With the Royal Rumble rapidly approaching, one of the biggest questions surrounding the WWE Universe is which performers, male or female, should make a surprise appearance in the over-the-top-rope battle royal matches.

From fresh debuts, to NXT call-ups, and even unimaginable returns, there's a reason why the Rumble is Michael Cole's favorite event of the year and why fans flock to the show, both on television and in person, to see the first WWE PEL on the “Road to WrestleMania.”.

With that being said, every rumor can't be legit, with fans inevitably getting disappointed that a performer they like doesn't land one of the 60 numbers for the show. While Paul “Triple H” Levesque probably has plenty of tricks up his sleeve, these five performers don't feel like very likely Royal Rumble entrants.

Five performers who probably won't be appearing at the Royal Rumble.

5. Kazuchika Okada

When news broke that Kazuchika Okada was going to be a free agent at the end of January, it left more than a few fans wondering if the “Rainmaker,” arguably the most popular performer in New Japan Pro Wrestling over the past decade, could make the jump to WWE as a surprise entrant at the Royal Rumble.

On paper, he's the perfect fit, an international star that isn't super well known to fans of WWE-only television who could immediately make a strong impression with a quality showing, maybe even teaming up with his fellow Chaos member, Shinsuke Nakamura, to eliminate a few performers as Michael Cole and Corey Graves sing his praises.

The only problem? Okada is under contract until the end of the month, has a few additional commitments past that, and very well may sign with AEW instead of WWE when the dust ultimately settles. Could it happen? Sure, but it would take quite a few shoes to drop to make it happen.

4. John Cena

When it comes to bringing back an established member of the WWE Universe at the Royal Rumble, few are borderline guaranteed to galvanize the crowd as much as John Cena, the “Face That Runs the Place” and 15-time World Champion.

The only problem? John Cena is currently out promoting the release of his new movie Argyle, which doesn't come out until February. On top of that, while bringing “The Champ” back would be incredibly interesting to see, if the goal of such a return is to set the seeds for an eventual match at WrestleMania with one performer or another, maybe even a rematch with Solo Sikoa, there would be a good two months between the show and the “Showcase of the Immortals,” which would make for an awkward opener if Cena isn't going to be around regularly. No, better to save his return for the Elimination Chamber at the earliest.

3. Giulia

Much like Kazuchika Okada, fans have been clamoring to see another former New Japan Pro Wrestling Champion, Giulia, make her debut in WWE, as they have long been considered the favorite to land her services when she becomes available.

The problem? Giulia is also still under contract with Stardom/NJPW and, thus, won't be wrestling in Tampa Bay unless she gets special permission to do so. Furthermore, most believe Giulia will debut in NXT if she comes over to WWE, which is a far cry from the Royal Rumble. Jade Cargill? Sure. Trinity/Naomi? You bet. Giulia? Unlikely.

2. Brock Lesnar

Once upon a time, it looked like Brock Lesnar was a borderline lock to appear at the Royal Rumble, but now, after being named alongside Vince McMahon in a court filling that featured some pretty heinous accusations, WWE would be wise to keep Lesnar as far away from Tropicana Field as possible, as his inclusion in the event would only take away from the product on the screen.

1. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

If Dwayne “The Rock” Johson really wants to pop a rating, get about a billion social media interactions, and guarantee himself a chance to take the spot at the head of the table, the easiest way to make that happen would be to come out at spot 30 in the Royal Rumble, eliminate Gunther, Cody Rhodes, and CM Punk in short order, and win the match outright, pointing to the WrestleMania 40 sign as the show went off the air.

The problem? That would seriously mess with the three aforementioned performers' current schtick and would create chaos in the lead-up to the Elimination Chamber.

… on second thought, what better way to decide on Seth Rollins' opponent at WrestleMania 40 than to have it be at stake at the Elimination Chamber, with the promotion getting to have its cake and eat it too? While it probably won't happen, Paul “Triple H” Levesque should probably pull the trigger on this one.