Backstage Reaction to WWE’s Royal Rumble 2022 Event & Heat on Shane McMahon

Feb 1, 2022

WWE’s Locker Room Low Morale Following Royal Rumble 2022 Event

PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that his sources stated that the general mood within WWE’s locker room following this past Saturday’s Royal Rumble 2022 event was one of frustration.

Johnson reported that the main reason was due to the constant changes of the plans for both Royal Rumble matches at the event. One source spoken to stated that the Men’s Royal Rumble match alone was changed “20 times” over the course of the days leading into the event. These changes reportedly included spots being constantly created and discarded, the order of eliminations and entrances constantly changing, and interactions between talents during the match also being changed a lot. Johnson reported that Vince McMahon was the main cause of these issues due to him being very hands on with every aspect of the event.

One talent spoken to stated that “We were all in a whirlwind. Just as you had your role and spots down, everything started over and over and now most of us were back to square one. It changed again and again and again. It wasn’t an easy night even before we hit the ring.”

Backstage Heat on Shane McMahon

Besides low morale issues, Shane McMahon’s return reportedly was another source of contention backstage, according to the Wrestling Observer Radio.

Dave Meltzer reported that his sources stated that there was backstage heat on McMahon over his involvement as a producer for the Men’s Royal Rumble match. McMahon reportedly kept pushing to be among the final four competitors for the match and was rubbing people the wrong way with how he was handling his role in putting together the match.

Meltzer stated “I do know there are several people who kind made off-handed remarks to me about Shane and what was going on there and everything. For whatever reason, Vince has allowed him to do the Rumble the last couple of years, but it was him and many other people. This one was as well, but he really took charge and rubbed some people the wrong way evidently.”