5 Changes WWE should make to the Royal Rumble match

#1 Change WWE should make to the Royal Rumble match - Some people have to qualify while others can simply declare for the match

AJ Styles declared his entry while Drew Gulak had to qualify in order to make the 2021 Royal Rumble.

This situation has come up almost every year leading up to the Royal Rumble. Some WWE Superstars are able to simply declare that they will be in the match while others have to qualify by winning a bout. That works for any specialty match with limited spots, like the Money in the Bank Match or the Elimination Chamber. Spots are limited, so the road to get a spot should be harder. On the build to the 2021 Royal Rumble, the likes of Daniel Bryan, AJ Styles, Charlotte Flair, Cesaro, Mandy Rose and Dana Brooke have all declared participation in the match. On the flip side, both Drew Gulak and Ricochet have had to win matches in order to earn a spot. At the time of this writing, neither did.

Because of the uncertainty as to why some get in automatically and some don't, WWE Official Adam Pearce had to clarify why this is so. He tried to explain with a tweet, which you can find below.

It’s actually pretty simple: Those that have been granted the ability to simply declare entry into the Royal Rumble *by management* are free to do so. Those that haven’t must qualify. I don’t write the rules, I enforce them. 🤷‍♂️

— Adam Pearce (@ScrapDaddyAP) January 20, 2021

Since he's been the most prominent face representing WWE management on WWE TV, Pearce had to give a reason for this double standard. His explanation, while somewhat valid, still highlights a problem for many WWE Superstars.

It makes sense for former Champions and those who have multiple title reigns. Daniel Bryan, Roman Reigns, AJ Styles and Charlotte Flair have all won several belts, so it's understandable that they are able to simply declare they are taking part in the Royal Rumble.

But when Dana Brooke and Mandy Rose are able to announce they are participating, it highlights the issue. Neither Rose nor Brooke are former title holders, whereas both Gulak (Cruiserweight) and Ricochet (United States) have both won titles in WWE.

In order to put the question to rest for good, the answer is simple: Everyone has to qualify for the Royal Rumble match to make it fair for the entire roster. If that isn't the case, then anyone should be able to declare for the match. If a star that declares isn't necessarily in the booking plans for the Royal Rumble, then a storyline to eliminate them from the match before hand can easily take place.

Someone could attack them so they don't show up, or they could be forced to relinquish their spot in another match. It just needs some consistency in operation in order to make things seem fair for everyone. Or at least seem fair.