Wrestling

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.

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McIntyre Supports CM Punk Joining AEW

CM Punk signing with All Elite Wrestling has taken the wrestling world by storm, and even one of WWE's top stars sees the value in the move.

In an interview with Pro Wrestling Bits (h/t WrestlingInc.com's Sai Mohan), Drew McIntyre was asked about Punk's arrival after more than seven years out of the professional wrestling business.

McIntyre said: 

"If anything, it's good for wrestling. That's what I'm all about. I was outside the company between 2014 to 2017, working in the independents and with Impact, and just trying to make wrestling a healthier, better place, and it's healthy right now.

"It's an incredible place. Obviously, WWE is still at the top and leading the charge, and anything that can make it better, I'm all about. So, yeah, it makes a positive difference. It gets a thumbs up from me."

Punk made his AEW debut last Friday on Rampage in front of his hometown crowd in Chicago. His arrival wasn't officially announced ahead of time, but the assumption that he would be there led to fans packing the United Center.

His first in-ring appearance since January 2014 also helped Rampage score a solid rating, as over 1.1 million people watched despite the 10 p.m. ET timeslot.

Punk took in the adulation from the fans, cut a heartfelt promo and set the stage for his first match in seven years by challenging Darby Allin to a meeting at All Out in Chicago on Sept. 5.

Although WWE remains atop the pro wrestling world in terms of size, scope, profit and any number of other metrics, there is undoubtedly a buzz surrounding AEW thanks largely to Punk's arrival.

Even if it doesn't lead to AEW overtaking WWE as the No. 1 wrestling promotion anytime soon or ever, Punk helps further establish AEW as an alternative for fans who want to watch multiple different forms of pro wrestling.

As McIntyre alluded to, he helped put Impact Wrestling and some other promotions on the map following his WWE release before returning and becoming a multi-time WWE champion.

The wrestling business as a whole is better when multiple companies are succeeding, and that is currently the case.

Edge Possibly Moving to Raw

Some hints on WWE's website may be pointing toward Edge moving from SmackDown to Raw in the near future.

According to Mohan, some sections of WWE Shop list Edge as a Raw Superstar rather than SmackDown despite Edge having been on SmackDown since winning the Royal Rumble earlier this year.

Edge was primarily on Raw before that when he feuded with Randy Orton in 2020, so it is unclear if the listing is old or a foreshadowing of things to come for The Rated-R Superstar.

At SummerSlam last week, Edge defeated Seth Rollins in a grudge match by making him tap out. It seems unlikely that their program is done yet, especially with Extreme Rules on the horizon.

One logical booking direction could be to have Rollins beat Edge and cause a storyline injury, which would allow the veteran to take some time off and resurface on Raw in the future.

There has been some speculation regarding a WWE draft or roster shake-up occurring in the fall, although WWE has yet to make any official announcement.

If that does turn out to be the case, moving Edge to Raw as part of the draft is a possibility, especially since the red brand is in desperate need of some star power and fresh talent.

There aren't many strong challengers for WWE champion Bobby Lashley right now, but Edge could be a big-time threat and quality choice to take the title off The All Mighty.

Edge has not won a title since returning to WWE last year after a nine-year retirement, but it is likely a matter of when rather than if he wins a championship.

WWE Reportedly Wants WALTER in NXT Regularly

On the heels of WALTER dropping the NXT United Kingdom Championship to Ilja Dragunov at NXT TakeOver 36 on Sunday, WWE is reportedly hoping for WALTER to take on a bigger role.

According to PWInsider (h/t Mohan), there was "a lot of talk" within WWE after TakeOver that WALTER is needed on NXT rather than NXT UK.

WALTER has made many appearances on NXT in recent years, but they have been fleeting, as he has primarily been tied to the NXT UK brand.

Now that WALTER's nearly 900-day NXT UK title reign is over, however, there seemingly isn't much left for him to do in NXT UK.

Meanwhile, he could be a top heel on NXT and potentially a candidate to win the NXT Championship off new titleholder Samoa Joe.

The main issue with that is WALTER is a European-based Austrian who hasn't shown a desire to relocate to the United States.

