Jimmy Wang Yang has returned to WWE after more than a decade and he has joined the list of producers recently hired by the company.

The latest edition of Wrestling Observer Newsletter revealed that the former WWE star returned to the promotion recently. He worked as a producer for Raw this past week.

Jimmy Wang Yang started his wrestling career in 1999 when he signed with WCW. He stayed with the promotion until WWE acquired his contract after taking over the company.

Though his first run with the organization didn’t last very long. The American star was released from his contract within a year without making a main roster appearance.

Wang Yang then started working in the independent circuit and also competed for companies such as Impact Wrestling and Ring Of Honor among others.

The 40-year-old had numerous runs with WWE. His longest stint with the promotion was from 2006 to 2010. He returned to the independent circuit afterward and retired from active competition in 2018.

Jimmy Wang Yang joins the list of producers officials have freshly hired or brought back in the past few months including names such as Molly Holly, Hurricane Helms, and more.

As we’ve been reporting in recent weeks, part of WWE’s initiative to round out the RAW and SmackDown rosters post-Brand Extension will include signing former Superstars. Both Jimmy Wang Yang and Curt Hawkins could be returning soon, according to the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

Update: Curt Hawkins is denying the Observer report:

Slow news day yesterday huh? I guess you all will believe anything you read on the internet.

— Brian Myers (@Myers_Wrestling) July 8, 2016

Wang was backstage at Monday’s RAW and teased a meeting with Vince McMahon on social media. The belief is that the returning veterans will used primarily to help establish WWE’s up and coming talent, much like we’ve seen with the Dudley Boyz.

Aside from returning legends, NXT call ups and Cruiserweight Classic standouts that will be joining WWE, there are a few wrestlers who attended recent Performance Center tryouts that will probably get signed. Hispanic stars Rush and Volador Jr. Rush impressed WWE officials at a tryout last year and were mentioned in the Observer report.

– Big Show is expected back on WWE TV in the next few weeks. He’s been out of action since since losing the Last Man Standing Match to Roman Reigns at Extreme Rules.

– King Barrett tweeted the following after Daniel Bryan surrendered the WWE Intercontinental championship on RAW:

What a load of horse crap from @WWEDanielBryan tonight. I think we all know I deserve my IC Title back. Pathetic scenes. Jog on.

— Stu Bennett (@StuBennett) May 12, 2015

– Brie Bella reacts to her husband Daniel Bryan’s announcement that doctors are unsure if he can ever wrestle again:

– Part two of WWE Hall Of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin’s interview with TNA President Dixie Carter is available on the latest edition of his “Steve Austin Show” podcast. Check out the interview to hear Dixie talk about her newest employee – Smashing Pumpkins front man and new TNA creative team member Billy Corgan, as well as her past of being put through a table by Bully Ray. Also new on the latest Austin podcast is a state of the pro wrestling union from “Stone Cold” and Jim Ross. You can download the show right now at PodcastOne.com.

– Although he didn’t work an actual match or appear on the show, former WWE Superstar Jimmy Wang Yang was indeed backstage at Monday’s WWE Payback “go-home” edition of RAW. Yang brought some of his V.I.P. contest winners to the show on his Redneck Party Bus and let them meet some of the WWE Superstars and WWE Divas backstage. Yang noted that while his return to RAW didn’t result in a match, maybe he’ll get a shot to show off his in-ring skills at a future NXT show. Yang tweeted the following:

Return to Raw didn't have a match but maybe NXT time.

— Daddy Yang (@akioyang) May 12, 2015

• RONDA ROUSEY To Become Latest Victim Of Celebrity Nude Photo Leaks?!

– Tonight after WWE RAW, Renee Young’s new show WWE Unfiltered premieres on the WWE Network. She’ll be interviewing rapper Wiz Khalifa. The show is scheduled to air at 11:11pm EST.

– Former WWE Superstar Jimmy Wang Yang posted the following on his Facebook page announcing that he’ll be returning to WWE RAW tonight.

He last wrestled for WWE back in 2010.

