WWE Hall Of Famer Says He Would Turn Down Royal Rumble Invite

One of the biggest things that WWE fans love about the Royal Rumble are the surprises, but one Hall of Famer isn’t ready to make his return if the company comes calling.

There have been many WWE Hall of Famers that appeared in Royal Rumble matches as surprising such as Mick Foley, Kevin Nash, Booker T, Michelle McCool, Beth Phoenix, Bob Backlund and many others. However, Ricky Steamboat doesn’t plan to get back in the WWE ring if he is asked.

During his WWE Hall of Fame career as a wrestler, Ricky Steamboat won many championships including the NWA World Heavyweight Title during a classic rivalry with Ric Flair in 1989. Steamboat also had one of the best WrestleMania matches ever at WrestleMania 3 when he defeated “Macho Man” Randy Savage for the Intercontinental Title.

Steamboat retired as a full-time wrestler in the mid-1990s, but he decided to have one final match in November when he teamed up with AEW’s FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) against Jay Lethal, Brock Anderson, and Nick Aldis. While the 69-year-old Steambat got through the match okay, he likely won’t have another match again.

While talking to Bill Apter of Sportskeeda, Ricky Steamboat noted that he would likely turn down the offer if WWE wanted him to be in the 2023 Royal Rumble.

“I think it’s too big of a stage for me. I had a really good showing 9 or 10 years ago …12 years ago with [Chris Jericho at WWE Backlash in 2009]. God bless him. He took care of me. That was really the last Steamboat that people saw. I felt that was the last time that people saw 70% of the young guy. I could carry my weight, and that’s the way I want it.”

“No, Triple H could say, ‘We’re going to take care of you.’ No, to be honest with you, it’s just not in the heart anymore.”

Recently, Steamboat also revealed why he turned down an invite to be a part of Ric Flair’s last match in July as well.

The WWE Royal Rumble takes place on January 28th in San Antonio, Texas.

H/t to Wrestling Inc