5 surprise entrants we'd love to see in the women's Royal Rumble

We know many of the competitors to expect in the first women's Rumble. But who might surprise us?

To close out the December 18, 2017, episode of Monday Night Raw, Stephanie McMahon announced that what had been rumored was coming to fruition. There would be the first ever women’s Royal Rumble, complete with the winner getting a title shot at WrestleMania.

This innovation is a testament to how far women’s wrestling has come in WWE, given that the promotion has enough talent to reasonably pull off such a match, and enough legitimate talents to make the match a draw. The addition of the Absolution and Riott Squad factions has only added depth and intrigue to the proceedings.

At press time, it’s unknown if the Rumble will feature the traditional thirty performers, or rather a trimmed down fifteen, twenty, or another arbitrary number. Whatever the case may be, it will be an all hands on deck situation. There’s reason to believe WWE may tap into a Rumble trope and include not just full-time roster members, but all surprise competitors, including returning or debuting talents.

Which surprise entrants would truly pop the crowd? This article looks at five particularly compelling options.

#5 Kharma

A returning Kharma would represent all kinds of interesting possibilities.

Kharma could make instant history as the first person to work both the men's and women’s Royal Rumbles. (For the record, Beth Phoenix is the only other woman who could possibly do it, but appears legitimately retired, and happy in motherhood).

Granted Kharma’s previous WWE run was nothing if not tumultuous. An unexpected pregnancy stopped her debut push before it really took off. Reportedly, she tragically lost the child and wasn’t ready to return to the ring on the timetable WWE set forth, leading them to part ways.

Nearly six years have passed, and with the WWE women’s division booming, Kharma could be a fascinating addition. She represents size on the scale of Nia Jax, with much more experience and sharper skills as an in-ring performer. The Royal Rumble would be the perfect environment to really showcase the raw power and flurries of offense she brings to the table.