In May, WALTER appeared on WWE After The Bell with Corey Graves (h/t WrestlingInc.com's Marco Rovere) and said he was "never too keen" about leaving Europe for the United States.

WALTER added that one reason for that is he never viewed WWE as a realistic goal. Now that WALTER is in WWE, however, perhaps there is a chance he will change his mind.

At TakeOver 36, WALTER and Dragunov battled in one of the best matches in pro wrestling this year, and they both seemingly helped their stock in the process.

If it is at all possible to get WALTER on NXT programming regularly, it would be a massive coup for the brand and a great way to showcase one of the top performers in the company on a more consistent basis.

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Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).

Becky Lynch will be appearing live in New York City's Madison Square Garden for Super SmackDown on Friday, Sept. 10.

MSG announced Lynch's future appearance Tuesday:

🚨 BREAKING 🚨 “The Man” Becky Lynch is back! See the new Smackdown Women’s Champion live in action when @WWE Super #SmackDown returns to The Garden on Fri, Sept 10! Get tickets: https://t.co/l64zQc72TG pic.twitter.com/IdaY6ebP6h

— MSG (@TheGarden) August 24, 2021

Lynch made her long-awaited return to the ring Saturday at SummerSlam when she stepped in for Sasha Banks and defeated Bianca Belair for the WWE SmackDown's women's belt.

The Man stepped away from WWE in May 2020 after announcing her pregnancy. Lynch and Seth Rollins welcomed their first child, a baby girl named Roux, in November.

Now Lynch is back with a vengeance, and she's already a champion after just one appearance. A feud between her and Belair seems inevitable after SummerSlam, and the new rivalry could be featured when Lynch takes over the Big Apple.

Adam Cole's WWE contract reportedly does not expire until later this week.

According to Bryan Alvarez of Wrestling Observer Radio, Cole's WWE contract is up at the end of the week, meaning he isn't yet a free agent and can't yet negotiate with other companies.

It was also reported by Fightful Select (h/t Comicbook.com's Connor Casey) that Cole's WWE contract expires Friday, and the expectation is that WWE will make at least one more contract offer in an effort to get him to stay.

Cole lost to Kyle O'Reilly in a 2-Out-of-3 Falls match at NXT TakeOver 36 on Sunday. It is widely believed that it was Cole's final NXT match, and there has since been plenty of speculation regarding him potentially signing with AEW.

While no substantiated reports have established that Cole to AEW is imminent, some within AEW have teased the possibility of it happening.

After Cole lost to O'Reilly, The Young Bucks changed their Twitter bio to make references to Cole, while Kenny Omega posted a photo of Cole on Instagram.

Cole worked closely with The Young Bucks and Omega in both Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro-Wrestling and is known to be friends with them. Also, Cole's girlfriend, Britt Baker, is the reigning AEW women's world champion.

Several former WWE stars have signed with AEW since being released over the past several months, including Miro, Malakai Black and Andrade El Idolo.

Also, former WWE star CM Punk debuted for AEW last week, and Daniel Bryan is rumored to be signing with AEW as well.

The 32-year-old Cole signed with WWE in 2017 after a successful run in ROH that saw him hold the ROH World Championship three times.

Cole has worked almost exclusively in NXT for WWE, and he was the longest-reigning NXT champion of all time. Cole did have a few main roster moments, though, including beating Daniel Bryan in a match on SmackDown in 2019 and beating Pete Dunne at Survivor Series 2019.

It was reported earlier this month by Fightful (h/t WrestlingInc.com's Joshua Gagnon) that Cole met with WWE Chairman Vince McMahon backstage at SmackDown.

McMahon was said to have taken a liking to Cole on a personal level, and the wheels were set in motion for pitches to be made for Cole's move up to the main roster.

It is unclear if WWE has made any official contract offers to Cole since that meeting, but based on multiple reports, Cole has not signed a new deal with WWE as of yet.

While Cole doesn't have prototypical size, he is one of the best talkers in the business and an excellent heel, which could make him a success on WWE's main roster, AEW or any other wrestling company.

It will be a big deal when Cole finally does make a decision, but it looks as though he won't be able to make his next move until next week at the earliest.

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.

