Royal Rumble 2021: 5 reasons why WWE announced Edge's return in advance

Edge appeared on WWE TV for the first time since the RAW after Backlash 2020. He spoke about the World Heavyweight Championship that he never lost in 2011, and his desire to regain World Champion status again.

Edge proceeded to declare himself as an entrant to the Royal Rumble match, and that adds a whole new level of interest to it. But why didn't WWE keep it as a surprise? Here are a few possible reasons:

#5. It doesn't make sense to have a surprise return for Edge two years in a row

Edge's return to WWE in the 2020 Royal Rumble sent shockwaves throughout. While there were rumors that Edge had agreed to a new deal with WWE, nobody could fathom the idea that The Rated-R Superstar, who suffered a career-ending injury, could possibly make a return to the ring.

But Edge followed Daniel Bryan's path, and at the 2020 Royal Rumble, his music hit to the biggest pop of the night. It was a massive surprise - the biggest one that any WWE fan could ask for.

He returned and faced Randy Orton at WrestleMania 36 in what would be his first singles match in nine years. His injury put him on the sidelines, and the timeline of his expected return was for January 2021. That's exactly what happened, and WWE decided to have Edge declare himself as an entrant to the 2021 Royal Rumble match.

It was likely done because WWE didn't feel the need to have the same surprise entry two years in a row. It wouldn't have been as effective, and given the circumstances, not as big a moment (even though it would be a great one). Watching Edge return is always great, but perhaps WWE didn't want to repeat the same moment from 2020.