AEW Dynamite Live on TBS and HBO Max from the H-E-B Center in Cedar Park, Texas
Speculation surrounding Brock Lesnar’s WWE future can officially be put to rest — at least for now. The former WWE Champion has confirmed that he will be competing in the Men’s Royal Rumble match at the 2026 Royal Rumble premium live event.
Lesnar made the announcement during a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, where he addressed the rumors head-on and left little room for interpretation. In classic Lesnar fashion, “The Beast” didn’t just confirm his entry — he declared his intentions.
“I’m heading to the Royal Rumble, boys,” Lesnar said. “I’m gonna win it.”
The confirmation immediately positions Lesnar as one of the favorites heading into the 30-man match, especially given his dominant history in the Royal Rumble. Lesnar has previously bulldozed through the field in past appearances, and his mere presence tends to shift the entire dynamic of the match.
This year’s Royal Rumble is already historic, as the event will take place on January 31 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The show will be held at a temporary outdoor stadium in the King Abdullah Financial District as part of the ongoing Riyadh Season festivities, marking the first time the Royal Rumble is staged outside of North America.
With Lesnar officially in the field, the Men’s Royal Rumble just gained another massive layer of intrigue. Whether WWE plans to use his return to launch a WrestleMania main event program remains to be seen, but one thing is clear — Brock Lesnar isn’t coming to Riyadh just to participate. He’s coming to dominate.
Rey Mysterio had WWE fans holding their breath following a scary moment on this week’s episode of RAW. The Hall of Famer appeared to suffer an injury during his singles match with Austin Theory, sparking immediate concern with the Royal Rumble just days away.
The match itself descended into chaos thanks to interference from The Vision — Logan Paul, Bron Breakker, and Bronson Reed — which ultimately allowed Theory to pick up the win. However, the focus quickly shifted after the final bell when Mysterio was seen clutching his arm. The referee throwing up the dreaded “X” signal only added to the alarm, and Mysterio was notably absent from the post-match angle as medical personnel escorted him to the back.
Given WWE’s history of blending real injuries into storylines, fans were left wondering whether this was all part of the show or a legitimate issue that could derail Mysterio’s plans.
According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer, there’s reason for optimism. Meltzer reports that the injury is not believed to be serious, and as of now, Mysterio is still expected to compete in the 30-man Royal Rumble match in Riyadh.
That’s significant news considering Mysterio only returned to action in November 2025 after missing seven months with a torn groin. At 51 years old, any physical setback naturally raises red flags, but WWE reportedly has no plans at this time to remove him from the Royal Rumble lineup.
While WWE will undoubtedly continue to monitor the situation closely, the early word backstage suggests this was more of a scare than a setback — a welcome update for fans hoping to see the legendary luchador shine on one of WWE’s biggest stages.
TNA’s jump to AMC got off to a rocky start, and heading into week two, there was real concern that Impact might follow a familiar wrestling trend — a sharp drop after the premiere. While the January 22 episode did see a slight decline, the numbers suggest the situation isn’t nearly as dire as some feared.
According to reports from Wrestlenomics and the Pro Wrestling Torch, the second AMC airing of TNA Impact averaged 171,000 viewers, along with a 0.03 rating in the key 18–49 demographic. That’s a modest dip from the debut episode’s 173,000 viewers and 0.04 demo rating, translating to just a 1% drop in overall viewership and a 0.01 slide in the demo. Considering how often wrestling shows see steeper declines after a premiere, TNA managing to retain most of its audience is an encouraging early sign.
Where Impact really rebounded, though, was in fan perception. The episode scored a 6.09 rating on Cagematch, a massive improvement over the premiere’s rough 1.47 score. That jump suggests that while viewers may still be cautious, those who tuned in were far more satisfied with the in-ring product and presentation this time around.
A big talking point from the show was the return of TNA’s classic “Feast or Fired” match. Eddie Edwards, Eric Young, Steve Maclin, and Trey Miguel walked away with the briefcases, but it was Miguel’s involvement that generated the most buzz. Just a week earlier, Miguel had exited TNA for AEW, only to be released almost immediately after past comments resurfaced and were deemed homophobic. With his AEW stint ending as quickly as it began, Miguel was free to return to TNA — the company where he spent the majority of his eight-year career.
