The Men’s Royal Rumble event this year surprised many fans by excluding prominent wrestlers such as Finn Balor, Carmelo Hayes, and Shinsuke Nakamura. Among these unexpected absences, Aleister Black’s omission gained particular attention since he had been a consistent presence on WWE SmackDown throughout 2025. Rumors quickly circulated that his tattoos prevented him from participating due to Saudi Arabia’s restrictive stance on visible body art during the event held in that country. However, Aleister Black recently clarified in an interview with The Stunner that his tattoos were not the reason for missing the Royal Rumble.
Aleister Black Details Real Reason Behind Non-Participation
Addressing the speculation around his tattoos, Black denied that they were the actual cause of his exclusion.
“No, that is not true. I was supposed to be in the Royal Rumble, but then they were going to start myself and Randy, and I felt like if we are going to do that story and start in the Royal Rumble, it is just going to get snowed under,”
he said. Aleister elaborated on past concerns connected to his tattoos when performing in Saudi Arabia. He explained,
“The initial setup of Saudi Arabia, my tattoos did come into question. That is absolute fact. In the initial setting, it was definitely like, ‘Well, we do not know how they are going to respond.’ I am talking five years ago when it all first started. That was a conversation I had with Vince. But that is no longer the case. The last time I was in the ring there, even though the segment was small, I was still presented on TV and my arms were exposed. The side of my head is always exposed.”
Reflections on the Decision and Future Prospects
Black expressed that not participating in the Royal Rumble ended up being a wise choice, especially in light of the significant match he had against Randy Orton on WWE SmackDown three weeks after the event. The 40-year-old also conveyed appreciation that fans noticed and cared about his absence. This attention highlights his ongoing relevance and the impact of his role within WWE despite not appearing in the high-profile Royal Rumble match.
