Dave Meltzer noted on Wrestling Observer Radio that Adam Cole almost answered WWE United States Champion Bobby Roode’s US Open Challenge at the Royal Rumble. However, WWE officials changed their minds as they thought that Cole did not need to lose to Roode in under 10 minutes. Mojo Rawley took the spot, losing to Roode. Cole then appeared in the Rumble, lasting around 7-minutes.

This contradicts a report from yesterday from another source, claiming that Dolph Ziggler was originally penciled in to face Bobby Roode.