Former champion Batista is set to return to the WWE in time for the Royal Rumble, and will likely be a participant in the 30-man over-the-top-rope battle royal, which could set him up for a potential match against Randy Orton at Wrestlemania XXX if he were to win the annual event. Information regarding Batista's return to the WWE leaked over the weekend after a February 16th house show in Las Vegas advertised the return of Orton's and Triple H's former Evolution stablemate. WWE officials have since pulled the advertisements, upset the news became public, which may have ruined one of their surprise participants for January's Royal Rumble pay-per-view, a linchpin event in setting up the road to Wrestlemania, and made a formal announcement on Monday, on their Web site, that he will make his debut in the January 20 edition of Monday Night Raw.

Batista, who confirmed on his Twitter account he will be back in the WWE, has been busy since leaving the WWE, landing acting roles in movies such as Riddick and the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy, and is believed to be signed with WWE past Wrestlemania, up until he has to fulfill his promotional obligations for Guardians of the Galaxy, which is due out August 2014. 

In other Wrestlemania XXX news, The Undertaker is said to be ready to compete and defend his undefeated streak at the annual PPV, though no opponent has been linked in a match against the future WWE Hall of Famer. The WWE is said to be interested in signing TNA star and former WCW champion, Sting, whose contract is up at the end of December, but Brock Lesner could also be used as a potential Wrestlemania opponent for The Undertaker.

The WWE is looking to push Erick Rowan and Luke Harper of the Wyatt Family as tag team champions in the near future, maybe as early as the Royal Rumble. The WWE has been booking them against other teams such as The Usos, who have had shots at Cody Rhodes and Goldust's titles, in building them up as potential champions, while still keeping them integral to their storyline with Daniel Bryan.

In developmental news, the WWE Performance Center recently held tryouts in early December, inviting Mexican luchador Bestia 666, Combat Zone Wrestling's Pepper Parks, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla's Drake Younger, Resistance Pro's Robert Anthony, Monster Factory's Tommy Maclin as well as independent wrestlers Mentallo, Brian Tannen, and former football player Shane Taylor. The current crop of up-and-coming wrestlers the company is taking a look at join English Port Vale goalkeeper-turned-model, Stuart Tomlins, and Dragon Gate USA's Ricochet as the company continues looking for new talent.

The addition in talent has caused NXT to make cuts in their roster, including Knuckles Madsen, who never made the main roster, and Richie Steamboat, son of Hall of Famer Ricky Steamboat, who suffered a back injury that required surgery but has yet to recover from his injuries.

F4WOnline.com is reporting that The American Pitbulls, Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards, who had a tryout with the company earlier in the month, appearing on NXT against the tag team of The Ascension - Konnor and Viktor, have been invited to return for another appearance on NXT in early 2014. WWE officials came away impressed with the former Ring of Honor duo after their first tryout and could potentially offer the tag team a permanent spot on NXT if things work out for Richards and Edwards.