Former WWE Superstars Authors of Pain reportedly set to make wrestling return
The Authors of Pain are reportedly interested in returning to the ring soon.
The Authors of Pain first made their NXT debut in 2016. They were accompanied by Paul Ellering and eventually captured the brand's tag team championship. In 2018, they made their RAW debut and won the the tag team title with their new manager being Drake Maverick. Akam and Rezar have not wrestled since 2020.
It seems to be the end of AOP's wrestling career. When a reporter reached out to Rezar in the past, the former WWE Superstar stated that he was not a performer anymore and when a promoter was trying to book them, the duo claimed they were already retired.
Their former manager Ellering stated that the duo wasn't done just yet. According to a source from Fightful Select, they might be looking at a possible in-ring return soon. The former champions reportedly reached out to other wrestlers about a wrestling event in Dubai that will take place in early June. A source added that although they're planning to wrestle, it's still unclear how often they will be active.
Give a round of applause for your NEW @WWENXT Champions.... AUTHORS OF PAIN!!!!!!!! #NXTTakeOver https://t.co/t6cqiwiY8F
Authors of Pain talks about their WWE release
Despite a seemingly successful run with the company, the duo were still let go on September 4, 2020.
Years later, they sat down with Renee Pacquette in The Sessions with Renee Paquette where Akam explained that their release was possibly due to the fact that they weren't keen on doing a certain storyline paired with the uncertainty the pandemic has caused.
"Gzim [Rezar] hadn’t been home in two years at the time. He was worried about his own family because the whole world was getting shut down. People were getting sick left, right, and center. WWE had approached us with something different that they wanted us to do. and we were just like, ‘Hey, man, we just don’t feel comfortable doing it. At the time, that was the best decision for us."
The AOP have been cooking up some really cool stuff lately. They tell me all about their NFT, what they’ve been up to, when they’re getting back in the ring! The secret babyfaces @AlbanianPsycho @SunnyDhinsa https://t.co/YyXps3sqs1
They are still in their 20s, in a healthy condition and paired with their willingness to return. It is possible that the group will still be making their in-ring return soon.