7-time WWE champion set to return; Logan Paul pulled - Reports
WWE has a series of big events planned for what is shaping up to be the biggest summer in recent years. The latest reports provided interesting updates on several major names, including a top faction and a current champion.
World Wrestling Entertainment recently announced its return to Japan. The Triple H-led company will perform at Edion Arena in Osaka on Thursday, July 25, and then have back-to-back shows at Ryogoku Arena, aka Sumo Hall, on Friday and Saturday. These will be the promotion's first shows in the Land of the Rising Sun since 2019.
WWE and Japanese media partner ABEMA announced today that Logan Paul will not travel to Japan for the event. According to PWInsider, the current United States Champion has a prior commitment that will prevent him from working the show, but the WWE Universe is speculating on Paul not wanting to go to Japan due to fallout from the December 2017 incident at a notorious suicide site, even though Paul was never officially banned from the country.
Shinsuke Nakamura has also been confirmed for the company's return to his home country despite recent rumors. His last WWE match in Japan came in June 2019. On night one of the tour, he was defeated by then-Universal Champion Seth Rollins, and on night two, Nakamura teamed with Triple H to defeat Robert Roode and Samoa Joe.
The King of Strong Style has worked around 42 matches in 2024, but only nine aired on TV or PLE. His last match as of this writing was a loss to WWE Champion Cody Rhodes on June 23 at a non-televised live event in Michigan. The seven-time WWE champion has not had a TV match since the RAW loss to Sheamus on April 22.
Big WWE names set to miss upcoming SmackDown before SummerSlam?
RAW on July 22 and SmackDown on July 26 will carry the company to the SummerSlam go-home editions of both shows. The final RAW before the premium live event is scheduled for July 29 in St. Paul, MN, and the last SmackDown before the PLE is set for August 2 in Cleveland.
World Wrestling Entertainment currently has the July 22 RAW scheduled for Green Bay, but there is no listing for the July 26 SmackDown. However, the company will be in Japan that week, running the Edion Arena in Osaka on Thursday, July 25, and then Sumo Hall in Tokyo on Friday, July 26. The Friday show is not currently advertised as a SmackDown taping.
Two homegrown stars were just pulled from the big Japanese tour earlier today. Officials and media partner ABEMA have also announced the following blue brand superstars for the tour, which indicates they could be missing SmackDown that week - Cody Rhodes, Bayley, The Bloodline (members not specified), Tiffany Stratton, Kevin Owens, AJ Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura, LA Knight, Bianca Belair, and Jade Cargill.
The following RAW Superstars are also advertised for the return to Japan: Damian Priest, Liv Morgan, Sami Zayn, Finn Balor, JD McDonagh, Dominik Mysterio, Jey Uso, Rey Mysterio, The New Day, Kairi Sane, IYO SKY, and Gunther.