Every Rumoured WWE Royal Rumble 2024 Surprise

The road to WrestleMania 40 has almost begun as WWE will present the 2024 edition of the Royal Rumble from Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida on Saturday, January 27.

The Rumble is many fans' favourite event of the year, partly due to the unpredictable nature of the event that could see anyone make their way to the ring during a Rumble match.

Only a small number of talents have been confirmed for the 2024 Royal Rumble matches so far. They are:

Men's Royal Rumble:

• Cody Rhodes
• CM Punk
• Shinsuke Nakamura
• Bobby Lashley
• Drew McIntyre
• Gunther
• Damian Priest
• Kofi Kingston
• Jimmy Uso
• Santos Escobar
• R-Truth
• Carlito
• Austin Theory
• Grayson Waller

Women's Royal Rumble:

• Bayley
• Nia Jax
• Becky Lynch
• Bianca Belair

The dearth of announced talents leaves the door wide open to produce a number of surprises at the WWE Royal Rumble, but who exactly is rumoured to have a chance at appearing?

This is Every Rumoured WWE Royal Rumble 2024 Surprise!

1. X-Pac

One of the more surprising names to be rumoured to wrestle at the Royal Rumble is X-Pac (AKA Sean Waltman).

The WWE Hall of Famer has not wrestled for the company since his departure in July 2002 and he hasn't wrestled at all since his March 2022 match in GCW with Joey Janela where he sustained a torn biceps.

According to reports, though, there has been talk about X-Pac being in Florida to work for WWE over the Royal Rumble weekend so it isn't out of the question the company could draft him in for at last one more match on WWE TV.

Waltman himself has looked to shut down any talk of him appearing at the Rumble, tweeting: “I can still go at the drop of hat, at least for a few minutes. I can do all my kicks, except the one in the corner & I can do that again with a few weeks training. I'm at least month away from taking my shirt off in public, so zero chance I'll be in the Rumble.”

Stranger things have happened at the Royal Rumble, though.

2. Naomi (AKA Trinity)

WWE fans might be feeling the glow once again at Royal Rumble 2024.

Trinity (AKA Naomi) hasn't been seen in a WWE ring since she and then-tag team partner Mercedes Moné (AKA Sasha Banks) walked out of the company in May 2022 over a creative disagreement, with Trinity's contract expiring while she was at home.

The former SmackDown Women's Champion was a part of TNA/IMPACT for much of 2023 and she started 2024 as TNA Knockouts World Champion. Trinity dropped the belt to Jordynne Grace at Hard to Kill, though, and finished up with the promotion at their Orlando tapings last weekend.

Reports have indicated that Trinity is expected to return to WWE now that her TNA contract has expired and the Royal Rumble would certainly make sense as a spot to re-debut the former Naomi.

3. Liv Morgan

This time an injured talent has been rumoured for a return at the Royal Rumble.

Liv Morgan has been out of action since the Summer of 2023 with a shoulder injury but her return might take place at the Royal Rumble, with reports indicating there has been talk of Liv Morgan returning to WWE programming in the near future.

When she does resurface on TV, Morgan is reportedly planned for a major push so she might advance far in the Rumble match. The former SmackDown Women's Champion has suffered from legal issues during her time out of the ring, having been arrested in November. One of the charges has since been dropped but she is still slated to appear in court in February for the charge of marijuana possession.

4. Rey Mysterio

Santos Escobar might find himself flying over the top rope to the floor following another possible return at the Royal Rumble.

Mysterio was written off WWE TV in November 2023 with a beatdown from Santos Escobar, who turned heel and quit the LWO in the process. The feud has continued in Rey's absence with Escobar, Angel Garza, and Humberto Carrillo on one side against Carlito, Cruz Del Toro, and Joaquin Wilde on the other.

This programme is expected to enter the next chapter when Mysterio returns, having been written off TV after working with a torn meniscus for some time. Mysterio recently said he was hoping to be back in time for the Rumble and reports have indicated he will be at Tropicana Field for the event.

The former Royal Rumble winner will also be a part of WWE until at least 2026, having signed a new deal with the company in 2023.

5. Michelle McCool

Someone who has been a surprise in a number of women's Royal Rumble matches, Michelle McCool is rumoured to enter the 30-woman over-the-top-rope battle royale once again on Saturday night.

According to reports, McCool is expected to be at the Royal Rumble with The Undertaker. The Phenom, having retired in 2020, is not expected to wrestle and he will be in town to host one of his talk shows on Sunday. McCool, meanwhile, has been an entrant in the 2018, 2022, and 2023 Royal Rumbles so she can't be ruled out from doing so once again.

6. Maryse

Maryse is another name that has cropped up as a potential entrant in the women's Royal Rumble on Saturday night.

The former Divas Champion has only worked four matches since 2011 and she hasn't wrestled at all since teaming with husband The Miz to face Edge and Beth Phoenix at Royal Rumble 2022. Maryse is scheduled to be at Tropicana Field on Saturday, though, which makes her another option to be a surprise entrance in the 2024 Rumble.

Maryse has actually never competed in a Royal Rumble Match since the first women's battle royale in 2018. She has spent much of her time on WWE programming since 2011 serving as The Miz's manager and as a reality TV star.

7. Hulk Hogan

Yes, we know.

Hulk Hogan hasn't wrestled inside a professional wrestling ring since a TNA house show in Manchester, England in 2012. It has been even longer since The Hulkster's last WWE match when he defeated Randy Orton at SummerSlam 2006.

