37-year-old former champion could finally make his return to WWE after 16 months tonight on SmackDown

Tonight's episode of WWE SmackDown is the penultimate ahead of SummerSlam and there could be a huge surprise in store.

Ahead of the show, it has been reported that Big E is backstage, which means that he could make his first appearance for the company in more than a year. The former WWE Champion was last seen in the ring back in March 2022 when he was injured during a back-and-forth on the outside of the ring with Ridge Holland.

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Big E has been out with a neck injury since the incident, but the most recent updates have been positive. With his New Day teammates Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston not currently in a storyline on SmackDown, it makes it hard to imagine where Big E will fit in.

Will Big E push for a shot at the United States Championship on WWE SmackDown?

Tonight on SmackDown, LA Knight, Cameron Grimes, Rey Mysterio, and Sheamus collide with the winner going on to face Santos Escobar next week on SmackDown with a shot at Austin Theory at SummerSlam on the line.

It would make sense if Big E was a late addition to the match, but it's unclear if WWE is prepared to give him such a huge push after his recent career-threatening injury.

The other option is for him to go after Ridge Holland, who put him on the shelf to begin with. As Pretty Deadly are now out of action, there will be a gap on the SummerSlam card if the company had plans for the up-and-coming duo. The company has a lot of potential plans for Big E and it would be fantastic for him to be back in the ring after 16 months on the sidelines.

Do you think Big E will return tonight on SmackDown? Share your thoughts in the comments section below...