After a year away from the ring, Alexa Bliss made her long-awaited return to WWE during the Women’s Royal Rumble Match on Saturday. Entering at #21, Bliss shocked both fans and many within WWE itself, as she had not been scheduled for the match as of Friday’s rehearsals.
According to Fightful Select, Bliss and WWE had been far apart in contract negotiations, leading to an assumption that she wouldn’t appear until the situation was resolved. However, by Saturday, both sides had clearly reached an agreement—at least enough for Bliss to make her return. Interestingly, her entry wasn’t originally planned, as the #21 spot had reportedly been intended for Shotzi, who has been working her way back from a knee injury. While some in WWE were thrilled to see Bliss back, others expressed sympathy for Shotzi, whose return to the main roster was seemingly delayed as a result.
Bliss had previously posted a picture of herself with her baby daughter, implying she would be spending the night at home. But much like Jordynne Grace’s misdirect before her own Rumble appearance, this may have been a clever attempt to throw fans off the scent.
With Bliss now back in the fold, the big question is: What’s next for her? Could she step back into title contention, or does WWE have a different storyline in mind? Either way, it’s good to see the former SmackDown Women’s Champion back in action as the Road to WrestleMania heats up.
WWE had already prepared Bliss’ merchandise for her return, which was created in advance for RAW in San Jose.
Bliss would be part of the RAW brand moving forward
Previously there was reports that she will join the Wyatt Sicks upon returning, who has been moved to SmackDown
UPDATE
With Alexa Bliss now back on WWE television and seemingly destined for the RAW brand, Pwinsider Elite is reporting that there have been internal discussions about moving her to SmackDown instead.
Bliss was absent from Monday’s WWE RAW TV tapings, despite early reports suggesting a return to the red brand in January. The potential move to SmackDown comes amidst The Wyatt Family’s shift to the blue brand, and there is speculation that WWE may revisit their original creative plans involving Bliss’ connection with the group.
