2025 WWE Men’s Royal Rumble: Predicting 5 Surprise Entrants

The Legend: X-Pac

One of the youngest members of legendary factions, the NWO and Degeneration X, Sean Waltman, better known as X-Pac, still looks like he can go. Waltman last wrestled in 2022 for Game Changer Wrestling but looks to have kept in good shape. With friends Triple H as WWE Chief Content Officer and Shawn Michaels, pretty much running NXT, X-Pac has a path to in-ring action. Waltman was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame twice as a part of the NWO and D-X and remains a very popular personality. 

The return of Saturday Night's Main Event and Monday's announcement of the WWE2K5 release date certainly has the WWE Universe in a nostalgic period. As promotion for the March debut of WWE's videogame ramps up, an opportunity is there to bring back this legend to a premier event.

Who do you think will be the Royal Rumble's biggest surprise participant? Leave your pick in the comments.

The Announcer: Pat McAfee

This one seems like a no-brainer. Not only is Pat McAfee one of the announcers for Monday Night Raw, but he is loved in Indianapolis. McAfee was a punter for the Colts from 2009-2016, earning two Pro Bowl nods and an All-Pro selection. He also brings significant cross-over appeal thanks to his immensely popular The Pat McAfee Show on ESPN and as a panelist on College GameDay. McAfee will already be ringside as he is set to call the event and is no stranger to being in the squared circle. The 37-year-old had a match against The Miz at Wrestlemania 39.

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The Jilted: Corey Graves

The man who was recently demoted when McAfee returned to Monday Night Raw's announce desk is another announcer entrant that makes a ton of sense. Corey Graves was moved to NXT from Smackdown when Rajumpedmp to Netflix. Graves held the gig for a year-plus, but with the announcers shake-up that shifted Joe Tessitore from Raw to Smackdown, Graves was the odd man out. He has been an announcer for WWE since 2016, after he was forced to medically retire from in-ring competition.

Graves made it clear he was not pleased with the move after posting a now-deleted message on social media, voicing his displeasure and taking a bit of a shot at McAfee. Some questioned if this was a storyline, but now it can be. Graves, who has been medically cleared for a while, having a showdown with McAfee in Indianapolis, would undoubtedly get a big pop and lots of media attention.

The Comeback: Big E

The TNA Wrestler: Jeff Hardy

In recent years, WWE has become more open to cross-promotion appearances, especially with TNA. Well before the two wrestling companies struck a multiyear partnership earlier this month, TNA stars have shown up in WWE. At last year's women's Royal Rumble, then TNA Knockouts champion Jordynne Grace entered the match to the surprise of many. Now that the two companies have officially come together, the floodgates open up a sea of possibilities this year.

There are a few former WWE stars in TNA, like Nic Nemeth (Dolph Ziggler in WWE), who could make an appearance, but none more popular than Jeff Hardy. Hardy has held multiple single and tag-team championships during his 13+ years in WWE. At 47, this may be one of Hardy's last chances to be in the 30-man spectacle.

The Legend: X-Pac

One of the youngest members of legendary factions, the NWO and Degeneration X, Sean Waltman, better known as X-Pac, still looks like he can go. Waltman last wrestled in 2022 for Game Changer Wrestling but looks to have kept in good shape. With friends Triple H as WWE Chief Content Officer and Shawn Michaels, pretty much running NXT, X-Pac has a path to in-ring action. Waltman was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame twice as a part of the NWO and D-X and remains a very popular personality. 

The return of Saturday Night's Main Event and Monday's announcement of the WWE2K5 release date certainly has the WWE Universe in a nostalgic period. As promotion for the March debut of WWE's videogame ramps up, an opportunity is there to bring back this legend to a premier event.

Who do you think will be the Royal Rumble's biggest surprise participant? Leave your pick in the comments.