Kane made a special appearance on Friday Night SmackDown last night, and it's interesting to note that despite him last being seen as Glenn Jacobs when WWE visited Tennessee and he was able to win the 24/7 Championship, Kane appeared as The Big Red Machine once more.

Kane appeared to discuss the upcoming Royal Rumble match and remind the WWE Universe that he still holds the all-time record for Royal Rumble eliminations with 43. The Devil's Favorite Demon was cutting a promo about how he enjoyed taking the dream of WrestleMania main events from various stars over the years when he was interrupted by Fun House Bray Wyatt who remembered that Kane and The Fiend had already had an altercation.

The Fiend then targetted Kane before he managed to get out of the ring, leading to an ambush from Daniel Bryan who managed to get the upper hand on his long-time adversary, but could Kane's appearance have been much more important than just being a distraction?

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#5. To promote Kane's appearance on Broken Skull Sessions

Following NXT UK Takeover: Blackpool II last weekend, WWE presented a new episode of The Broken Skull Sessions, which featured Kane. The Big Red Machine was able to discuss some of the most important moments of his career alongside Stone Cold Steve Austin much like Undertaker had before him.

Kane talked about how he almost missed his debut, the reasons behind Kane wearing a mask and how much of his career he owed to The Undertaker, but it appears that the company chose the perfect time to bring him back since this appearance will now work as a form of promotion for his recent interview.

Even though Kane was in full character here and wasn't when he was part of the interview, fans will start searching for Kane online and the podcast will hopefully gain more views.

#4. To remind the WWE Universe that The Fiend and Kane have history

Kane and The Fiend have crossed paths before and interestingly it was The Fiend who came out on top when he used The Mandible Claw on the former World Champion before then adding him to his wall of friends inside the Fun House.

Interestingly, since being put on the wall, Mick Foley hasn't returned to WWE and Jerry "The King" Lawler has continued to appear on commentary like nothing happened. This doesn't come off too well for The Fiend who is said to reach down your throat and take out your soul as part of the move, so Kane's appearance could have been to prove that The Fiend is still something to be feared.

Kane is the only star who isn't performing full-time on the roster to return after an attack from The Fiend and it appears that the masked star wanted to take him out completely since once again, much like Daniel Bryan his mission with Kane was to make him remember.

#3. Kane vs The Fiend in Saudi Arabia

There have been rumors over the past few days that Kane may not be done in the ring just yet. Since he has appeared in Saudi Arabia a number of times, including as part of the dream match between DX and The Brothers of Destruction back at Crown Jewel in 2018 it would make sense for the former World Champion to want to make a return once again, even if it's only for the huge paycheck.

The appearance now means that the WWE Universe are aware that there is an issue between Kane and The Fiend and since The Big Red Machine helped Daniel Bryan to get the upper hand against his Royal Rumble opponent, he could now turn on Kane.

If The Fiend is able to defeat Bryan at The Royal Rumble next weekend then he could the future Hall of Famer, possibly leading to a match between the two men when WWE returns to Saudi Arabia next month.

#2. It's the only way Daniel Bryan could get the upper hand

Daniel Bryan challenged The Fiend to a strap match last night on SmackDown, but in order for Bryan's narrative of the situation to work, The Fiend needed to run away from him, which meant that Bryan needed to sneak up on Wyatt and gain the upperhand.

Bryan would have found it hard to sneak up on a man who literally lives in the shadows, so calling in someone like Kane who Bryan knew The Fiend had a history with was the perfect way to ensure that he would be drawn out and it meant that Bryan could attempt to weaken his opponent ahead of their showdown next week.

Bryan's plan worked since Kane was prepared for the attack and Bryan was in position to take advantage. Perhaps even more shocking, The Fiend actually accepted the challenge for a Strap Match at the Royal Rumble next weekend. So regardless of what happens, he will be forced to stand and fight against Daniel Bryan.

#1. Kane's WrestleMania retirement match

Kane has been away from a WWE ring for a while now after it was revealed that he had been chosen as the Mayor of Knox County in Tennessee. Of course, his duties in Knox County still take precedence, but it could be argued that Kane wants one final match and it could be to put over The Fiend.

If Kane and The Fiend do face off in Saudi Arabia and there isn't a clear winner or the match ends in a similar way to Seth Rollins' bout with Wyatt at Hell in a Cell, then there could then be a rematch between the two men where Kane puts his mask on the line.

If The Fiend is the man to retire Kane then it would be a huge feather in his cap as well as a passing of the torch moment. With rumors suggesting that The Undertaker won't be part of this year's WrestleMania, this would be the perfect time to allow Kane to step into his place and receive the spotlight he has always deserved.