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On Saturday, January 27th, WWE will present the 37th edition of the iconic Royal Rumble Premium Live Event from Tropicana Field in Florida, with the winners of the men's and women's Rumble matches both earning a shot to face the champion of their choosing at WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia.
Over the years, the rumble matches tend to feature active members of the current roster, with various legends appearing in the matchup, providing fans with a great hit of nostalgia.
While certain legends may appear in this year's matchup, we are going to take a look at three legendary WWE acts that will almost certainly not be appearing at the show.
#3. No twin magic at Tropicana Field
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For nearly a decade, Nikki and Brie Bella were two of the most integral parts of the women's division, with the pair being a huge hit with fans both in and out of the industry.
After being inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2021, the sisters seemed as though their times in the ring were over. However, the following year, Nikki and Brie would make their comebacks in the 2022 Women's Royal Rumble match.
While some hope for them to appear, it seems highly unlikely considering that they now want to be known by their real names, Nikki and Brie Garcia. This career move clearly shows that they want to be known for things outside of wrestling.
Despite their desire to stretch their wings away from the ring, Brie was asked by The Messenger if she and her sister would ever consider a return.
"We never say never. We obviously miss wrestling. You know, wrestling has our hearts. We miss the fans, the lights, the crowd." She added, "We would love our kids to be able to watch us. Birdie’s been able to see us in the Royal Rumble. But one day, somewhere in the world, we’d love them to sit ringside and see [their] mommies kick some butt in the ring."
#2. WWE's Rated R Superstar has jumped ship
In what was one of the most shocking moments of 2023, WWE Hall of Famer Edge made the switch from the place where he made his name to All Elite Wrestling at WrestleDream 2023.
Now performing under his real-life name, Adam Copeland, Rated R Superstar is a full-time member of the AEW roster.
This move will mark the first time since 2019 that Copeland will not be a part of the Royal Rumble event, with him having either wrestled in the Rumble match or been a part of tag team action with his wife, Beth Phoenix.
While some were sad to see Adam Copeland leave World Wrestling Entertainment, the Hall of Famer recently stated in an interview with Adrian Hernandez that his move should not ignite a tribalist mindset amongst his fans.
"You know, it’s interesting. Just in terms of, I guess, how people have like almost a brand allegiance or a team allegiance kind of thing,” Copeland said. “For me, I knew there was gonna be some fan base in switching companies that [said], ‘Oh, he’s a traitor.’ But, man, nobody’s a traitor. We left on great terms. For me, I’m doing all I ever wanted to do, and I’m getting a chance to do it again after I was told I would never do it again. I get to do it with my best friend. I get to look at a whole new roster of opponents. That to me is exciting."
#1. A WWE Hall of Famer has seemingly cut ties with the company
One performer who has recently said some unsavory things about WWE is Hall of Famer Goldberg.
The former Universal Champion seemed to cut ties with WWE in a recent interview with Steve & Captain Evil as he took a shot at Vince McMahon for not giving him the retirement match he promised him.
"I owe him everything, until we went to Saudi Arabia and he asked me to put Roman Reigns over, and I had COVID. I remember calling him from my house and said, 'Listen, here is the deal. I'll do it if you give me a retirement match.' I did what he said. As a performer, I was 56 years old. I put myself in a horribly shitty situation to get what I wanted to, but to satiate him and give him what he wanted. Problem is, he never held up his bargain. Vince is a piece of sh*t as far as I'm concerned."
With Goldberg still very much angry with the WWE, it seems highly unlikely he will appear at the Rumble just to put over another opponent again.
