Who’s Ready to Rumble?: A Look at the Participants in the 2021 Women’s Royal Rumble

women's royal rumble

Disclaimer: This article will be updated frequently as the 2021 Royal Rumble adds new participants to the women’s Royal Rumble match (for the men’s participants, see this article). Make sure to bookmark it and check back often for the most up-to-date list of participants!

It’s January, meaning it’s time to start the road to WrestleMania with one of everyone’s favorite events, the Royal Rumble. That’s right, 30 women will enter the ring and one will leave, a guaranteed world title match at the show of shows in their possession. WWE‘s first big four PPV of the calendar year, the Royal Rumble match is always full of intrigue, surprises and major moments. This year’s edition should be no different. As the field of participants for the 2021 Women’s Royal Rumble continues to come into focus, below you’ll find a tale of the tape on each of this year’s competitors with an in depth look at some of their past Royal Rumble highlights and overall track record in the match. So let’s get right to it!

Women’s Royal Rumble Participants (last updated 1/29/21)

Nia Jax – Nia Jax has officially entered the Women’s Royal Rumble. That distinction needed to be made because Jax is one of just a handful of women to have ever competed in the now named Men’s Royal Rumble. In fact, Jax owns a piece of history as she is the only person to have entered both a men and women’s rumble match and she just so happened to do both in the same year. Nia Jax also holds the distinction of needing not one, not two, but six other women to eliminate her from the match. If that doesn’t make one look strong, I’m not sure what does. Jax was one half of the women’s tag team champions but after losing the title, it’s clear her association with Shayna Baszler isn’t long for this world. Look for Jax to make a major impact in this year’s rumble as she’ll be a threat to anyone that stands in her way.

Announced her entry on December 28th, 2020
First Royal Rumble Appearance: 2018
Total appearances: 2 plus one men’s Royal Rumble
Records: only person to enter both a men and women’s rumble match and only person to enter both in the same year (2019), 3rd most amount of total eliminations (7)
Average Entry Position (only including women’s rumbles): 26 (Highest: 21st in 2018; Lowest: 29th in 2019)
Average Finish Position: (only including women’s rumbles): 6 (Best: 3rd in 2019; Worst: 8th in 2018)
Total Eliminations: 7

Charlotte Flair – Whether people want to hear it or not, there is a compelling case to be made for Charlotte to win back-to-back rumble matches, equaling a feat that only Stone Cold Steve Austin has achieved. Charlotte emerged from the field of 30 last year to win her first rumble match in just her second attempt. She used that opportunity to do something no one had ever done before as either gender’s rumble winner before. She challenged for Rhea Ripley’s NXT Women’s Championship. It was the first time an NXT title was defended at WrestleMania and Charlotte walked out the champ. This year, she’s got her eyes on a different title but there is one problem. It’s currently being held by her tag team partner, Asuka. Should Charlotte win the Royal Rumble, she’ll have a major decision to make. She will definitely be one to watch for as Charlotte should factor into the finish even if she ultimately doesn’t walk away with another win.

Announced her entry on January 4th, 2021
First Royal Rumble Appearance: 2019
Total appearances: 2
Records: most total eliminations (9), 2nd longest amount of cumulative time spent in the Royal Rumble match (1:17:20), tied for most wins and most runner-up finishes (1)
Average Entry Position: 15 (Highest: 13th in 2019 and 17th in 2020)
Average Finish Position: 2 (Best: Winner (2020); Worst: 2nd in 2019)
Total Eliminations: 9

Bianca Belair – The EST of WWE is ready for her moment to shine. Last year, while still a member of the NXT roster, Bianca Belair had an incredible showcase picking up eight eliminations in her 33+ minutes in the match. It was the most time of anyone in last year’s women’s rumble and tied with Baszler for most eliminations. It was no doubt a star-making moment for Belair, who received her SmackDown callup a few months later. But Belair isn’t settling for anything less than the bEST. She enters her second ever rumble as Vegas’ opening favorite and it makes sense. It’s clear Belair is headed for a push and there is no better place to start one than on the road to WrestleMania.

