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Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.
Lynch Potentially Nearing WWE Return?
Becky Lynch has not been seen on WWE programming since May, but there is reportedly some talk within the company that her hiatus may soon come to an end.
According to PWInsider.com’s Mike Johnson, both WWE and Netflix sources have recently said that they expect Lynch back in the fold by the time Raw moves from USA Network to Netflix in January.
Lynch dropped the Women’s World Championship to Liv Morgan at King and Queen of the Ring on May 25 and then lost a steel cage rematch to Morgan on the May 27 episode of Raw.
Although Lynch has technically been a free agent since June, it has always felt likely that she would return to WWE at some point rather than going elsewhere due in part to the fact that her husband, Seth Rollins, is still among WWE’s top stars.
Johnson suggested that Lynch’s WWE return could possibly become public knowledge as soon as Sunday which is when she is scheduled to take part in a sit-down discussion at NYA East.
The description of the event notes that Lynch will talk about her memoir, along with possibly providing “a glimpse at what The Man has in store for us next.”
Even if Lynch doesn’t outright announce her WWE return, dropping a hint would add to the hype that is already surrounding Raw’s move to Netflix.
It stands to reason that WWE would want as many top stars available as possible for a pivotal moment in company history, and given her status as a WrestleMania main eventer and seven-time women’s champion, it can be argued that there is no more influential female Superstar in WWE history than Becky.
CM Punk’s Dog, Larry, Reportedly Doing Huge Merch Sales
It turns out that CM Punk and his wife, former WWE Superstar AJ Lee, aren’t the only hugely popular members of the Brooks family in the professional wrestling space.
Punk’s dog, Larry, was recently featured as part of some WWE merchandise, and the returns on that decision have reportedly been hugely successful for the company.
According to WrestleVotes (h/t Steve Carrier of Ringside News), WWE is “absolutely thrilled” with how the Larry merchandise has sold, as it has beaten out the sales of several current WWE Superstars and WWE legends.
WWE has been selling a Larry plush and a shirt featuring his likeness, and the items have done so well that more Larry items are reportedly in the works for when Punk returns to television.
On Thursday, Punk posted a photo of Larry next to a stack of cash on his Instagram story, along with the caption, “King.”
The post clearly seemed to be a nod toward Larry’s impressive merch sales, which is an area Punk himself has excelled in over the course of his career.
Punk has been on hiatus from WWE programming since after beating Drew McIntyre in a Hell in a Cell match at Bad Blood last month, but it is likely only a matter of time before he is back in the fold and involved in a top program.
With both Survivor Series and Royal Rumble on the horizon, Punk should be on TV and getting primed for WrestleMania season in the near future.
Rhodes vs. Owens Reportedly Planned for Saturday Night’s Main Event
The heated rivalry between WWE champion Cody Rhodes and former friend Kevin Owens is reportedly set to come to a head at an upcoming special event.
According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t WrestleTalk), the current plan calls for Rhodes to defend his title against Owens in the main event of the Dec. 14 edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event.
From the mid-1980s into the early-1990s, Saturday Night’s Main Event was a staple for WWE, as many of the company’s biggest matches and angles played out on the NBC specials.
After a brief revival in the mid-2000s, SNME went by the wayside again, but the return of the iconic show was made official when WWE struck a deal with NBCUniversal for SmackDown to air on USA Network beginning in 2025.
The first Saturday Night’s Main Event of that agreement will take place at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York, and it sounds as though a massive WWE Championship match will be the headliner.
Rhodes and Owens were once the best of friends fighting alongside each other against The Bloodline, but after Rhodes teamed with Roman Reigns against The Bloodline at Bad Blood, KO turned heel and attacked him in the parking lot.
Given his relationship with both men, Randy Orton got involved, which resulted in The Viper becoming a target of Owens as well.
After they brawled at Crown Jewel, Owens put Orton on the shelf last week at SmackDown when he hit Orton with a piledriver. Orton had to be transported to the hospital, and Rhodes went with him in the ambulance.
Rhodes now has no choice other than to engage with Owens, and all signs point toward that leading to a heated battle over the WWE title.
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