"We had a roster full of people that were over" - Vince Russo comments on WWE booking too many surprises for WWE Royal Rumble (Exclusive)

Vince Russo recently opened up about WWE not having to rely on booking too many surprise entrants for the Royal Rumble during the Attitude Era.

With Royal Rumble 2023 a little over a month away, fans have begun speculating about the possible surprises WWE could have in store. Cody Rhodes, The Rock, and Charlotte Flair are some of the biggest names who are rumored to be part of next year's Rumble. Apart from that, with Triple H bringing back many released stars to the promotion, fans can also expect a couple of grand returns.

However, this wasn't the case during the Attitude Era when surprise entrants were minimal, and the focus was on the existing roster. Speaking on Sportskeeda Wrestling's Writing with Russo, Vince Russo explained that WWE didn't have to book many surprises back then because the roster was packed with star power.

"Not really, bro. And from what I can remember, it was like one person; you know what I mean. Keep in mind, man, we had a roster full of people that were over. So we didn't need that as crutch. If it was one or two people, that was it," said Vince Russo (2:46 - 3:10)

Check out the full video below:

Carmelo Hayes wants to be a part of WWE Royal Rumble

Speaking of surprises, Carmelo Hayes recently expressed his desire to make his main roster debut at Royal Rumble 2023 as a surprise entrant. In an exclusive chat with Sportskeeda Wrestling, Hayes revealed that either he or Bron Breakker would be good representatives of NXT in the Men's Royal Rumble Match.

"Yeah, if they give me the ball, yeah. I don't want to get too far, right now, I'm looking at Deadline, and after that, you know, we'll deal with that. But yeah, put me in. At the same, if I don't, it's no big deal either, I'm still gonna shine here on NXT but I don't know, that might be a big thing for me and for the brand itself, to represent the brand. Put me in or put Bron [Breakker] or whoever and that helps NXT in the long run, I think," said Carmelo Hayes. [8:42 - 9:16]

Carmelo Hayes as a surprise entrant in the 2023 Royal Rumble

THIS NEEDS TO BE THE MOVE ✊🏽 #NextUp #MeloDontMiss 🎯 https://t.co/i6oYykX5sB

It remains to be seen if Carmelo Hayes' wish to appear in the Rumble match comes to fruition. Considering just how popular he is, it's safe to say his appearance would bring the Texas fans to their feet.

What do you make of Vince Russo's take on WWE's overreliance on surprise entrants at Royal Rumble? Sound off in the comments section below.

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