All the rumoured returns, including Brock Lesnar, Ronda Rousey and Becky Lynch along with the reported favourites

The 2021 Royal Rumble is upon us and WWE are getting WrestleMania season into full swing.

This Royal Rumble will be like no other by virtue of the fact it will be in front of zero fans.

Drew McIntyre won last year’s Royal Rumble

WWE are continuing to run shows from the Thunderdome until at least WrestleMania 37 where they will go to the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, the arena they were meant to inhabit last year before COVID-19 scuppered their plans.

With WWE’s most important WrestleMania in years looming, there has been plenty of speculation as to who will be returning for the Royal Rumble.

Names like Samoa Joe, Wade Barrett and Sonya Deville are being touted to make in-ring comebacks as surprise entrants in the Rumble and all of them currently hold commentary or authority positions.

The Rumble is always good for a return or two, so we’re going to break down the rumours and reports below:

Seth Rollins

The Messiah has been away from the company since sacrificing himself at Survivor Series last November in order to help fiancé Becky Lynch welcome their first child into the world.

On December 8, their baby arrived and Rollins is yet to return to TV. It’s widely believed he’ll make his return during the Rumble and begin his path to WrestleMania. It’s a safe bet by all accounts.

Seth Rollins is the favourite to win the 2019 Royal Rumble — Seth Rollins won the Rumble in 2019

Becky Lynch

While we would never doubt Lynch is capable of making a return, hitting the ring just two months after giving birth would be a stretch even for The Man.

Dave Meltzer is reporting that Becky Lynch won’t be in the Rumble and that combined with common sense says you shouldn’t expect a return just yet. She’ll be back one day, just not yet.

Ronda Rousey

Meltzer is claiming Rousey won’t be in the Rumble and there’s little substance out there to suggest she will be, but a return to WWE certainly looms.

The UFC Hall of Famer hasn’t been seen since losing in the main event of WrestleMania 35, but she has been spotted training in a wrestling ring over the past few months and many believe she will return for WrestleMania or just after. Will it be the Rumble that kick starts her return? It’s not out of the question.

Ronda Rousey has been on hiatus from WWE

Edge

The Rated-R Superstar had a promo on Monday Night RAW this past week and instantly became one of the favourites to win the event on Sunday.

He talked about ‘taking back what I never lost’ and that is in reference to Edge reclaiming the WWE title he retired with. A first time matchup between Edge and Drew McIntyre certainly does intrigue and given it’ll be his first outing since June, it’s a big deal.

Brock Lesnar

The Beast Incarnate is always a closely guarded secret within the WWE, but many believe he will make his return with the road to WrestleMania beginning to take shape.

We haven’t seen Lesnar since losing to McIntyre at WrestleMania 36, so it could make sense that he wins the Rumble to challenge him.