Report: Two Former WWE Stars Turn Down Royal Rumble Appearance

Impact Knockouts champion Mickie James accepted an invite from WWE to compete in this year's Royal Rumble, but she's reportedly not the only current Impact talent that WWE contacted for the event.

Fightful Select has reported that Impact Knockouts Tag Team champions Cassie Lee and Jess McKay of The IInspiration (Peyton Royce and Billie Kay of The IIconics) were offered spots in the women's Rumble match for this Saturday night, but the two turned them down.

According to the report, Lee and McKay, "...didn't feel it was the right time to make a WWE return of any capacity because they're happy with their current path."

Impact reportedly would've signed off on the two working the Rumble, and WWE was said to be fine with making a similar arrangement to that of James.

Fightful's report also claims that Lee and McKay weren't the only releases over the past two years that WWE reached out to, though no other names have been made public.

The former IIconics were released from WWE on April 15 of last year, the same day as James and seven other talents.