Returning WWE Star Set To Switch Brands?
Having been out of action for the past several months, this WWE star's return is edging closer.
While he's been absent from WWE TV lately due to an injury issue, not only is Bobby Roode hoping to return to action soon, but it looks as if the former NXT Champion could be moved to the SmackDown brand once he's been cleared for in-ring competition.
As per Mike Johnson at PWInsider, Roode was spotted in Birmingham, Alabama yesterday and WWE sources informed Johnson that the hope is for the Glorious One to be back in action shortly. In addition to that, this report notes how there has been talks of placing the Canadian on the SmackDown roster as and when he's back on our screens.
Prior to his current absence, Bobby Roode was used as a Raw talent, and the star is still currently listed as a member of WWE's red brand on the official WWE.com roster page. Of course, the hugely talented veteran was also paired up with Dolph Ziggler as the Dirty Dawgs during his most recent appearances on WWE programming. These past few months have seen Ziggler make sporadic appearances as a singles act on Raw.
As for the specifics of Bobby's absence, all that's known is that he underwent surgery at some point across the past few months. There's no details known about what this surgery was for, what issue have been troubling Roode, or how long he was expected to be on the shelf for.
In terms of the last time he was in action, Roode's most recent match as of this writing came during a June house show, where he promptly lost to Omos. The last TV bout for the 45-year-old was as an entrant in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal on the SmackDown before WrestleMania 38.
A Glorious Return?
Could Bobby Roode's impending return to action see him revert to his famed Glorious gimmick? Possibly.
Interestingly, the star brought back his old Glorious entrance theme for several live event appearances prior to his absence. As such, many are speculating that we may once again see 'Glorious' Bobby Roode upon the talent's return to the ring. Adding to such speculation, Triple H is these days steering the WWE ship, and the Game saw enough in Roode and his Glorious schtick to make him the centre-piece of the NXT brand for a spell.
In a career which dates back to 1998, the Ontario native - whose real name brilliantly is Robert Roode - first made a splash in the early days of TNA. While Roode's first foray with that promotion was as part of Team Canada, it was teaming with James Storm as Beer Money which really put the star on the map as a major player. Like all good things, Beer Money had to come to an end, and that end saw Bobby turn on Storm and take the TNA World Title from the Cowboy.
In 12 years with TNA, Roode had two reigns as World Champion and eight spells as a Tag Team Champion. Since landing under the WWE banner in 2016, the charismatic performer has amassed an impressive 202-day run as the NXT Champion, is a three-time Tag Team Champion, held the US Title, and can count himself as a one-time 24/7 Champ.