Nick Khan Talks Reigns vs. The Rock

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktcs_OgZ4tw?start=435s

Fans have long craved a dream match between Roman Reigns and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, and WWE President Nick Khan is hopeful the company will be able to deliver it.

In an interview with Ariel Helwani of BT Sports (h/t WrestlingInc.com's Drew Rice), Khan was asked about the possibility of Reigns vs. The Rock happening sometime in the future.

Khan didn't guarantee anything but suggested WWE will try to make it happen if the stars align:

"Listen, from your mouth to God's ear, let's see. I think it's something everyone would like to see is any of our big Superstars, like Roman, against any of our other big Superstars who can still do it. We know [John] Cena can still do it at an A+ level, we know The Rock can still do it at an A+ level. But ultimately it comes down to all the boring business things: scheduling, when does it work, how long do we need him, how long does it take, what other commitments does he have. So, we'll see."

To Khan's point, The Rock is one of the biggest movie stars in the world, so prying him away from Hollywood for enough time to put together a proper program for a match can be a challenge.

The Rock did it before, though, leading to matches against Cena at both WrestleMania 28 and 29. Given his familial ties with his cousin Reigns, it is fair to assume The Rock may want to similarly clear his schedule to a storyline with The Tribal Chief.

Since The Rock has always been open to a WWE return and Reigns has been vocal about wanting a match against The Rock, there is seemingly a good chance it will happen.

WWE hasn't announced anything officially, but Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men Podcast (h/t Marc Middleton of WrestlingInc.com) reported last month that The Rock is expected to appear at WWE Survivor Series in November.

Zarian (h/t Felix Upton of Ringside News) also reported that the plan is to have Reigns vs. The Rock headline WrestleMania 38 next year.

Reigns already faced Cena and is building toward a match against Lesnar, but there may be no bigger opponent for him than The Rock, making that the most natural progression.

Kofi Reportedly Not Cleared to Wrestle

New Day member Kofi Kingston was absent from SummerSlam and Monday night's episode of Raw without explanation.

According to PWInsider (h/t Middleton), Kingston wasn't on either show because he is not cleared to perform. No further specifics were given regarding his condition.

On last week's Raw, Kingston and tag team partner Xavier Woods were seen in the background of a backstage segment involving The Miz and John Morrison, which suggested a feud between the two teams could be in the cards.

At SummerSlam, Woods interrupted Miz and Morrison during an in-ring segment and soaked them with a water gun. Kofi was conspicuous by his absence at the show.

Then, on Monday's Raw, Woods faced and defeated Miz in a singles match. Morrison was in Miz's corner, but Kingston was once again nowhere to be found.

After Miz lost the match, he turned on Morrison by attacking him, setting up a match for next week's Raw.

It is unclear what the immediate plans are for New Day since they no longer seem to be part of the Miz and Morrison storyline.

Samoa Joe Talks Vince's Involvement with NXT

New NXT champion Samoa Joe gave some insight into WWE Chairman Vince McMahon's involvement with the brand in a recent interview.

Speaking to So Catch by Hal 2 (h/t WrestlingInc.com's Eric Mutter), Joe said McMahon is invested in NXT and its success:

"I think he perceives [NXT] as the future of his company. I think he's heavily invested in it. You know it's funny, I read all this stuff that I hear from people. At the same time, he's probably the biggest proponent of its existence and much of what has happened in it thus far.

"NXT is the future of WWE, and it's a big reason why I'm excited to be associated with it. Because I get to delve into the future. I get to work on new things and new projects and new stars in the world. At this point in my career I'm very excited to be involved with it."

NXT has long been a multifaceted brand for WWE in terms of playing host to established performers in the wrestling business as well as the stars of the future.

Joe was released from WWE earlier this year, but he quickly re-signed on a deal that will see him be a big part of NXT moving forward both in terms of being an in-ring performer and a talent scout behind the scenes.

At 42 years of age, Joe beat Karrion Kross for the NXT Championship at NXT TakeOver 36 on Sunday, making him the first ever three-time NXT champion.

A 42-year-old winning the NXT title doesn't necessarily jive with recent speculation that NXT is set to undergo a huge overhaul that will see WWE focus primarily on signing young talent that doesn't necessarily have wrestling experience.

