{"id":150581,"date":"2026-01-13T09:00:31","date_gmt":"2026-01-13T14:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/?p=150581"},"modified":"2026-01-13T08:49:42","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T13:49:42","slug":"wwes-worst-royal-rumble-surprises","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2026\/01\/13\/wwes-worst-royal-rumble-surprises\/","title":{"rendered":"WWE Royal Rumble Worst Surprise Entrants"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Royal Rumble match is one of infinite surprises. With 30 men and women in each contest, WWE tries to give us at least one or two surprises per match. Whether it be a returning wrestler or a celebrity, the Royal Rumble creates a sense of excitement that isn\u2019t there for any other gimmick match on WWE\u2019s calendar.<\/p>\n<p>A surprise return is one of the selling points of the Royal Rumble. It\u2019s what the fans get hyped for, and it usually gets a great reaction from the audience, but not always. There have been instances throughout history when a return doesn\u2019t elicit the reaction that WWE had hoped for. It causes the audience at the arena and at home to feel more disinterested.<\/p>\n<p>Below are some examples of these terrible Royal Rumble surprise entrants.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_150598\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-150598\" style=\"width: 900px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/Drew_Carey_bio.png\" alt=\"Drew Carey before entering the 2021 Royal Rumble match \" width=\"900\" height=\"506\" class=\"size-full wp-image-150598\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/Drew_Carey_bio.png 900w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/Drew_Carey_bio-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/Drew_Carey_bio-768x432.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-150598\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo Credit: WWE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Daniel Bryan (2014) <\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>O.K., this is going to be a bit of a cheat because this entry is more for a lack of surprise than an actual surprise. That being said, the WWE fans were clearly expecting Daniel Bryan to make his way into the Royal Rumble. When he didn\u2019t appear, they became rabid and turned on WWE instantly.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel Bryan was the hottest wrestler on the planet in 2014. The groundswell of support that followed him from his loss at WrestleMania 28 was insane. He was receiving Attitude Era-type pops every time he stepped through the curtain. Most assumed it was only a matter of time before he was thrust into the main event. The Royal Rumble seemed the perfect place for Bryan to reach the upper plateau of WWE.<\/p>\n<p>When the 30<sup>th<\/sup> entrant was revealed to be Rey Mysterio, it was the worst surprise the WWE Universe could have imagined. Their Golden Boy wasn\u2019t in the Royal Rumble, and at the time wasn\u2019t going to be punching a ticket to WrestleMania.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"FULL MATCH \u2014 2014 Royal Rumble Match: Royal Rumble 2014\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/mtiZw-83R1c?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Drew Carey (2001)<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Celebrity appearances have their niche within the wrestling world. Bringing in stars from other media is a great way to boost exposure for your product, but it comes with its drawbacks. Most celebrities don\u2019t know enough about wrestling, or don\u2019t care to. This makes it hard for them to make any lasting impact when they appear. It can also ruin a moment that should have been earmarked for another wrestler, the Royal Rumble in 2001 being a prime example.<\/p>\n<p>Having Drew Carey in a few backstage segments was good fun. He was promoting something and had some funny interactions with the talent, but that\u2019s where it should have ended. It was a joke seeing him get a spot in the Royal Rumble. It achieved nothing for everyone involved, producing cringeworthy moments during the match. That spot could have been given to some other deserving wrestlers who would have benefited from the exposure. Not a great choice from WWE.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Hall of Fame: Drew Carey competes in the 2001 Royal Rumble\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DxSTYmzmc8Y?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Santina Marella (2020)\u00a0 <\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The alter ego of Santino Marella, or sister, whatever you want to call it, has never been one that\u2019s received much love. As a comedy act, the character has a very short shelf life, but WWE continued to bring \u201cher\u201d out to zero positive reaction from the audience. Comedy was one thing for the Santina Marella character, but mixing it up with the women\u2019s wrestlers was always an insult. No more is this true than the 2020 Women\u2019s Royal Rumble.<\/p>\n<p>By that point, Women\u2019s wrestling was a serious part of WWE\u2019s product. The women of WWE had worked their butts off to change the perception of Women\u2019s wrestling. WWE bringing out Santina Marella&#8217;surprise was an insult to everything they had worked for. This was a spot that should have been reserved for a female wrestler, at the very least. Not some comedy act that had more than worn out his\/her welcome.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Santina Marella feels beautiful after the Royal Rumble Match: WWE Exclusive, Jan. 26, 2020\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/JlJxykDJmec?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Jim Duggan (2012) <\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Hacksaw Jim Duggan will always hold a special place in Royal Rumble history. As the first man to win the Royal Rumble match, he will forever be linked with the gimmick and its history. His popularity followed him throughout his career, and he had several successful comebacks along the way. However, as the years went on, his appearances received more of an eye roll than anything. The most egregious of which came at the 2012 Royal Rumble.