Report: WWE "More Than Pleased" With Royal Rumble Surprises

While the Royal Rumble matches often feature plenty of surprises, WWE decided not to keep Cody Rhodes' impending return a secret, announcing that The American Nightmare will be back in a WWE ring at the January 28 pay-per-view as he looks to earn a world title match at WrestleMania 39.

Some questioned why WWE decided to reveal Rhodes was returning ahead of the show but in an update, WrestleVotes reported that the company decided to make the announcement as they are "more than pleased" with the surprises they have lined up for the Rumble and almost everyone assumed Cody would be back for the event anyway.

"Asked a source the reasoning behind Cody's Rumble return being announced as opposed to a surprise... Source said it's twofold, one being that nearly everyone expected it to happen already & two, source states they are 'more than pleased' w/ the other surprises that are lined up," WrestleVotes tweeted.

Rhodes has been out of action since he suffered a torn pectoral muscle in June of 2022. He still wrestled in the main event of Hell in a Cell a few days later, defeating Seth Rollins, before the former AEW TNT Champion was written off TV on the post-pay-per-view episode of Monday Night Raw.