Top AEW superstar to make his WWE return at Royal Rumble 2024? Exploring why it's not MJF!

Royal Rumble 2024 is the next highly anticipated premium live event for the company, set to take place on Saturday, January 27, 2024, at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.

As a yearly tradition, the Royal Rumble match is known for its surprise entries and unexpected twists. Due to this, fans are already buzzing with speculation, particularly regarding potential surprise entrants at the upcoming premium live event.

One prevailing belief is that the current AEW World Champion, MJF, might make a surprise appearance. Earlier, Friedman has already confirmed that his contract with Tony Khan's company will expire on January 1, 2024, adding fuel to the anticipation surrounding the event.

Adding to the excitement are recent actions by Chris Jericho, fueling speculation that the veteran may once again grace the Stamford-based promotion. This speculation gained traction after Jericho's reaction to CM Punk's first match in WWE after a decade, which took place at Madison Square Garden.

For those unaware, CM Punk faced Dominik Mysterio on December 26, 2023, at the Madison Square Garden. The show was part of WWE's Holiday Tour, and Punk secured the victory with a GTS.

After this, WWE's official social media account posted the video, and Jericho extended his congratulations to the Voice of the Voiceless. The interaction sparked speculation about his potential return at Royal Rumble 2024.

However, reports suggest otherwise, as Chris Jericho's contract with AEW is currently set to expire in December 2025. This makes it unlikely for him to make an appearance at the upcoming premium live event Royal Rumble 2024.

Despite this, it will be interesting to see whether Jericho will also follow the same path as CM Punk and Cody Rhodes and once again back to WWE in the near future.

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WWE to add a major title match at Royal Rumble 2024

As of the current writing, the Stamford-based promotion has only announced a few entries for the traditional Royal Rumble match, including CM Punk and Cody Rhodes for the 30-man Royal Rumble bout. Additionally, Nia Jax and Bayley have been announced for the Women's traditional match.

In addition to these announcements, recent reports suggest that a match between Kevin Owens and Logan Paul will likely occur at Royal Rumble 2024 for the United States Championship.

Currently, a United States Title number one contender tournament is underway on SmackDown, with the Prizefighter already securing a spot in the finals by defeating Carmelo Hayes in the semi-finals.

These reports appear to be a clear indication that Owens might be the one to emerge as the winner of this tournament and eventually face the Maverick for his United States Title at Royal Rumble 2024.