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While the Royal Rumble has become known for surprise returns over the years, there are a number of Superstars who could be targeting the event for return from injury, or even targeting the episodes of RAW and SmackDown ahead of the show that mark the beginning of the Road To WrestleMania.
The next four months are easily the most exciting on the wrestling calendar, as the plans for WrestleMania 36 become clearer to the WWE Universe. The Royal Rumble is easily the pay-per-view many wrestlers want to be part of, but in order to stake their claim and look to win the career-defining match, some Superstars will be looking to return much sooner than the 30-man over the top rope battle royal.
Here are just five WWE Superstars who could be looking to make their return to the company ahead of the 2020 Royal Rumble on January 26th.
#5. Nia Jax
Nia Jax has been missing from WWE TV ever since she and Tamina came up short in their quest to win Women's Tag Team Championship gold at WrestleMania. Following the show, Jax revealed that she wrestled the match with no ACLs and has since undergone surgery to fix her injuries.
In recent weeks, the former Women's Champion has uploaded videos on her Instagram page where she has shown that she has been back training in the ring and is looking ready for a return. Her current return date is set for January 2020, so it will be interesting to see if she returns before or as part of the Royal Rumble.
If Jax is able to win the Royal Rumble match next month, then she would be the first female to win a Rumble after appearing in the men's Rumble match as well.
#4. Jinder Mahal
Jinder Mahal was last seen on WWE TV back in June when he was pinned by R-Truth on the plane heading to Super Showdown in Saudi Arabia. Just days later, it was revealed that Mahal suffered a knee injury that could potentially sideline him for up to 12 months.
Mahal has been rehabbing the injury over the past few months and reports now suggest that the former WWE Champion is now ready to make his return. Mahal was part of one of SmackDown's biggest storylines a few years ago when he became WWE Champion and helped the company push forward into India.
Mahal lost the chance to face Brock Lesnar when he dropped his Championship to AJ Styles in the UK ahead of Survivor Series, so a Royal Rumble win would mean that he's able to fight Lesnar for the WWE Championship and win back the opportunity he was denied a few years ago.
Mahal may not have been the most popular choice for WWE Champion back in 2017, but he was able to get heat and he invoked a reaction, which is more than many Superstars have been able to generate in recent months.
#3. Ruby Riott
Ruby Riott has been missing from the Women's Division ever since February when she was part of a feud with Ronda Rousey. In recent months, The Riott Squad has officially disbanded, since Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan were split and the former is now being advertised to reveal a new look in the coming weeks.
Riott went undrafted in the most recent WWE Draft since she underwent bilateral shoulder surgery back in May, which has sidelined her from the ring for a number of months. The most recent update from Riott is that the former NXT star is now looking at a return in January 2020.
The Women's Division definitely needs a shakeup and before her injury issues, it was obvious that Riott was someone the company wanted to push. Could this still be the case? If the former Riott Squad leader is able to make her return from injury ahead of the Rumble on January 26th and stake a claim to become just the third woman to win the Women's Royal Rumble, then there won't be many who argue otherwise.
#2. Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe is a former NXT Champion, but despite striking fear into the hearts of a number of wrestlers throughout his time in WWE, 'The Samoan Suplex Machine' has been behind the commentary desk over the past few weeks.
Following Dio Madden's attack at the hands of Brock Lesnar, the former Impact Wrestling star took the reins on the commentary desk, until last week when he managed to anger The Authors of Pain.
AOP were helping Seth Rollins handle some business against Rey Mysterio when Joe made it his business and was then sent through the announce table. Joe was out of action with a broken finger and it appears that he is now ready to make his return since he has been wrestling at live events and has picked up a feud with Seth Rollins and his new bodyguards.
It will be interesting to see if Samoa Joe is able to get some revenge on AOP and make his return to the ring ahead of the Rumble because he would definitely be one of the dark horses to win the whole thing and go on to fight for one of WWE's most coveted championships at WrestleMania.
#1. Jeff Hardy
Jeff Hardy has been having a few issues in his personal life in recent months, after being sidelined with a knee injury back in April. The former WWE Champion was arrested for a DWI back in October and has since been working on sobriety away from the eyes of the WWE Universe.
Hardy has been wrestling for almost his entire adult life, but has never won the Royal Rumble. It's interesting to note that the former World Champion hasn't been listed as a returnee for WWE and there are currently no plans for his return, so it would be a shock if he was able to return to either RAW or SmackDown ahead of the Rumble next month.
Jeff Hardy's personal issues have always been one of the main reasons why he hasn't been pushed to the top of the wrestling world. Now that he's working on them once again it will be interesting to see if Hardy is given WWE's backing and is able to return to the company ahead of what could be his final WrestleMania appearance.