While Impact hasn’t delivered a breakout ratings moment yet, holding steady in week two and dramatically improving its reception gives TNA something to build on. The bigger question now is whether the promotion can turn that stability into growth as its AMC run continues.
WWE NXT tonight on The CW
Rey Mysterio’s road to the Royal Rumble may have hit an unexpected roadblock.
The WWE Hall of Famer was reportedly injured during this week’s episode of WWE Raw while competing in a singles rematch against Austin Theory. The bout was set up earlier in the show by Raw General Manager Adam Pearce, stemming from last week’s six-man tag team match that saw Mysterio team with Penta and Dragon Lee against Theory, Logan Paul, and Bronson Reed.
That prior encounter ended with controversy, as Pearce appeared just as Logan Paul attempted to use brass knuckles. The distraction allowed Mysterio to get his hands on the weapon and strike Theory, scoring the pinfall victory. On Raw, however, Theory managed to even the score — albeit with plenty of help.
During the rematch, interference from The Vision turned the tide. Penta and Dragon Lee rushed the ring to counter the numbers advantage, leading to a chaotic brawl at ringside. Amid the confusion, Theory capitalized by hitting a stomp on Mysterio to secure the pin.
Things only escalated after the bell. The Vision continued their assault on the luchadors, and Bron Breakker made his presence felt. Cameras quickly cut away as Breakker lined up Mysterio for a spear. When the broadcast returned, it was Penta who took the spear, followed by a Tsunami from Bronson Reed.
Despite the production switch, it was later reported that Mysterio had been legitimately hurt during the match itself. According to BodySlam’s Cory Hays, Rey was assisted to the back by WWE medical personnel following the segment, raising immediate concern about his condition.
The timing is especially unfortunate, as Mysterio is currently advertised for this Saturday’s Royal Rumble match. As of now, WWE has not confirmed the severity of the injury, nor whether Rey will be medically cleared to compete or pulled from the Rumble altogether.
Given Mysterio’s history of battling through injuries — and his importance to WWE’s ongoing storylines — fans will be anxiously awaiting updates on his status in the coming days.
WWE Raw airs live today on Netflix from Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
WWE Raw ring announcer Alicia Taylor, is stuck at the airport due to the winter storm and unable to make it to tonight’s show. Lilian Garcia will fill in for Alicia tonight.
AJ Styles’ upcoming clash with GUNTHER at the WWE Royal Rumble has quickly turned from a marquee attraction into one of the most emotional talking points heading into the weekend. With Styles putting his career on the line, what once felt like a dramatic stipulation is now being widely viewed as a very real goodbye.
For weeks, many fans assumed Styles would survive the match. After all, the former WWE Champion had previously mentioned that 2026 was his target retirement year, leading to speculation that this storyline was simply a high-stakes wrinkle rather than the end. However, new backstage reports are painting a much different picture.
According to PWInsider, Styles’ current WWE contract is set to expire before WrestleMania 42, and there are reportedly no internal plans for him to be part of that event. That detail alone has raised eyebrows, especially considering Styles’ legacy and his importance to WWE over the past decade.
Dave Meltzer has also added more context, reporting that Shinsuke Nakamura was under the impression that Styles intended to retire following the Royal Rumble in 2026. That belief reportedly explains Nakamura’s now-deleted Instagram post, which many fans viewed as an early farewell message.
Adding fuel to the fire is the status of GUNTHER. Reports suggest there are no creative plans for him to lose at the upcoming Saudi Arabia event, making a Styles victory at the Royal Rumble seem increasingly unlikely. If GUNTHER is indeed locked in to continue his dominant run, Styles’ career-ending stipulation suddenly feels very real.
Behind the scenes, Styles’ retirement has reportedly been discussed within WWE for months, with the Royal Rumble long viewed as a realistic exit point. While a retirement match in Saudi Arabia would come with a massive payday and global spotlight, WWE plans are always subject to change — especially when a legend is involved.
Still, as things stand, all signs point toward the Royal Rumble potentially being the final chapter of AJ Styles’ storied WWE career. Whether this ends with one last Phenomenal performance or a shocking swerve, fans may want to savor every moment, just in case this truly is goodbye.
WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event airs tonight at 8 PM EST/5 PM PST from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec. The show streams on Peacock in the U.S. and on Netflix internationally.
AEW Collision airs tonight at 8 PM EST/5 PM PST on TNT and HBO Max taped from the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, Florida.
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