Royal Rumble 2018: Last minute rumors to keep in mind before tonight

Take a look at what the rumor mill is churning up before the 2018 Royal Rumble kicks off Sunday night in Philadelphia.

There’s nothing like the Royal Rumble when it comes to rumors and speculation among wrestling fans. The event has a history of surprises and returning legends, particularly in the Rumble match itself, and this year offers twice the opportunity thanks to the first ever Women’s Rumble.

In fact, the relatively small number of female performers on the WWE roster compared to their male counterparts almost assures that there will be some entrants in the Women’s Rumble who aren’t current superstars. It’s just trying to figure out who they might be that is the fun part.

With that in mind, we’re keeping our ear to the ground before tonight’s show in Philly. Here are the latest Royal Rumble rumors from around the internet, which we’ll update throughout the day if necessary.

The biggest enduring rumor has been whether or not Ronda Rousey might make her debut as a WWE performer during the Women’s Rumble. However, Triple H told the media this week that the two sides have yet to reach a deal, and she denied that we’ll see her tonight, so if she’s coming to Philly, everyone involved is playing it extremely close to the vest.

Mike Johnson of PWInsider first brought word that Ethan Carter III and Shawn Michaels were in Philly. Both have NXT-related reasons for being there, and EC3 was shown in the front row at TakeOver on Saturday night. Still, it’s worth keeping both of them in the back of your head as potential surprise participants.

Wrestling Inc talked to Molly Holly, who told them she would not be in the Women’s Rumble. That’s a pretty concrete indication she won’t be since it comes straight from the source.

Next: WWE Royal Rumble 2018: Preview, predictions and picks

WhatCulture reports that Michelle McCool has been spotted in the Philly area this weekend, making her a possibility for the Women’s Rumble.

Sportskeeda has thrown some cold water on reports and/or hopes that Batista would show up for the Rumble on Sunday. The Animal appears to still be in Florida, though it’s not a long flight from there to PA if he’s coming in.

Could Bobby Lashley make his WWE return tonight? Cleveland.com cites a report from Wrestling Observer Radio that Lashley could sign back up with the WWE soon, and soon could mean at the Rumble.

Squared Circle Sirens says that both Nikki and Brie Bella are in Philadelphia. Though neither are active wrestlers any more (or at least for right now), both women remain a part of other WWE-related programming and could easily be among the surprise entrants in the Women’s Rumble.