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In just eight days, WWE SmackDown will be moving to its new home on FOX Sports and will be premiering as Friday Night SmackDown airing live from 8 pm-10 pm EST every Friday night.
The premiere episode of WWE Friday Night SmackDown will be an "all hands on deck" show, with the current Superstars of RAW and SmackDown Live set to appear, along with numerous WWE Hall of Famers and legends.
As of this writing, two major matches have been announced for WWE SmackDown next week, as Brock Lesnar will be challenging Kofi Kingston for the WWE title, and Becky Lynch will be teaming up with her former-friend-turned-rival Charlotte Flair to face the team of Bayley and Sasha Banks.
Additionally, Kevin Owens and Shane McMahon will battle each other in a Ladder Match and their careers will be on the line as the loser of the match will be forced to leave WWE.
Given the above, let's take a look at 10 WWE Superstars who have been missing from television that could make a surprise return on Friday Night SmackDown next week.
#10 Alicia Fox
Alicia Fox has been absent from WWE TV for quite a while, and there appears to be no timetable in place for her return.
Fox is not off TV due to injury, but recent backstage incidents including a drunken altercation with Travis Browne during WrestleMania 34 weekend and another incident in which she reportedly showed up to work intoxicated have led to speculation that she might be in the proverbial WWE "doghouse."
With Fox's WWE TV absence not being injury-related, it's very possible she could return to action on SmackDown next week to help bolster the women's division as the blue brand establishes itself on its new network.
#9 Apollo Crews
WWE Superstar Apollo Crews was a major player during his run in NXT. After being called up to the main roster quickly after his rise in the Black and Yellow Brand, his main roster run has been mostly underwhelming, with the talented star receiving little significant TV time.
Most recently, it looked like Apollo Crews might have been in line for a revived push after WWE established the Wildcard Rule and Paul Heyman and Eric Bischoff took over the Executive Director roles on Raw and SmackDown, but his push was halted and he has been missing from action for quite sometime now.
There's no doubt that with the coming WWE Draft the company will be looking to freshen up the faces of both RAW and SmackDown as they embark on their new mega TV deals on NBCUniversal and FOX Sports, and the return of Apollo Crews could be a nice addition to the SmackDown roster.
Crews is a talented individual who once thrived as part of the Titus Worldwide group, and should he make his return next week. It could give rise to a new mid-card star capable of challenging for the likes of the WWE IC title.
#8 The Usos
Jimmy and Jey Uso, known collectively in WWE as The Usos, are one of the most dominant tag teams in the history of WWE and pro wrestling.
The duo have captured all the tag team gold available in WWE, and are currently awaiting a storyline to return the team to WWE TV.
Despite the success of The Usos in WWE, Jimmy Uso's personal life has been marred by numerous DUI arrests and altercations with police, and most recently, the former tag team Champion was arrested on DUI charges back in July of this year.
Uso was arrested in Pensacola, FL, and due to his past legal troubles, he was barred from entering Canada, the country in which this year's WWE SummerSlam PPV took place. As a result of The Usos being forced to miss SummerSlam due to Jimmy Uso's inability to enter Canada. WWE was forced to pull the brothers from TV until they could reestablish creative plans for the former tag team Champions.
With WWE Friday Night SmackDown premiering on FOX Sports next week, the time could be ripe for the one of the most decorated WWE tag teams of all-time to make their returns to television.
#7 Big Show
WWE Superstar Big Show might be absent from television, but he very much remains with the company as he will be starring in a new Netflix comedy series titled "The Big Show Show" which began production back in August.
While it might be a long shot that Big Show could return to WWE TV on SmackDown next week, he did confirm during a recent interview on "The Steve Austin Show" that his in-ring career is not over, and he is cleared to compete.
“I got cleared a week before ‘Mania [WrestleMania 35], so creative is already done by then," said Big Show. "It was a personal goal for me to be ready if they needed me to do anything, but they didn’t. Now I’m doing this show, so that’s why I’m not doing anything now.
“Right now, I think we are going to start streaming [The Big Show Show] around WrestleMania next year, so we can tie in promoting the show, promoting WrestleMania, and hopefully I can do something to earn a match at WrestleMania.”
There remains no word as to when Big Show will indeed return to television, but a surprise appearance on SmackDown next week could be a big boost for the blue brand on its new network.
#6 Bobby Lashley
Bobby Lashley made his surprise return to WWE following a lengthy and impressive run with Impact Wrestling, and thus far, the big man has yet to make a major splash on either Raw or SmackDown Live.
Lashley has been mostly a heel since he returned to WWE, and was briefly paired up with Lio Rush. However, Rush left television due to creative and personal differences with WWE.
Lashley has been off WWE TV with as he recovers from elbow surgery, and at last word, his timetable for return is November of this year.
While the November return timeline would indicate that Bobby Lashley will be unavailable to return at the WWE SmackDown premiere on FOX Sports next week, it is not uncommon for WWE Superstars to return from injury ahead of schedule.
