5 Injured WWE stars who could return at the 2025 Royal Rumble

The 2025 WWE Royal Rumble is building up to be one of the greatest editions of the marquee PLE to date, thanks to the sheer number of top stars announcing their participation in the 30-man/woman battle royale. The upcoming PLE is known to keep fans musing as to who will pop out from the Titantron to join the chaos inside the squared circle.

Another thing to look forward to is the superstars who are currently out of action due to their respective injuries but may make a shocking return in Indianapolis on February 1.

Here are five WWE Superstars who are likely to make a comeback at this year’s Royal Rumble:

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#5. Ilja Dragunov

Ilja Dragunov has been out of action since September 2024 due to a torn ACL that he incurred during a match against current WWE World Heavyweight Champion Gunther at a live event. The Mad Dragon is currently a hot topic of discussion among fans and pundits, as there are now talks of him finally returning to in-ring action.

Media reports recently claimed that the 31-year-old was seen training at WWE’s Performance Center earlier this month, further fueling rumors of him finally making a comeback, and what better way to get back at it than to slug it out in the upcoming Men's Royal Rumble?

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#4. Jade Cargill

One of WWE’s biggest acquisitions of 2023 was Jade Cargill. Everything was going smoothly for The Storm until she was attacked backstage by a mystery assailant last November, resulting in her getting sidelined.

Later, WWE released an official statement about the incident, confirming that Cargill had suffered multiple injuries. However, it is believed that she legitimately suffered a neck injury, but not due to the aforementioned attack.

Like Ilja Dragunov, there were also rumors of the SmackDown Superstar being spotted at the Performance Center, suggesting that her return is imminent. It is believed that she may be back in time for this year’s Royal Rumble to reveal who attacked her.

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#3. Asuka

Asuka’s case could be a long shot considering the extent of her injury. For those unaware, The Empress of Tomorrow suffered a knee injury during the initial months of last year. Despite the nagging pain, she continued to wrestle until May. The Japanese star last appeared at the Backlash France PLE.

After the event, she revealed that her injury would require surgery and subsequently went on a hiatus. The former Women's Tag Team Champion is currently on her way to recovery.

There is still a possibility that she may return at this year’s Royal Rumble, but competing in the eponymous match is pretty much out of the question.

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#2. Randy Orton

Randy Orton has not been seen on WWE TV since November 2024 following a nasty Package Piledriver courtesy of Kevin Owens. The reason why The Viper was written off was due to a severe spinal injury that needed to be checked on.

Similar to Asuka, there is no definite time frame for The Viper’s return. However, it is still possible that he may appear during the upcoming Royal Rumble PLE. He could get involved in the Undisputed WWE Championship Ladder Match between Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens.

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#1. AJ Styles to return at the Royal Rumble?

AJ Styles suffered a Lisfranc injury during a singles match against Carmelo Hayes on SmackDown last October. This hampered his momentum, and The Phenomenal One was feared to miss out on several WWE PLEs, including the 2025 Royal Rumble.

However, recent reports suggested the former WWE Champion could be back in time for the event and might even be a participant in the eponymous match. If such an in-ring return comes to fruition, Styles may pick up where he left off by building up a feud with Hayes or LA Knight.