WWE News: Ex-WWE Star jokingly teases Royal Rumble appearance

What's the story?

Former WWE Superstar and five-time Intercontinental Champion, Wade Barrett, has used Instagram to humorously stir up gossip that he may return to the WWE in the upcoming Royal Rumble match in January.

Barrett posted a picture of himself in Bermuda and said that he will have his abs 'back for the Royal Rumble'.

In case you didn't know...

Wade Barrett was released by the WWE in May 2016, having been with the company for 10 years, at his own request back, after he was kicked out of the League of Nations faction after WrestleMania 32.

Barrett had a very successful career with WWE, winning the Intercontinental Championship an impressive five times, as well as winning the 2015 King of the Ring tournament.

But too many times, WWE dropped the ball with him, and he should have been a World Champion.

For example, Barrett became really popular with the WWE Universe when he started his Bad News' Barrett gimmick in late December.

However, Barrett was a heel, so WWE did not like him being cheered so much, and hence put it to an end in 2015.

Most memorably, though, was when Barrett debuted on the main roster in 2010 as part of the faction known as Nexus, and many believed the group would be a massive success.

However, due to no fault of Barrett's or anyone else in Nexus, the group's weren't popular, with WWE's booking of them at SummerSlam of that year -- in which they lost a 7-on-7 Elimination match against a team led by John Cena -- blamed for the loss of their momentum.

Since leaving WWE, Barrett has not wrestled, but recently he became the General Manager of the British Wrestling Promotion 'Defiant Wrestling' in September 2017.

The heart of the matter

''Well, I'm afraid I;ve got some BAD NEWS''.

If anyone returning to WWE in a match like the Royal Rumble, in which many ex-Superstars and Legends have made surprise comebacks in before, it would be kept as a secret by the company.

Therefore, it is easy to tell that Wade Barrett was only joking with his Instagram post, because if he was making a return to the company in the 2018 Royal Rumble match, he would have made it confidential between himself and WWE.

Although it does not mean Barrett will never rearrive in WWE, it, unfortunately, means he is almost certainly not coming back in this bout.

What's next?

The Royal Rumble PPV takes place on January 28th from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The main event will be the 30-man Royal Rumble match, with the likes of Elias, Shinsuke Nakamura and Randy Orton already confirmed as participants.

There will be a Women's Royal Rumble match too at the event, for the FIRST-EVER TIME.

As for Wade Barrett, it will be interesting to see what he does with his life next. It won't be at the Royal Rumble or for a while yet, but a WWE return in the future is inevitable.

The guy was so undervalued by the company when he was there, and it would be great if he went back and finally got the opportunities he deserves one day.

Obviously, for now, Barrett will continue his role as GM in Defiant Wrestling.

Author's take

I miss Wade Barrett in WWE.

Barrett was amazing in WWE, and it was so disappointing the company failed to capitalize on the British man's talents.

It is clear that Barrett was trying to be humorous about the Royal Rumble, but a WWE return in months or years down the line for him is not a joke, it is probably a definite.