Chris Jericho is rumored to go head-to-head with Brock Lesnar in the men’s WWE Royal Rumble match set for January 31st. Reports suggest Lesnar, known as “The Beast,” is slated to appear, and WWE is preparing for the event by possibly bringing back six previously absent roster members to join Jericho in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The Royal Rumble marks the start of the journey to WrestleMania 42 and is famous for unexpected moments. Jericho is anticipated to return during WWE’s Netflix anniversary show RAW, potentially as soon as Monday, January 5th, with expectations that he will officially sign with WWE. The 55-year-old wrestler might square off against Lesnar, with whom he famously clashed backstage in 2016.
Besides Lesnar, other missing WWE stars like L.A. Knight, Chad Gable, Tiffany Stratton, Jacob Fatu, and Dominik Mysterio are reportedly scheduled to compete at the upcoming PLE in Riyadh. Knight has been off TV since early December after an attack, Gable is recovering from a rotator cuff injury but expected to return, Stratton hasn’t appeared since losing her championship in November, Fatu underwent dental treatment in October, and Mysterio recently suffered a shoulder injury but isn’t expected to be out long. It’s unclear if all these wrestlers will be back for the Rumble or before.
Randy Orton was also mentioned but has already returned to TV, interrupting The Miz’s show on SmackDown and issuing a challenge for the WWE Championship to Cody Rhodes.
Back in 2016 at SummerSlam, Jericho and Lesnar got into a fierce backstage altercation after Lesnar seriously injured Orton in a bloody match. Jericho reportedly confronted Lesnar about breaking professional wrestling protocols, leading to a heated exchange before Triple H and Vince McMahon intervened. Since then, Jericho and Lesnar have resolved their differences, which could set the stage for a compelling showdown this month. Lesnar is known as one of the safest large wrestlers in the business, but Orton’s injury caused concern among his friends.
Fan Take: This potential Jericho vs. Lesnar matchup adds a thrilling chapter to WWE’s narrative, blending legendary rivalry with fresh excitement just in time for the Royal Rumble. For WWE fans, it means witnessing iconic wrestlers redefining their legacies while paving the way for the biggest event of the year, WrestleMania 42.