Announced her entry on January 8th, 2021
First Royal Rumble Appearance: 2020
Total appearances: 1
Records: tied for most eliminations in a single rumble (8 in 2020)
2020 Entry Position: 2
2020 Finish Position: 15
Total Eliminations: 8

Bayley – With perhaps the exception of Sasha Banks, no one had a better year in 2020 than the new-and-improved Bayley. Bayley Dos Straps shined as SmackDown Women’s Champion and as one half of the women’s tag team champions. But 2021 is a different year and Bayley finds herself in a different role. Split from Banks and without either of the titles she held last year, Bayley is looking for a reset. And what better place for one than the rumble match? Over her two Rumble appearances, Bayley has had the fortune of good starting position. At worst, she was the fourth last person in the match and at best, the second to last. Bayley should have another strong rumble performance as she looks to make 2021 the year of Bayley, part two.

Announced her entry on January 8th, 2021
First Royal Rumble Appearance: 2018
Total appearances: 2
Average Entry Position: 28 (Highest: 27th in 2018; Lowest: 29th in 2019)
Average Finish Position: 6 (Best: 4th in 2019; Worst 7th in 2018)
Total Eliminations: 2

Mandy Rose – Mandy Rose does not have the greatest Royal Rumble track record. While she has been in all three, something that not everyone on this list can say, her cumulative time in those matches has been short and sweet. Rose owns the distinction of being the first-ever woman eliminated in the women’s version of the match and has only finished marginally better since. That said, Rose has improved her finish position each year she’s entered the rumble. Now in her fourth attempt, could Rose finally record her first finish in the teens?

Announced her entry on January 11th, 2021
First Royal Rumble Appearance: 2018
Total appearances: 3
Average Entry Position: 5 (Highest: 3rd in 2019; Lowest: 8th in 2020)
Average Finish Position: 25 (Best: 21st in 2019; Worst: Last/30th in 2018)
Total Eliminations: 2

Dana Brooke – Dana Brooke joined Mandy Rose, her tag team partner, as the first two entrants in this match to have participated in all three previous rumbles. Brooke however, has performed a little better than Rose, managing to finish in the top-15 in 2019 and the top-16 in 2020. And she’s done it with just an average entry position. Brooke’s 2020 had some ups and downs, but this year, she’s ready to prove herself. Winning the rumble would be a great way to kickstart those goals. While Brooke isn’t likely to get it done, she does have a shot at her first top-10 finish this year.

Announced her entry on January 11th, 2021
First Royal Rumble appearance:2018
Total appearances: 3
Average Entry Position: 14 (Highest: 8th in 2019; Lowest: 22nd in 2019)
Average Finish Position: 18 (Best: 13th in 2019; Worst: 25th in 2018)
Total Eliminations: 1

Peyton Royce – Peyton Royce ended 2020 in a position she had never before been in since joining the main roster: a singles wrestler. Having split with longtime IICONICS partner, Billie Kay, Royce seemed ready for a breakout. But her singles run never quite materialized and now, Royce is aligned with Lacey Evans with eyes on the challenging for the women’s tag team championships. But Royce is also looking toward just her second ever Royal Rumble appearance. While unlikely to win, Royce should be able to top her previous 25th place finish from the 2019 rumble match.

Announced her entry on January 18th, 2021
First Royal Rumble appearance:2019
Total appearances: 1
2019 Entry Position: 9
2019 Finish Position: 25
Total Eliminations: 1

Alexa Bliss – When it comes to character work, no one has excelled quite the way Alexa Bliss has over the last few months. While Bliss hasn’t done much wrestling of late (just two matches since November 2020), her role as the Fiend’s other half has been nothing short of sublime. But a full in-ring return of the first-ever woman to win both the Raw and SmackDown titles, will be long overdue. In the absence of the Fiend, Bliss has her sights on Asuka and the Raw Women’s Championship. Whether she wins that in a match or wins the rumble to contend for the belt at WrestleMania, one thing is for certain. Bliss is one of the top women’s wrestlers on the red brand and there is almost no doubt that she will factor into the final few in this year’s rumble.

Announced her entry on January 18th, 2021
First Royal Rumble appearance:2019
Total appearances: 2
Average Entry Position: 14 (Highest: 1st in 2020; Lowest: 26th in 2019)
Average Finish Position: 10 (Best: 5th in 2019; Worst: 15th in 2020)
Total Eliminations: 5

Shayna Baszler – Shayna Baszler has spent no more than five minutes in the Royal Rumble but she made the most of that time, tossing everyone with a pulse out of the ring in short order. Baszler’s 2020 rumble appearance, her only thus far, saw her tie Bianca Belair for most eliminations. Belair’s however, came over a near 40-minute period. No one has been a more dominant force in the rumble match, male or female, than Baszler. Expect her to tally several more eliminations this time around as she’ll look to take her second place finish to first. Baszler receiving a title shot wouldn’t at all be out of the blue so look for her to be around when the final bell rings yet again.

