The Latest On Thunder Rosa's Return To AEW

Former AEW Women's World Champion Thunder Rosa has been out of action since August with reported back issues, causing the landscape of the AEW women's division to undergo some major changes in recent months. 

According to a new report from Dave Meltzer in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Rosa may be heading back to the ring in February. "There were a lot of people who thought she would be Saraya's mystery partner against Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter on 1/11 at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, but the last word on her return was February," Meltzer writes (h/t bodyslam.net).

"La Mera Mera" officially relinquished the Championship in November, which meant that each woman that was recognized as interim champion since her absence would instead be recognized as a legitimate Women's World Champion. Toni Storm picked up the baton and ran with it when Rosa originally lost the championship, defeating Britt Baker, Jamie Hayter, and Hikaru Shida in a four-way match at All Out to earn the gold. It remained in Storm's possession until this past November at Full Gear when Hayter defeated Storm in a hard-hitting, technical bout to capture her first AEW Women's World Championship.

Rosa appeared on the "Wrestling Perspective Podcast" last month and gave some insight into where she's at on the recovery timeline. "This week, we did some good progress. I started running for the first time in three months. So, the physical activities is getting a little bit bigger and I'm allowed to do a lot more stuff than before. I'm not allowed to lift yet, I'm not allowed to do a lot of stuff. I'm not allowed to wrestle still, but we're making progress."

The Mexican star felt like she was doing well in physical rehabilitation and progressing smoothly on the road to recovery.