WWE Royal Rumble: 10 best surprise entrants in history

The WWE Royal Rumble is built for big surprises in the Rumble match, but who are the best of those surprise entrants in the history of the event?

The WWE Royal Rumble is an exciting show for a multitude of reasons for professional wrestling fans. For some, it’s because it’s the kick-off to WrestleMania season. And for others, it’s about the big surprise entrants.

Returns and debuts at this event always bring about a feeling of excitement and maybe even a surge of energy in the crowd and at home whenever the music hits. However, not all surprise entrants are created equal.

So let’s look back at the Rumble matches over the years and, in doing so, rank the 10 best surprise entrants in the history of the WWE Royal Rumble.

WWE Royal Rumble: Best surprise entrants ever

10. Awesome Kong/Kharma, Royal Rumble 2012

Awesome Kong is one of modern women’s wrestling pioneers who helped elevate women’s wrestling with her legendary feud with Gail Kim. This made everyone believe her WWE run would be equally great — but it wasn’t meant to be for various reasons.

The one shining moment in that run was her becoming only the third woman to ever enter the match eliminating Hunico and Michael Cole. One unique stat about this is that this was her first and only WWE match.

9. Rey Mysterio, Royal Rumble 2018

One of professional wrestling’s most recognizable stars returned in the 2018 Royal Rumble after a nearly four-year absence. Mysterio entered the match at No. 27 to a deafening reaction, lasting until nearly the final four before being eliminated by Finn Balor.

8. Beth Phoenix, Royal Rumble 2010

It’s not every year where you can say history was made at the Royal Rumble but 2010 was one of those years. Beth Phoenix became only the second woman ever to enter the Rumble match after the late, great Chyna.

This was an awesome moment and surprise as Chyna normally competed in the men’s division, meaning no one expected Phoenix to be in the match, let alone eliminate the monstrous former world champion Great Khali. This elimination will be remembered and played on repeat every single year.

7. Kevin Nash/Diesel, Royal Rumble 2011

Kevin Nash returning in the 2011 Royal Rumble was a crazy surprise. At the time, it looked like TNA was on the verge of reuniting the Main Event Mafia before it was pulled out from under them as Booker T and Kevin Nash returned to WWE.

But Nash returning to the company using his Diesel gimmick was a wild moment with Kofi Kingston’s reaction to it turning into a meme for a while and Matt Striker’s shoot call literally made him and everyone mark out.

6. Chris Jericho, Royal Rumble 2013

Chris Jericho always has found a way to keep fans guessing when it comes to his comebacks and returns. 2013 was no different as he returned at the Royal Rumble after a five-month hiatus because of a tour with his band, Fozzy. Jericho entered at No. 2, surprising the fans and then-rival Dolph Ziggler, lasting an astonishing 47 minutes before being eliminated by Ziggler.

5. Trish Stratus, Royal Rumble 2018

2018 was a special year for the Royal Rumble as it was the first time the women’s division had its own Rumble match. With it being such a monumental moment for the division, what better No. 30 entrant than the surprise of a WWE Hall of Famer like Trish Stratus entering?

What made this moment even better was seeing her interact with long-term rival Mickie James while accumulating three eliminations over the course of nearly six minutes before being eliminated by Sasha Banks in what felt like a clash of two eras.

4. Christian, Royal Rumble 2021

Much like Edge the year before, no one expected Christian to return to professional wrestling after leaving as he was dealing with concussion issues in 2014. Christian entered at No. 24 and lasted 18 minutes in the match, even sharing a moment with Edge (which could be the last time they ever share a ring together). This appearance springboarded his full-time comeback, eventually landing with AEW and in the main event of All Out against Kenny Omega.

3. AJ Styles, Royal Rumble 2016

The Phenomenal One was the franchise player of TNA/Impact and conquered the world of New Japan Pro Wrestling, which only left one destination left for him to assert himself as a top guy. In January 2016, the wrestling industry buzzed over Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura and the Good Brothers departures from NJPW and their inevitable arrivals in WWE.

Entering at No. 3 at the Rumble brought Styles face to face with Roman Reigns to an absolutely massive reaction, which even surprised Styles. His WWE debut lasted nearly a half-hour and kicked off a run that will see Styles become a decorated grand slam champion.

2. John Cena, Royal Rumble 2008

New York City and John Cena have had a turbulent relationship over the years, but his 2008 Royal Rumble was the loudest reaction he’s ever elicited in the Big Apple. No one expected Cena to return as fast as he did after suffering a torn pectoral muscle in October 2007 as he returned three months after an injury that was given a six-month timetable. This led a rough NYC crowd to embrace Cena, who eliminated Triple H to win the match.

1. Edge, Royal Rumble 2020

After retiring in 2011 due to cervical spinal stenosis, Edge made his miraculous return in 2020 — which no one expected — to an electric reaction and visibly emotional Edge entered the ring spearing competitors like AJ Styles and Drew McIntyre.

Edge eliminated three competitors, including former partner Randy Orton, before being eliminated by Roman Reigns after a little over 23 minutes in the match, which made him the third-longest lasting competitor in the 2020 Royal Rumble.

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