Alexa Bliss made her return to WWE at Royal Rumble 2025, entering the Women’s Royal Rumble match as the 21st participant. The February 1 appearance marked her first in-ring competition since Royal Rumble 2023, where she faced Bianca Belair for the RAW Women’s Championship.
Dave Meltzer addressed the situation on Wrestling Observer Radio, sharing insight into the contract negotiations.
I am told that the Alexa Bliss thing was a late negotiation. I don’t believe that because it’s pro-wrestling. My belief is that they were pulling a swerve.
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter provided additional context regarding Bliss’s contract status.
The gist on Alexa Bliss was that her contract – because of the freezing and time off and everything – it was not up, but it was about to be up. So they didn’t want to debut her and then have the contract up, because then she’d kind of have them under a barrel.
It’s kinda awkward to start someone, put them on TV, and then if you don’t come to terms and you don’t have a new contract, they disappear. They just figured get the new contract done.
Sources close to the situation report that Bliss secured a new contract, with multiple confirmations emerging during and after her Royal Rumble appearance. During the broadcast, Michael Cole referenced online speculation about Bliss’s status, noting reports that claimed she wasn’t in Indianapolis for the event.
I know what you’re thinking, but the deal was put together late – like I said, I’m very skeptical, when I look back at her tweets, it just feels like too much like a WWE thing to fool other people. It was people in the office they fooled too, and high-up.