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The early stages of 2024 have not been kind to WWE Superstars. Injuries are a part of the game due to the risky and physical nature of being a professional wrestler.
The Royal Rumble was noteworthy for the storylines and feuds it set up on The Road to WrestleMania. One unfortunate side effect of the event, however, was how some injuries arose during and after the show.
WrestleMania 40 may have new plans as the following four WWE stars endured various injuries both before and after the Royal Rumble.
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#4. Did Kevin Owens get the last laugh on Logan Paul?
The Prizefighter almost took the United States Championship from Logan Paul at the Royal Rumble. While Austin Theory brought brass knuckles to the ring for Paul to use, Owens ultimately brandished the foreign object.
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He blasted Paul and almost won, but the referee saw the brass knuckles still on Owens's hand. The Maverick ended up winning by disqualification but looked woozy after the match.
Paul was also reportedly incoherent for portions of the post-match interview. The champion could have been selling the punch from Owens, or he could have been legitimately rocked. It's either a notable injury or a good bit of acting from the social media sensation.
#3. Speaking of Kevin Owens . . .
Heading into his United States title match with Logan Paul, a cast on Owens' right arm was used as a part of the angle. His hand/wrist wasn't really broken, but the use of the cast as a weapon was brought into question by the champion.
Owens nearly beat The Maverick for the title, but the champion ultimately retained the belt. Time passed following the Royal Rumble, but it was later disclosed that Owens was indeed wrestling the match with a different injury.
The former Universal Champion reportedly battled his nemesis with a fractured foot yet put on a match-of-the-night quality bout. Owens is a gamer and will hopefully be good to go for WrestleMania 40.
#2. Seth Rollins keeps on trucking as WWE's workhorse
Before the Royal Rumble, Seth Rollins defended the World Heavyweight Championship against Jinder Mahal. The Visionary, unfortunately, tore his MCL and meniscus in the successful title defense.
Despite the serious injury, Rollins has resumed his role as the top star of RAW. The title wasn't vacated, and he has remained on WWE screens as his injury should allow him to wrestle at The Show of Shows.
If Roman Reigns can defend his title every two or three months, then there's no reason why Rollins can't do the same. Had The Architect torn his ACL, however, this would be a different story.
#1. CM Punk will miss out on WrestleMania 40
Perhaps the biggest blow to the WrestleMania 40 card involved CM Punk. The Second City Saint entered the Royal Rumble as a heavy favorite to win, but the match was ultimately won by Cody Rhodes.
After the WWE event, news emerged that during an exchange with Drew McIntyre, Punk tore his triceps. He gallantly finished the match, as athletes often do, but wasn't able to escape the long-term impact of the injury.
The former WWE Champion opened RAW to inform fans that he would indeed miss out on WrestleMania 40 but would still main event the Show of Shows before he retires from WWE. A torn triceps usually requires four to six months of recovery, putting Punk on track to return over the summer.
