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Fastlane 2023 ended up being quite a newsworthy WWE PLE as, in addition to a title change, fans witnessed the return of Carlito. The rumors mills have now shed some light on what's next for the veteran star in the aftermath of Fastlane, which seems to be an extended run on SmackDown.
The narrative heading into Fastlane revolved around Rey Mysterio and Santos Escobar's mystery partner, and there was speculation about Carlito being brought in to fill the spot. That's exactly what happened as the former United States showed up during the second match of the night to help LWO defeat the heel alliance of Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits.
PWInsider's Mike Johnson reported that Carlito will be a full-time member of the Blue brand. His presence on SmackDown pretty much confirms that Carlito will be featured alongside Latino World Order in the weeks to follow.
"We are told Carlito will be on the Smackdown brand going forward. WWE has already released a new Carltito t-shirt," stated the report.
When did WWE originally want Carlito to debut him again?
Following his surprise return at Backlash 2023, Carlito drew a lot of praise for the kind of reactions he received, and it didn't take long for rumors about him being re-signed to start doing the rounds.
It was noted that the 44-year-old star agreed to a WWE deal over the summer, and the company initially wanted him back on television by July.
The previous creative direction was nixed as Triple H's team allegedly wanted to find a 'better storyline entrance' for the popular Puerto Rican wrestler.
Even though he is a veteran in his 40s, Carlito seems to be in phenomenal physical condition, and that was one of the biggest takeaways for the fans when he first showed up at Backlash. His official reintroduction as a signed WWE Superstar at Fastlane marks the beginning of another potentially exciting run, and as noted, he will be working closely with Rey Mysterio's LWO.
What are your predictions? Sound off in the comments section below.
