WWE Star Makes Surprise AAA Debut at January 17 TV Tapings

TJ Perkins is back in the WWE system—and he just had his first match under the company’s umbrella in nearly seven years, but not where fans expected.

Perkins wrestled a four-way match during post–January 17, 2026 AAA TV tapings—marking his first in-ring appearance under the WWE umbrella since 2019. Though the match didn’t air during the January 17 episode of AAA on FOX Latin America, it was filmed for a future broadcast, confirming that Perkins is not just coaching behind the scenes—he’s competing again.

This comes just weeks after reports noted that Perkins had returned to WWE as a guest coach at the Performance Center, lending his veteran insight to the next crop of Superstars. Now, fans have proof that he’s also stepping back into the squared circle, albeit in a unique cross-promotional capacity.

Perkins’ history with WWE is deep: he won the 2016 Cruiserweight Classic, became the first modern Cruiserweight Champion, and helped shape the 205 Live brand before parting ways with WWE in 2019. In the years since, he’s wrestled globally for NJPW, Impact, MLW, and AAA, building a résumé that caught WWE’s attention once again.

This in-ring return through AAA—a company that has an ongoing working relationship with WWE—shows just how flexible the company is becoming with talent use across international promotions. Whether this was a one-off or the beginning of a new hybrid role for Perkins remains unclear, but the door is clearly open.

Would you like to see TJ Perkins make a full-time WWE comeback, or should he stay focused on coaching and cross-promotional matches? Drop your thoughts below—we’re all ears.