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Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.
Ricochet’s Future Uncertain Ahead of Upcoming WWE Departure
After Ricochet reportedly informed WWE that he plans to leave the company when his contract expires this summer, it’s not clear what’s next for the high-flyer.
Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News) said that “according to those close to the situation, everything is up in the air” between Ricochet and WWE after PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported on Saturday, “We are told that Ricochet is expected to be written out of WWE storylines very soon in advance of the contract expiration.”
Ricochet is a member of the Raw brand and has been engaged in a rivalry with Bron Breakker in recent weeks, but it sounds like their storyline will be coming to an end soon.
While The One and Only’s WWE future is riddled with question marks, it sounds like he won’t have a shortage of options if he hits the open market.
“One source we spoke with said they were giving Ricochet ‘all the credit in the world for betting on himself.’ One would think he’ll quickly be a hot commodity as a free agent,” Johnson wrote.
Ricochet is a former intercontinental, United States and NXT North American champion as well as the first-ever WWE Speed champion.
The 35-year-old is one of the most exciting in-ring performers in the business, so perhaps a change in scenery will benefit him as he seeks new opportunities outside WWE.
Andrade Reportedly to Win Ricochet’s Title, Remain on SmackDown
With Ricochet’s impending departure on the horizon, WWE reportedly made a swift decision to have someone replace him as WWE Speed champion.
During the most recent tapings for WWE Speed this past Friday, Andrade defeated Ricochet to win the title.
Fightful Select (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News) reported that El Idolo is expected to continue having a role on SmackDown during his title reign.
“We’re told Andrade is still likely to appear on SmackDown despite being booked to win the WWE Speed Championship,” the report stated.
After a two-year run in AEW, Andrade made his return to WWE during the men’s Royal Rumble match in January. He’s involved in a storyline with Legado del Fantasma, but he hasn’t cracked the main event scene yet.
Andrade also recently appeared to show frustration with WWE’s booking decisions, as he responded to a fan’s question on social media about why Latino wrestlers are frequently booked against one another by tweeting, “I wonder the same!!!!!”
It appears Andrade has been allowed to go in a new direction with the WWE Speed Championship now around his waist, so fans can expect some fun matches during his reign.
Asuka Provides Injury Update with Social Media Photo
Asuka was forced to withdraw from the Queen of the Ring tournament due to a knee injury. After undergoing surgery, she gave fans an update with a social media picture of her using a walker with a cast and a brace wrapped around he left leg:
ASUKA / 明日華 @WWEAsuka
pic.twitter.com/BfYw0IahR8
Asuka confirmed on her YouTube channel last month that she was taking the time to address her lingering knee issues.
“After Backlash and the European tour, I had to take a break to treat my knee that I had been hurting for a while,” she said (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News). “My partners Kairi [Sane] and Dakota [Kai] helped me a lot during this tour as I could not move at my best. I am very grateful to both of them.”
It’s unclear how much time The Empress of Tomorrow will miss, but she’s unlikely to be back in the ring anytime soon.
Her Damage CTRL stablemates, Dakota Kai, Kairi Sane and Iyo Sky, have struggled to find success since moving to Raw in the WWE draft, and the road ahead will be even more difficult without Asuka.
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