The Most Shocking Comebacks in Royal Rumble History

We’re heading to that point of the year now where attention is starting to turn to the Royal Rumble, the annual January showpiece that gets the juices of both hardcore WWE fans and casual observers alike flowing.

As you are probably aware, the winner of the over-the-top battle royal will secure themselves a championship fight at WrestleMania, and so there is plenty on the line in amongst the usual shenanigans that the Royal Rumble match tends to deliver.

One of the themes of recent editions of the event has been stars returning to the spotlight after a period away from the brand, and while the pop these shock Royal Rumble entries get won’t be quite as explosive without a live crowd, you can rest assured that everyone watching on from home will be buzzed to see some of the names rumored to be making a return – could The Rock, John Cena or CM Punk make the walk down the ramp?

It’s interesting because the best betting sites have released their Rumble odds for both the men’s and women’s divisions, where you can wager on who you think will win the battle royal. Close to the time of the event, there are lots of markets available including both pre-event and in-play, where you can advantage of sign-up offers and promotions as you go. The current match winner odds hint at two or maybe even three big name returnees in the women’s division – Ronda Rousey is the second favorite to win the Royal Rumble match, while the likes of Paige and even Stephanie McMahon herself are listed as potential entries.

Paul Heyman hints at secret Ronda Rousey WWE contract extension https://t.co/xiWwyaaqhK pic.twitter.com/mDiMwsNuPM
— New York Post (@nypost) October 14, 2020

The renaissance of Rousey as a WWE superstar, in particular, would blow the women’s division wide open, and it would rank right up there with the rest of this rundown of the most shocking Royal Rumble returns.

Edge (2020)

In 2010, Edge shocked the wrestling world by returning from injury to not only compete in the Royal Rumble but also to be the last man standing.

A career-ending neck injury followed a year later, and after a heart-breaking reveal on RAW he confirmed what most suspected – the Hall of Famer would never set foot in the ring again. But in 2020, medical professionals declared that Edge was free to perform again after his neck healed suitably, and his return at the Royal Rumble was one of the most emotional and goosebump-inducing in history.

John Cena (2008)

This has to go down as one of the biggest shocks in the annals of the WWE.

Nobody even suspected that Cena would be making a comeback anytime soon, give that the injury he suffered in an October 2007 edition of RAW was expected to keep him sidelined for a year. However, the Doctor of Thuganomics made an incredible recovery, and barely four months later found himself walking down the ramp at the Royal Rumble to a rapturous reception.

Rey Mysterio (2018)

It had been nearly four years since Rey Mysterio last laced up his boots in the WWE, and most thought that his time as an elite-level wrestler was at an end. The high-flyer poured cold water on those claims, though, when he returned at the Royal Rumble in 2018, eliminating Adam Cole in a stint that lasted the best part of ten minutes. That was the beginning of a fresh chapter in Mysterio’s career. He would later go on to capture the United States Championship and ‘enjoy’ a gruesome feud with Seth Rollins.

.@reymysterio and @DomMysterio35 are headed to the blue brand!#SmackDown #WWEDraft pic.twitter.com/q3b03dvgmX
— WWE (@WWE) October 10, 2020

Diesel (2011)

Woefully short of star power in a Rumble match that had been extended to 40 entrants, it wasn’t a great surprise that Vince McMahon decided to shake up the 2011 extravaganza by bringing back a couple of big names for one night only. Booker T got a hot reception from the Boston crowd, but it was the return of Diesel – aka Kevin Nash – that got one of the biggest pops of the night.

Despite a strong turn with the organization back in the 1990s, Nash is perhaps better known for his stint in WCW rather than his often underwhelming turns in the WWE, but even so the giant’s entry into the Royal Rumble was still a fantastic ‘what the hell!?’ moment on a night that was otherwise criminally lacking in them.

Bizarrely, Diesel did very little in the match itself and was eliminated by Wade Barrett less than three minutes after entering the ring.

Who knows what the 2021 Royal Rumble will bring!