The WWE rumor mill is picking up steam as we get closer to the Royal Rumble. Several new potential surprises are being talked about backstage.
WWE will present the 37th annual Royal Rumble this Saturday from Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay, Florida. The winners of the 30-Man Royal Rumble and the 30-Woman Royal Rumble will earn the right to challenge any champion at WrestleMania 40.
Sonya Deville has been on the shelf since suffering a torn ACL on July 28, 2023, just days after winning the Women's Tag Team Championship with Chelsea Green. She confirmed the injury days later, after it was reported she would be out indefinitely. Now, word from backstage is that The Jersey Devil may be returning on Saturday.
The talk going around WWE is that Deville is expected to be at The Rumble on Saturday. PWInsider adds that the 30-year-old has been at the end of her recovery and training at the Performance Center as of late. If the former on-screen authority figure is cleared to return, the Women's Royal Rumble would be the best place for her comeback.
Another big name that has been rumored for the Royal Rumble is Jade Cargill. The backstage update notes that she is also set to be backstage on Saturday. The former AEW TBS Champion has been heavily rumored to make her in-ring debut for months since she signed with the company in late September.
There's been a lot more Rumble chatter about Big Jade this week, but nothing has been confirmed. It was also said that she has been regularly training at the Performance Center.
WWE loading up the Royal Rumble card
The highlights of WWE Royal Rumble events are usually the Men's Rumble and the Women's Rumble, but various standard matches have also provided memorable moments in past years.
Officials are looking to crank up the heat on The Road to WrestleMania 40 with two big title matches at The Rumble. United States Champion Logan Paul will defend against Kevin Owens, while Undisputed Universal Champion Roman Reigns will defend against AJ Styles, Randy Orton, and LA Knight.
There are just six competitors confirmed for the 30-Woman Royal Rumble as of this writing: Bayley, Maxxine Dupri, Becky Lynch, Nia Jax, Ivy Nile, and Bianca Belair.
WWE has confirmed 11 entrants for the 30-Man Royal Rumble as of now: Cody Rhodes, Shinsuke Nakamura, Bobby Lashley, Damian Priest, Akira Tozawa, Otis, Chad Gable, Kofi Kingston, Drew McIntyre, GUNTHER, and CM Punk.
What is your bold prediction on Royal Rumble surprises for this year? Who should win each Rumble match on Saturday? Sound off in the comments section below!