I haven’t worn this in awhile. Tomorrow is going to interesting. Guess who returns to WWE Raw??? #jwycomeback #WWEneedsWang

Rumored Royal Rumble Surprise Entrants

Royal Rumble Surprise Entrants

One of the highlights of the annual January pay-per-view is the Royal Rumble surprise entrants surprise entrants. Here are some of the people who could be filling some of the 10 unannounced spots in the Rumble.

Sheamus: He’s been out of action since August with a torn labrum and will be making an appearance at the World of Wheels Auto Show in Pittsburgh the day before the Rumble.

Chris Jericho: Jericho made a surprise appearance at last year’s Royal Rumble and will also be in town with Sheamus for the World of Wheels auto show.

Kevin Nash: Nash will be hosting a party just outside of Pittsburgh  the night before the Royal Rumble. He tweeted a photo of himself after dying his hair and goatee.  He claimed this was for a TV pilot he’s working on – but could we see the return of Big Daddy Cool Diesel at the Royal Rumble?

Jake Roberts: Jake shocked the world on RAW a few weeks ago when he made his first WWE television appearance since 2005. He’s been pushing for a spot in the Rumble for months – will Jake get one last chance to mix it up in a WWE ring?

2 Cold Scorpio: Sunday’s Royal Rumble takes place from Pittsburgh, just a few hours away from Philadelphia (the home of ECW).

Scorpio’s return would be presented as an ECW tie-in, playing of the ECW footage that will be available on the WWE Network.

Jimmy Wang Yang: Jimmy Wang Yang is a good friend of Batista and attended two WWE live events in the past week. He tweeted on Wednesday:

My last few days have been pretty interesting I got question what's everybody favorite number? I'll tell you mine Sunday

— Daddy Yang (@akioyang) January 22, 2014

The Godfather/Papa Shango: Wade Barrett tweeted on Friday that he has forfeited his spot in the Royal Rumble. He hinted that his replacement has ties to voodoo, which he’s done over the past few years:

I've given up my spot in this year's #RoyalRumble to make way for a WWE legend. It's top secret, but just between us, here's a clue: Voodoo.

— Stu Bennett (@StuBennett) January 24, 2014

The Godfather made a surprise appearance in last year’s Rumble.

Daniel Bryan: Daniel Bryan is probably the top WWE superstar who is not currently booked for the Rumble. Bryan did an interview this week stating that despite Triple H not wanting him involved, he’s still “working on” getting a spot in the match.

We will update this page as more details become available regarding Royal Rumble surprise entrants. Keep in mind that these are just rumors at this point, but this is what we’re hearing so far.

Be here Sunday night for our Live Coverage of the 2014 WWE Royal Rumble. We’ll have the chat room open at 7PM (Eastern) and will have live ongoing results for the entire show. If you are not ordering the Royal Rumble on pay-per-view, this is the very best way to experience the show.

For even more Royal Rumble news (including who is most likely to win), visit 24Wrestling.com.

Daniel Bryan Comments On Not Being Booked For The Royal Rumble Match

(News from f4wonline.com was used in this report)

– SEScoops.com reader Mike Van Wormer II sent in the following live report of what happened after Tuesday’s WWE SmackDown tapings went off the air:

I was at the SmackDown tapings tonight in Grand Rapids and if you want to add something to it, the post-show match saw CM Punk take on Dean Ambrose & Seth Rollins in a 2-on-1 handicap match. Roman Reigns attempted to interfere, but CM Punk beat the odds to send the crowd home happy.

– As noted earlier this week, Jimmy Wang Yang was backstage at Monday’s RAW visiting friends. Yang tweeted the following message, teasing that he could be part of Sunday’s Royal Rumble match:

My last few days have been pretty interesting I got question what's everybody favorite number? I'll tell you mine Sunday

— james yun (@akioyang) January 22, 2014

– Former WWE Diva Kelly Kelly is scheduled to appear at the Maryland Championship Wrestling (MCW) “Tag Wars 2K14” event in Joppa, Maryland on March 22nd.

– WWE profiled former WWE Superstar Jimmy Wang Yang in their latest “Where Are They Now?” feature. For those interested, you can check it out online at WWE.com.

