The Royal Rumble is a great place for WWE wrestlers to either return to the company, or make a shocking comeback after a long injury. Like nostalgic entries, sometimes these returns can overshadow the eventual winner – unless they win the match themselves of course.
Mick Foley in 2004
Mick Foley’s feud with Randy Orton was one of the highlights of 2004, including their awesome hardcore match at Backlash for the Intercontinental Championship – and it all kicked off at that year’s Royal Rumble. In December 2003, Foley had walked out of a championship match against Orton, who then spat in his face sending him walking away with his tail between his legs. The 21st entrant in the 2004 Rumble was supposed to be Test, but he was taken out backstage. Sheriff Steve Austin then told that mystery attacker off screen to go out and enter the Rumble – which ended up being the returning Mick Foley. He then tussled with Orton before eliminating himself along with the Legend Killer.
Haku was once sprayed with pepper spray by several cops when being arrested. He laughed it off and then snapped the handcuffs.
Haku in 2001
Haku made his return to WWE in the 2001 Royal Rumble, having worked for WCW as Meng for many years. Haku might not be a huge name like Mick Foley in terms of WWE history – but is considered one of – if not the toughest dude on the planet. To be honest, he’s on this list just so I could share this amazing quote from Jake “The Snake” Roberts.
“If I had a gun and was sitting inside a tank with one shell left and Meng is 300 yards away, he’s mine, right? Well the first thing I’m going to do is jump out of the tank and shoot myself because I don’t want to wound that son of a bitch and have him pissed off at me.”
Chris Jericho in 2013
New Japan’s Chris Jericho made his second return to WWE in 2011, and turned babyface in the summer of 2012 during a feud with Dolph Ziggler. Ziggler then defeated Chris Jericho on an episode of Raw where Y2J’s career was on the line, which allowed Jericho to tour with his band Fozzy. To the surprise of everyone however, Jericho returned to WWE at the 2013 Royal Rumble as the second entrant, lasting nearly 50 minutes.
“The biggest surprise on the show was the return of Chris Jericho, who started the Rumble match with Dolph Ziggler. The two lasted 47:52 and 49:47 minutes respectively, and were the two guys who more than anyone else came across as the best performers in the match.” – Dave Meltzer, Wrestling Observer Newsletter, February 23rd 2013
Kharma had such a short run in WWE. A real shame.
Kharma in 2012
One TNA’s biggest and best female wrestlers Awesome Kong signed with WWE in 2010, but her career was short lived when she announced her pregnancy on the 30th June 2011. However she made a shock entrance into the 2012 Royal Rumble to eliminate Michael Cole via intimidation, making her the third female wrestler to enter the Royal Rumble after Chyna and Beth Phoenix.
Goldust in 2013
Goldust has had a couple of returns to the WWE via the Royal Rumble, first returning in the 2002 Royal Rumble following the closure of WCW, then again in the 2006 Royal Rumble after some sporadic appearances. But it was the 2013 Royal Rumble – following his disastrous run in TNA as Black Reign and some unmemorable stuff with the original version of NXT – that cemented him as the Goldust we know today. He came in at eight and immediately began battling with his half-brother Cody Rhodes. They wanted this to set up a WrestleMania match, but a certain someone put a stop to that.
“The two of them had wanted to do a program in WWE and they actually teased it on TV, but Vince McMahon then nixed it.” – Dave Meltzer, Wrestling Observer Newsletter, February 4th 2013
“Grab me my shovel”
Triple H 2016
This is less of a return, and more of a complete surprise. The 2016 Royal Rumble was all built around Roman Reigns defending his WWE Championship in the match itself, and after sitting out of it for a large portion via League of Nations attack, Reigns’ next challenge was the #30 entrant: Triple H. Hunter eventually won the Royal Rumble, winning the WWE Championship in the process which he then defended in the main event of WrestleMania against Reigns.
Edge in 2010
On July 3rd 2009, Edge suffered a torn Achilles at a live event in San Diego, and it was announced that he would be out for an entire year, meaning he wouldn’t be back for WrestleMania 26. That ended up not being the case, as Edge made his shocking return to WWE in the 2010 Royal Rumble and won the match. The pop Edge got was insane, and it was a perfect face turn for the man who’d been a heel since 2004. According to Dave Meltzer, this surprise return also threw a lot of WrestleMania plans out of the window.
“As of even a few days ago the idea was that HHH would win the Rumble and go on to challenge Sheamus for the Raw title on the biggest show of the year.” – Dave Meltzer, Wrestling Observer Newsletter, February 1st 2010
Hilariously, the crowd cheered loudly when Cena returned, but then booed heavily when he got in the ring.
John Cena in 2008
In a similar position to Edge in 2010, John Cena tore his pectoral muscle on October 1st 2007 and was told by doctors that he would out for at least eight months or maybe even a year. In the lead up to the 2008 Rumble Cena was playing coy in interviews about his return, at least ruling out the possibility of being at WrestleMania. After all, it had only been two months. Even being ahead of schedule – which he said he was – two months to heal from a pectoral muscle is incredible. But yet he did it. Cena returned to WWE as the #30 entrant in the Royal Rumble and won the match, eliminating Triple H.
“I don’t have an answer. The guy’s a freak. Word came from backstage earlier in the day that Jimmy Snuka was back there, but nobody said a thing about Cena, meaning he probably hid in a car throughout the night and didn’t enter the building until his music hit.” – Bryan Alvarez, Figure Four Weekly #658, Febuary 4th 2008
Comments.
Loading comments…