Hogan himself has even said in recent years that he wouldn't be able to wrestle one more time due to undergoing 23 surgeries in the past 12 years. That didn't stop Hogan from teasing one more match, though, as he said he might have one more left in him at the Royal Rumble during a chat on Monday Night Raw to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the birth of Hulkamania.

Of course, this is the same Hulk Hogan who has been using a walking stick in public in recent years so he might not be able to hit a Big Boot and Leg Drop, never mind get over the top rope. This is Hogan, though, and his powers of persuasion have been known to help his own advancement within the business.

8. NXT Talents

At least one NXT talent has often been utilised in the Royal Rumble matches in recent years and that might be the case again in 2024.

Mike Johnson of PWInsider Elite recently reported: "Around this time, everyone asks about surprises. A WWE source noted that with so many current and former talents, plus WWE NXT stars all living in Florida, it's going to be very easy to conceivably call someone at the last second and have them appear."

The brand has grown in popularity again over the past several months, having drawn closer to the brand's black-and-gold heyday with talents like Carmelo Hayes, Ilja Dragunov, Oba Femi, Bron Breakker, Roxanne Perez, Tiffany Stratton, and Trick Williams.

No NXT talents were featured in the men's Royal Rumble in 2023 but Roxanne Perez and Zoey Stark popped up in the women's Rumble.

9. Jade Cargill

Jade Cargill has been a part of WWE for several months now and she might be finally making her in-ring debut at the Royal Rumble.

Reports have stated that Cargill is expected to be at the Royal Rumble this weekend and she has been training regularly at the WWE Performance Center. Cargill signed with WWE back in September 2023 following a high-profile run in All Elite Wrestling.

She was initially given a big debut, appearing across WWE programming, but she hasn't been seen in recent months. That could be related to her development, with Triple H saying she perhaps wasn't yet ready to wrestle on WWE TV following Survivor Series.

"Jade, I have no less belief in her now than I did then. It’s interesting, when she came in we talked about her development and where she would land, but what the development was. I want to make sure that no matter what is thrown at Jade Cargill she’s ready and at no fault of her own, I think that she was limited in that. The idea is we exposed her, we made her be seen. People are understanding and they’re waiting and they’re excited for her to come and when she does it’s going to be massive… I don’t want a pitch to get thrown that she’s never seen before. I want no matter what that pitch is, she's gonna crack it out of the park. You just see it in her, that’s the presence she has. That’s the star she is. You’ve yet to see her do anything in WWE and yet I can probably name five-ten people where you’d go, ‘Oh that’s a dream match.’ I’m in no rush, when she says, ‘I’m ready’, I’m ready," Triple H said in November.

10. Sonya Deville

Sonya Deville has been out of action since sustaining a torn ACL in the Summer of 2023. The injury forced her to relinquish the WWE Women's World Tag Team Championships with Piper Niven replacing her as Chelsea Green's partner.

Reports have now indicated that Deville is expected to be at the Rumble, potentially paving the way for her to appear in the women's over-the-top-rope battle royale.

11. The Rock

Fans might be smelling what The Rock is cooking at the Royal Rumble.

The Brahma Bull made his WWE return to kick off 2024 and quickly teased a match with Roman Reigns, asking the fans in San Diego if he should sit at the head of the table. The match has reportedly yet to be officially locked in for WrestleMania 40 but The Rock is believed to be "headstrong" about doing the match at The Showcase of the Immortals but it was not specified which WrestleMania that would be.

WWE have been wanting to do Rock vs. Reigns for years and there was even a pitch for The Rock to be a surprise in the 2023 men's Royal Rumble and win the whole thing before facing Reigns at WrestleMania 39. Could WWE pivot back to that plan in 2024?

12. Brock Lesnar

Brock Lesnar appearing at the Royal Rumble now appears extremely unlikely after he was mentioned in the lawsuit filed against Vince McMahon by a former WWE employee on January 25. Prior to the lawsuit, though, Lesnar was actually scheduled to be a surprise in Royal Rumble, according to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter and he was booked to be on the show.

Lesnar hasn't appeared on any WWE programming since putting over Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam 2023. If he will appear on WWE TV again is ultimately up in the air until there is an official comment from Lesnar himself or from someone within WWE.

13. Andrade El Idolo

It is yet to be confirmed if Andrade el Idolo has been re-signed by WWE but the former United States and NXT champion is widely expected to be back with the company in the very near future.

Andrade had been with All Elite Wrestling since June 2021, joining Tony Khan's promotion shortly after his WWE release. He exited AEW at the end of 2023 upon the expiry of his contract, putting over Miro at Worlds End on his way out of the company. The parting of ways appears to have been difficult, with those close to the situation describing it as "frustrating".

Andrade was expected to resurface on WWE TV in the days after Worlds End but Royal Rumble appears to be as good a time as any to reintroduce the former La Sombra to WWE fans.

14. Jordynne Grace

Well, well, well.

WWE often look to outside talent for the Royal Rumble, but not to talent from other promotions completely. According to reports, TNA Knockouts World Champion Jordynne Grace is scheduled to be a surprise entrant in the women's Royal Rumble following an agreement between WWE and TNA.

This does not mean that Grace will be signing with WWE as she is signed to a long-term deal with TNA Wrestling. Grace will reportedly be billed as the TNA Knockouts World Champion and use her TNA graphics and music for her entrance.

Mickie James, then TNA Knockouts World Champion, competed in the 2022 women's Royal Rumble.