WWE Greatest Royal Rumble Wrestlers - Where Are They Now?
What happened to all 50 workers in the so-called Greatest Royal Rumble?
WWE's working relationship with the super-rich in Saudi Arabia did not appeal to wrestling fans across the rest of the globe at first. General perception of each Saudi supercard has softened in recent years, but there are still those who'd rather see some big money matches happen elsewhere. That may never change.
In 2018, Vince McMahon took a whopping payoff to present his Royal Rumble event in Jeddah. Well, almost. This was no ordinary Rumble. The authentic real deal had already taken place in Philadelphia that past January. No, this was the "Greatest Royal Rumble", and it was a show that various WWE stars were instructed to call equal to or even better than WrestleMania.
No-one was fooled.
To underline his commitment to the Saudi Vision 2030 plan, McMahon announced that he'd be souping the usual 30-man field up to 50. Yes, FIFTY. This, at least on paper, would be the biggest Rumble yet, and it was happening internationally...a mere 3 months after the 30-wrestler version. Again, to say people were not amused would be a gross understatement.
The company commissioned a special title belt that'd be worn by the winner. More on that later. Big names like Braun Strowman, Daniel Bryan, Chris Jericho, Kevin Owens, Randy Orton and others were joined by a cast of midcarders, one-off curiosities and extras. It was a strange match, but the variety begs one question: What happened to these guys?
Where did they end up after the GRR, and will any of them return to WWE (if they aren't still wrestling for the juggernaut) someday? Here, dear Rumblers, are the answers.
50. Daniel Bryan
Entry: #1
Time: 1:16:05
Then: Incredibly, the Greatest Royal Rumble was only Daniel Bryan's fourth match back since delighting fans with a return to the ring post-2016 retirement. He'd teamed with Shane McMahon vs. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn at WrestleMania 34, then wrestled against and with AJ Styles in singles and tag action respectively on SmackDown.
Typically for D-Bry, there were no half measures when it came to this grappling stuff. He went well over a full hour in the 50-man Rumble after coming out first. Oh, that's another point: These names will be presented in the order of entry for that GRR. Bryan was #1, so he's up first on this list.
Come his elimination at the hands of Big Cass, Bryan's chest had been turned to mincemeat following countless painful chops. Indeed, his strike battle with Roderick Strong was a real highlight of the bout.
Now: Bryan Danielson hitched his wagon to the AEW movement in 2021, and he hasn't really looked back. He worked numerous high calibre matches for Tony Khan's company over the next 3 years, then largely phased down his active in-ring career so he could focus on helping out backstage and appearing as a colour commentator on All Elite flagship telecast Dynamite.
He's been a blessing behind the desk, because Bryan brings such a wealth of wrestling knowledge and credibility to broadcasts. Danielson hasn't wrestled a proper match (an 8 second win over Max Caster in June 2025 doesn't really count) since staring at the lights for Jon Moxley at WrestleDream in October 2024.
Who knows if he'll ever lace up a pair of boots again? Probably, but he's mindful of his health. Besides, it's hardly like the dude has anything to prove.