WWE Royal Rumble 2021: 10 Surprise Entrants We Could See

4. Edge

The Rock Royal rumble
WWE.com

It can't happen again, can it?

Well, no. Not really.

Edge's 2020 Royal Rumble return was one of the most electric in the event's history. It was the kind of moment that only comes along once in a generation, with the beloved hero returning almost a decade after being told he risked paralysis if he ever competed again, and benefitted from the kind of real-life story that can't be penned by reality television writer in a Stamford creative room. Also, there was a live crowd. Edge's 2021 comeback can't be as special as 2020's.

But it can still be special, given his absence. Injured during WWE's WrestleMania 37 tapings, the veteran has now been sidelined for around nine months. Though he lost the Greatest Wrestling Match Ever, Edge still has unfinished business with Randy Orton, with a WrestleMania 37 tilt (potentially for the WWE Championship) rumoured last year. The 47-year-old's torn triceps gives the feud extra juice.

Edge's slow recovery is an obvious barrier here, as is Orton's new feud with Bray Wyatt, which continues in the burnt-to-a-crisp Fiend's absence. Still, Edge has a shot at breaking the internet for a second consecutive year if he comes back.

Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.