Former WWE Star NXT Return Confirmed

WWE

A former WWE star has been confirmed to be returning to NXT for a big number one contender match next week.

With NXT Champion Oba Femi successfully defending his NXT Championship once again at WWE Stand & Deliver, we now know how The Ruler’s next challenger will be determined.

As announced on last night’s NXT, a 25-man number one contender battle royal will be held on next week’s show – with the winner then challenging Femi for the NXT Championship at WWE Battleground on May 25 in Tampa, FL.

While much of the focus going into the battle royal will be on Trick Williams – who enters the bout amid a relentless pursuit of a third NXT Championship reign – there is another notable name confirmed for the match – that being former WWE NXT star Timothy Thatcher.

Thatcher, who is reportedly involved in the WWE ID program as a trainer/coach has recently been competing on the newly launched WWE Evolve program, however, next week’s battle royal will be his first match on NXT TV since August 2021.

Thatcher was released from WWE in January 2022, having first debuted just under two years prior in April 2020.

Also announced for the battle royal are WWE LFG stars Shiloh Hill and Chris Island, with the former being introduced to WWE NXT by The Undertaker on last night’s show along with Anthony Luke and Jasper Troy.

The full lineup for the battle royal is as follows (23 of the 25 have been announced – it was later stated that some TNA talent could be involved too):

Timothy Thatcher – Chris Island – Shiloh Hill – Ridge Holland – Sean Legacy – Brad Baylor – Ricky Smokes – Ethan Page – Josh Briggs – Yoshiki Inamura – Trick Williams – Niko Vance – Brooks Jensen – Shawn Spears – Je’Von Evans – Eddy Thorpe – Charlie Dempsey – Tavion Heights – Myles Borne – Lexis King – Wes Lee – Tyriek Igwe – Tyson Dupont

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