Backstage News On If WWE NXT Stars Will Appear In The Royal Rumble Matches

WWE's annual Royal Rumble event is upon us, and there are still questions regarding who will fill out the mystery spots this year. Since 2013, WWE has increased its use of having "WWE NXT" stars make cameo appearances in the 30-person bouts to get them in front of a wider audience before potentially calling them up to the main roster. Will the trend continue in 2023? 

Dave Meltzer reported in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter that as of earlier this week, many "NXT" talent were still waiting to hear if they would be needed at this year's event in San Antonio, especially the women's division

In 2022, WWE opted not to use any "NXT" stars in the Rumble matches as the brand was only a few months into its "2.0" rebrand. Instead, several legends and WWE Hall of Famers were brought in to fill the women's Rumble. Johnny Knoxville, Bad Bunny, Shane McMahon, and eventual winner Brock Lesnar were the only surprise entrants on the men's side. Before last year's show, WWE relied on the "NXT" women's division to fill more spots than their counterparts. In 2021, six women from the former black and gold brand appeared, while only Damian Priest debuted to kickstart his main roster run. Similarly, 2020's Royal Rumble featured "NXT" appearances from 11 women and two men.

As of this writing, WWE has formally announced seven women and 16 men for the 2023 Royal Rumble. This is a stark contrast from last year where less than 10 spots were left unconfirmed for each bout. WWE is reportedly relying on "nontraditional" surprises this year, but it remains to be seen how that will play out.