Who else could show up? The Rumble is a bright stage for surprise entrants and shocking returns. Joe Hendry, local hero (shoutout ICW) seems like a safe bet given his rising popularity and his place atop TNA Wrestling, who just entered into a promotional agreement with WWE.

Here's a list of Royal Rumble winners since the event's debut in 1988. 2022: Ronda Rousey and Brock Lesnar 2020: Charlotte Flair and Drew McIntyre Check out the ESPN WWE hub page for breaking news, wrestler profiles, title history and more.

Nikki Bella made her return to the ring at WWE Royal Rumble, entering the women's Royal Rumble at number 30. It was Bella's first match since the 2022 Royal Rumble. Speaking on the Nikki & Brie Show, Nikki commented on her future in the ring.

After a brief appearance in 2022, WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella made her triumphant return as the 30th and final entrant into Saturday night’s WWE Royal Rumble 2025 in Indianapolis. The wrestler retired from the profession in 2019, but Saturday night was the first time WWE fans saw her in the ring since that 2022 surprise match.

And just to set the table for 2026, #1 and #28 each have produced four winners, so there is a possibility of a three-way tie down the line. For now though, WWE can once again start plugging 27 as a desirable number to draw in the Rumble.

A new episode of the Nikki & Brie Show was released on Thursday with Bella recapping her Royal Rumble experience. Responding to fans who have asked if she’s back in WWE to stay, Bella confirmed that we’ll be seeing her again soon. She is continuing to train for “this run.”

Nikki Bella and Alexa Bliss are back. Bliss made her surprising return to WWE programming during Saturday's women's Royal Rumble match in Indianapolis

Nikki Bella confirms that she’s doing more with WWE following WWE Royal Rumble. Bella made a surprise appearance in the Women’s Royal Rumble. This marked her first time in a WWE ring since WWE Royal Rumble 2022.