The next PLE is the Royal Rumble. It will officially be the first stop on the road to WrestleMania. It’s always an exciting event that is filled with shocking moments and great wrestling. Part of those surprising moments include a blast from the past; most notably, former WWE stars who make a one-off appearance in the annual Royal Rumble. 

The next Royal Rumble surely won’t be any different. While it’s unknown how many surprise entrants will pop up in the 2024 event, it’s guaranteed that at least two names will make a fun cameo in the next event. Here are the five men or women who should be in the 2024 Royal Rumble.

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AJ Lee

It would be a shame if the former multi-time WWE Diva’s Champion didn’t get one last run with some of the modern talent. AJ Lee is easily one of the brightest spots during the divas era of WWE. In fact, Lee opened doors for the next generation because she proved that women can be just as much of a draw as the men if given the right push. It helps that she was such a talented performer on the mic and inside the ring. 

The former WWE star briefly teased returning to the ring during her time in Women of Wrestling. That means she still has some type of itch to fight again. Even if it’s just for a one-off and nothing more, Lee deserves her flowers and a decent showcase inside of the Royal Rumble. 

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Mercedes Mone

What a great surprise it would be if the former WWE star’s return was at the Royal Rumble. Rhea Ripley vs. Sasha Banks is definitely a WrestleMania caliber match. The former WWE Women’s Champion is relatively young, so it would be surprising if she doesn’t give the company one more chance. Triple H is a big component on why Banks became such a huge success in NXT. He booked her like a star and gave these women incredible opportunities that weren’t happening on the main roster at the time. Even if this is just a one-off, to see Mone mix it up with past rivals like Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, or even Kairi Sane, could result in some very fun moments. 

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Stone Cold Steve Austin

Austin isn’t technically a former WWE star, but how fun would it be to see the Texas Rattlesnake fight the current generation of stars? Austin doesn’t have to be in the rumble for long, but there are too many interesting directions to go in with the WWE Hall of Famer. Maybe Brock Lesnar would pop in the match and we finally get Austin vs. Lesnar for a brief second. Or what if he enters during the time CM Punk is in the ring? No matter the names that he faces, he’ll surely create an unforgettable moment that reminds fans why he’s a legend in this business. 

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Ken Shamrock

The former Intercontinental Champion only had a three-year stint with WWE, but he made such an impact in a short amount of time. The former WWE star was a force to be reckoned with during his short tenure, as he brought a realism and technical style to the busy that translated well in WWE. His MMA background enhanced his act even further.  Shamrock hasn’t made a WWE appearance since a losing effort to Chris Jericho in a First Blood match in 1999. 

The guy still remains active in sports and had a recent stint in Impact Wrestling. He showcased the ability to pull out a decent match despite being over the age of 40. Shamrock doesn’t particularly get his flowers like some of the biggest names during The Attitude Era, but he made an impression through his brief stint in the company. Seeing the older generation collide with the young stars of today is always fun, and hopefully, Shamrock will be given one more chance to compete inside WWE.

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Bully Ray

If Mickie James can make an appearance as Impact Knockouts Champion then the possibility of the former WWE star doing a one-off in the rumble remains strong. Admittedly, The Dudley Boyz final stint as a team was rather lackluster. 

Sadly, they were just a nostalgia act that was meant to put over the current generation of tag teams. There seemed to be a point where Bully Ray was going to debut his heel singles act and even the WWE Tag Team Champion went into detail about him bringing his successful heel run over to the company. 

Though one night won’t do justice to a character that was arguably the hottest heel in 2014, seeing him bringing a needed side to the WWE star could be quite fun. It would be great nostalgia bait that allows fans to see a star from yesterday, yet introduce the modern WWE audience to one of the best acts of the modern generation.