Less than a week out from the show, Seth Rollins confirmed he won’t make a shocking return in the 2026 Royal Rumble match.
“I’ll give it away, I’m not going to be at the Rumble. I just can’t,” he said Monday on ESPN’s First Take. “I would love to be in there and dump all of those dudes over the top rope, punch my card to WrestleMania but the doctors just are not going to let it happen this time around unfortunately.”
This isn’t a surprise given the initial recovery timeline he provided in October for his shoulder injury.
Discussing his health more broadly, Rollins said he’s dealing with “some chronic stuff” but added retirement is far from his mind:
“I think any athletes, I’m almost 40 now, I’ve been doing this for over 20 years… I still got ups, my knees still work, so that’s good. Accidents happen, it’s physical sport. It’s just one of those things. It was painful, that shoulder injury. And I’m sure it won’t be the last of my career, but I am about 22 years deep in this wrestling thing, and I think I’m probably closer to the end than the beginning. However, I’m still under 40, and I feel like I’ve got a lot of years left. I feel like I’m really just in the middle of my prime right now. The physical hasn’t declined and mentally, I’m as sharp as I’ve ever been. So, there’s a lot left in the Seth Rollins tank.”
Despite all of the signs pointing otherwise, some fans might remain skeptical about Rollins’ Royal Rumble status.
Last summer, the six-time world champion played up what was seemingly a serious knee injury. He was even using a massive knee brace and crutches while walking around in public.
Alas, it was all a ploy to set the stage for Rollins cashing in his Money in the Bank briefcase at SummerSlam.
You can picture Rollins walking onto the stage in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, fully healed and ready to earn a spot in the main event of WrestleMania 42.
But he has remained consistent with both how badly his shoulder was hurt and how long he’ll be out of action. The 39-year-old recently told Men’s Health he’s aiming to be ready in time for WrestleMania, which isn’t until mid-April.
The men’s and women’s Royal Rumble matches are always guaranteed to deliver some big moments involving retired legends or stars who have been sidelined for an extended period.
In the case of Rollins, it’s probably safe to take him off the board.
