INQUISITR.COM / Sports

WWE Rumors: Former Champion Set To Return On ‘SmackDown Live’ This Week

By Shawn Lealos
Published on: 01:27 PST, Jan 17, 2017

SmackDown Live has prided itself on being the brand most interested in actual in-ring wrestling and this week a former champion will return to the company for that brand. According to Wrestling Inc., Mickie James will make her return to the WWE on Tuesday night’s episode of SmackDown Live.

Mickie James has already had her in-ring WWE return when she wrestled Asuka at NXT Takeover: Toronto. However, James was not signed to a contract when she fought that match outside of a one-match deal. Asuka won the match but Mickie impressed WWE officials enough to warrant an official WWE return.

According to reports, Triple H told Mickie James that she had a home in the WWE if she wanted it and a contract was waiting on her if she was interested. Caged Seats reported that James was interested and has reportedly signed a new three-year contract with the WWE to return for the SmackDown Live brand.

While there is no confirmation on this, there are rumors that the Mickie James return will tie into the mysterious La Luchadora gimmick. For fans who missed it, Becky Lynch dressed up as La Luchadora to trick Alexa Bliss into wrestling her again. After that, a masked La Luchadora started showing up and attacking Becky Lynch and helping Alexa Bliss.

Having Mickie James return as the masked La Luchadora could give her a main event feud to return to as a nemesis for Becky Lynch. Whether this feud will be with Becky as the champion will become known after the Royal Rumble. There is a chance that the WWE could keep the title on Alexa Bliss and move her into a feud with someone like Nikki Bella.

[Image by WWE]

Mickie James, 37, started her career in the indies as Alexis Laree and was part of TNA Impact Wrestling in their early days. She ended up joining the WWE in 2003 and worked in developmental for two years before moving up to the main roster.

She was immediately thrust into the main women’s storylines as she made her debut as a stalker for WWE Women’s Champion Trish Stratus. The angle drifted from Mickie James being Trish’s biggest fan to a more risque lesbian-tinged storyline with Trish rejecting her advances.

That led to Mickie James turning heel and winning the WWE Women’s Championship from Trish Stratus for her first WWE title. Throughout her WWE career, Mickie James won the women’s title six times. The names she beat are legendary.

[Image by WWE]

After winning her first women’s title from Trish Stratus, she later won the title from Lita, Melina, Beth Phoenix, Michelle McCool, and finally from Maryse.

Ironically, there were WWE rumors that the Mickie James return would include her WWE Hall of Fame induction but WrestleZone reported that it will probably be Beth Phoenix who is inducted this year instead. That makes sense because Phoenix is retired and Mickie James is on a new three-year deal.

RELATED WWE REPORTS BY THE INQUISITR

Since leaving the WWE in 2010, Mickie James has remained active. She wrestled in AAA in Mexico and then enjoyed a lot of success in her return to TNA Impact Wrestling. While there, Mickie James held their Knockouts title three times, beating Madison Rayne, Winter, and Velvet Sky for the title.

Mickie James will now make her WWE return to SmackDown Live, where she will join a roster that already includes Becky Lynch, Alexa Bliss, Nicki Bella, Natalya, Naomi, Carmella, and Eva Marie.

[Featured Image by WWE]

Share this article: WWE Rumors: Former Champion Set To Return On ‘SmackDown Live’ This Week
More from Inquisitr