4 absent WWE Superstars who could realistically return at the 2024 Royal Rumble
WWE will soon be presenting the 2024 Royal Rumble. The big event is just about a month away, as it will take place on January 27, 2024. This will be the 37th annual Royal Rumble event and will be held at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.
So far, four matches have been announced for the show. Logan Paul will defend the United States Championship against either Kevin Owens or Santos Escobar. Additionally, Roman Reigns will battle either AJ Styles, Randy Orton, or LA Knight.
Beyond those two big-time title bouts, two Royal Rumble Matches will be held. Just four stars have been confirmed for the matches so far. Cody Rhodes and CM Punk will be in the Men's Royal Rumble Match, while Nia Jax and Bayley are confirmed for the women's stipulation bout.
The Royal Rumble event, and especially the specialty match, lends itself to big-time returns. While fans will assume the biggest and most shocking names could appear, there's no guarantee a major surprise will take place.
There are some stars who could realistically appear, however, based on the known information. This article will look at a handful of names who could return at the event.
Below are four absent WWE Superstars who could realistically return at the 2024 Royal Rumble.
#4. Gunther could be back from paternity leave
Gunther is a dominant force in WWE. The Austrian first joined the Sports Entertainment Juggernaut through NXT UK, where he held the United Kingdom Championship. He briefly competed on NXT before joining the main roster in 2022. He almost immediately won gold and has been a champion ever since.
The Ring General has been taking some time away from the ring, however. He noted to Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci that he would be away on vacation for a few weeks, but the truth is, Gunther recently became a father and is away on paternity leave.
Due to his absence not being related to any kind of contractual dispute or an injury, he will return as soon as he's willing and able to do so. As a result, Gunther could very well be back in action within a month. Even if he takes the next several weeks off, a return in the big-time Men's Royal Rumble Match is possible.
#3. Tamina Snuka has been absent from WWE
Tamina is a 45-year-old wrestling star who has been part of the WWE system since 2010. She debuted on Monday Night RAW that year alongside The Usos and has been a consistent and reliable performer for the next 13 years and counting.
Unfortunately, the wrestling veteran hasn't been seen in a long time. The former WWE Women's Tag Team Champion hasn't had a match in the company since February of this year. She was still drafted to SmackDown, however, so in theory, she remains a member of the roster.
There's a chance Triple H and company officials have just been waiting for the right time to bring her back. A return in the Women's Royal Rumble Match makes sense, both for the sake of needing bodies in the bout and also as a nice surprise for fans of the Samoan star.
#2. Dakota Kai may be back in time for the Women's Royal Rumble Match
Dakota Kai is one of the best female stars in wrestling. She is good in the ring, charismatic, and can speak well on the microphone. Kai is a member of Damage CTRL, having won the WWE Women's Tag Team titles twice as part of the group.
Unfortunately, Dakota Kai suffered a bad leg injury in 2023 that has kept her out of action. Despite not being able to compete, the WWE star has still appeared in stories centered around Damage CTRL.
In brighter news, Dakota has mentioned in the past that she'll be back in 2024. She has even alluded to a return in January, although the Kiwi star has always emphasized that it is an estimated timetable. Still, there's no better time for the Damage CTRL member to return than in the big-time match.
#1. Braun Strowman could return from his serious neck injury
Braun Strowman is by far one of the most intimidating superstars in WWE history. The imposing big man doesn't just look the part, as he's managed to win numerous titles during his time with the promotion. This includes the Universal Championship.
Just like Dakota Kai, Braun unfortunately suffered an injury. Due to neck problems, the big man had to have surgery, which put an end to his tag team run with Ricochet. The two were really gaining momentum leading up to the unfortunate surgery.
The Monster Of All Monsters revealed in an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda that he has been lifting weights as part of his recovery. It isn't clear how long his neck will take to heal, but if he's already been doing weight training for several weeks, he may be back in time for the Royal Rumble in a month's time.