Man Utd – AJ Styles
Manchester United have not been at the races for some years, but this year they’ve kept pace with the league leaders. AJ Styles has also threatened the title scene, going close against Drew McIntyre for the WWE Championship. Though a new title reign is still to come, AJ – and United – are back where they belong.
Newcastle – Jeff Hardy
The 43-year-old confirmed his entry to the Rumble via Twitter on January 18, having recently featured regularly alongside The New Day and Riddle on Raw.
Since both Hardy and Newcastle reached their peak in the mid to late 1990s, they’ve endured ups and downs. The Magpies had stints in the Championship, and are now struggling at the bottom end of the Premier League. Hardy still brings entertainment to the franchise, though like Newcastle, you can’t help but get the feeling that they could break any time now.
Sheff Utd – Dolph Ziggler
The Blades were a founding member of the Premier League and enjoyed many years in the top-flight; before an extended stay in the second tier. Chris Wilder secured a long-awaited return to the Premier League ahead of the 2019-20 season and defied all odds to finish ninth.
They have struggled to reproduce that form this season, sitting bottom of the table; but they are better than their two wins in 20 suggest. Dolph Ziggler, meanwhile, has endured a harsh form of his own. He has the most televised losses in WWE history, but he is better than that statistic suggests.
Southampton – Kevin Owens
Capable of halting the giants, Southampton offered the perfect proof with a hard-fought win over defending champions Liverpool earlier this month; and it’s still only the start of a fine transformation under manager Ralph Hasenhuttl. Kevin Owens, meanwhile, may already be considered a giant, and he’ll take on Roman Reigns (again) for the Universal Championship on Sunday. His frequent pursuit of Reigns and his title has shown he, like Southampton, is not afraid to stand up to the bullies of the division.
Tottenham Hotspur – The Miz
As the current holder of the Money in the Bank contract, The Miz effectively has a shot at a WWE title in his back pocket. Tottenham have been talked as title contenders during the last couple of seasons, but no silverware has come of it. So similarly, they both have yet to really convert an opportunity to contest the title into any concrete silverware to show for it (at least recently).
West Brom – Bobby Lashley
This one might be a tad controversial, as Bobby Lashley is currently the United States Champion. However, Lashley might be a strong figure, but he lacks character. West Brom, meanwhile, is 19th in the league with only two wins to their name. They are lacking inspiration, character and quality, which does not bode well in their bid to avoid relegation. Lashley has the potential to do damage in the Rumble, though he’s not among the favourites. But if you were to strip that title away from Lashley, what would be left?
West Ham – Big E
The Hammers have been performing well above expectation this season, and they find themselves in fifth after 20 matches.
Big E, meanwhile, has received a big push since going solo (again); and recently snatched the Intercontinental Championship off Sami Zayn, and later defended it against Apollo Crews. Although he has been fancied in some circles to win this year’s Rumble, it’s probably come too soon for Big E to make that jump. The Hammers too, I’m sure will eventually begin to tail off in the Champions League hunt.
Wolves – Keith Lee
The powerhouse has not been confirmed as a competitor in this year’s Rumble, though it is expected that he will surface. He has been lauded as a potential outsider to win the event or at least going a long way. Lee has outstanding quality, much like Wolves, and they’ve both only recently joined the main stage on a more permanent basis- Wolves returning to the Premier League in 2018-19, and Lee earning promotion to WWE’s main roster in August last year.