Here's your wrestling news for January 28th 2022
And your headlines for today include
Update On Ronda Rousey’s Return! More Clues Revealed On When She’ll Be Back !
Ronda Rousey Merchandise Spotted At WWE Board Room Meeting !
WWE Teases Reigning World Champion Will Walk Through The Forbidden Door Tomorrow Night !
Cross-Promotional Title For Title Match Teased For Wrestlemania 38 !
WWE Hall Of Famer Defends One-Night Rumble Returns To “Short-Sighted” Fans !
CM Punk Reveals More About His Wrestling Future. How Long Does He Have Left In The Ring?
Two More Names Rumoured For Royal Rumble Return Spotted In St Louis ! And More !
We’re kicking off with this Saturday’s Royal Rumble Premium Live Event, where a total 60 Superstars will compete in the two Rumble maches, but one
of the most likely winners of the Women's Rumble match hasn't wrestled in quite some time. Despite her near three-year absence, Ronda
Rousey is a favourite to win, after reports that WWE are pushing hard to have her back in time for WrestleMania 38.
We now know more about the Rousey situation, as according to Mike Johnson of PW Insider, at least one WWE official flew to California last
week to meet with the former RAW Women's Champion. The source who spoke to Johnson said that
WWE has done all they can on their part to try and coax Rousey back and that they want her to return as soon as possible, but the decision is
quote "now all on Rousey." It may be up to Rousey whether she returns, but WWE seems quietly confident that she will, as
Abraham Ezparza, who worked as Rousey's stylist and make-up artist in WWE, has been called in for the Royal Rumble and next Monday's RAW.
If she does return, it's expected that Rousey will rekindle her feud with RAW Women's Champion Becky Lynch, the one woman who holds a win
over the UFC legend, but for now, the ball is in Rousey's court.
We won’t know for certain if Rousey return’s this Saturday until the Women’s Royal Rumble match itself, but there’s plenty within WWE that expect
her to be back. When an Instagram user shared a photo from a WWE boardroom meeting, a piece of Ronda Rousey
merchandise was on display: a mug emblazoned with the phrase “Ronda Rousey stole my mug.” The mug seemed perfectly placed so that the text
was as legible as possible, and whether this is a sign of Rousey’s return or not, someone within WWE clearly wants fans to think that she’s coming
back very soon.
When WWE announced that Impact Knockouts World Champion Mickie James will be in the Women’s Rumble match, fans were rightly shocked,
and it was reported shortly after that WWE was working on get another Forbidden Door entrant for the Men’s Rumble match.
There’s not been any confirmation from WWE on who will be the mystery man, if they can even get one, but it may be one of the biggest names
to have never worked in WWE. On Instagram, the official BT Sport WWE account gave six shocking predictions for the Royal Rumble
and teased that Kazuchika Okada could make his debut for the company this Saturday. The reigning IWGP World Heavyweight Champion,
Okada is New Japan’s very top star, and has headlined Wrestle Kingdom a record seven times, including this year
In other predictions, it was speculated that Mickie James could win the Women’s Rumble match, Johnny Knoxville could have an impressive
performance and that Paige and the Rock could return to in-ring competition.
While these would all be huge moments, having Kazuchika Okada would be a truly monumental score for WWE, and the reigning IWGP World
Heavyweight Champion could walk through the Forbidden Door this Saturday.
Mickie James is certainly one of the most shocking names who’ll compete tomorrow night, after WWE refused to work with any other companies for
decades. James has already said she plans to enter the Women’s Rumble match wearing the Impact
Knockouts World Title, but that’s not the only plan the champ has for her title belt Speaking in a State of the Knockouts Address during
this week’s Impact, James declared that if she wins the Rumble, earning herself a Women’s title match at WrestleMania, then she will also defend
her Knockouts title at WWE’s biggest show of the year. Of course this all hinges on both James winning t
the 30-woman match this Saturday, and keeping hold of the Knockouts title until WrestleMania, a feat easier said than done considering she was
interrupted by both Chelsea Green and Tasha Steelz during her address. Despite the attention her return has gotten,
James is unlikely to win the Women’s Rumble, but if WWE swerves us all and gives the veteran wrestler the win, expect one massive title for title
match between WWE and Impact this coming April.
James isn’t the only huge name returning to the Women’s Rumble match, as Lita has also been confirmed as an entrant, and recently made her
return on SmackDown. While countless fans are ecstatic to see Lita back, not everyone is on board, as there have
been a small number of people accusing her, and the other returns this Saturday, of stealing spots that could benefit a current-day, full-time Superstar.
Appearing on the Hall of Fame podcast with fellow inductee Booker T, Lita addressed the criticism, saying that this is a chance for fans to see two
generations square off, and that it’s just for one night. She added:
“It’s to build and to mix and to get old generations that maybe fell out of wrestling to pop back in. For people to not to see it that way is short sighted.”
Lita went on to say that if the returning legends can bring some fans back, then it’s for the main-roster Superstars to keep these extra fans on board
after what’ll no-doubt be a monumental homecoming for Lita tomorrow night.
AEW news now, as CM Punk’s return to wrestling last year was something fans never thought they’d see, and it was a long-time coming for the former
World Champion. Over seven years after he walked out on WWE, Punk has impressed almost everyone with his return
but this comeback has already taken it’s toll on the Chicago-Made wrestler. On Twitter this week, Punk commented on his
current run, saying that every appearance now is something he thought he’d never get, but admitted that he’s not sure how long he has left.
At 43 Years Old, Punk is one of the older names in AEW, and even before working for Tony Khan, he accumulated his fair share of injuries from WWE
the indies and his brief UFC career. Since joining AEW, Punk has had 10 matches, and remains undefeated, and with next week seeing
him headline Dynamite against MJF, the Best in the World will look to continue this undefeated streak for however long he can.
And we’re ending today with the Royal Rumble, as two more names are seemingly set to return tomorrow night.
Weeks ago, it was reported that both Melina and Cameron were rumoured to be in the Women’s Rumble match, and now both women have arrived
in St. Louis. For Melina, this is a return a long time in the making, as it was reported back in September 2020 that
she was on her way back to WWE, either for a full-time role on the main-roster, or a full-time role in NXT as part of the Roger Stone Brand.
All those plans were scrapped when the former Women’s and Divas Champion suffered an injury, and this isn’t the first time WWE had plans for her
to be in a Rumble.
In 2020, it was reported she’d be back in the Women’s Rumble, but that never happened after she signed with the NWA.
For Melina and Cameron, their returns seem practically confirmed for tomorrow night, and time will tell how they fare in the Women’s Rumble match