Jonathan Coachman Returning to WWE, Lashley & Ziggler WWE Updates

Michael Cole, Corey Graves, and Booker T have served as the Raw commentary team for months now. Meanwhile, former WWE broadcaster Jonathan Coachman has been making occasional appearances in the company, but ever since he left ESPN last year, several fans have wondered if Coachman could be coming back to WWE full time. Indeed, WWE has confirmed that “The Coach” will be returning as part of the Raw commentary team. Coachman will be taking over Booker T’s spot as the WWE Hall of Famer will now be used as a panelist during kickoff shows. Coachman will be calling the action starting on Raw tonight, and he will continue to do so going forward.

BREAKING: @TheCoachrules has signed with @WWE and makes his official return to the #RAW announce team TONIGHT! https://t.co/ILfo4qjla5
— WWE (@WWE) January 29, 2018

World’s collide. Anything is possible. When you do the right things and believe in each other you can do great things. This has been my vision for years and today it finally happened. WWE Universe I am privileged to be back. And it feels amazing to come back home. Philly tonight. https://t.co/ZkOqrmUlMB
— Jonathan Coachman (@TheCoachrules) January 29, 2018

Congratulations to @TheCoachrules for being back with the @WWE! Couldn’t be more happy to be back on the PPV kickoff shows with my girl @ReneeYoungWWE! Aww shucky ducky quack quack is back!!!!! #DigIt
— Booker T. Huffman (@BookerT5x) January 29, 2018

After weeks of speculation, Ethan Carter III finally arrived in WWE this past weekend as part of the NXT roster. Carter had been rumored to join WWE for a while, but Bobby Lashley’s in-ring future after leaving Impact Wrestling was initially not quite as clear. Although he had been negotiating with New Japan Pro Wrestling, Dave Meltzer noted on Wrestling Observer Radio that those talks have fallen through. Lashley will likely be returning to WWE very soon to begin a feud with Brock Lesnar. Although Lesnar’s contract with WWE expires in April, it is believed that the company will be extending his deal until at least August. Expect to see Lashley back in a WWE ring (possibly against Brock Lesnar) very soon.
Dolph Ziggler confusingly won the United States Champion back in December during the Clash of Champions pay-per-view before surrendering the title two nights later on Smackdown. He had not appeared on television at all ever since, but he did return during the men’s Royal Rumble match last night at entrant #30. PWInsider has reported that this was not the plan for Ziggler’s return, but he was instead supposed to accept Bobby Roode’s open challenge for the US title during the Royal Rumble Kickoff show. The company eventually decided to have Mojo Rawley accept Roode’s open challenge. Not long after entering the ring, Ziggler was eliminated by Finn Balor. The report mentions that Ziggler will be appearing on Smackdown this week.