Former TNA champion to make his WWE return after nearly 2 years at Royal Rumble 2025? Exploring the chances 

The 2025 WWE Royal Rumble event is rapidly approaching. It is the next big premium live event from the Sports Entertainment juggernaut and will air on Saturday, February 1, on both Peacock and Netflix.

The Royal Rumble event is known for numerous surprises, which include NXT call-ups, returns from injury, and former WWE Superstars making a comeback. This could be the case with now-former TNA star Mustafa Ali. The 38-year-old, who worked for the Stamford-based promotion from 2016 to 2023, is a former TNA X Division Champion.

Ali was released by WWE in September 2023. In the time since then, he has been on the indie scene and also had a successful stint in TNA Wrestling. The former 205 Live star could make his return in the 2025 Men's Royal Rumble Match. In a recent interaction with Chris Van Vliet on INSIGHT, Ali addressed the idea of a comeback and made it clear that there are paths towards a potential return and that he has "good relations" with those in the company.

This includes Triple H, who helped Ali in a very personal way when Mustafa's wife was pregnant.

Whether Ali wins or not wouldn't ultimately matter, as a surprise comeback in the Men's Royal Rumble Match would excite many fans and put Mustafa back where he belongs: in World Wrestling Entertainment.

However, this is speculative at this point.

Mustafa Ali's potential WWE return may be better served in NXT

While a return in the Men's Royal Rumble Match would certainly be exciting, it might not actually be the best move. Ali returning in the match would mean he'd immediately become a part of RAW or SmackDown.

While that means more eyeballs on him, it also means more competition and a greater chance of being lost in the shuffle. Instead, Mustafa Ali may be better served to return to NXT if he does indeed come back to WWE in 2025.

Not only is there less competition on NXT than on RAW and SmackDown, but the black and silver brand is currently low on top male performers. The women's division is flourishing, but the men's side needs some help. Ali could be the solution, both in terms of being a top star on the brand and in elevating younger performers.

Besides, Ali likely has some unfinished business in NXT. The 38-year-old was set to challenge for the North American Title right before he was let go by WWE. Now, he has a chance to return and claim the gold he wanted if Triple H and Shawn Michaels are willing to make a deal.

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