WWE News Roundup - 12-time champion will never wrestle again, Triple H announces big return, Star got fired because of CM Punk? and more
Wrestling is not just entertainment but also an emotion for many. Welcome back to another edition of WWE News Roundup.
A 12-time champion may never wrestle again after being on the sidelines due to a career-threatening injury. Meanwhile, Triple H announced the return of an absent WWE star. On the other side of the fence, a former AEW star claimed he almost got fired because of a backstage incident with CM Punk.
Lastly, Nick Aldis spilled the beans on an unscripted moment with Randy Orton. Continue reading as we dive into the top stories of the day.
#4. Will Big E ever wrestle again in WWE?
Big E suffered a massive career setback when he broke his neck during the March 11, 2022, edition of SmackDown. Since then, he has faced a lengthy spell on the sidelines, waiting to get medically cleared.
He returned on RAW after Survivor Series: WarGames this past week to bring Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston back together after weeks of bickering. Although he succeeded, it cost him his friendship with Woods and Kofi as the duo turned heel on him and kicked him out of the New Day.
Speaking on Behind The Turnbuckle: The Last Word, former WWE personality Jonathan Coachman said Big E's emotion during the heartbreaking New Day segment suggested that the 12-time champion wouldn't be coming back anytime soon.
"I think that emotion tonight, Tommy, is [that] it went all the way back through his head, and he was like, 'Wait a second, is this really over?' And I think for Big E, that was an emotional moment because, Tommy, I think for him it really is over. Don't you think? I don't think he's coming back."
Strange things have happened in pro wrestling before. Bigwigs like Stone Cold Steve Austin, Kurt Angle, and Adam Copeland (fka Edge), to name a few, came back from career-threatening injuries.
Will Big E make a sensational return to the squared circle in 2025? Only time will tell.
#3. Triple H announces massive WWE return
With Netflix set to become the new home of WWE's flagship show, Monday Night RAW, it is apparent that Triple H would pull out all the stops to make the premiere episode memorable.
Speaking to Jordan Mendoza of USA Today at the Netflix Media Day, Triple H announced that Pat McAfee would soon resume his duties as a commentator on RAW.
“Letting the cat out of the bag a little bit right now. Pat’s actually about to come back with us here, full-time on Monday Night RAW," he said.
The former NFL punter went on a hiatus this August to return to ESPN College GameDay. He was replaced by Joe Tessitore, who has done an incredible job alongside Wade Barrett in the commentary booth.
With Pat McAfee and Michael Cole being announced for RAW on Netflix, it will be interesting to see if Tessitore or Barrett will be moved to SmackDown.
#2. Did Ryan Nemeth get fired from AEW due to WWE legend CM Punk?
It's been over a year since CM Punk left All Elite Wrestling, but more skeletons continue to tumble out of the closet now and then.
According to Fightful Select, TNA star Ryan Nemeth sent a complaint to several executives within AEW in September, in which he alleged that he suffered abuse, harassment, and threats following his backstage run-in with CM Punk.
For those unaware, Nemeth called out Punk on social media immediately after his Collision debut and referred to him as the “softest man alive." As expected, The Second City Saint took issue with the brother of Dolph Ziggler backstage and allegedly threatened him.
Ryan Nemeth brought up his issues with then-AEW Chief Legal Officer Megha Parekh in April 2023 and spoke to her again, pleading that no action had been taken.
The former AEW star was assured by many that his working relationship with the company wouldn't be impacted, yet he wasn't booked on TV for two months. Nemeth thought his paid-per-appearance deal would be allowed to expire, and he had been silently fired over the incident.
He also felt AEW held him responsible for CM Punk's outburst, leading to his termination.
Rumor had it that Tony Khan was open to bringing back Ryan Nemeth, but the TNA star chose not to.
You can read the full details of the complaint obtained by the publication here.
#1. WWE SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis on receiving an RKO from Randy Orton
Randy Orton joined the WWE SmackDown roster late last year after Nick Aldis promised to give him The Bloodline, who put him out of commission.
The Viper signed an exclusive contract after much consideration and delivered an RKO to the SmackDown General Manager.
Speaking to Chris Van Vliet, Aldis revealed that somebody called an audible for him to take an RKO at the end of the segment.
"It was called on the fly. It's Roman [Reigns], it's Randy [Orton]. Who's he gonna sign with? And then he was gonna sign the SmackDown contract and stare down Roman, and I think that was it. And then it was like, somebody told somebody told somebody while I was ringside. So I had to go in and call it. I’ve never gotten to the bottom of who was behind it," Aldis said.
Aldis never tried to get to the bottom of this but slapped The Apex Predator with a $50,000 fine for his actions (in kayfabe).
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