Below are a couple of top WWE & AEW news stories of the day, featuring Alexa Bliss and Sting.
• Former Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss’ return to WWE has been derailed due to an ongoing contract dispute with the company. Bliss, who last competed at Royal Rumble 2023, was originally set to return on the January 13, 2025 episode of RAW in San Jose, CA, but those plans were canceled at the last minute.
Sources reveal Bliss is pushing for a new contract with better compensation and perks, while WWE expects her to fulfill her current deal, which was extended due to her hiatus. Bliss, who has been away for two years now, used the time to give birth to her daughter and focus on her health. Recently, she announced on social media that she has returned to her pre-pregnancy weight.
According to PWInsider, Bliss’ representatives reached out to WWE shortly before her scheduled RAW return to negotiate a new deal. When her camp demanded the new contract be finalized prior to her return, WWE reportedly “played hard-ball,” putting her comeback plans on hold and freezing all creative storylines involving her.
The original plan included a surprise appearance on the January 13 episode of RAW on Netflix and her rejoining the RAW brand to work with Wyatt Sicks. This also explains the decision to move Wyatt Sicks to SmackDown, as those plans have been dropped now.
Negotiations have since stalled, and Bliss’ future remains uncertain. On January 14, the day after her canceled return, Bliss removed all WWE references from her social media bios, further fueling speculation about her status. WWE had initially expected Bliss to return by the start of WrestleMania season, beginning with the Royal Rumble.
New Video: Alexa Bliss Exposes Her Buns On Stage (Pre-WWE):
• Sting has announced that 2025 will be his final year appearing at conventions in his full Stinger costume. The 65-year-old legend shared the news on X:
“I have enjoyed meeting fans at events around the world. As much as I have loved interacting with you all in the traditional Stinger war paint, I’ve decided that 2025 will be my last year appearing in full gear. I guess it’s 2025 or never. Wow. Tough to speak that out.”
While he plans to stop appearing in full costume, Sting confirmed he will continue attending conventions beyond 2025, just without his iconic attire.
This announcement follows Sting’s in-ring retirement at AEW Revolution in March 2024, where he and Darby Allin defeated The Young Bucks to retain the AEW World Tag Team Championship in his final match.
Sting remains under a multi-year licensing deal with AEW.
