WWE Superstar Dean Ambrose is poised to return Monday night to “Raw” for his first action since suffering a triceps tendon injury in late 2017, a person with knowledge of tonight’s plans told TheWrap.
An appearance on Monday’s episode would beat many of the recent predictions — which had Ambrose set to return Sunday at annual pay-per-view event SummerSlam — by six days. Still others expected Ambrose to lace up his boots again just after SummerSlam.
It is unclear if the “Lunatic Fringe” will also be on the SummerSlam card, but if he is medically cleared to wrestle it stands to reason that WWE brass would want one of its top Superstars back in action for one of its Big 4 PPVs.
WWE had no comment. In practice, the company does not comment on what it considers to be storyline details.
It is also not unusual for company chairman and CEO Vince McMahon to change his mind last-minute on a show’s lineup. When WWE says a card is “subject to change,” they really, actually mean it.
Here’s hoping this humble little story doesn’t throw a wrench in those latest plans.
“Raw” airs every Monday on USA Network from 8-11 p.m. ET. Tonight’s all-important pre-SummerSlam episode will take place in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Ambrose’s former Shield tag team partners Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns are also members of the “Raw” roster.
All three of the NXT graduates are successful and popular singles wrestlers these days, though the trio occasionally reunites to help each other out. Should Ambrose return as a “heel” — the wrestling term for a bad guy — as some wrestling bloggers have suggested (and hope) he do, “baby faces” (good guys) Rollins and Reigns may not be so happy to see him.
SummerSlam will return to Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on Sunday, starting at 7/6c with its Kickoff Show.