolific name on the Indies, performing as ‘Uhaa Nation’.
And he is already one of the most popular stars in NXT, boasting remarkable physical and athletic abilities – freakishly strong and agile.
He has still got unfinished business in NXT and will square off against Finn Balor at the Orlando tapings. But putting him in the Royal Rumble could be a wise move if he is allowed to excite the crowd and showcase talents.
Samoa Joe
Last but certainly not least is Samoa Joe, who is already an established talent in the world of wrestling from various stints in Ring of Honor, TNA and Pro Wrestling NOAH. His debut in NXT in May 2015 was met with huge excitement when he stopped Kevin Owens from destroying a crocked
Now, though, he is operating as a heel and has a vicious, impactful style in the ring. Unlike many in NXT, Joe needs no development and so is ready for a spot on the main roster if booked correctly.
