5 AEW stars you may not know participated in the Royal Rumble
Royal Rumble is considered one of the most challenging stipulations ever introduced to professional wrestling. The 30-Man/Women Over-The-Top-Rope Battle Royal is not merely a test of strength, as it also requires an individual to utilize his wit to outlast the other 29 opponents.
There have been 37 editions of the Royal Rumble so far, with hundreds of wrestlers trying their fortune in the high-stakes contest. However, only a handful of stars have been able to emerge victorious in the royal tussle to punch their ticket to WrestleMania.
Interestingly, several current AEW stars have also participated in the Royal Rumble in the past. While names like Adam Copeland, Chris Jericho, and Chris Jericho are well-known for their performances in the annual Battle Royal, there have also been some obscure Rumble entrants from All Elite Wrestling.
In this article, let's look at five AEW stars who fans may not know participated in the Royal Rumble.
#5. Adam Cole entered the Royal Rumble in 2018
Adam Cole's four-year-long run in NXT was nothing less than legendary. Unfortunately, The Panama Playboy never got his well-deserved main roster call-up under the Vince McMahon-led regime, resulting in him joining AEW in 2021.
However, Cole left the wrestling world stunned in 2018 by entering the Royal Rumble. The former NXT Champion entered the contest as the #23 entrant, lasting 6 minutes and 52 seconds.
Alongside The Star of the Show, Andrade was the other representative from NXT in the Royal Rumble. It was an eventful Rumble outing for The Panama Playboy, as he traded blows with Randy Orton, John Cena, and Seth Rollins.
The 35-year-old star was ultimately eliminated by a returning Rey Mysterio, who crushed his dreams of going to The Showcase of The Immortals.
#4. Big Bill participated in the 2017 edition of the Rumble
Big Bill (FKA Big Cass) had a three-year-long stint on the WWE main roster. The monstrous star joined the RAW brand in 2016 alongside Enzo Amore.
Interestingly, Big Bill was entrusted with a huge responsibility in January 2017. The 38-year-old star kicked off the 2017 Royal Rumble, entering the contest at #1. The 6 ft 10in star went toe-to-toe with #2 entrant Chris Jericho, who happens to be his current mentor in AEW. Unfortunately, Bill did not last too long in the contest.
After spending nearly 10 minutes in the match, Bill was thrown over the top rope by Braun Strowman. The gigantic star could not score a single elimination in what remains his only Rumble appearance to this day.
#3. Mercedes Martinez entered the Royal Rumble in 2020
Mercedes Martinez is one of the most experienced female veterans in the pro wrestling industry. The 44-year-old star has wrestled across numerous wrestling promotions over the last two decades.
Before becoming a full-time member of the AEW roster in December 2021, Mercedes Martinez had a stint in WWE NXT from 2020-21. In January 2020, The Latina Sensation attempted to earn her ticket to WrestleMania by winning the Women's Royal Rumble match.
Martinez was one of the 11 female stars from NXT/NXT UK who had decided to enter the royal tussle that night. The veteran was one of the earliest participants, entering the contest at #6.
Unfortunately, Martinez only lasted for 8 minutes and 14 seconds before being eliminated by the duo of Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville.
#2. Samoa Joe is one of the forgotten Royal Rumble participants from AEW
Samoa Joe's WWE run was full of ups and downs. However, The Samoan Submission Machine managed to compete in several marquee matches during his time in the Stamford-based promotion.
The Destroyer has entered the Men's Rumble match twice in his illustrious career. Joe made his debut Rumble appearance in 2019, entering the contest at #8. The former United States Champion had an impressive outing, as he scored three eliminations and lasted 24 minutes.
The former AEW World Champion entered the high-stakes contest again in 2020 but could not make much of an impact. Samoa Joe emerged as the #29 entrant but could not secure a single elimination. After staying in the ring for a mere 4 minutes and 25 seconds, Joe was sent out of the squared circle by Seth Rollins.
#1. Malakai Black has two Rumble appearances to his name
Malakai Black's Royal Rumble history is quite intriguing. The Dutch Destroyer's first Rumble appearance took place in 2019 when he was still assigned to the NXT brand. Black entered the contest again in 2020, this time as a RAW Superstar.
In 2019, Black was the #21 participant to enter the contest. The Striking Man from Amsterdam lasted about six minutes in the ring before being thrown out by Baron Corbin. The former NXT Champion did leave an impression by eliminating Dean Ambrose.
The Dutch Destroyer entered the contest a bit late in 2020. Emerging as the #28 entrant, Black only remained inside the squared circle for about five minutes before Seth Rollins ended his stay in the contest.