WWE Rumors: Hall Of Famer's Royal Rumble Participation To Help Boost Viewership

The 2021 WWE Royal Rumble happens this weekend with the 30-man battle royale being its featured attraction.

All eyes are on the main cast, but some surprise entrants are expected. Under normal circumstances, wildcard participants could either be celebrities or WWE legends.

But this time, one of those has been confirmed. Edge, whos real name is Adam Copeland, announced on WWE Raw that he would be returning to this year’s edition of the Royal Rumble.

Edge mentioned that he needed it to fight for his dream. He admits that it will not be the same as last year but appeared determined to push himself further and hopefully book a slot to WrestleMania 37.

To this day, the "Rated-R Superstar" remains one of the popular and well-loved figures the WWE Universe has to offer.

Injuries have been a setback for a 47-year-old who was last seen at WWE Backlash against Randy Orton. The Canadian got the worst of it when he lost and tore his triceps.

He returns after a seven-month absence and will be one of the interesting entries expected to bring mayhem in the ring.

“One year ago. Feels like a decade, doesn’t it? Last year's story was once in a lifetime. No sense trying to recreate that. Impossible. I don’t have you there. This year my journey is different. I’m not just happy to be back. I want back what I never lost and it starts this Sunday,” Edge stated.

But would it not have been better if WWE had kept the lid on Edge’s Royal Rumble participation and let him appear unannounced instead? There were factors to consider.

One is that the world remains under the mercy of the pandemic, meaning there will still be no fans in attendance when the 2021 Royal Rumble takes place at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Hence, WWE opted to make it formal and announce the former WWE champion’s participation to generate more buzz for the pay-per-view, Fightful Select reported.

But if the governing conditions were normal, WWE fans would have to wait and see who the surprise entrants were when the Royal Rumble got underway.

More surprise entries are expected, but it seems that even in the light of a global health crisis, the once-a-year spectacle will still be something to watch.