5 WWE Superstars who rejected a spot in the Royal Rumble

#1 Jeff Hardy turned down a 2022 Royal Rumble spot and a WWE Hall of Fame induction

After reportedly refusing a request to enter rehab last December, Jeff Hardy was released by WWE.

WWE chiefs believed Hardy had been performing while under the influence after he bizarrely walked out of a match during a live event. However, the results of a subsequent drug test revealed this not to be the case.

Per Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer, WWE were keen for Hardy to return to the promotion after learning the news, but the Charismatic Enigma had no interest in the offer.

"Here is an update on Jeff Hardy. John Laurinaitis called Jeff Hardy to get him back a few weeks ago, including an offer to put him in the 2022 Hall of Fame class. Hardy turned it down and asked for his drug test results because he knew he wasn’t going to test positive for recreational drugs. It took Hardy and his wife six weeks to get the results back,'' stated Meltzer.

Had Hardy accepted the offer, the Royal Rumble would likely have been the ideal scenario for him to make his comeback. However, the prospect of entering the Rumble - and the WWE Hall of Fame - apparently did nothing to change Hardy's feelings.

It remains to be seen if Hardy will ever add to his 11 career Royal Rumble match appearances.