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Former WWE star Nixon Newell has confirmed that 2026 will be her final year as an active in-ring competitor. Following her retirement from wrestling, Newell plans to transition to working behind the scenes in the wrestling industry.
According to Dave Meltzer, AEW made an aggressive five-year offer to retain Powerhouse Hobbs that would have paid him more than nearly every founding member of AEW's 2019 roster except Chris Jericho. Despite the substantial financial offer, which Meltzer compared to Bryan Danielson's deal when he joined AEW, Hobbs chose to sign with WWE where he debuted as Royce Keys at the 2026 Royal Rumble.
Dave Meltzer reported on Wrestling Observer Radio that Ava's WWE departure was entirely her decision, with multiple sources confirming she simply didn't want to continue wrestling and faced no outside pressure from the company. Meltzer explained that Ava's parents own a studio where she will likely work, and noted that while some have speculated her girlfriend Tatyanna Dumas' reported WWE release may have influenced the decision, that connection remains unclear. Ava announced her exit on January 30, 2026, with her final WWE appearance being the January 27 episode of NXT, and WWE has since moved her profile to the alumni section of their website.
Triple H states that he always wanted Naomi to return to WWE. The former Women's World Champion has provided her reasoning behind her decision to come back to the company.
Chris Jericho did not return at WWE Royal Rumble 2026 because he remains under contract with AEW, contrary to reports suggesting his deal had expired at the end of 2025. Sean Ross Sapp confirmed on Fightful's post-Royal Rumble show that Jericho is still officially listed on AEW's roster page, though there has been little backstage discussion about him in recent months. Jericho is also committed to non-wrestling projects including Apple TV's "Margo's Got Money Troubles" series and Fozzy's "Eyes On You" tour beginning in February.
According to Sean Ross Sapp, backstage discussions in AEW have picked up regarding the possibility of AJ Styles joining the company once his in-ring career wraps, with talent openly speculating about this scenario at Dynamite this past week. Styles' match at Royal Rumble: Riyadh was billed as career-threatening and ended with him passing out in a sleeper hold against GUNTHER, with Triple H confirming that Styles told him he was "done with the in-ring part." WWE has had talks about Styles taking on a behind-the-scenes role similar to Shawn Michaels' path as a mentor or producer, particularly within NXT.
The January 28, 2026 episode of AEW Dynamite featured a heavily loaded card and resulted in positive television ratings for the company. The show was described as one of the most content-packed episodes AEW has produced recently.
Cody Rhodes has explained why he misses WWE's untelevised live events amid the company's reduction in the number of such shows held annually. Rhodes expressed that he misses the heavier live event schedule that WWE previously maintained.
The first WWE Royal Rumble took place in 1988, with "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan winning the Royal Rumble match. The event also featured a contract signing between Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant.
Stephanie McMahon relates to the current WWE Intercontinental Champion, describing their shared experience as being "children of the business" due to both being around wrestling for an extended period of time.
WWE SmackDown star Trick Williams explains how his experience in NXT and TNA Wrestling helped prepare him for WWE's main roster. Williams believes his time in both promotions served as valuable preparation for his current role on the main roster.
The director for WWE Royal Rumble 2026 has been revealed following a backstage change. The premium live event is scheduled for Saturday.