Royal Rumble 2023: What We Know (So Far!)

January is finally here, and we all know what that means: Royal Rumble is just around the corner. As the first official stop on the road to WrestleMania, the Rumble itself has big implications — namely, which male and female Superstars will win their respective Royal Rumble matches to go on to the main event at WrestleMania in Los Angeles! 

Last week, USA Insider explained how to watch the 2023 Royal Rumble on Jan. 28. And today, we’re diving a little deeper. Although the event is less than a month away, here’s what we know about one of the most exciting events on the WWE calendar — so far!

Three Huge Matches Have Been Announced With More To Come

Each year, the Royal Rumble is highlighted by, yes, two Royal Rumble matches: One Rumble for the men’s division and one for the women’s division. This year will be no different! The winner of each Rumble match will go on to WrestleMania and go after the top championships in all of WWE — so yeah, no pressure at all, right?

RELATED: Here Are Our Favorite RAW Title Matches Of 2022

As of publishing, no official entrants have been announced for the two Royal Rumble matches themselves, but traditionally here’s what the WWE Universe can look forward to the top male and female Superstars across RAW, SmackDown, and NXT participating in the Royal Rumble matches.

A good rule of thumb is this: Your favorite Superstars will be participating in the Rumble matches. Expect official announcements coming as the event draws closer. 

Historically, there have also been many surprise entrants that have made fans’ jaws drop; who can forget when Diesel made a shocking return to WWE in 2011, or AJ Styles making his WWE debut after months of rumors at the 2008 Royal Rumble? To put it simply: Be prepared for surprises. Whether it’s a Superstar from the past giving it another go or a major debut that rocks the professional wrestling world to its core, Royal Rumble is all about those kinds of unforgettable moments!

While it’s a safe bet that many of your favorite WWE Superstars will have the chance to main event WrestleMania, not all of them will be available to compete in the match. However, even though the men’s and women’s Royal Rumble matches will take up a large chunk of the Royal Rumble event itself, there are still many ongoing feuds that need to be settled in the ring and championships to be defended.

With that being said, it’s safe to say that neither Bray Wyatt nor LA Knight will be involved in the men’s Rumble match because they are confirmed to be competing in the first-ever Mountain Dew Pitch Black Match at the event instead!

The match, low-key announced last week on WWE.com, has stipulations that have yet to be revealed, but savvy members of the WWE Universe should assume that the lights in the arena will be turned off entirely, making for a spooky, anything-goes atmosphere Bray Wyatt will undeniably feel at home in!

Tensions between Wyatt and Knight have boiled over in recent weeks and after Uncle Howdy made a shocking appearance on the final SmackDown of 2022, one can expect that the Mountain Dew Pitch Black Match will be a contest unlike anything else ever seen in WWE.

In addition to these three matches that have already been announced, we’d fully expect a title defense or two to be added to the event. (Maybe it’s just us, but after the banger of a match they had last night on Monday Night RAW, we really wouldn’t mind seeing Seth Rollins and Austin Theory clash once more for the United States Championship!)

There’s A Way To Get Into The Royal Rumble Mood Now

Can’t wait for Jan. 28? It’s okay, we’ve got you covered. Re-live the awesomeness that was the 2020 edition of this mega-event by watching the full men’s and women’s Royal Rumble matches! 

Here's the 2020 men's match, which saw Drew McIntyre shockingly manhandle Brock Lesnar en route to winning and going on to WrestleMania:

While over on the women's side, Charlotte Flair outlasted 29 other women to win in utterly dramatic fashion:

The non-stop action and unforgettable moments of these matches will surely pale in comparison to what you’ll witness this Jan. 28 — but they’re a blast to watch again at any rate. You can also catch them on Peacock.

Don't Worry, Tickets Are Still Available

Trust us, if you’ve never attended a live WWE event, going to the Royal Rumble is a great way to start a new tradition! The 2023 Royal Rumble is taking place in San Antonio, Texas, from the world-famous Alamodome on Saturday, Jan. 28. And don’t worry, tickets are still available. But if you can’t make it to San Antonio, make sure you tune in on Peacock with as many friends as humanly possible watching with you. 

Now that you know what to expect (so far!), make sure you stay locked in to USA Insider for the rest of the month of January as we continue our deep dive coverage into the 2023 WWE Royal Rumble!