Mustafa Ali Returns From Injury At WWE Live Event

SmackDown's fastest rising star is back in action.

Mustafa Ali Eye
WWE

Absent from SmackDown for the best part of a month, Mustafa Ali was back in action at a Minneapolis, Minnesota live event on Saturday night (2 March), wrestling Daniel Bryan in a WWE Championship bout.

Bryan successfully retained his belt, but all accounts suggest Ali put forth a great showing in his comeback bout:-

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Ali followed up with a six-man tag match the following night in Syracuse, New York, teaming with Jeff Hardy and The Miz to face Rusev, Samoa Joe, and Shinsuke Nakamura.

The former 205 Live was forced into taking time off after SmackDown's 10 February episode, owing to a multitude of injuries including a long-standing tailbone issue. He may have lost a mega-push in the process, as Kofi Kingston took his spot in the men's Elimination Chamber and the preceding gauntlet bout, becoming SD's hottest male act in the process, earning himself a since-cancelled WWE Title fight with Daniel Bryan at Fastlane.

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Whether or not Ali's house show comeback means he'll be back on SmackDown this week is unknown, but that he's already back on the road is a great sign. Let's hope he's able to pick up where he left off.

Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.