WWE Royal Rumble winners who didn't officially declare their entry
Royal Rumble season is looming large as the 2021 edition of the fan-favorite PPV is barely three weeks away from now. Though there will be no fans present this time around, the Superstars will try to leave no stone unturned to have a memorable outing, irrespective of the circumstances.
Until now, a few Superstars like AJ Styles, Randy Orton, Daniel Bryan, Charlotte Flair, and Bayley have already announced their official entry into the Rumble matches. Come 31st January, the excitement will be through the roof as the road to WrestleMania begins.
Over the years, Royal Rumble matches have seen several Superstars making surprise returns. Either they didn't allow their entrance, or they returned from an injury that had kept them out of action for a long time. Such returns never fail to elicit a reaction from the fans. No matter if the crowd boos or cheers a returnee, it always gets people talking.
Similarly, there have been a few returns where the Superstars went on to win the match even though they never officially announced their entry. In this list, we will look at four such instances where Superstars came out on top without revealing their appearances during the build-up.
#4 Edge (WWE Royal Rumble 2010)
While his triumphant return to in-ring action after 9-years at Royal Rumble 2020 is still widely-discussed, Edge's return a decade earlier at Royal Rumble 2010 was equally memorable. Having been out of action since injuring his back in July 2009, he made a stunning comeback at the Rumble, which was six-months before his predicted recovery time.
His return at number 29 drew a thunderous response from the crowd, while his foe Chris Jericho stood stunned in the ring. He eliminated Jericho, and went on to win the match by eventually eliminating John Cena. Winning the Royal Rumble bout also marked the Rated-R Superstar's first face turn since 2004.
Edge would lay down the challenge for the World Heavyweight Championship which Jericho won at the next PPV, Elimination Chamber. At WrestleMania 26, Edge would end up losing to the current AEW star. However, the feud eventually culminated with Edge defeating Y2J in a steel cage match at Extreme Rules 2010.