In his interview with Helwani, Khan confirmed NXT will be revamped and rebranded in the coming weeks.

There has been speculation that McMahon isn't hands on with NXT or isn't happy with what it has brought to the table in WWE, but Joe's comments seem to contradict that school of thought.

Regardless of what the future holds for NXT, it is clear that many of WWE's future stars will go through NXT and the WWE Performance Center, which is why McMahon figures to continue having a vested interest in the black and yellow brand.

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).

Logan Paul's appearance on Moist TV didn't end with a physical confrontation, though not for lack of trying by The Miz. 

After starting the segment talking with John Morrison about his brother's upcoming boxing match, Miz came out to antagonize Paul. The controversial YouTuber responded by threatening to knock out the former WWE champion. 

UH-OH ... @mikethemiz is stirring up some trouble on @TheRealMorrison's #MoistTV with @LoganPaul! #WWERaw pic.twitter.com/y4sNX7Y70e

— WWE (@WWE) August 24, 2021

After a brief staredown, Paul left the ring, and Xavier Woods came down to start his match with Miz. 

The segment seemed to backfire on WWE because Paul was supposed to come off as a babyface.

The crowd in San Diego booed him unmercifully, and Miz even received some cheers when he asked what round Jake Paul would get knocked out in on Sunday against Tyron Woodley.

Even though nothing physical came of this particular moment, it came off as a potential teaser for a Miz-Paul match in the future. Time will tell if anything comes of that.

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).

If it seemed like CM Punk enjoyed his return to professional wrestling with All Elite Wrestling, there's a very good reason for that. 

Appearing on ESPN Chicago's Kap & J. Hood show (h/t Eric Mutter of Wrestling Inc.), Punk said Friday might have been "the greatest night of my career."

“Just the entire night couldn’t have gone more perfect," he added. "The way we set it up as the worst kept secret, selling out the United Center on the rumor that I was going to be there, never announced, never advertised. It shows the connection to the fanbase that AEW has, that they get it, right?"

Punk's debut in AEW on Rampage "The First Dance" was one of the truly special moments in wrestling history. The sold-out Chicago crowd had been given clues for weeks that the Best in the World was going to show up. 

As soon as Punk's music hit, the fans in attendance came absolutely unglued. 

Friday night ended Punk's seven-year absence from professional wrestling. His last time inside of a ring was in WWE at the 2014 Royal Rumble. He famously walked out of the company prior to Raw the following night. 

Punk admitted in his promo on Rampage that his time in WWE took a toll on him, both physically and mentally. 

If at all through my journey, any of my personal choices or decisions related to my life made you feel disappointed or let down, let me just say…let me just say…I understand, if you all try to understand that I was never gonna get healthy physically, mentally, spiritually, or emotionally, staying in the same place that got me sick in the first place.

Also during the promo, Punk made it clear he is going to be a staple on AEW television for a long time to come. 

His first order of business will be against Darby Allin at All Out. The Sept. 5 pay-per-view will mark Punk's first singles match since beating Billy Gunn on the Jan. 20, 2014 episode of Raw. 

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).

WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella said Bianca Belair losing the SmackDown Women's Championship to a returning Becky Lynch in a squash match Saturday soured her view of the entire SummerSlam card.

Lynch returned to replace expected challenger Sasha Banks, who's away from WWE for an undisclosed reason, and defeated Belair in under a minute to become the new champion.

Bella explained at the SummerSlam afterparty (via Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News) the booking decision didn't sit well with her:

I could tell you what wasn't my favorite moment, and it was when she [Belair] lost. It definitely was not my favorite moment, and I don't know if I actually had a favorite moment. Because I always back the women, and I'm always for the women, and you have someone like Bianca who is such an incredible talent, and you can't help but get frustrated when you see moments like that for a championship that meant so much and was lost within seconds. So I have to admit for this SummerSlam, there truly wasn't anything that was my favorite.

Belair won the women's Royal Rumble in January to receive a championship shot at WrestleMania 37 in April, and she earned her proverbial WrestleMania moment with a victory over Banks in the main event of the first night of WWE's biggest event of the year to become the SmackDown women's champion.

