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WWE Royal Rumble 2021 took place this past Sunday and officially kick-started the Road to WrestleMania 37. One of the most exciting WWE pay-per-views of the year, this was the first time that Royal Rumble took place without any live fans in the arena, inside the ThunderDome with virtual fans.
WWE Hall of Famers and legends appeared, new champions were crowned, and two Superstars won their respective Royal Rumble matches to earn a title shot at WrestleMania 37. All of this was witnessed by the fans on their screens all around the world, however, there was a lot more that happened backstage.
Let's take a look at ten behind the scene photos from WWE Royal Rumble 2021 and see who bumped into each other and how was the atmosphere in the locker room. Be sure to comment down and let us know your thoughts on the pay-per-view that took place this past Sunday.
#10 The 2021 men's Royal Rumble winner
The Rated-R Superstar and WWE Hall of Famer Edge entered the men's Royal Rumble match at the first spot and went on to become only the third WWE Superstar in history to win the match from that spot. With this victory, Edge also joined the elite list of Superstars who have won the Royal Rumble twice.
In the above behind the scene photo, Edge can be seen in his casual attire, presumably before the pay-per-view last Sunday. Which champion do you think will he challenge at WrestleMania 37?
#9 Twinning at the Rumble
The women's Royal Rumble 2021 saw RAW Superstar Lana return to action after a long absence. Not just that, she went on eliminate Nia Jax from the match, taking revenge on her in a massive way for everything that Jax has put Lana through in the second half of 2020.
In the above picture, Lana and Natalya are getting a picture clicked together. Both their gears for the pay-per-view look pretty identical, almost as if the two are twinning. Natalya entered the match and made one elimination before getting eliminated by Bianca Belair from the match.
#8 The Royal Rumble surprise entrant
WWE Royal Rumble 2021 saw quite a few major surprising entrants in both the men's as well as the women's match. Former United States Champion Carlito returned to WWE and entered the men's Royal Rumble match at No. 8. In the above picture, Carlito can be seen before the show in the ring, having some discussion with a WWE cameraman.
Carlito was rumored to return at the RAW Legends Night in January 2021 however that did not happen. After his return at the Royal Rumble, Carlito also wrestled on RAW the next night, teaming up with Jeff Hardy to defeat Elias and Jaxson Ryker. It is to be seen whether he becomes a full-time member of the roster going forward.
#7 The Champions
WWE Royal Rumble 2021 saw Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler defeat the team of Charlotte Flair and RAW Women's Champion Asuka to become the new WWE Women's Tag Team Champions, winning the titles for the second time together.
In the above photo, the two can be seen posing together for a picture backstage alongside the WWE Champion, Drew McIntyre. WWE Royal Rumble 2021 saw Drew McIntyre successfully defend his title against WWE Hall of Famer Goldberg.
#6 Wonder what they are discussing...
Royal Rumble is a pay-per-view where several legends and WWE Hall of Famers appear every year. This also makes it a great opportunity for younger Superstars to interact with these legends and get themselves some words of advice and wisdom.
In the above picture, Goldberg and Nia Jax can be seen having a discussion backstage at WWE Royal Rumble 2021. One can only wonder what the two are discussing.
#5 Is this a tease of a massive feud after Royal Rumble?
WWE Hall of Famer Goldberg returned to the ring at Royal Rumble 2021 to challenge Drew McIntyre for the WWE Championship. He was unsuccessful in defeating the WWE Champion but did a great job in putting him over after their match. However, this was not the champion fans were expecting Goldberg to come after. Goldberg has made it very clear in some recent interviews that he wants a match against the current Universal Champion Roman Reigns.
In the above behind the scene photo at WWE Royal Rumble 2021, Goldberg was clicked with Paul Heyman, who serves as the special counsel for The Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns. One has to wonder whether this could be a tease for a massive feud after Royal Rumble? Did Goldberg bump into Reigns backstage at the pay-per-view by any chance?
#4 The Head of the Table
WWE Royal Rumble 2021 saw Universal Champion Roman Reigns defend his title against Kevin Owens in a Last Man Standing match. In what was undoubtedly the most brutal match of the night, Reigns defeated Owens after some help from Paul Heyman.
In the above picture, The Head of the Table can be seen backstage at Royal Rumble 2021. It's great to see the WWE Superstars follow the safety guidelines for COVID-19 by wearing masks behind the scenes. Will we see Roman Reigns defend his Universal Championship against Edge at WrestleMania 37?
#3 Entering the Royal Rumble
Royal Rumble is one of the most unique experiences for any WWE Superstar in their careers. From what we have seen in backstage documentaries and as revealed by several WWE Superstars themselves, the atmosphere behind the scenes as Superstars line up to enter the match is amazing.
In the above picture, RAW Superstar Alexa Bliss can be seen going through the curtains to enter the women's Royal Rumble match. Alexa Bliss was considered one of the favorites to win the Royal Rumble match last Sunday, however, she was eliminated by Rhea Ripley very quickly, only lasting a little over a minute in the match.
#2 In the end, they all love and care about each other
The women's Royal Rumble 2021 saw SmackDown Superstar Bianca Belair get her big moment as she won the match by last eliminating Rhea Ripley. Bianca Belair entered the match at No. 3 and lasted nearly an hour, making a total of four eliminations.
The above picture shows a heartwarming moment behind the scenes after Bianca Belair's Royal Rumble victory. Several Superstars from the women's division can be seen celebrating this massive victory of one of their colleagues. This just shows how great of a relationship these women have behind the scenes and the positive atmosphere in the locker room.
#1 The EST of women's Royal Rumble match
Bianca Belair is going to WrestleMania and add the special EST factor to The Grandest Stage Of Them All. The above behind the scene photo at Royal Rumble 2021 shows Belair celebrating with her husband and SmackDown Superstar Montez Ford and Naomi.
Naomi was among the names who made their return at WWE Royal Rumble 2021. The former SmackDown women's champion entered the match at No. 2 and lasted for 47 minutes before getting eliminated by Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler.
What was your favorite moment from WWE Royal Rumble 2021? Let us know in the comments section below.
