X-Pac Teases In-Ring Return At WWE Royal Rumble 2022

Sean Waltman is hoping to be back in the ring by January.

by Andrew Pollard
Sean Waltman X-Pac
WWE.com

Currently in the best shape of his life, Sean Waltman has teased that he may make an appearance in next year's men's Royal Rumble match.

Speaking on his Pro Wrestling 4 Life podcast, the two-time WWE Hall of Famer discussed his recovery from knee surgery earlier this year. As per Waltman (via Wrestling Inc), he hopes to be able to return to the ring by January and mentioned how he'd been keen to make a Rumble appearance should WWE be open to it.

"So, just in case, I would like to be ready by Royal Rumble time, but that's not something that's my main goal, go do the Royal Rumble. But if they called me, I would do the Royal Rumble. I love WWE, and regardless of what's going on, I still have love for them, and so I would like for them to be the ones that host my return matches. But if not, there's plenty other people that will."

Despite being an active wrestler until as recently as April 2019 - before the pandemic hit, then knee surgery was required - it's nuts to realise that X-Pac has not competed in a WWE ring since July 2002.

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Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main day job, his role as the lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Adrienne Barbeau, Rob Zombie, Katharine Isabelle, Leigh Whannell, Bruce Campbell, and Tony Todd, to Kevin Smith, Ron Perlman, Elijah Wood, Giancarlo Esposito, Simon Pegg, Charlie Cox, the Russo Brothers, and Brian Blessed, to Kevin Conroy, Paul Dini, Tara Strong, Will Friedle, Burt Ward, Andrea Romano, Frank Miller, and Rob Liefeld, to Bret Hart, Sting, Mick Foley, Ricky Starks, Jamie Hayer, Britt Baker, Eric Bischoff, and William Regal, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, Brian Flynn, Denis Smith, Gary Bennett, Karl Connolly, and Bryan Robson - and that's just the tip of an ever-expanding iceberg. Where his beloved Wrexham AFC is concerned, Andrew is co-host of the Fearless in Devotion podcast, which won the Club Podcast of the Year gong at the 2024 FSA Awards.