WWE Rumors on Logan Paul's Return and Royal Rumble; Latest on Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.

---

WWE Reportedly Wants Paul at Royal Rumble

WWE is reportedly hopeful to have Logan Paul available for the 2023 Royal Rumble premium live event on Jan. 28.

According to Fightful Select (h/t Sunil Joseph of Ringside News), WWE wants Paul's presence at the Rumble, although it is unclear if he would be in the men's Rumble match or used in some other capacity.

Paul, who first made a name for himself on YouTube and social media, has only three career matches, but he has been hugely impressive in limited action.

His most recent bout was a match against Roman Reigns in the main event of Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia for the undisputed WWE Universal Championship. Reigns won the Nov. 5 encounter, but Paul proved he belonged in the squared circle.

Paul injured his knee during the match against Reigns and initially suggested that he may have torn his ACL, but his brother, Jake Paul, told DAZN Boxing (h/t WrestlingInc's Nick Miller) two weeks later that the injury wasn't as bad as originally feared.

Jake said the injury was to Logan's MCL and meniscus, and that he had already begun rehabbing.

Paul is now more than two months removed from the injury, and while no timeline was given for his return, it at least seems possible that he could be back in time for the Rumble.

WWE always likes to have plenty of surprises in the Rumble match as well as some crossover appeal at the event itself, and Paul could deliver on both of those fronts if he is healthy and available.

---

WWE to Have 'All Hands on Deck' at Royal Rumble

WWE will reportedly have its entire roster in San Antonio and available to be used for Royal Rumble weekend.

According to PWInsider.com's Mike Johnson, Royal Rumble will be an "all hands on deck" situation for WWE with all of its talent being in attendance, even if they aren't working the show.

Some talent will reportedly be used for other projects, such as media appearances and WWE Network content, and there has even been talk of some of WWE's NIL (Next In Line) college recruits being present for the weekend.

Aside from WrestleMania, Royal Rumble is usually WWE's biggest event of the year, especially since it marks the official start of WrestleMania season.

Multiple WrestleMania rivalries and matches are usually either started or furthered at Royal Rumble, and that figures to be the case once again this year.

The excitement surrounding the Royal Rumble is perhaps even more palpable than usual this year because of the announced return of Cody Rhodes as well as speculation regarding The Rock potentially making an appearance.

It will also be the first Royal Rumble under the guidance of chief content officer Triple H, who has shown a penchant for favoring surprises, which could make for an entertaining show.

Unpredictability is often the biggest key to an enjoyable Royal Rumble, and the pieces are seemingly in place to make that happen this year.

---

Flair Says Hogan Will Appear on Raw XXX

WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair said this week that fellow Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan will be present for Monday's Raw XXX 30th anniversary celebration.

Speaking on his To Be The Man podcast (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News), Flair said: "Hulkamania is coming. He confirmed to me last night that he's coming."

WWE has not confirmed Hogan's appearance yet, but it has announced several other legends who will be in attendance.

Flair, The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Kurt Angle, The Bella Twins, Jerry "The King" Lawler, Road Dogg, X-Pac, Ron Simmons and Teddy Long were all shown on WWE's Raw XXX graphic.

In addition to Raw XXX being a celebration of Raw's history, it will also be a significant show since it is the go-home episode prior to the Royal Rumble.

United States champion Austin Theory will put his title on the line against Bobby Lashley, while The Usos will defend the Raw Tag Team Championships against The Judgment Day, and Becky Lynch will face Bayley inside a steel cage.

WWE figures to involve legends in some key segments on the show, and it may even have an important role in the final build toward Royal Rumble.

While Hogan is a polarizing figure, he is unquestionably one of the biggest stars in the history of WWE and pro wrestling in general.

He helped Raw get off the ground in its early days in 1993, and an appearance on Raw XXX would be fitting because of that.

---

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).