Having her lose the belt in such quick, nondescript fashion didn't generate positive reviews from the WWE Universe, but it could be setting the stage for something bigger.

Belair is now in perfect position to generate even more support from the fans, and PWInsider reported (Sai Mohan of Wrestling Inc.) the plan calls for Lynch to serve as SmackDown's "top heel" moving forward. So, at least from a creative standpoint, the squash result makes some sense within that future context.

Meanwhile, Bella's situation is a bit uncertain because she'd teased a SummerSlam appearance in recent weeks but didn't appear during the show.

Hhmmm looking through my closet and deciding what to wear to SummerSlam next week??? Thoughts? N

— Nikki & Brie (@NikkiAndBrie) August 14, 2021

The two-time Divas champion suggested there may be more to the story in a Saturday post on Instagram.

"When you're not allowed to go to SummerSlam in Vegas...lol," she wrote alongside pictures at the Park MGM hotel in Las Vegas.

Bella didn't disclose why she wasn't allowed to attend the show in that post or a subsequent one Sunday as she headed home.

"It's been a fun few days with the WWE and WWE Universe in Las Vegas!" she wrote on Instagram.

Bella retired from in-ring competition in July 2019, but she hinted toward a potential return in March.

Where she'd fit within crowded women's divisions on both Raw and SmackDown is a tough question to answer, though.

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.

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John Cena Heading Back to Hollywood

Cena's quest to win a 17th world championship, which would break a tie with Ric Flair for the most in WWE history, will have to wait.

After his loss to Roman Reigns in the main event of SummerSlam on Saturday night, Cena will return to his acting commitments in Hollywood. WWE officials are under the impression he "will not be available for them for the foreseeable future," according to PWInsider (via Marc Middleton of Wrestling Inc.).

The report noted Cena is still expected to work the Sept. 10 SmackDown event at Madison Square Garden, but that'll be a one-off appearance, potentially in a dark match, and not part of an active storyline.

He later confirmed his departure, but hinted toward another return in the future:

Words cannot describe how appreciative I am that the @WWEUniverse allowed me the opportunity to return and perform. Thank you staff, superstars, and most of all FANS for giving me an unforgettable summer at “home” with my “family”. The journey takes me away now but I’ll C U soon.

— John Cena (@JohnCena) August 23, 2021

Cena made a surprise comeback to the company at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view in July to set the stage for his SummerSlam feud with Reigns. He provided a significant short-term boost by appearing on Raw, SmackDown and at live events.

While the 44-year-old Massachusetts native once used The Rock's departure for Hollywood as ammo for promos throughout their long-standing feud that covered WrestleManias 28 and 29, he's now mastered the art himself of having a career outside WWE but still coming back to the squared circle on occasion.

Cena forced Reigns to elevate his performances over the past five weeks, especially during their verbal exchanges, and The Head of the Table should benefit from that as his championship run rolls on. Brock Lesnar returned in the final moments of SummerSlam to set the stage for his next marquee feud.

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Becky Lynch Will Be Pushed As SmackDown's No. 1 Heel

Lynch made her long-awaited return at SummerSlam by replacing Sasha Banks in a SmackDown Women's Championship match against Bianca Belair, which she won in under a minute.

The squash nature of the match caught a lot of people off guard because Belair had firmly established herself as one of WWE's top talents since her WrestleMania triumph, but now the reason for the quick match may be coming into focus.

PWInsider reported (via Sai Mohan of Wrestling Inc.) Lynch will operate as the "top heel" on SmackDown following her return.

So, while her comeback was always going to generate a positive reaction from the fans, taking care of Belair in the blink of an eye will provide the foundation for a quick heel turn as she makes her return to weekly television. She's done a terrific job in heel roles in the past, so it's a smart creative move.

The feud between Lynch and Belair should be one of WWE's top attractions in the months ahead, and the women's division as a whole has incredible depth, which creates no shortage of storyline options heading toward the end of the year and into next year's key Royal Rumble and WrestleMania events.

Lynch was away from the company after giving birth to her daughter, Roux, in December with husband and fellow WWE Superstar Seth Rollins.

