As has become tradition, this year's Royal Rumble pay per view featured several surprise entrants into the annual event. Wrestlers returning for a special appearance, legends returning for one last ride and new superstars trying to make an impact are all possible in the Royal Rumble.
This year's Royal Rumble featured superstars spanning the many eras of WWE, and a number of the biggest surprises in years occurred. These are the biggest surprise entrants of the 2020 Royal Rumble.
Edge
The biggest headline of Royal Rumble was not Drew McIntyre's first win the historic event, but instead, it was the return of "The Rated R Superstar" Edge for the first time in nine years. The Orangeville, Ontario native was thought to be permanently retired following triple fusion neck surgery in 2011. Edge's return not only opens up a new world of possibilities of dream matches with other superstars, but it also gives hope to wrestlers like Paige who have suffered similar injuries. The entire roster could not only benefit from a match with the extremely talented superstar but could also benefit from the wisdom of a man with nearly 20 years of in-ring experience.
Shotzi Blackheart
Shotzi Blackheart made an impressive name for herself on the independents before signing with WWE in the fall of 2019. Since her signing, she has only a hand full of times on NXT television, which made her Royal Rumble appearance even more surprising. Blackheart's unique, punk rock look stood out against many of the other competitors during her brief appearance in the match, no doubt catching the attention of many fans. WWE's willingness to put someone in the match who signed with them very recently shows how much confidence they have in her. Big things are to come for Shotzi Blackheart.
Keith Lee
Another surprise from NXT was the gargantuan Keith Lee. The 6'2", 320-pound competitor wowed not only the fans in attendance at Minute Maid Park but the WWE Champion Brock Lesnar as well. Lesnar displayed complete awe at the size of Lee, who put on a good showing against The Beast before his eventual elimination. The power displayed by Lee and Lesnar against one another was daunting. It's no surprise CM Punk picked Lee to win the Rumble match.
Beth Phoenix
The 2020 Royal Rumble was a family affair for the Phoenix-Edge household. The husband-wife duo accounted for two of the most exciting returns of the event. Despite a nasty head wound early in the match, Phoenix lasted nearly 30 minutes and was the next to last eliminated in the women's Royal Rumble match. Phoenix appeared to be in great shape for the event, showing there is no reason she should not be wrestling more often. Maybe a husband-wife mixed tag match is in order for Beth and Edge.
MVP
Montel Vontavious Porter, more commonly known by MVP, was a common sight on Smackdown in the mid-2000s. MVP's work on the independent circuit and overseas with New Japan Pro Wrestling have proven solid over the years. However, MVP acknowledged on his Instagram that the 2020 Royal Rumble and a one on one match with close friend Rey Mysterio the following night on Raw would be his final matches with WWE. As MVP nears 50 years old, these final matches are a befitting farewell as he eyeballs retirement from professional wrestling. His Black Panther-inspired attire for the Rumble was even more fitting as he aims to retire his pro wrestling alter ego.
Bianca Belair
Bianca Belair, currently a member of the NXT brand, had an extremely strong showing in the 2020 Royal Rumble. She lasted over 30 minutes and collected a staggering eight eliminations before being eliminated by eventual winner Charlotte Flair. Belair's eight eliminations beat the record of most eliminations in a women's Royal Rumble match, previously held by Michelle McCool and Charlotte Flair. That record was then tied by Shayna Baszler later in the night. The impressive showing by Belair shows that the company has confidence in her and should be using her well in the months to come.
Matt Riddle
The King of the Bros was a surprise entrant to the Royal Rumble from the NXT brand. The former professional MMA fighter is one of the top stars in NXT, so his appearance was not a huge shock. The biggest surprise surrounding his appearance was how short he was actually in the match. Riddle lasted just under a minute before he was eliminated by King Baron Corbin. With his main roster foray complete for the time being, Riddle can now focus on his tag team efforts alongside Pete Dunne as they battle The Undisputed Era at the upcoming Takeover: Portland.
Naomi
Royal Rumble marked the first appearance of Naomi on WWE television since July of 2019. After stating she had taken time away from the ring for personal reasons, it was unclear when she might return to the ring. The return at the Rumble came with no warning and was met with a huge audience reaction. Naomi was a solid part of the women's division before her hiatus and will surely be a solid way to rejuvenate the women's division once again.
Molly Holly
The 2020 Royal Rumble marked the return of fan-favorite Molly Holly to a WWE ring for the first time since WWE Evolution in October 2018. Holly's appearance was her second in a women's Rumble match, the first taking place in the inaugural women's Royal Rumble in 2018. Entering at number three, Holly's return was an early surprise. Even more surprisingly, Holly looked solid in the ring, especially for not having been in a ring for years. With Holly's great physical condition, she could be a solid performer if she ever decided to return to WWE.
Shayna Baszler
Shayna Baszler was another member of the NXT brand with a strong showing in the women's Royal Rumble match. Which should be no surprise, considering how strong the NXT women's division is. While she entered at number 29 and was only in the match for about five minutes, Baszler eliminated eight other competitors, tying Bianca Belair's record from earlier in the match. Since losing her NXT Championship to Rhea Ripley, the question of if Baszler would switch the main roster has been on many people's minds. With her showing in the Rumble, there is no doubt that wherever she ends up, she will be a force to be reckoned with.