WWE News Roundup: Former world champion confirms he will never wrestle again; legend undergoes major surgery; Randy Orton returning at Royal Rumble?
Welcome to the latest edition of Sportskeeda Wrestling's WWE News Roundup, in which we bring you the biggest stories in the world of wrestling for the day. Today, we have huge updates on Randy Orton and Stone Cold Steve Austin.
A WWE legend has confirmed that he will never wrestle again, while there has been external talk of Brock Lesnar returning to win the Men's Royal Rumble. So, let's get right into today's stories:
#4. Brock Lesnar could return and win the Men's Royal Rumble, says Bully Ray
Brock Lesnar's WWE status remains up in the air, as he is yet to be cleared by the company's legal team. However, that hasn't stopped people from speculating over The Beast Incarnate's potential return.
In a recent episode of the Busted Open podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray spoke about Lesnar possibly returning at the Royal Rumble. He feels the former UFC star is the perfect opponent for Gunther if The Ring General loses the World Heavyweight Championship. Ray also stated that there's a "great chance" that Brock Lesnar will win the Men's Royal Rumble and challenge The Ring General at WrestleMania 41.
"I'm just going to back Gunther out for a second. What do you do with Gunther in that scenario? The only match I would want to see Gunther involved with if he were pulled out of the world championship picture is Brock Lesnar," Bully Ray said. "[Do they pull the trigger, and maybe, Brock Lesnar is a surprise entrant in this year's Royal Rumble? Brock Lesnar comes in, wins the Royal Rumble, and faces Gunther for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania.] Great chance!" he added.
Of course, Lesnar's return to WWE is far from certain. It remains to be seen if he is allowed to come back.
#3. Kurt Angle confirms he is retired
WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle retired from the ring in 2019, and despite calls for him to come back, the Olympic gold medalist has repeatedly stated that he won't wrestle another match.
Angle reiterated that recently, during an appearance on INSIGHT with Chris Van Vliet. He was asked about potentially facing John Cena one more time but ruled it out on the spot. Kurt Angle then confirmed that he can't wrestle anymore.
“No, I can’t wrestle anymore," Angle said.
Angle is still battling health issues from his time as a wrestler, having injured his neck on several occasions during his career.
#2. Potential plans for Randy Orton's WWE return
Randy Orton has been away from WWE television since the start of November when Kevin Owens took him out with a Package Piledriver. While not confirmed, the 2025 Royal Rumble seems to be a likely destination for The Viper's return.
Speaking on a recent Live Q&A on Backstage Pass, WrestleVotes addressed whether Orton would appear at the Rumble. He said that the 14-time World Champion will likely interfere in the Undisputed WWE Championship Ladder Match between Owens and Cody Rhodes.
"I don't know if both, but I would certainly say with the way the injury angle went down, he [Orton] has to come back for Kevin Owens. He can't just enter the Rumble as a surprise and forget about everything. So I'd say if he's in Indianapolis for the pay-per-view [PLE], likely look for him during that Ladder Match."
As a result of his potential involvement earlier in the show, a surprise appearance in the men's Royal Rumble Match doesn't seem to be on the cards for Randy Orton.
#1. Stone Cold Steve Austin gets a total knee replacement
Stone Cold Steve Austin has posted a major update, having recently undergone total knee replacement surgery. The WWE Hall of Famer took to Instagram to announce that the surgery happened seven weeks ago before confirming that his recovery is going well.
"I am 7 [sic] weeks post-op on a Total Knee Replacement [sic]. My left knee was on its last leg, and I have been putting this surgery off for years," he wrote.
The Texas Rattlesnake also stated that the total knee replacement is a year-long healing process, but he is back in the gym and training. While another match is out of the question, it remains to be seen when Austin appears in WWE next.