<\/p>\n<p>The fans in St. Louis were expecting some great surprises when the Royal Rumble hit their town. Instead, they were presented with former Royal Rumble winner Hacksaw Jim Duggan. The man was well past his prime and struggled against the younger stars. The fans in attendance were also at an age where the nostalgia act didn\u2019t resonate with them. The reaction to Duggan was not what WWE wanted. It was time to put an end to the inaugural Royal Rumble winner.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"25 surprise Royal Rumble entrants: WWE Top 10 special edition, Jan. 21, 2024\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/sq7FwdY_IKw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<h2><strong>The Entire Announce Team (2012) <\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Wasting one surprise could be a forgivable error on WWE\u2019s part, but using three spots to build toward a feud that no one cared about anyway is blasphemy. In 2012, Michael Cole was in the midst of his heel run no one asked for, and no one wanted to see. His ranting was unbearable and took over too much of WWE programming. The hijacking of shows was too much, and it nearly ruined the Royal Rumble.<\/p>\n<p>Hearing the announce team bantering back and forth took away from the action in the ring. That was bad enough, but it was made worse. Booker T, Jerry Lawler, and Michael Cole each got a surprise entrant in the Royal Rumble match. It brought their drama into a contest in which they had no business being. The fans didn\u2019t care, the office shouldn\u2019t have cared, and it brought any momentum the Royal Rumble had to a screeching halt.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"FULL MATCH - 2012 Royal Rumble Match: Royal Rumble 2012\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/WAM6AFaaSh0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong>More from LWOS Pro Wrestling<\/strong><amp-fx-flying-carpet height=\"600px\"><amp-ad data-block-on-consent=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"600\" layout=\"fixed\" type=\"doubleclick\" data-slot=\"\/15188745,22512265771\/FS-lastwordonsports-AMP\/AMP-FlyingCarpet\" data-lazy-fetch=\"true\" data-loading-strategy=\"1.25\" rtc-config=\"{ &quot;vendors&quot;: { &quot;t13&quot;: { &quot;TAG_ID&quot;: &quot;f502adbd-5c9b-4d6f-9ec5-b0cdc0f4827c&quot;, &quot;ACCOUNT_ID&quot;: &quot;9a3c6c23-453a-4cba-b419-30b908f39a50&quot; }, &quot;aps&quot;: { &quot;PUB_ID&quot;: &quot;600&quot;, &quot;PUB_UUID&quot;: &quot;16268e26-dabe-4bf4-a28f-b8f4ee192ed3&quot;, &quot;PARAMS&quot;: { &quot;amp&quot;: &quot;1&quot; } }, &quot;criteo&quot;: { &quot;NETWORK_ID&quot;: &quot;4905&quot;, &quot;ZONE_ID&quot;: &quot;1382491&quot;, &quot;PUBLISHER_SUB_ID&quot;: &quot;FS-lastwordonsports-AMP-FlyingCarpet&quot; }, &quot;medianet&quot;: { &quot;CID&quot;: &quot;8CU8ZT2C4&quot; } } }\"><\/amp-ad><\/amp-fx-flying-carpet><\/h3>\n<p><em><i>Header photo \u2013 WWE \u2013 Stay tuned to the <\/i><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/\" target=\"_self\"><em><u><i>Last Word on Pro Wrestling<\/i><\/u><\/em><\/a><em><i>\u00a0for more on WWE Royal Rumble and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the significant news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world.<\/i><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><i>You can check out WWE programming on\u00a0<\/i><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.netflix.com\/title\/81788927\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em><u><i>Netflix<\/i><\/u><\/em><\/a><em><i>\u00a0(Raw),\u00a0<\/i><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.usanetwork.com\/wwe-friday-night-smackdown\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em><u><i>USA Network<\/i><\/u><\/em><\/a><em><i>\u00a0(SmackDown),\u00a0<\/i><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cwtv.com\/shows\/wwe-nxt\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em><u><i>The CW<\/i><\/u><\/em><\/a><em><i>\u00a0(NXT),\u00a0<\/i><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/tubitv.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em><u><i>Tubi<\/i><\/u><\/em><\/a><em><i>\u00a0(WWE Evolve),\u00a0<\/i><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aetv.com\/wwe\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em><u><i>A&amp;E<\/i><\/u><\/em><\/a><em><i>\u00a0(WWE Superstar Sunday \u2013 Rivals, WWE LFG, and Greatest Moments), and\u00a0<\/i><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peacocktv.com\/watch\/home\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em><u><i>Peacock<\/i><\/u><\/em><\/a><em><i>\u00a0(WWE Main Event, as well as archives and premium live event streaming). Follow WWE on social media to relive top moments and matches on\u00a0<\/i><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/wwe\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em><u><i>YouTube<\/i><\/u><\/em><\/a><em><i>, and catch fast-paced action on X (<\/i><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/i\/events\/1773457579022155776?lang=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em><u><i>WWE Speed<\/i><\/u><\/em><\/a><em><i>).<\/i><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Royal Rumble match is one of infinite surprises. With 30 men and women in each contest, WWE tries to give us at least one or two surprises per match. Whether it be a returning wrestler or a celebrity, the Royal Rumble creates a sense of excitement that isn\u2019t there for any other gimmick match [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4518,"featured_media":150595,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7205,2192,4,3,320],"tags":[7214],"class_list":["post-150581","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-history","category-wrestling","category-wwe","category-wwe-universe","category-wwe-women","tag-wwe-royal-rumble"],"modified_by":"Steph Franchomme","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150581","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4518"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=150581"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150581\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":150605,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150581\/revisions\/150605"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/150595"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=150581"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=150581"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=150581"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}