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Sasha Banks' Availability Remains Uncertain

Lynch's addition to the SummerSlam card came at the expense of Banks, who's been absent from WWE's travel party since the weekend of Aug. 14 for reasons that have not been made public.

Banks was tentatively scheduled to return for Friday's go-home episode of SmackDown but wasn't available, which forced the creative team to rewrite portions of the show, per PWInsider (via Middleton).

Although the reason for her continued absence is unknown, it's "not an injury issue," according to the PWInsider report.

WWE officials are "hopeful that Banks will be back soon," but so far there's been no confirmed date for her next appearance after being removed from the SummerSlam title match with Belair.

In early 2019, Banks took four months off following WrestleMania to focus on her mental health.

"I've been doing this for seven years straight—no breaks," she said upon her return in September 2019. "So you know, people need to step back and re-evaluate their lives, take care of their souls and their minds."

Banks is one of WWE's most well-rounded performers, so her absence is definitely a hit to the SmackDown roster despite the division's aforementioned depth. She should swiftly return to the main event picture once back in action.

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Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).

The WWE's original plan was to have Brock Lesnar and WWE Universal champion Roman Reigns face off at a WrestleMania main event in 2023, per Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t Jason Ounpraseuth of Wrestling Inc.), with Reigns and The Rock battling at the 2022 WrestleMania in Dallas.

It appears that WWE has changed course, however, after Lesnar confronted the champ following his title defense against John Cena at SummerSlam on Saturday evening.

Per Ounpraseuth, Meltzer reported that Reigns vs. Lesnar is being bumped to 2021, and the faceoff will "most likely" take place at Crown Jewel in October from Saudi Arabia or Survivor Series in November from Brooklyn, New York.

Lesnar made his long-awaited return to the WWE ring after Reigns defeated Cena to retain his belt.

.@BrockLesnar is BACK in WWE! 🤯😱#SummerSlam pic.twitter.com/07p5iI18U2

— WWE (@WWE) August 22, 2021

The two engaged in a staredown as the event drew to a close.

THIS IS SURREAL.#SummerSlam @BrockLesnar @WWERomanReigns @HeymanHustle pic.twitter.com/NrmZgv73wO

— WWE (@WWE) August 22, 2021

After SummerSlam went dark, Lesnar attacked Cena, with Andrew Zarian of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter providing video:

Lesnar just murdered Cena pic.twitter.com/kMxnlueFYW

— Andrew Zarian (@AndrewZarian) August 22, 2021

Lesnar last appeared in the WWE ring at WrestleMania 36 in April 2020, when he lost his WWE Championship to Drew McIntyre.

Now, it appears he'll get a chance to win the WWE's other top men's championship belt, which Reigns has held for 356 days.

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).

WWE Hall of Fame wrestler Nikki Bella said she wasn't allowed to attend SummerSlam, which took place Saturday night at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

Nikki Bella says she wasn't allowed to go to #SummerSlam pic.twitter.com/l9Ohw7AoU4

— Wrestling News (@WrestlingNewsCo) August 22, 2021

Bella didn't provide any further details about the situation in her Instagram post.

The two-time WWE Divas champion was widely expected to return at Saturday's pay-per-view after she dropped several hints in recent weeks.

Hhmmm looking through my closet and deciding what to wear to SummerSlam next week??? Thoughts? N

— Nikki & Brie (@NikkiAndBrie) August 14, 2021

She even made an Instagram post early Saturday saying she'd arrived in Vegas with the hashtag for SummerSlam. So either she was playing mind games with the WWE Universe the entire time or something changed leading up to the show that stopped her from being at one of the company's premier shows.

Bella's name was dropped a couple of times during promos throughout the feud between Roman Reigns and John Cena, her former real-life boyfriend, as they prepared to face off in the main event with the Universal Championship on the line.

It led to speculation the 2020 Hall of Fame inductee may interfere in the match, but Reigns successfully defended his title with no sight of Bella. Brock Lesnar did return to confront Reigns afterward, likely setting up a future feud between the Superstars.

Becky Lynch also returned Saturday to capture the SmackDown Women's Championship with a quick victory over Bianca Belair, another spot on the card that could have hypothetically been filled by Bella.

It's impossible to say for sure until Bella or WWE provide further information, though.

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).