The rumor mill is abuzz with speculation that a famed tag-team may soon grace the WWE screens again, following covert maneuvers by Triple H to reintegrate them into the fold.
Buzz is that the Authors of Pain, known individually as Akam and Rezar, have clandestinely signed fresh contracts with WWE, setting the stage for their much-anticipated return to the ring.
The duo, last appearing on WWE in 2020, found themselves aligned with Seth Rollins prior to an abrupt contract termination in September the same year, purportedly in light of budgetary constraints.
Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful brought to light that AOP clandestinely committed to WWE anew at the end of the preceding year, a development that remained under wraps until recently. While poised to be back on screen earlier, the reintroduction was shelved due to unforeseen alterations in WWE’s internal landscape, characterized by Vince McMahon reassuming control and the subsequent sale of the entity to Endeavour.
Such tectonic shifts resulted in a halt to Triple H’s ongoing negotiations with potential recruits like Jay White and Nick Aldis, giving rise to a temporary recruitment suspension.
Reportedly, the signings of Akam and Rezar occurred pre-empting both the reinstatement of McMahon to the WWE Board of Directors and the corporate overhaul, hinting at a preplanned strategy. Sapp underscores this by revealing the pair’s presence on the WWE’s internal travel dossier in May 2023, albeit their reappearance was postponed.
In the wake of the lifted hiring embargo, evinced by the recent acquisition of Brian Pillman Jr, it is conjectured that AOP’s new alliance with WWE will soon be public knowledge.
Industry whispers suggest a potential NXT stint for the tag team, bypassing Raw or SmackDown, though specifics of Triple H’s blueprint for the duo remain undisclosed.
AOP, who initially stormed into NXT in 2016 under the aegis of the renowned Paul Ellering, had a trajectory peppered with illustrious victories, including clinching the NXT tag-team championship. Their prowess caught Vince McMahon’s eye, setting them on a path to ascendancy, culminating in a Raw Tag Team Championship victory following their main roster induction in 2018.
Yet, the journey was not without its hurdles, as recurring injuries besieged the team, with Akam grappling with a knee issue in 2019 and Rezar facing a bicep injury in 2020, casting a shadow on their burgeoning career.
The question looming large now is whether the AOP will resurrect their legacy, overwriting the script of their untimely exit in 2020 amid the pandemic-induced budget slashes. Fans are certainly at the edge of their seats, keen to witness whether this heralds the renaissance of AOP in the WWE universe. Who are you rooting for in this potential comeback saga?
