3 last-time-ever appearances we can see at WWE Royal Rumble 2024

On Saturday, January 27th, WWE will present the 37th edition of the iconic Royal Rumble Premium Live Event.

The show is predominantly there to introduce new stars and propel performers into the main event scene. However, it also may be a place for iconic wrestlers to say their goodbyes to the fans in the ring via a surprise appearance in the Rumble match itself.

With that in mind, we will look at 3 WWE legends who may be making their final-ever appearance in the ring at the 2024 Royal Rumble.

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#4 - The GOAT of the women's division has one more crack at glory

One star who had a great 2023 in WWE was Trish Stratus. The Hall of Famer returned to the ring, where she faced off against top stars like Bayley, IYO SKY, and Becky Lynch.

The former Women's Champion has not appeared in the ring since she lost to Lynch in a steel cage match in September. However, given how incredible she looked in the ring, many fans hope to see her comeback at the Rumble.

During a recent Q&A at Big Texas Comic Con, Trish was asked about a potential return to WWE:

"I’ve been asked by people here, ‘Are you coming back? Do you want to do another run?’ But this is the thing, I’m like… the boxes it has to check,” Stratus said. “One is the creative. What is the creative? What am I going to come back and do? Is it going to check these boxes? So, I always turn it back to people and go, ‘I might go back but who should I face?’ Tell me, I wanna know."

Given that she had a run as a full-time performer last year if the Hall of Famer does show up at the Rumble next week, then that may very well be her final ever showing at the historic Premium Live Event.

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#3 - A degenerate wrestles his first WWE match for the first time in over 20 years

One great part of the Royal Rumble match is when legends make a surprise appearance in the match, with fans being hit with a great shot of nostalgia.

In recent years, one star that fans have been hoping to see appear in the match is the Hall of Famer and DX member Sean Waltman, aka X-Pac.

The 51-year-old last wrestled on WWE TV in August 2002 when he won a four-man tag team match on RAW. Since then, he has been making sporadic appearances, mostly on the indie scene.

Despite fans wanting him to return at the rumble, X-Pac recently took to social media as he looked to quash any potential chance of his comeback:

"I can still go at the drop of hat, at least for a few minutes. I can do all my kicks, except the one in the corner & I can do that again with a few weeks training. I'm at least month away from taking my shirt off in public, so zero chance I'll be in the Rumble."

Although Waltman has shut down a return, he, like many of his colleagues, likes to surprise the fans, and therefore, he could just be looking to throw them off the scent.

If X-Pac does return, then given that this would be his first WWE match since 2002, it seems highly unlikely that he will ever appear in the Royal Rumble again.

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#1 - The Deadman arrives to showcase his story

One star who knows all about winning the Royal Rumble is The Undertaker. The Phenom won the marquee battle royal in 2007 before going to Mania to win the World Heavyweight title.

The Undertaker may appear in the ring a week on Saturday, not as a wrestler but on behalf of the WWE 2K24 video game. It seems he will be the cover star of this year's game, following a cryptic post by 2K in which he was tagged.

The Deadman's potential involvement in the 2K series could see his iconic career become part of the brand's showcase mode, which allows players to relive some of their favorite Taker matches.

Over the years, the showcase mode has reflected on the careers of many top stars like John Cena, Rey Mysterio, and Daniel Bryan.

If The Phenom does show up to promote the new game, this would mark his first appearance at the Rumble since 2017, making a future showing at the Premium Live Event all the more unlikely, considering that he is now retired.