It was announced during Friday night’s episode of WWE SmackDown that Summer Rae will be returning to WWE for the 2022 Women’s Royal Rumble match. She’ll join Aliyah, Brie Bella, Carmella, Charlotte Flair, Dana Brooke, Kelly Kelly, Lita, Michelle McCool, Naomi, Natalya, Nikki A.S.H., Nikki Bella, Queen Zelina Vega, Rhea Ripley, Shayna Baszler, Shotzi, and Tamina as confirmed names in the match so far.
Following the announcement being made, Summer Rae updated her Instagram Story and commented on the fan response she’s received. She said,
“Okay, so obviously I can’t sleep, and I’ve been on Twitter and I am so overwhelmed by the amazing response on Twitter by you guys! Oh my gosh! Like, we weren’t even supposed to announce that I was going to be in the Rumble. It was going to be a surprise, and then I found out a couple of hours ago. So, I was really nervous to look on Twitter because people are mean, like, people just be mean on Twitter. And the response; everyone was so nice. You guys have me in my feels, and everyone’s so hyped. And I don’t know, I’ve just been gone so long that I didn’t know what the response would be like. Like, I didn’t know if it’d be positive or negative, and it’s just so good. And thank you so much. All my friends are being so supportive and just the fans, like Wrestle Twitter’s just insane, and I’m just so excited, and now I’m happy that I don’t have to keep this a surprise until the end of the month. And in my most recent Q&A, when I said, ‘Oh, no, I have so much going on. I wouldn’t go back, but I lo–” — I’ve known for weeks. Don’t sleep on me. I was playing. I was working y’all! It’s a work. Life’s a work!”
Summer Rae was released from WWE in November 2017.