– WWE recently added the following video to their YouTube channel of WWE Superstars holding a “Be A Star” rally. The video, which you can check out below, is accompanied by the following description: “Sheamus, Alicia Fox & The Prime Time Players visit youngsters at Hillside You Center at Joint Base-Lewis McChord for a Be a Star rally.”

— For tonight’s episode of SmackDown, WWE.com is advertising Christian addressing the WWE Universe after losing the World Heavyweight Championship to Randy Orton last week. Matches scheduled to take place are as follows:

* Daniel Byran vs. Sin Cara

* Kane vs. Wade Barrett

* Cody Rhodes vs. Ted DiBiase

* Christian and Randy Orton vs. Mark Henry and Sheamus

— Former WWE Tag Team Champions Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder reunited on this week’s episode of WWE Superstars. Hawkins assisted Ryder in garnering a victory over Vladimir Kozlov. This was followed by an in-ring celebration.

“The Broskis Are Back @TheCurtHawkins & @ZackRyder WWWYKI,” Ryder wrote on Twitter.

Hawkins added, “Thanks for the support, it’s just the beginning & we’ll need all your help. I like #MajorBroskis but Broskis of Destruction made me laugh.”

— Former WWE star Jimmy Wang Yang celebrates his 30th birthday today.

— Seven wrestlers released by World Wrestling Entertainment on April 22, 2010 are now free to join TNA Wrestling (or any wrestling promotion for that matter) as their respective 90-day no-compete clauses have expired. Among those let go that fateful day were Mickie James, Shelton Benjamin, Katie Lea Burchill, Jimmy Wang Yang, Slam Master J, Kung Fu Naki and Mike Knox.

The contractual clause was put in place to prohibit wrestlers from immediately competing with nationally televised promotions following their release.

— It was announced during Friday’s episode of SmackDown that Layla would be defending her Women’s Championship against Tiffany on this week’s show.

— World Heavyweight Champion Kane tops WWE.com’s latest POWER 25 chart. He is trailed by Sheamus and Randy Orton, among others.

— Awesome Kong teased on her Twitter account today that she’s returning to national television in the near future. She wrote: “Kong returns to wrestling on national television soon! Check back for details.”

The multi-time Women’s Knockout Champion officially parted ways with TNA Wrestling in March after requesting her release from the organization. She later revealed that she had asked for her release due to monetary issues and recent changes to company management.

–Former WWE Women’s Champion Mickie James will be appearing for the Japanese wrestling promotion SMASH on July 24, which is owned by former WWE performer Tajiri. Scotty 2 Hotty and Eugene will also be competing on the show.

— Former WWE performer Jimmy Wang Yang threw out the first pitch at yesterday’s Class-A minor league baseball game between the Rome Braves and Charleston RiverDogs. Yang and former WCW wrestler Glacier signed autographs following the game.

— Some within the company wanted to do something to honor the legacy of ECW on its final broadcast, including bringing back names from the past for cameo appearances, but the edict was that it was much more important to promote WWE NXT and move away from ECW as soon as possible.

— Matches scheduled to take place on tomorrow night’s episode of WWE Superstars on WGN America are as follows:

* Rey Mysterio vs. Mike Knox
* Gail Kim vs. Katie Lea Burchill
* Evan Bourne and Primo vs. Carlito and Chavo Guerrero

— Last night’s dark match saw Jimmy Wang Yang beat Tyler Reks.

(source: PWInsider.com)

— It was announced during tonight’s episode of Friday Night SmackDown that CM Punk and Luke Gallows will challenge D-Generation X for the Unified WWE Tag Team Championships at next week’s show in Cincinnati, Ohio.

It was also announced that Drew McIntyre will be defending his Intercontinental Championship against John Morrison in a No Disqualification Match.

— A match taped this past Tuesday in Greenville, South Carolina pitting Dolph Ziggler against Jimmy Wang Yang was cut from tonight’s Friday Night SmackDown broadcast due to time constraints.

— Rey Mysterio is featured on the cover of the February 2010 issue of WWE Magazine — which hits newsstands next Tuesday — wearing wings.