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Latest on Tiffany Stratton and Other Potential WWE Royal Rumble Surprise Entrants

Will it be Tiffy Time this Saturday afternoon at the WWE Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia?
Rick Ucchino|
Tiffany Stratton
Tiffany Stratton | WWE

Has Tiffy Time finally arrived? Potential SPOILERS ahead. Look away if you don't want the surprise to be ruined.

Former WWE Women's Champion Tiffany Stratton has not been seen on WWE programming since she lost her title to Jade Cargill back at Saturday Night's Main Event in November. She's been out of action with an undisclosed injury, but was reportedly cleared for competition a few weeks ago.

In an update on her status Thursday afternoon, the guys behind Wrestlevotes Radio on Fightful Select said that Stratton is in Saudi Arabia, and she is planned for the Women's Royal Rumble Match. If those plans do come to fruition, it would be Stratton's second career appearance in the match.

Prior to being called up to the main roster, Stratton participated in the 2024 Women's Royal Rumble Match as a member of the NXT roster. She entered from the #29 position and made it to the final four before being tossed out by the eventual winner, Bayley.

Stratton did not compete in last year's event as she was the WWE Women's Champion at the time. She went on to face the 2025 winner, Charlotte Flair, at WrestleMania 41 and successfully defended her title.

There are currently 17 women who have been announced for the annual over-the-top rope challenge this weekend, leaving plenty of room for surprises. In addition to Stratton, AJ Lee has been heavily rumored to return this weekend to continue her feud with Women's Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch.

WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella was also spotted on her way to Saudi Arabia earlier in the week, and don't you worry, there's more!

A couple of NXT stars are rumored to be entering the Women's Royal Rumble Match

Sol Ruca
Sol Ruca | WWE

"NXT stars Sol Ruca and Lola Vice were both discussed for the Royal Rumble match," WrestleVotes said on their show Thursday. "Ruca had been heavily speculated throughout the week as she was not on NXT."

Sol Ruca has reportedly been under consideration for a main roster call-up for some time now. She had a very impressive showing against Bayley at Saturday Night's Main Event back in December, and is viewed as a future star on Raw or SmackDown by those behind the scenes in WWE.

One other name that is under consideration for an appearance in the Men's Royal Rumble Match, according to WrestleVotes, is Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide sensation Mr. Iguana.

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Rick Ucchino
RICK UCCHINO

Rick Ucchino is the Assistant Editor & Content Coordinator for The Takedown on SI. He also works full-time for 700WLW Radio in Cincinnati, Ohio as a local news and sports anchor, in addition to his time covering the Cincinnati Bengals for Sirius XM. Rick has been on the professional wrestling beat since 2019, having provided coverage for a number of outlets, including Fightful, SB Nation’s Cageside Seats and the Bleav Podcast Network. With an educational background in theater, creative writing and journalism, Rick focuses primarily on the storytelling aspect of pro wrestling, but he’s no stranger to the squared circle himself. He had the privilege of training with former WWE & WCW cruiserweight Jimmy Wang Yang for nearly two years and retired early due to back issues with a perfect 1-0 record in singles competition. Rick is a married father of two incredibly adorable children, who are budding pro wrestling fans themselves. Much to the chagrin of their mother. You can reach Rick at rwucchino@gmail.com

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