WWE Rumors on Seth Rollins vs. CM Punk, Undertaker, Royal Rumble and Kazuchika Okada

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

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Seth Rollins Still Expected to Face CM Punk at WrestleMania Despite Knee Injury

WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins reportedly suffered a knee injury during his title defense against Jinder Mahal on last week's episode of Monday Night Raw.

However, there's reportedly a chance that he could be healthy in time for WrestleMania 40.

According to Steve Carrier of Ringside News, Rollins is believed to have suffered a torn MCL and partially torn meniscus, but it's not yet clear if he will require surgery. While he is likely to be sidelined for at least a few weeks, "there is a possibility that he could recover in time for WrestleMania if surgery is not deemed necessary."

Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported on Friday that there were still plans in place for Rollins to face CM Punk at WrestleMania 40 despite the injury news.

Rollins and Punk have been on a collision course since Punk made his surprising return to WWE in November. The expectation is that if Punk wins the Royal Rumble next week, he will challenge Rollins for his title.

WWE announced that Rollins will kick off this week's episode of Monday Night Raw to "address his future," so perhaps more clarity will be provided on his status going forward.

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The Undertaker, Other WWE Legends Expected to Be in Town for Royal Rumble

The Royal Rumble is typically one of WWE's biggest events of the year that brings out Superstars from both the past and the present, and the 2024 edition will be no different.

According to PWInsider Elite (h/t Steve Carrier of Ringside News), a trio of wrestling legends is set to be in Tampa for Saturday's premium live event: The Undertaker, Michelle McCool and Rey Mysterio.

The Undertaker will be hosting a special edition of his "One DeadMan Show" the day after the Royal Rumble on Jan. 28. The Hall of Famer has made sporadic appearances in WWE since his retirement in 2022, so it's unclear if he will be participating in the Royal Rumble match itself.

McCool, who is married to The Undertaker, has made surprise entrances in the women's Royal Rumble match in the past. However, Carrier pointed out that she recently tweeted about not being asked to join this year's match. Of course, anything can change before Saturday's event.

Mysterio is the only one out of the three who is still actively performing, though he's been sidelined since November with a knee injury that required surgery. There has been some speculation that he'll be able to return to action in the Royal Rumble, but that has not been confirmed.

If Mysterio is able to make his comeback on Saturday, he will surely be looking to reignite his feud with Santos Escobar, his former L.W.O. stablemate who betrayed him prior to his injury.

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WWE Eyeing Kazuchika Okada for Possible WrestleMania Debut

One of the best wrestlers in the world is set to become a free agent soon, and WWE is reportedly hoping to sign him for a marquee debut at the biggest event of the year.

With Kazuchika Okada set to part ways with New Japan Pro Wrestling at the end of this month, he is undoubtedly the most prominent free agent to hit the market in years. Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News) reported that there is "significant interest" from WWE to book Okada for a potential debut at WrestleMania 40.

"There is also significant interest from WWE, specifically from Paul 'Triple H' Levesque and Shawn Michaels, Sports Illustrated has confirmed. While it is difficult to procure information from Okada's camp, multiple sources close to NJPW revealed that he has always wanted to perform at a WrestleMania. Levesque is aware of this and has the right opponents–specifically AJ Styles and Finn Balor–who have pre-existing relationships with Okada, and would both be perfect for Okada's debut if he were to wrestle at WrestleMania 40."

WWE is not alone in its chase of Okada, as Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported on Friday that AEW has already made an offer to him. Barrasso also called AEW "the favorite" to land Okada because of his pre-existing relationship with AEW CEO Tony Khan and his ongoing rivalry with Bryan Danielson, with whom he has "struck up a friendship" behind the scenes.

It will be interesting to see where Okada will land, as he has the potential to shake up the landscape of pro wrestling with his impending decision.

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