WWE News & Rumor Roundup: Top star released without 'non-compete', reason for popular name's unexplained absence, Seth Rollins' heartwarming message to Baron Corbin (21 December 2021)

#3 Reason for WWE Superstar Mustafa Ali's absence

WWE Superstar Mustafa Ali has been absent for weeks. He was granted paternity leave ahead of Survivor Series but hasn't been called back despite being ready to return.

What was even more surprising was that WWE recently taped two episodes of SmackDown in Chicago. Ali hails from the Second City and there was confusion as to why the company would not use him in his own hometown.

As per Fightful Select, the reason Ali has not been brought back despite him being ready is that creative has no direction for him currently. Here is what Matt Black of SportsKeeda stated:

''According to Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select, he wasn't even present at the arena when the SmackDown shows were taped. Sadly, it appears that WWE did not have anything planned creatively for Mustafa Ali's return to his hometown of Chicago.''

Ali is one of the most talented talkers in WWE and hopefully the company will soon find a role that fits the former 205 Live superstar well.