WWE Raw: Former Champion Returns to WWE, Helps Rhea Ripley Retain the Women's World Championship (Update)

Nia Jax made her shocking return on this week's Monday Night Raw.

By Connor Casey

Nia Jax made her surprise return to the WWE on this week's Monday Night Raw and played a major role in the show's main event. The former Raw Women's Champion was initially released by the company in November 2021, and outside of a surprise appearance in the 2023 Women's Royal Rumble, there was no indication that Jax was coming back to the company. But just as it looked like Raquel Rodriguez was about to put Rhea Ripley away and win the Women's World Championship, Jax attacked Rodriguez at ringside and tossed her back in the ring for Ripley to deliver a Riptide and retain her title. 

But Jax quickly made it clear she wasn't joining forces with Ripley or The Judgement Day. She nailed Ripley with a surprise headbutt then planted her in the corner with a Banzai Drop. 

Update: Nia Jax Re-Signed With WWE Over a Month Ago

Per Fightful's Sean Ross Sapp, Jax had signed a new contract with WWE a while back.

Nia Jax on Rejecting WWE's Pitch for a Return

Jax appeared on Renee Paquette's The Sessions back in February 2022 and revealed WWE initially tried to get her back for the 2022 Royal Rumble mere months after firing her.

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"I was in the middle of trying to get my stuff back. Like I had a bunch of crap. Like, you know, it is like you just shoving stuff in everybody's boxes, whatever. So I'm in the middle of getting my stuff back. They sent me a box and like, more than half was missing. I'm like, yo, what's going on?" Jax said. "So when I got the call, I thought it was about like, where's my stuff? So I answered, I'm like, 'Hey, what's up? They're like, 'Hey, we're just calling to see if you'd be interested in participating in the Royal Rumble.' I started to hysterically laugh because I thought it was my friend joking with me, right? I was like, 'Oh, you're freaking hilarious.'"

"Then he was like, actually, 'No, this is an official call.' I was like, 'F— no, I'm not coming back.' and he was like, 'Oh, well, we'd like to offer you this.' I said, 'First of all, I already know I'm still under my 90 days. You're still going to be paying me anyway, so you're not offering me anything. No, I'm not f—ing coming back. I was like, absolutely f—ing not.' I was like, 'Is this all this was?' and he was like, 'Yes.' I'm like, 'Okay, bye,'" she added. 

WWE Superstar Specatcle 2023 Results

  • Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn vs. Indus Sher (No Contest)
  • Drew McIntyre, Kevin Owens & Sami Zaun def. Indus Sher (Jinder Mahal, Veer & Sanga)
  • Natalya def. Zoey Stark
  • WWE Intercontinental Championship: Gunther def. Shanky
  • Bron Breakker def. Odyssey Jones
  • Women's World Championship: Rhea Ripley def. Natalya
  • John Cena & Seth Rollins def. Imperium (Ludwig Kaiser & Giovanni Vinci)

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