Jordynne Grace in the Royal Rumble builds hope for more TNA and WWE partnership

Fan and viewer reaction to the 2024 Royal Rumble is mixed, with many leaning in the direction that the women’s Rumble outperformed the men's Rumble. Whether it was Bayley finally getting a major victory, or Jade Cargill’s introduction to the WWE Universe, there was a lot to take away from the match. But no one saw Jordynne Grace’s surprise entry coming. Not only was she a big deal, but she performed in a way that made it clear she fit in perfectly on the biggest stage in professional wrestling.

The shock and awe around Grace hitting the ring is an example of what makes The Royal Rumble so special. She’s not the first outside performer to make a surprise entry to the event, but she’s one of the few that came as a complete surprise in today’s wrestling landscape where so many are out to break every morsel of news available. Grace stormed down to the ring and immediately looked like a performer that has long been ready to stand in the spotlight. In doing so, she not only elevated her stock but that of the entire Knockouts Division in TNA.

Grace looked like she belonged alongside competitors like Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair, Bayley, and others. The big caveat is that many wished she eliminated at least one competitor on her way to being tossed out by a big KOD from Belair, but that’s a minor complaint when looking at the bigger picture. That bigger picture is the number of eyeballs Grace has generated back toward her home organization. While that metric will take to measure, several WWE stars have taken to social media to present the idea of competing against Grace back in TNA.

Hopefully, Grace’s inclusion in the Royal Rumble opens the door to WWE stars making an appearance in TNA and the men being involved in both organizations. To date, only Grace and Mickie James have made appearances while holding the Knockouts Championship. Imagine a world where Josh Alexander and Mike Bailey popped up in WWE, while an LA Knight, Carmelo Hayes, or Chad Gable took to TNA. The opportunities are there and this is the time to make that move.

2024 is going to hold a lot of surprises in professional wrestling. Jordynne Grace’s storming into the WWE Royal Rumble is a pleasant way to start the year, and perhaps a sliver of what is to come between the two companies.