As we are all fully aware, the Royal Rumble match is one of the greatest days of the year. Forget Easter, Christmas or even your birthday, because none of them will provide the kind of excitement that the Rumble will. The 30-man over the top Battle Royale is pretty much the most fun event on the WWE calendar, and there's a good reason for that.
Whether it's a brutal elimination or a shocking surprise entrant, you can never go wrong with a bit of Rumble drama. Every year it signifies the beginning of the Road to WrestleMania, and that on its own is enough to raise the eyebrows of fans around the world. However, maybe this time round the WWE can try something a little bit different.
We all know about the overblown 'rivalry' between WWE and UFC that doesn't really exist, but what some people fail to realise is that they've agreed to work together on more than one occasion. Whether it was Ronda's appearance at WrestleMania 31 or Lesnar's UFC 200 fight, both sides are willing to play ball given the right timing.
So with that being said and with the January spectacular right around the corner, let's look at five UFC stars who could be great surprise entrants into the 2017 Royal Rumble match.
#5 Ronda Rousey
Now before people start getting a tad wound up about this entry, let us explain. Women being in the Royal Rumble match is something that's happened in the past with the likes of Beth Phoenix and Kharma trying their luck in the male-dominated field, and we all know that WWE has been keen to bring Ronda Rousey over now for quite some time.
So really, why not pull the trigger on this?
It would completely get across the point of her being a dominant Superstar, as she could unload on several mid-carders that are in the ring. Her theme music may be an issue, but if they manage to get the track she used over in the UFC, then a good portion of the crowd will likely know who it is that's coming down to the ring.
Rousey's star is diminishing with each passing day, so it's better to do this sooner rather than later. Now onto another megastar of the current and future UFC product.
#4 Conor McGregor
It just had to be, really. Conor McGregor is the biggest star in MMA today and anyone who doubts that clearly doesn't browse the internet very often. The Notorious One has created a legacy for himself during his last few years in the company, and it's no surprise that WWE has been sniffing around for a future appearance from Conor.
After all, who wouldn't want to get a piece of that publicity?
Depending on who is in the ring at the time, McGregor could be a welcome addition to the Rumble match. The majority of the crowd would go mad upon seeing him walk down the ramp, and the unpredictability of what he would do and who he would go after could make for some marvellous viewing for the WWE Universe.
If Vince wants this to be the best Rumble of all time, this is one way to accomplish that. From the Lightweight division to something a little bit bigger.
#3 Anthony Johnson
Anthony Johnson is one of the ‘baddest’ men on the planet, and if you don't believe that then you're seriously kidding yourself. The guy is one of the most lethal knockout artists in the history of the UFC, and his abilities inside the Octagon are nothing short of phenomenal.
If you want a Royal Rumble entrant who is going to completely run through the men stood in front of him, then Johnson is the way to go.
Of course, in terms of name value, a lot of people may not place much stock in this guy. However much like Rusev back in 2014, after 30 seconds you'll know exactly why you should get behind him. It seems like only a matter of time until Johnson becomes World Champion, and before that day comes WWE needs to capitalise on his momentum.
From one of the scariest possibilities to one of the most entertaining.
#2 Michael Bisping
If you want to bring in a UFC star for entertainment value, Michael Bisping is potentially the WWE's best bet.
The guy is one of the best talkers in the entire sport of MMA, and he knows how to sell a fight to the audience. Not only that, but the World Champion backs up his words inside the Octagon and over the years has scratched and clawed to get all the way to the top.
If that isn't an inspirational story and a bonafide bad ass, then nothing is. If the WWE is smart then it will do something with Bisping over the next few years, with a Rumble appearance being perhaps one of the better ideas that they could use. After all, there's likely to be a few UK fans in the Alamodome on that night.
We conclude with a man who could create quite the staredown with one competitor in particular.
#1 Alistair Overeem
If you don't know who Alistair Overeem is, then we suggest you Google the guy. The Dutch fighter was Brock Lesnar's final fight in the UFC before the Beast Incarnate swapped the Octagon for the squared circle, and as such, we can't imagine the two are the best of friends to this day.
If Lesnar is already in the ring when Overeem's number is called or vice versa, we could be in for an absolute war.
A lot of the audience will probably know who he is, and for the fans at home, the likes of Michael Cole and Corey Graves can fill them in on Overeem's past with Brock. He's big, he's intimidating and he could even get an extended run in professional wrestling out of it. God knows he's certainly got the right physique.
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