Impact Wrestling Champion Mickie James Included In Women's Royal Rumble

By Mick Robson

In a segment today on Smackdown, Smackdown Women's Champion Charlotte Flair announced some of the entrants of the 2022 Women's Royal Rumble. They are as follows:

Rhea Ripley, Nikki ASH, Brie & Nikki Bella, Shotzi, Natalya, Michelle McCool, Dana Brooke, Carmella, Queen Zelina, Mickie James, Tamina, Kelly Kelly, Aliyah, Summer Rae. Naomi, Shayna Baszler & Lita.

Charlotte also announced herself as an entrant in the Rumble. She declared that she would win and choose her opponent at Wrestlemania. Michael Cole called it a "first time ever", but Brock Lesnar did the same thing as WWE Champion in 2020.

Most of the field so far is current roster members and some of the "legends" typically included in these Rumbles, but most interesting is the inclusion of Mickie James. She is the reigning Impact Wrestling Women's Champion, acknowledged as such on commentary and in a post on WWE's Twitter. Mickie defends the championship tomorrow at Impact's Hard To Kill PPV against Deonna Purrazzo.

Mickie has already taken to Instagram with a caption acknowledging the often-talked about "forbidden door":