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4 WWE Superstars who could miss the Royal Rumble due to injury
It has been quite a while since WWE's main roster has had a Premium Live Event. The last major show was the 2024 edition of Survivor Series WarGames. In the time since then, there have been television specials and RAW on Netflix, but that's it for the main roster.
That is about to change, however. On February 1st, the Sports Entertainment titan will be hosting the 2025 Royal Rumble live from Indianapolis, Indiana. The show is going to be massive and the crowd should be huge.
Of course, the biggest hooks for the show are the two Royal Rumble Matches. One bout will feature 30 men and the other will include 30 women. This includes current top stars, but also likely some returns.
While it is fun to look forward to big returns, some stars might not be ready. There are several big names and talented individuals who are unlikely to appear at the prestigious yearly event due to injuries suffered. This article will tackle a handful who might miss the big show.
Below are four WWE superstars who could miss the Royal Rumble due to injury.
#4. Ilja Dragunov's status is very much up for debate
Ilja Dragunov is one of the best wrestlers in the world. He hits hard and while his offense isn't always the most pretty, it is certainly effective. It is so effective, in fact, that he is a former NXT Champion and United Kingdom Champion.
There is some good news for The Mad Dragon. The Russian superstar has been spotted at the WWE Performance Center repeatedly. It isn't currently clear if it was for rehabilitation purposes, training, or something else.
Still, training or not, an ACL injury requires a lot of time to heal. It would probably be unwise for Ilja to push a return for the Royal Rumble even if he desperately wants in. Instead, the talented star could miss the show altogether.
#3. Tonga Loa was hurt in WarGames
Tonga Loa returned to WWE last year. He did so by joining The New Bloodline, a stable also featuring Tama Tonga, Solo Sikoa, and Jacob Fatu. He was also given the nickname of "The Infamous" upon returning to the promotion.
Unfortunately, The New Bloodline member has been away from WWE television for around two months now. He was part of the Men's WarGames Match alongside the rest of The New Bloodline and was unfortunately injured in the bout.
An injury as recent as November likely means he'll be unable to return in time for February 1st. While The Infamous Tonga Loa is in great shape, Triple H and company officials will probably try to make sure he's fully health as opposed to rushing a comeback.
#2. Bronson Reed will likely be out of action in WWE for many more months
Bronson Reed has been a talented and intimidating WWE star ever since he debuted on NXT many years ago. It was his destructive behavior throughout much of 2024 that truly made Reed a "Made-Man" in the company.
Unfortunately, the aforementioned WarGames Match at WWE Survivor Series in November had another victim too. Big Bronson Reed climbed to the top of the cage and snapped his ankle upon jumping down through a table.
While it would be nice to have Big Bronson in the Royal Rumble Match as a dominant force, it is far too soon for Reed to return to the ring. Reed is admittedly very banged up still. He won't be back for months and a comeback at the Royal Rumble is simply too good to be true.
#1. AJ Styles has mentioned his injury recovery is a struggle
AJ Styles has been called one of the best in the world for two decades now. His rise in TNA Wrestling and Ring of Honor saw the now-WWE star build quite the following. His later success in New Japan Pro Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment cemented his legacy.
The Phenomenal One had rotten luck in 2024. After a great feud with Cody Rhodes, he took some time off. Upon returning to WWE television, he suffered an immediate foot and leg injury in a match with Carmelo Hayes.
While it would be amazing for AJ to return in the Men's Royal Rumble Match, that is unlikely to happen. Styles has publicly revealed his injury is quite challenging, which likely means he won't be back in the ring for quite some time.