Former Knockouts Champion Returns To Impact Wrestling
Madison Rayne returned on tonight's episode of Impact Wrestling.
The former five-time Knockouts champion interfered in Tenille Dashwood-Taylor Wilde's match, helping Dashwood pick up the victory.
Rayne's last appearance on Impact was seven months ago on the pre-show of Hard To Kill, where she publicly announced her retirement from the company. Before leaving, Rayne did double duty as an in-ring performer and calling the action alongside her husband, Josh Mathews, on color commentary.
As of this reporting, it is unclear if Rayne will return to the company full-time again or if this is a one-off appearance.
With all the surprising twists and turns in this industry as of late, anything is possible – especially if Rayne decides to return to in-ring action or possibly portray other roles in the company. According to an interview on the Talkin' Sass podcast back in March, although she has gone on record saying she's retired from in-ring competition, "The Queen Bee" stated a future return to the ring is possible. She defined it as a "never say never" situation.
"I mean, I'm happy with [my] last match because Jess [Havok] and Nevaeh were in it, but you know, when you put in as many years as I did, I think in a perfect world when all of the stars align, you get to write your own happy ending, right? And I didn't — I shouldn't say I didn't get to do that because Impact 100 percent would've let me, but like, it was time for me to go when I went," Madison Rayne stated on the Talkin' Sass podcast in March.
"But, I don't know. I also swore I would never be one of those people that said, 'I'm retired.' 'But I'm gonna come back again.' 'But now, I'm retired again.' 'Oh maybe, but –' I still kind of hold on to that. I never really had what I would consider my retirement match so, short-term, not gonna happen. But never say never, right? Stranger things have happened in this crazy business that we love."
Rayne's last match in Impact was November 10, 2020, where she teamed with Dashwood. They took on Havok and Nevaeh, who would pick up the pinfall victory.
.@MadisonRayne is BACK!
"The Queen Bee" helped @TenilleDashwood defeat @RealTaylorWilde. #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/cqheqcaaCO
— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) August 13, 2021
Retired? Oh no. Y'all... I said I was "real tired"... I went on a luxurious vacation, I'm well rested, and you're all welcome 😘 https://t.co/y81sNDupFJ
— Madison Rayne (@MadisonRayne) August 13, 2021