2023 was a huge year for the WWE, especially in regard to returning superstars. After the seemingly impossible return of the Rock on SmackDown and CM Punk rejoining the company after his firing by AEW, it's easy to believe anyone could return these days. Now, there's a big rumor circulating about yet another superstar making a comeback at the start of 2024, and Triple H's comments have me fired up for upcoming WWE events.
Per recent reports from Fightful Select, the WWE was very close to signing a "former WWE champion" and had the intention of bringing them back for the Day 1 episode of Monday Night Raw, which is set for New Year's Day. While most wrestling rumors usually don't get a response from the company's top brass, Triple H decided to comment on this one via X:
Not going to confirm or deny the rumors of a former @WWE Champion appearing at #WWERaw Day One… but I will say to stay tuned.New Year’s Day, 8pm ET on @USANetworkDecember 30, 2023
The optics of someone hinting at something that won't happen aren't great, so the rumored superstar in question may be closer to being signed than was previously known. Additionally, it would be strange for Triple H to acknowledge the rumor if it wasn't true and the company actually has no one special for Monday Night Raw. That would just be setting up people to be disappointed, which is why I'm fired up and ready to assume someone big will appear on Monday.
According to the rumor, whoever might be on the way is not currently on the main roster. There's no shortage of former WWE superstars who are still active in the pro wrestling industry, but which of them would cause shockwaves with a surprise return on Monday Night Raw to kick off 2024?
One potential candidate could be Big E, who was sidelined after fracturing his neck during a match on SmackDown in 2022. Another potential option would be someone like Goldberg, who could serve as a big-name superstar for a marquee match and make the upcoming WrestleMania 40 even bigger than it's currently set up to be.
At the same time, it's hard to imagine adding another superstar capable of headlining a main event, given the current state of the WWE roster. The fact that multiple superstars could win the men's 2024 Royal Rumble speaks volumes about how loaded this roster is at the moment.
The same is largely true of the women's division, even with Charlotte Flair set to miss a significant amount of time following a leg injury. All this to say, I do hope that whoever is possibly revealed might be able to add some value to the current WWE roster rather than take away a spot another superstar -- who has been working all year towards it -- could've had otherwise. Still, I remain excited, and that's greatly due to Triple H weighing in!
Monday Night Raw airs on USA Network on Monday, January 1st, at 8:00 p.m. ET. Here's hoping we'll learn the identity of the returning superstar and be able to speculate on what their plans may be in the company as we head into WrestleMania season.
