Former WWE Guest Star Stephen Amell On The 2026 Royal Rumble: It Was 'Bad'

Actor Stephen Amell's love for pro wrestling is no secret, and since his portrayal of a pro wrestler in the "Heels" television show and his one-off match at WWE SummerSlam 2015, he often gets asked about the sport during interviews. Speaking to iHeartRadio, Amell gave his take as a fan on the recent Royal Rumble Premium Live Event.

"I thought the Rumble was bad," the actor expressed, adding that not every show can be great, and pointed towards Night 2 of WrestleMania 41 as a show he both enjoyed and attended live. "I just didn't think it was great. I thought that the atmosphere – it seemed weird, like the arena was kind of empty, or was it?" Amell noted. His gripe was shared by many fans online, with the use of unusual LED seat lights making the stadium appear strangely empty, though many fans were said to be in attendance. 

"The way that it looks and presents is important, and I thought that it looked and presented poorly, relative to previous Rumbles." Amell added that he's attended the last three Royal Rumbles in San Antonio, Tampa, and Indianapolis, and that he liked those shows a great deal compared to this year's Rumble.

Amell also shared praise for rising "NXT" star Sol Ruca's performance in the Women's Royal Rumble, expressing that he believes that she's ready for a massive push, agreeing that she gives off "old-school Lita vibes." "I was watching that, being like: 'They should just do it! She should just win!'" he opined.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "iHeartRadio" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.