5 WWE Superstars who could miss the 2021 Royal Rumble
WWE Royal Rumble 2021 is set to go down this weekend, and a few potential surprises at the event have become the main topic of discussion lately.
In the ThunderDome era of WWE, some top-profile Superstars may choose to sit out the upcoming Royal Rumble pay-per-view.
This year, ten or more names could return at the Royal Rumble. As a matter of fact, some of the entries in this list are a part of those rumors as well. At the same time, it is important to remember that WWE often creates speculation to gauge their fanbase's reactions or mislead the fans on purpose. So not all Royal Rumble rumors come true at the event.
With that in mind, let's take a look at five top WWE Superstars who could miss the 2021 Royal Rumble.
#5 Superstar who could miss the Royal Rumble - WWE Legend Kane
Kane wrestled his most recent in-ring match alongside The Undertaker against D-Generation X at WWE Crown Jewel 2018. In 2019, Kane briefly won the 24/7 Championship from R-Truth on RAW, only to lose it to the latter star on the same night.
The Big Red Machine hasn't wrestled in an actual in-ring match since the aforementioned Crown Jewel event. However, Kane is still listed under the SmackDown tab of WWE Superstars on WWE's official website, even to this day.
In 2020, Kane made two noteworthy appearances on WWE TV in a non-wrestling capacity. His most recent appearance for the promotion happened during The Undertaker's final farewell at WWE Survivor Series in November.
There has been no speculation when it comes to Kane's potential plans at the upcoming Royal Rumble event. If The Big Red Machine does eventually show up during the Men's Royal Rumble, it would come across as a well-kept surprise. However, there doesn't seem to be a major upside to Kane's potential return for the viewers, apart from a temporary pop for the returning legend.
Given the lack of speculation and purpose, it seems unlikely that The Devil's Favorite Demon will return during the multi-man match at the upcoming pay-per-view.