According to Fightful’s premium service, Fightful Select, WWE had planned to debut a NXT UK star at the 2020 Royal Rumble.
Prior to the event which was held at Minute Maid Park on January 27, 2020, the company brought several NXT and NXT UK stars to the venue in order to take part in a rehearsal for the bout. The talent were in the Texas area for Worlds Collide forty eight hours prior but never received a number to participate in the elimination extravaganza.
As per the report, one of these names was NXT UK Women’s Champion, Kay Lee Ray who was said to have received a notification via an app to attend the event but was pulled from entering the bout with none of the standby talent knowing whether or not they would be used in the actual over-the-top-rope war.
As it turned out, several NXT talent were used in both the men’s and women’s Royal Rumble Matches including Keith Lee who went toe-to-toe with Brock Lesnar and Bianca Belair, who put forth a career making showing that captured the hearts and minds of all in attendance.
Currently, NXT UK Women’s Champion Kay Lee Ray stands at 504 days as champion and will defend her gold against a very determined Jinny on the January 21 edition of the black and red brand. By the time she reaches the episode, her reign will have hit 509 days as the longest reigning NXT UK Women’s Champion in history.