Former WWE Champion Reportedly Re-Signs—Here's Who It Could Affect
Rusev Day is seemingly coming back to WWE—or maybe it'll be Miro Day. In any case, the former U.S. Champion was released by AEW in February, and he was reportedly seen at WWE headquarters in Stamford, CT this week.
Most suspect his return is imminent, and that could mean he'll be injected into a major or mid-card storyline soon. One particular champion could lose his title and some meaningful screen time.
NASHVILLE, TN - JUNE 08: WWE superstars Rusev and Lana attend the 2016 CMT Music awards at the ... More Bridgestone Arena on June 8, 2016 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Shearer/WireImage)
LA Knight has had a mostly forgettable run as the U.S. Champion, and while he may have been the right man to dethrone Logan Paul, and it was OK to see him get it back from Shinsuke Nakamura, I don't think he has elevated the title the way Gunther did with the IC title during his run.
Rusev is already a three-time U.S. Champion, and you could argue that his first reign with the title in 2014 is one of the most distinguished runs with the historic belt in the past 15 years.
He was dominant in a way that made for compelling WWE television, and it would be interesting to see if he can recapture that charisma.
If Rusev is returning as most of us believe, and he's going to be a heel—which would make sense—targeting LA Knight in a feud and winning back the title is a strong re-entry into the fray.
PORTLAND, OREGON - JANUARY 10: LA Knight makes his way to the ring during SmackDown at Moda Center ... More on January 10, 2025 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo)
Knight has fallen flat since his push following an abbreviated feud with the late Bray Wyatt. His character lacks layers, and while he is a fantastic in-ring performer, he hasn't given us the memorable moments on the mic that you'd expect from a man with the catchphrase, 'let me talk to ya.'
Where Rusev or Miro goes from there in WWE is uncertain. It may depend on whether or not he can get over with the WWE Universe in his second run with the promotion. Other AEW stars like Penta have landed with WWE and experienced noteworthy success.
Rusev's real-life wife, CJ Perry aka Lana, could also return. She was a major part of his overall presentation during his prime with WWE. While the reports say Perry wasn't present at WWE headquarters, the speculation is sensible.
Both Perry and Rusev would receive a huge pop if and when they return.
It's all about the packaging and impact. If Rusev gets reintroduced with an angle and layers that resonate with fans, the 39-year-old could be a surprise hit this summer in WWE.
He may have some competition from another former WWE Superstar who is seemingly set to return. Malakai Black is also believed to have rejoined the WWE after being released by AEW in February.
Black's arrival may have already been teased with the '4' vignettes that have popped up on WWE programming. He too could have a strong summer if he makes an appearance soon.
Add to that Rey Fenix, who will be making his WWE debut on Friday Night SmackDown on April 4. There's a ton of new blood to consider, and it'll be interesting to see how Triple H and Co. work it all in.
To this point, things have gone smoothly. The Road to WrestleMania is as layered as I can remember, and the plots could get even deeper if Black, Fenix, and Rusev find their niche.
Stay tuned.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Kevin Nash Details Experience At Hulk Hogan's Funeral Service
A couple of weeks ago, the wrestling world was heartbroken following the tragic news of the passing of WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan. This Sunday was the late legend's funeral service. His friend and fellow Hall of Famer, Kevin Nash, had attended the service. While speaking on the latest episode of the Kliq This podcast, Kevin Nash shared that when he entered the service, he had the same feeling when he walked into the late Scott Hall's funeral service. Nash revealed that it was a closed casket. Jimmy Hart, Paul Heyman, and Vince McMahon all attended the service. 'I went to Terry's service yesterday. So it's in Indian Rocks, Florida… When I walked in and like, you know, there was a security and they had to go through a book and see if your name was and everything else, and then they handed you, I don't know if it's called the program, yeah, and there was that picture of Terry, and it was just like, I don't know. 'Man, it was the same thing when I got the thing at Scott's. It's just like, it's all of a sudden it becomes real. Me and death don't get along real well. I don't do death very well… I made sure that it was closed, because I do not do the open casket… Paul spoke… Jimmy was there. The emperor was there… Caesar spoke, yeah, Vince spoke,' Kevin Nash said. [H/T Read More: The post Kevin Nash Details Experience At Hulk Hogan's Funeral Service appeared first on Wrestlezone.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Reports of UFC Apex being turned into 10,000 seat arena are not true
