3 former WWE Superstars who have ruled out involvement in the Women's Royal Rumble 2023

The 2023 WWE Royal Rumble is on the horizon. The big event will take place on January 28 from The Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, and fans are already excited to see what is sure to be a thrilling show.

The card is already stacked, with two big Royal Rumble matches headlining the event. Additionally, Roman Reigns will defend the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Kevin Owens, Bray Wyatt will be in action, and more exciting bouts will take place on the show.

The matches with the most anticipation are likely to be the 30-person over-the-top-rope Royal Rumbles. The Men's Royal Rumble match has been a staple for over thirty years, while the Women's Royal Rumble match has been far more recent. Still, fans love the bout and the surprises that can come from it.

While many of the stars from the past make a one-off return for the big event, there are some wrestlers who, for whatever reason, won't be making the show this year. This article will look at a handful of former superstars who, for whatever reason, are unlikely to be in the upcoming Women's Royal Rumble Match.

Below are three former WWE Superstars who have ruled out involvement in the Women's Royal Rumble.

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#3. Layla is unlikely to return to WWE at any point

Layla El was a pro wrestler in WWE from 2006 until 2015. During her time in the company, she managed to compete on RAW, SmackDown, and NXT. Layla won the WWE Women's Championship and Divas Championship during her time with the company.

Unfortunately, it appears Layla has no interest in returning to the ring. During an interview with Ring The Belle, the former WWE Women's Champion revealed that she's content with how her career went and seemingly doesn't want to tarnish it.

"I just feel that I had a very fruitful, long career. And I attained everything I possibly could have attained in WWE, and I was given every opportunity. That door’s closed, and I’m okay with that. And I feel just happy that I was able to have that. I look at my past, and I’m like, ‘Wow I did all that stuff,’ and that was just how I’d like to keep it," said Layla.

While many fans would be happy to see one-half of LayCool back in action, the former Divas Champion seems more than content to let her career be in the past. It is an understandable mindset, as some wrestlers fear leaving a bad impression among fans upon returning.

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#2. Nia Jax has refused to participate in the past

Nia Jax first began wrestling professionally in 2015. She worked exclusively for WWE until November 4, 2021, when she was released as part of ongoing budget cuts related to the COVID-19 pandemic. During her time with the promotion, she managed three belts, including the RAW Women's Championship.

After discussing a Royal Rumble return in the past, the powerhouse Jax was quite negative about the possibility. During an interview with Renee Paquette, she said in no uncertain terms that she was not coming back.

"I was like, 'Oh, f*** no, I'm not coming back,'" Jax said. "He was like, 'Oh, well, we'd like to offer you this.' I said, 'First of all, I already know I'm still under my 90 days [non-compete clause]. You're still gonna be paying me anyways, so you're not offering me anything. No, I'm not f***ing coming back. Absolutely f***ing not,'" said Jax.

While things can always change, especially in pro wrestling, it appears that the powerful Nia Jax has no interest in returning to the promotion any time soon. She recently provided a major update on her wrestling career. Still, while she's a controversial figure, some fans would likely be excited to see the former champion back in the ring.

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#1. Michelle McCool has revealed that the company didn't reach out to her

Michelle McCool

Michelle McCool was a top star during the Diva era of women's professional wrestling. She first began wrestling in 2004 and went on to hold four different titles, being both a two-time Divas Champion and WWE Women's Champion.

The popular star is one who some fans hoped would appear at the upcoming Royal Rumble, but their hopes may be dashed. McCool was asked about potentially appearing in the 30-woman bout but revealed that she would not be participating, in fact, WWE didn't even call the former Divas Champion regarding the big match.

"I do wish!!!! Didn’t get the call…..take it up with @WWE 🤣," McCool tweeted.

Despite the former champion seemingly not being set to participate in the epic 30-woman bout, she did go on to imply that she may be at the 2023 Royal Rumble anyway. You can see another Tweet from McCool below:

"Sadly wasn’t asked this year! It is near my home so will prob still be there….just wandering aimlessly in the audience🤣"

While there's always a chance that McCool and any of the three on this list are misleading fans to make their appearance a surprise, it appears as if these former champions won't end up part of the 2023 Women's Royal Rumble Match.