Which two wrestlers make the most sense to kick off the 2017 WWE Royal Rumble in San Antonio, Texas on Sunday?
There might not be a more entertaining spectacle in professional wrestling than the annual Royal Rumble. The 2017 rendition of the event takes place this Sunday in the Alamodome, which means there should be plenty of surprises in front of the massive crowd. We already know that the likes of The Undertaker, Goldberg, Brock Lesnar and others will be competing in the event.
While the Royal Rumble is full of surprises and brings out the legends every year, it’s important that it gets off to a good pace and the workers in the ring help kick it off the right way. That means it’s up to the first two entrants to build a story and set a tone for the other 28 men that will eventually meet in the ring.
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Having someone with longevity at the beginning and veteran experience is vital. While they likely aren’t to win the event because of having the worst odds, they’re the ones that could possibly go for a while and help carry others throughout the match. If this rumble is going to get off on the right foot, then these five potential No. 1 and No. 2 options could be exactly what the match needs.
5. No. 1 Sami Zayn and No. 2 Rusev
As we saw on Monday Night Raw this week, Sami Zayn defeated Seth Rollins to earn his spot in the Royal Rumble. With the Royal Rumble looking to get off to a bang this year, Zayn is a perfect No. 1 entrant to get the match off to a great start.
His exciting style in the ring would provide the energy to get the crowd going. He’s also got the longevity to last a long time in this match and carry the pace. As for the No. 2 entrant as a foil to Zayn, bringing on fellow RAW brand wrestler Rusev wouldn’t be a bad choice.
While Rusev brings a much different style, it would contrast with Zayn perfectly. Rusev is another veteran of the ring that can stay in the match for a while and help lead others in the ring. This would be a solid pairing to start with.