Sorry folks. All the stories you're seeing online claiming the UFC Apex will be scaling up into a proper mid-sized arena are not true. Ariel Helwani shared news on Monday (Aug 11, 2025) that was sourced from Las Vegas Sports Biz which claimed UFC COO Hunter Campbell 'confirmed plans [for the Apex] to accommodate an additional 5,000 to 10,000 fans, a move that could transform the venue from a made-for-TV fight hub into a boutique arena capable of hosting select WWE PLEs, NXT specials, or cross-promotional events.' Sounds pretty good, doesn't it? The main issue with the Apex is it's an empty warehouse that's so small the promotion kicks out fighters' families to make more room for expensive VIP ticket holders. There's no roar of a crowd, just a dead vibe and the sound of TKO executives counting all the money they saved from staying home rather than going on the road. A move from the current configuration to what would basically be a small arena setup would change all that. Unfortunately the story was a misunderstanding. Las Vegas Sports Biz printed a correction stating that the capacity number wasn't 10,000 but 1,000. That's not much of an increase. The Apex just went through several months of renovations that included two blissful summer months where the venue was completely closed with no UFC events. The changes to the venue included a new ticket booth out front, a full set of concession booths, and an increase in capacity from 500 seats to … 1,000. That means we've already experienced the new Apex over the past two weeks for UFC Vegas 108 and 109. The people who shelled out $1000+ to attend may have noticed a difference, but the product looked the same on television because they didn't raise the capacity of the venue by any noticeable amount. The crazy thing about Apex is it doesn't have to be soulless and dead. When NXT used the venue for a wrestling show they reconfigured the venue and packed it with avid fans. The energy was there. But UFC would rather keep the capacity low to drive up the cost of tickets, billing Apex events as VIP experiences. The way they're running it clearly makes the company money, so don't expect things to change. And definitely don't expect the venue to transform into a 10,000 seat arena any time soon.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
TKO delivers a 'knockout' with UFC and WWE deals as Wall Street sees more upside ahead
TKO Group Holdings (TKO) is going for the belt with a $7.7 billion media rights deal with Paramount (PARA) to stream UFC events, combined with a recent WWE agreement with Disney's (DIS) ESPN. The company's stock surged 10% on Monday following the announcement. Its stock is up 26% in 2025 and 50% in the past year. Jefferies analyst Randal Konik reinforced the firm's Buy rating after the news, with a price target of $220. "We expect the UFC deal to deliver higher-than-expected financial gains and a new partnership to propel the brand forward," Konik said. According to Jefferies, TKO's agreement with Paramount solidifies the company's position as a dominant force in sports media. The seven-year deal gives Paramount+ exclusive US streaming rights for UFC events starting in 2026, including 13 numbered events and 30 Fight Nights annually. Notably, the deal is a shift away from the traditional pay-per-view (PPV) model. TKO CEO Dana White has said the agreement aims to make it "more affordable and accessible to view the greatest fights on a massive platform." Konik wrote that removing the PPV barriers could drive higher fan engagement and broader reach. Additionally, TKO retains key international media rights and gained two minutes of additional ad inventory per hour, giving it flexibility to monetize content further. Raymond James analyst Ric Prentiss wrote in a note that the announcement signals Paramount's management may be adopting a more aggressive, growth-focused strategy toward sports rights and content spending. The deal with TKO underscores broader competition among streaming platforms to secure premium live sports content. TKO, the result of a 2023 merger between UFC and WWE, has also won big deals for the wrestling league. Last week, ESPN reached a $1.6 billion agreement with TKO's WWE for exclusive rights to high-profile events like WrestleMania. The five-year deal officially starts in 2026. Earlier this year, Netflix (NFLX) began airing WWE's Monday Night Raw as part of a 10-year, $5 billion contract. In the second quarter, TKO's total revenue rose 10% year over year to $1.3 billion, surpassing estimates of $1.2 billion. Net income climbed to $273.1 million, compared to $46.2 million in the prior year period. UFC revenue jumped 5.5% year over year to $415 million, while WWE revenue increased 22% to $556 million. Sales for TKO's third brand, International Management Group, declined 4% to $306 million. The company raised its full-year revenue guidance to a range of $4.63 billion to $4.69 billion, compared to $2.8 billion in 2024. TKO's forward price-to-earnings ratio currently stands at 88.5, more than double compared to a year ago, reflecting strong investor optimism. Of the eight analysts covering the stock, most hold a Buy rating, with Benchmark being the sole firm maintaining a Hold. CFRA Research chief investment strategist Sam Stovall said on Opening Bid that its valuation may still be reasonable. "This is a category that has some opportunities going forward," Stovall said. Francisco Velasquez is a Reporter at Yahoo Finance. He can be reached on LinkedIn and X, or via email at Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