Additionally, it is possible that Lashley could return to WWE TV in a non-wrestling role until he is cleared to return to the ring, and the blue brand could benefit greatly from the return of The All Mighty. Bobby Lashley's impressive MMA background would lend itself well to the rumoured sports presentation FOX has planned for Friday Night SmackDown as part of the network's sports programming lineup.
#5 Drew McIntyre
WWE RAW Superstar Drew McIntyre has had an interesting past few months with the company, and is currently off television following an undisclosed illness.
Prior to leaving WWE TV, McIntyre was rumored to become the winner of the 2019 WWE King of the Ring tournament, but instead, he was eliminated from the tournament in the first round and left TV after the loss to recover from illness.
When McIntyre returned to WWE and made his debut on the NXT brand, many fans and pundits predicted big things for the former 3MB member when he made his eventual return to main roster TV.
While McIntyre has been used as a solid player on WWE TV since being called up to the main roster, he has yet to make a major impact in the form of challenging for or winning a major WWE title, but that could change if The Scottish Psychopath makes his return to TV on SmackDown next week.
It feels like McIntyre has somewhat worn out his time spent on the RAW brand, and a return to TV on SmackDown could not only benefit the Blue Brand. This could jumpstart the push intended for McIntyre before left TV with an illness.
#4 Finn Balor
Former WWE Universal Champion Finn Balor has been off TV since losing a singles match in quick fashion to The Fiend, Bray Wyatt.
Balor left WWE TV as he was reportedly granted some time off the road, and during his time off, he got married to his fiancee, and showed off a new look as he recently shaved his head.
It looks like Finn Balor's return to WWE is on the horizon, as new advertisements for the company's upcoming tour of Australia, kicking off next month, list Shinsuke Nakamura w/Sami Zayn vs. Finn Balor for the Intercontinental Championship.
The bout advertisement hints at Finn Balor's impending return to WWE TV.
Given that Balor vs Nakamura is the advertised match for several dates on the upcoming Australia tour, the news could mean that WWE is planning to have Balor and Nakamura feud for the IC title upon his return to WWE TV.
Balor and Nakamura could provide for numerous, excellent in-ring bouts, and with FOX looking to present SmackDown as more of a sports product, this could be a marquee matchup for FOX Sports.
#3 The Hardy Boyz
Jeff and Matt Hardy, known collectively as The Hardy Boyz, have been off WWE TV for several months, but for different reasons.
As it pertains to Jeff Hardy, the former WWE Champion has been off TV since undergoing knee surgery back in April of this year.
The timetable for Jeff Hardy's return to WWE TV has not been set in stone, but at last word he was set to return to the ring sometime this fall, meaning he could likely return at the big SmackDown premiere on FOX Sports next week. WWE recently extended Jeff Hardy's contract by one year due to injury time-off.
As for Matt Hardy, he has been off WWE TV since Jeff left to undergo surgery, and it appears as if WWE had no creative plans in place for him.
Most recently, Matt Hardy has been active on Twitter, teasing he might return to TV with his Woken gimmick, or a modified version of the gimmick along with prior Matt Hardy personas.
Either way, Matt Hardy is healthy and cleared to compete, meaning a Hardy Boyz return to TV is very possible on SmackDown next week.
#2 Sheamus
Former WWE Champion Sheamus has been off TV for quite sometime, after having to depart from in-ring competition to address lingering injury issues.
At last word, Sheamus could be nearing his return to the ring, as The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that the Celtic Warrior, along with The Usos, are set to return soon.
"The Usos are scheduled back somewhat soon," reads The Observer report. "Basically when they have an idea to bring them back. Also in that category is Sheamus. He’s been off and has spinal stenosis, which is not a good thing long-term for a wrestler. But he is ready to return and if a storyline is there, he would be brought back."
It looks like all Sheamus is waiting for is a TV return storyline, and with SmackDown set to premiere on FOX Sports next week, the Friday night show could be the perfect time for the former tag team Champion to make his long-awaited return to WWE TV.
With Sheamus' former tag team partner Cesaro currently floundering for a concrete spot on the main roster, it is very possible we could see The Bar return to action in one week on Friday Night SmackDown.
#1 Lana
There was a time when The Ravishing Russian, aka WWE's Lana, was one of if not the most popular act in all of WWE.
The teaming of Lana and Rusev was once gold on the WWE main roster, but things cooled off for the real-life couple when they broke kayfabe on social media and announced their engagement.
The announcement was met with disappointment from WWE officials, and since then the duo have seen their spot in WWE dissipate.
Most recently, Rusev made his return to WWE TV and looks to be in-line for a renewed push, but conspicuous by her failure to return is Rusev's wife Lana.
The WWE announce team has been quick to point out that Lana is nowhere to be found following Rusev's return to WWE TV, which could be an indication that plans are in place for her to return in the near future. With SmackDown set to premiere on FOX Sports next week, the stage could be set for the big return of Lana and reuniting of one of WWE's classic real-life couples.
Who else would you like to see return on SmackDown next week? Let us know in the comment section and be sure to follow SK on Twitter and Facebook!
