Seth Rollins refuses to return from injury at the Royal Rumble

Although it is a tradition for Royal Rumble to mark the return of the Superstarsdon’t expect to see WWE star Seth Rollins returns from shoulder injury.

During an appearance on First Take, Rollins was asked by Ryan Clark about his imminent return. Rollins reiterated that his body isn’t “ready” to be yet back in the ring soon.

“Well, let’s stop me from being in the Royal Rumble,” Rollins said, “I’m not ready there yet. I just got my rotator cuff done in October; I’ve got a few months left. I wish I could get in there, but that’s not going to be the case.”

Although he is a man of surprises, he was prepared to spoil this. “Oh man, I’ll give it — I’m not going to be at the (Royal) Rumble,” Rollins said definitively. “I just can’t. I’d love to be in there and throw all those guys over the ropes and punch my card at WrestleMania, but the doctors just won’t let that happen this time, unfortunately.”

Fortunately, for any fans worried that Rollins might retire soon, given his injury history, he won’t be leaving anytime soon. “I’m still under 40 and feel like I’ve got a lot of years left,” he boldly declared. “I feel like I’m just in the middle of my prime right now. The physical (aspect) hasn’t declined and I’m as sharp as ever mentally. So there’s a lot left in the tank Seth Rollins.”

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Will Seth Rollins return to WWE Royal Rumble 2026?

Unfortunately, it doesn’t sound like Rollins will be at the Royal Rumble in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday, January 31, 2026. He’s made surprising returns from injury in the past, but he seems adamant that he’s not ready to return.

He recently gave an optimistic time frame for his return. Rollins said he hopes to be “clean by the time WrestleMania (42) rolls around in April.”

However, it remains to be seen whether this is possible. WWE would love to have Rollins back in the fold, as he has been sidelined since October 2025.