WWE Rumors Roundup for Week of Jan. 4 Ahead of Royal Rumble

This week's rumors are derived from an unfortunate truth—many of the WWE superstars are injured or coming off of injuries.

Dean Ambrose could be out for nine months, which will deprive fans of a feud between The Shield and former members of The Bullet Club; Paige took a bad bump on Dec. 27, and she cut a promo Monday instead of fighting; and SmackDown Live general manager Daniel Bryan desperately wants to wrestle, if only the WWE would clear him.

How these situations shake out will lay the bricks on the Road to WrestleMania.

Here are the most interesting rumors that have been floating around this week.

Daniel Bryan's in-Ring Status

The feud between Bryan and SmackDown Live commissioner Shane McMahon continues to get uglier.

After both men accused one another of favoritism and undercutting the other's authority, Bryan booked a bizarre stipulation for AJ Styles' title match at the Royal Rumble—it will be a handicap match, with Styles against Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens.

The escalating tension might lead one to think Bryan will be taking on McMahon at some point, but the GM is still not cleared to wrestle, according to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Randall Ortman of Cageside Seats).

The real-life conflict between Bryan and WWE is well-documented. The GM feels he's healthy enough to wrestle, but WWE, in the midst of multiple lawsuits over wrestlers' health, has been hesitant to allow him.

It will be interesting to see what the WWE brass are willing to let him do. They don't want him to potentially injure himself again, but they don't want him to head to New Japan Pro-Wrestling or Ring of Honor and compete against them.

Miz Back in the Title Hunt?

The Miz dropped the Intercontinental title to Roman Reigns and then disappeared to film a movie.

Next Monday, he will be returning to Raw, so Miz fans need not worry about The Awesome One getting lost in the shuffle.

According to Ortman, Miz will resume his place in the Intercontinental title hunt. He's held it collectively for over a year, so he's earned and is owed a rematch.

It's unlikely Reigns holds on to the IC title for much longer. WrestleMania will be here on April 8, and WWE chairman Vince McMahon will want to give The Big Dog a more powerful reception.

Chris Jericho in the Royal Rumble?

Wrestlers both old and new have been announcing their participation in the 2018 Royal Rumble. And Meltzer shared his belief (h/t Ortman of Cageside Seats) that Chris Jericho entering the event is a distinct "possibility."

Jericho is coming off a well-received match at Wrestle Kingdom against Kenny Omega in Japan.

And as long as he stays within his limits—keeps the fight on the ground and doesn't resort to high-flying maneuvers—Y2J will always be considered a threat.

Bobby Lashley Could Sign with WWE

Bobby Lashley has made a name for himself since leaving WWE in 2008 and has become one of TNA/Impact Wrestling's brightest stars. After a decade away, though, The Destroyer might be heading back to his original home.

According to Meltzer (h/t Jeremy Thomas of 411Mania), there is a good chance Lashley will sign with WWE once his TNA contract expires.

At one time, Lashley was a potential WWE champion, but now he's a 41-year-old with a lot of mileage on his body.

If the writers do bring him back, it's best if they overbook him and focus exclusively on the power moves that made him famous.