WWE: Mia Yim Update, Lars Sullivan’s Release Update, WWE Backstage Ratings

Mia Yim Reportedly Was Originally Planned to Compete at Women’s Royal Rumble Match

As noted before, Mia Yim revealed that she has recently tested positive for COVID-19.

Dave Meltzer reported in a recent episode of the Wrestling Observer Radio that WWE officials originally had planned for Yim to be one of the entrants for this past Sunday’s Women’s Royal Rumble match prior to her positive test.

Meltzer speculated that either Shotzi Blackheart or Santana Garrett were the last minute replacement for Yim for the match.

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More on Lars Sullivan’s Release from WWE

As noted before, Lars Sullivan was quietly released from WWE last month.

Fightful Select reported that many in WWE were confused by Sullivan’s creative direction and one high-level WWE source spoken to in November of last year stated that Sullivan’s sit-down interview segments on SmackDown, especially the shirtless one with Micheal Cole, “seemed like sabotage or a test” to put him in such a strange spot for television.

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WWE Backstage Ratings for January 30th

The January 30th episode of WWE Backstage drew 156,000 viewers and a 0.04 rating in the 18-49 demographic on FS1, according to Showbuzz Daily.

This was a special episode promoting WWE’s Royal Rumble 2021 event and featured Renee Paquette’s first appearance on WWE-related television since her release in August of last year.