Announced her entry on January 18th, 2021
First Royal Rumble appearance:2020
Total appearances: 1
Records: tied for most eliminations in a single rumble (8 in 2020)
2020 Entry Position: 30
2020 Finish Position: 2
Total Eliminations: 8

Liv Morgan – Back with the Riott Squad, Liv Morgan has recently transformed into a new wrestler, one who has received some significant TV time of late. Her past rumble appearances have left much to be desired. Following her debut in 2018, which saw Morgan in the match for just over five minutes, the Riott Squad member has spent a grand total of 52 seconds in the match over her next two appearances. She currently owns the shortest and fifth shortest rumble times on the women’s side and is also one of just three women’s wrestlers to have the distinction of being thrown over the top rope first. But 2021 is a different year and a different Morgan. While not likely to win, expect Morgan to have her best and most extensive rumble yet, possibly even landing a top-10 finish.

Announced her entry on January 22nd, 2021
First Royal Rumble appearance:2018
Total appearances: 3
Records: two of the top five shortest times in the Royal Rumble (8 seconds in 2019 and 44 seconds in 2020)
Average Entry Position: 7 (Highest: 4th in 2019; Lowest: 11th in 2018)
Average Finish Position: 27 (Best: 22nd in 2018; Worst: 30th in 2019)
Total Eliminations: 1

Ruby Riott – Speaking of the Riott Squad, Morgan will have an ally in the match in her partner, Ruby Riott. Unlike Morgan, Riott has had a pretty decent rumble track record, finishing in the top-15 in her previous two appearances. Riott has also totaled five eliminations, which puts her in the top five in terms of most all-time. A consistently above average perfomer when it comes to the rumble match, look for Riott to put in another such performance. And who knows, perhaps she’ll be the one to eliminate Morgan or maybe more likely, Morgan will eliminate her. After all, friendships only last so long when it comes to an over-the-top-rope battle royale.

Announced her entry on January 22nd, 2021
First Royal Rumble appearance:2018
Total appearances: 2
Average Entry Position: 18 (Highest: 15th in 2018; Lowest: 21st in 2019)
Average Finish Position: 13 (Best: 11th in 2019; Worst: 14th in 2018)
Total Eliminations: 5

Tamina – Tamina recently returned to WWE TV, just in time to make her fourth consecutive appearance in the Royal Rumble. Tamina has not fared well in the match thus far with her best finish being outside of the top-20. It’s unlikely her track record will see much improvement this year as Tamina doesn’t really factor into WWE’s scene right now. She’ll likely be made to be a tough out, but ultimately, don’t really expect much from her appearance this year.

Announced her entry on January 29th, 2021
First Royal Rumble appearance: 2018
Total appearances: 3
Average Entry Position: 10 (Highest: 7th in 2018; Lowest: 14th in 2020)
Average Finish Position: 25 (Best: 21st in 2020; Worst: 29th in 2018)
Total Eliminations: 1

Natalya – The WWE women’s rumble field only saw 13 wrestlers announced in advance. Natalya, was lucky No. 13. Earning her spot by defeating Tamina on Saturday’s WWE Backstage, Natalya not only received an entrant spot, but she also has the luxury of entering at No. 30. Natalya’s time in the women’s rumbles of the past has been largely successful. From an entry position of right around the middle, Natalya has found herself with three top-10 finishes in her three appearances. In 2019, while entering from the second spot, Natalya was the match’s iron woman, lasting over 56 minutes. That time, of 56:01, currently stands as the longest time spent in a single rumble on the women’s side. Natalya also has the record for most cumulative time spent in the match, with over an hour and half total.

Announced her entry on January 29th, 2021
First Royal Rumble appearance:2018
Total appearances: 3
Records: Longest time spent in a single Women’s Royal Rumble (56:01 in 2019) and longest cumulative time spent in the match (1:36:18)
Average Entry Position: 14 (Highest: 2nd in 2019; Lowest: 23rd in 2020)
Average Finish Position: 6 (Best: 4th in 2020; Worst: 8th in 2019)
Total Eliminations: 5

Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. WWE fan? You can check out an almost unlimited array of WWE content on the WWE Network. Make sure to watch the Royal Rumble on the WWE Network on January 31st, 2021.

Looking to talk wrestling, pro football, or any number of sports? Head on over to the LWOS Boards to engage in conversation with fellow fans!

Share:

More Posts

Send Us A Message