Kofi Kingston Enters The 2023 WWE Royal Rumble
Kingston is the first confirmed participant
WWE SmackDown star Kofi Kingston is the first confirmed participant in either of the 2023 Royal Rumble matches.
Kingston announced on Friday's SmackDown broadcast that he would be entering the 30-man contest. After he announced his entry, he was confronted by Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser. Kingston challenged either man to a match, but Gunther arrived on the scene and accepted the challenge himself.
This will be Kingston's 15th Royal Rumble match, counting 2018's Greatest Royal Rumble. He competed in the Rumble every single year between 2009 and 2020, missed the 2021 match, and wrestled in the 2022 bout. The only two wrestlers that have been in more Rumble matches are Dolph Ziggler (15) and Kane (20).
In his years of Rumble match participation, Kingston has been known to avoid eliminations in unconventional fashion, such as handstanding his way back to the ringsteps, or leaping from the crowd barricade to the apron.
The 2023 Royal Rumble takes place Saturday night, January 28, at the Alamodome in San Antonio. No other matches or Rumble participants have been announced.
Written by Justin Henry
In addition to writing lists and commentaries for Cultaholic, Justin is also a features writer and interviewer for Fighting Spirit Magazine, and is co-author of the WWE-related book Titan Screwed: Lost Smiles, Stunners, and Screwjobs.