IShowSpeed’s surprise appearance at this year’s Royal Rumble was actually a carefully planned moment orchestrated by WWE. The revelation came through the documentary “WWE Unreal,” showing that the moment was not spontaneous, as many fans had believed.
The program featured behind-the-scenes footage of Triple H giving instructions to Stephanie McMahon. The plan was to bring Speed to the Gorilla Position area, where Stephanie would talk with him, creating a scene captured by cameras already positioned at the spot.
Triple H outlined the segment’s execution to Stephanie:
“So, during this match, shortly before Tozawa leaves—very early—we’ll bring Speed in here. You’ll be standing right here, talking with Speed. The cameraman is here, at the Gorilla Position. They’ll bring Tozawa in—just improvise the conversation. Until I bring Tozawa back, I’ll yell ‘Speed!’ He’ll turn and look—’What?’—’You’re in the Rumble.’—’What?’ And if you want to look surprised, you can say something like, ‘He said you’re in the Rumble.'”
What seemed like an impulsive appearance—ending with IShowSpeed taking a “Spear” from Bron Breakker—was, in fact, a meticulously produced segment. The revelation highlights the extent of WWE’s planning, although some fans might be disappointed to learn it wasn’t entirely organic.